How do you find a new barn and what do you look for?

[Bugs_s_Mom]

Very long story short I am trying desperately to find a new barn but it is a nightmare in my area. Due to a whole host of reasons (mostly development) a lot of barns are closing their doors these days. Having only been at two very private barns I am struggling with where to search, have a Facebook ad on 3 pages and have scoured Google, asked my trainer (who is sadly almost an hour away or I would go there) and still am coming up short. There are a couple of places I have seen but can’t find an online presence, do I just drop by one day? I am going to ask the farrier Wednesday when he comes but otherwise I am running out of ideas.

Related second question do those of you that have been at private and public barns have a preference for one over the other? If so, why do you prefer that option?

[trubandloki]

I do not think there are any what I would call public barns in my part of the world.
The barns might be a business that has 30 stalls, but they are still a privately owned business.

Here, a friend found a great barn by doing what you say you did, putting an ‘in search of’ ad up on a local horse related facebook group. Various places posted saying they had a stall. Then friend was able to decide which situation worked best for them and their horse.

Asking your farrier is a great idea.

[Bugs_s_Mom]

I guess I should probably classify what I mean by “public” a barn that is lesson heavy. Not a 10-12 lessons a week to mostly boarders but a lesson every hour 8 hours per day 5-7 days per week (or similar) or a barn that hosts many shows throughout the year. I think technically all barns are privately owned businesses, at least the ones in my area that I can afford are, but may fall into what I would consider “public” due to the parade of students and competitors.

[trubandloki]

With all the Covid stuff going on I think it is best to call before you show up. Look up the phone number of those lesson barns you are interested in and call to see if they have open stalls and if they are willing to give you a tour.

[Scribbler]

First you set your price ceiling.

Then you set your geographic radius.

Then you set your must haves. Do you need an indoor arena trails access onsite trainet field turnout etc? Prioritize these.

Then search out every barn with a public profile and look at their online data. I would make a list evrn a spreadsheet.

You can eliminate the ones that are too expensive too far away or lack your basic requirements.

Then you can start contacting them by whatever means they provide, phone or text or messenger etc. I think it would be acceptable to do a drive by and if the place looks open to visitors, no security gate, to pull in and chat briefly to other boarders or whoever is around at a known populated time like Sunday afternoon. Be tactful there though. Some barns don’t care and others do.

Private barns are more likely to be unadverisrf and word of mouth but they do advertise too sometimes.

Honestly it’s all going to depend on the people running it. You can have generous hobby farm private barns and mud holes run by folks with borderline personality disorder. You can have large boarding barns that give tiptop care and one’s that cut corners.

You arent going to find the pergrct place. Settle for good enough.

[JenEM]

@Scribbler

You arent going to find the pergrct place. Settle for good enough.

I think this is key. Nowhere is perfect, so part of looking around needs to be figuring out what you’re willing to compromise on.

For example, I boarded for several years somewhere without an indoor because while it meant that sometimes I wasn’t able to have a lesson at my regularly schedule day/time due to weather/footing, I learned a ton from the trainer. It was tradeoff that was worth it to me, but might not be to someone else.

[Impractical_Horsewoman]

I definitely wouldn’t just drop by! Some people live on their farms, plus you might come at the absolutely worst time. Also, you don’t know the configuration of the barn. I once was lessoning on a very reactive horse, and two people just randomly opened a door of the arena that NEVER gets opened to check out the place.

Going to a local show (even if you don’t show) and checking out the riders isn’t a bad idea.

If by public barns, you mean barns run by local parks & recreation departments that offer lessons to the public, those often aren’t ideal situations for people who want a quiet situation for their horse, IMHO, since there are often lessons going on all the time, often with beginner kids and parents.

[Fiesta01]

Have you asked your vet? They should know all the places that have horses, private and public.

I only boarded once at a public barn (per your definition, lessons all day everyday with boarders and non-boarders). I much preferred my private ones since I always had reactive TBs and these barns were much more low-key.

[quietann]

Yes to all of this, and ask your vet and farrier. Plus ask your trainer – if the trainer knows their barn is too far away, they may know of a closer place.

I agree that the days of “just dropping by” are over. Contact any barn you are interested in and ask for a good time to show up.

[saddleup]

Your local tack shop or feed store might have a bulletin board where barns put up flyers.

