I lost my mind and purchased a horse farm...

[luvmyhackney]

I found a really neat horse property about an hour from my office and the airport. I put in an offer and it was finalized yesterday. Now I’m starting to panic a little. It’s a bit larger than I wanted with 20+ stalls, small indoor with a 6 horse walker, a little over 11 acres. But I’m actually saving about 2k a month on rent and taxes vs where I currently own, not including anything I save on bringing my one pony home. So it’s great for my cash flow. Also means I need two more horses to keep my pony company. Lol!

So many things to figure out and decide after closing, but my non-horsey friends don’t quite share in my excitement, so wanted to share with people that would. We are redoing all the fencing and adding in an outdoor ring plus rehabbing the barn a bit, power washing, repacking the clay floor, mainly general maintenance around the property.

I’ve ran multiple large show barns before and worked for vets, so I’m confident my pony will survive my care at home. But any tips and tricks for surviving with horses at home would be amazing!

[fourfillies]

You go! I’m excited for you!!!

[EventingChase]

I purchased more farm then I needed as well, not quite as many stalls, it has 12, but 30 acres and I have 4 horses.

I lease a block of stalls to a trainer and she runs her program out of them, and it’s been amazing. We subdivided one of my larger fields into paddocks for her and she takes care of all the mowing, weed eating and care, so it’s nice to have one less field to bush hog. She also assists with keeping the arena maintained and dragged and mowing our gallop/jump field. It’s a dry lease so she and her working student(s) do all the care for their own horses.

It’s great to have additional help on property, and the additional rental income. Since I’m not also a trainer or trying to run my own business sharing the arena and riding areas is no big deal.

Just an idea on how ‘too much farm’ can be made more manageable and even a bit profitable. I was mowing and caring for the whole thing anyway, and now have some income to support that.

[ElementFarm]

CONGRATS!!!

I would recommend since you’re already saving money, that you don’t board outside horses or rent a block of stalls to an outside trainer. The joy of having your own place is quickly ruined by a rude client, needy boarders, a destructive horse, or passive/aggressive personalities. Just keep your 2-4 horses, maybe take on a foster or a flip if you want a challenge, and enjoy all your extra space. Turning an unused stall into a blanket storage room, a solarium, etc, should be fairly easy.

DO buy a bigger Tractor than you think you might need. Get the extra big FEL and bush-hog. No one ever complains they got too much tractor.

Also, as soon as you feel comfortable (don’t tempt fate), we insist on pictures ”‹

My place is smaller in scope than yours. Just 6-8 stalls, an outdoor, and about 16 acres, but not all is pasture. Keeping the horses at home is pretty easy to manage on a day-to-day basis. Feeding, stalls, turn out/in takes maybe an hour in the summer, 2 hours in winter (in more and blanket changes). Farm maintenance is mostly mowing and ring dragging, with occasional weed whacking and fence repair. If you prioritize riding (if that is in fact your priority) and don’t expect your place to look like a magazine article spotlight, you’ll be fine.

[Bluey]

@ElementFarm

CONGRATS!!!

I would recommend since you’re already saving money, that you don’t board outside horses or rent a block of stalls to an outside trainer. The joy of having your own place is quickly ruined by a rude client, needy boarders, a destructive horse, or passive/aggressive personalities. Just keep your 2-4 horses, maybe take on a foster or a flip if you want a challenge, and enjoy all your extra space. Turning an unused stall into a blanket storage room, a solarium, etc, should be fairly easy.

DO buy a bigger Tractor than you think you might need. Get the extra big FEL and bush-hog. No one ever complains they got too much tractor.

Also, as soon as you feel comfortable (don’t tempt fate), we insist on pictures

I agree, for every one that bought a farm not being a trainer themselves and then added boarding and a trainer “just to help with bills” and it worked well for all?
My guess there are 9 others it became a costly, frustrating and crazy situation.

[lenapesadie]

How exciting! Congratulations!

[B-burg_Dressage]

Congrats!

Tips and tricks are just enjoy your horses and the ability to do whatever you want with them. I set up my daily life so that chores take 15 or 20 minutes each end of the day during the week. That way I can spend more time with the actual grooming/ riding/etc.

[Zu_Zu]

[B]Blue Ribbon !!!