FB groups might have the same, and you can post ISO listing specifying what you want and where you live.

Definitely don’t just drop by.

[hoopoe]

Another tool for searching is Google maps. Set you area and search stables, equestrian center etc. When I was looking i was very frustrated in the poor communication from local trainers.

[Bebe_Falcon1]

@Bugs_s_Mom

There are a couple of places I have seen but can’t find an online presence, do I just drop by one day?

You must live in my neck of the woods I know someone who’s endured THREE consecutive barn closures (two of which I also experienced) and is looking for her fourth boarding facility in the span of about three years.

There also seems to be this trend of no online presence for boarding facilities here, too. Is it because an online presence isn’t needed anymore, because demand > supply as more and more barns close due to development? One of the larger barns we boarded at (pre-closure) didn’t have a website or Facebook page at all, and filled her stalls by word-of-mouth alone. I always suspected she told potential boarders she had a waiting list before she met them in person, in case she didn’t like what she saw/heard when they eventually came by for a tour. Not a terrible strategy, I suppose, but somewhat intimidating in retrospect to think I could have “failed” what was essentially an interview

Some really great pointers here already, good luck with your search!

[Bugs_s_Mom]

Thank you all for your advice!

I have a spreadsheet and have been crossing off as I talk to various barns. My trainer is helping however, a lot of the places she knows of are either closed, closing or a couple were too expensive. I have my requirements list and my radius set. I have done the Google maps thing and found a couple that I contacted that way. I see my farrier tomorrow so will pick his brain too! I see the vet 9/16 and will talk to her then, she does better with in person communication. She will respond to text/email but it is slow at times. I know I said desperately but I think I meant I am getting discouraged in my search. I don’t have to move tomorrow but our current situation is not working as it was previously so I am moving him. We have some time, I just wanted to see if I was missing something here but it sounds like I am doing pretty much what I can to find a new barn.

[trubandloki]

It will likely be MUCH harder to find a barn that will allow you to use an outside trainer if you are looking at larger facilities with a lesson program.

[Bugs_s_Mom]

Yeah I am seeing that. There are some but they are few and far between. I really would prefer small/private as that is all I’ve ever known. Those do have their own set of issues but they almost always allow an outside trainer.

[OfCourseItsAnAlter]

Tell everybody you know that you’re looking for a place to keep your horse, whether they’re horse people or not. I discovered the place I currently board because a non-horse person acquaintance knew somebody who had a horse there. I never would have found it otherwise. It’s a small place that never showed up on any of the internet searches I did and fills stalls purely through word of mouth.

[2DogsFarm]

Echoing what others said about “just drop by” - not in today’s Pandemic atmosphere.
Barns are probably a lot less strict than other public places, but you don’t want to be That Person if the one you visit unannounced is not.
However, once you have been invited & scoped out the amenities & boarder population, you might be able to stop by some other day to see if things appear the same when a guest is not expected.
Of course, if protocols are in place that would make this intrusive, don’t.

Agree your vet, shoer, feedstore, tack shop, might be able to suggest a barn that would suit you.

BTW:
An hour to get to a barn that has a trainer you like is worth the trip to me.
I used to live in Chgo & board in the burbs, then moved horses to IN.
Both required at least 1hr commute, mostly after work & weekends.

[trubandloki]

@2DogsFarm

An hour to get to a barn that has a trainer you like is worth the trip to me.

I agree with this.

I drive almost that far to work everyday and I most certainly do not like going to work near as much as going to the barn.

[Spudsmyguy]

I did just drop by at a private home that had an indoor and several beautiful (empty) grassy paddocks with run in sheds to ask if she was interested in having a boarder. She wasn’t but was the nicest person and we still keep in contact. That is the only time I’ve done that. I have been on the search before and found that barns with websites rarely keep them updated, one hadn’t updated their site since 2009!

[findeight]

Might want to search the topic “ How far do you drive to the barn?”. Might need to readjust your expectations on distance. If you like your current trainer, their barn management and its just under an hour? Many on here, self included, would consider ourselves lucky to be that close.

Boarding is compromise, 30 min or so more in the car then you prefer is an easier compromise then many of the other areas boarders must compromise on, particularly for the horse who doesn’t get to choose.