ENJOY !!![/B]

[Jealoushe]

Pictures!!!

[2DogsFarm]

A thought:
Rather than deal with Krazy Boarders, consider renting stalls as storage.
Check with your homeowner’s insurance to prevent renters trying to collect for damaged stuff.

Idea came from a neighbor who bought a house with an 8-stall barn & attached indoor arena. He has no horses, does not want horses. Nor horsepeole traipsing all over his property. Total 17ac, about half wooded.
He is thinking of allowing friends to store boats in the indoor.
60X120 space with access - his own boat is there now.
Apparently commercial boat storage runs $20/foot.
At half that he could make some good money.

Stalls could hold stuff that just needs shelter from outdoors & fits in a 10X12 space.

[Lucassb]

Congratulations! It sounds like a wonderful property My best advice is to try to live with the farm for a bit before making any major decisions/changes… it’s surprising what you learn in those first couple months!

[trubandloki]

@2DogsFarm

A thought:
Rather than deal with Krazy Boarders, consider renting stalls as storage.
Check with your homeowner’s insurance to prevent renters trying to collect for damaged stuff.

Idea came from a neighbor who bought a house with an 8-stall barn & attached indoor arena. He has no horses, does not want horses. Nor horsepeole traipsing all over his property. Total 17ac, about half wooded.
He is thinking of allowing friends to store boats in the indoor.
60X120 space with access - his own boat is there now.
Apparently commercial boat storage runs $20/foot.
At half that he could make some good money.

Stalls could hold stuff that just needs shelter from outdoors & fits in a 10X12 space.

Do check with your insurance (like 2Dogs already said) if you are thinking of doing something like renting for storage.
I know someone who bought property with an indoor and rented it out as boat storage who learned after having to pay for damages caused by a boat (to another boat) that fell off its trailer somehow that in the end, the cost of the proper insurance did not make it a worthwhile thing to continue to rent the space as storage.

[ayrabz]

you’ve been there done that in the barns you’ve ‘run before’ as you say. No WAY I’d do stalls for ‘storage’ yes, WAY I’d do a trainer I respected and enjoyed being around to fill stalls and have shared interests in same discipline. But you are talking about a new outdoor, already have an indoor, to be honest? my best advice would be: move in. see what you want to change and how soon, and make it home and go from there. It has to be so exciting!!!

[skydy]

Congratulations!

Before committing to too much construction, I’d see how the property functions in winter weather. Low areas, run off, drainage, ice, any water pipes that tend to freeze etc… I would not utilize your barn for any commercial purpose until you have been there awhile. Never for any commercial purpose other than equine.

Live there for awhile and then decide if you really want to give up your privacy.

I’m very happy for you.

[HPFarmette]

:winkgrin:happy for you

[luvmyhackney]

Thank you guys so much. I’m going to enjoy having my own space and my work office in the barn, plus plenty of projects to keep us busy for years. I don’t mind dry leasing stalls but not sure I want a bunch of people on the property with my kids running around. It’s their home first and foremost. The property is set up for race horses and rehabbing, not really for riding at the moment.

I don’t have that many pics besides the ones from the realtor site. But I attached a few and one shows the layout of the property. We have been out after a heavy ran and other than the drainage ditch in the front it drains quite well. Home inspection is Monday and well inspection is Tuesday, so fingers crossed everything passes beautifully.
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[Bluey]

Wonderful, bet you are on cloud nine.

Jingles all passes inspection and you get to enjoy many years in that pretty place.

[LuckyRider]

Congratulations and thanks for sharing! It’s nice to read some good news in a world full of drama and debate. Best wishes to you and your family. Look forward to seeing updates 😊🐴

[tbchick84]

Congratulations. It’s so nice to see someone have something good happen to them in this crap year.

[js]

Wow, that’s lovely. I’m going to agree with everyone that has said, keep your beautiful farm for your personal use and don’t invite boarders, trainers, or use stalls as storage. Since you are saving $2,000 a month, I’m assuming you don’t need income to make this property affordable. Take one project at a time, get moved in and take a few weeks or even months to get a feel for things and what needs priority to be fixed.

If and its a big if you were to rent out a few stalls, rent to a race track trainer that needs places for rehab or wintering over for a few head of race horses. That way there won’t be as many people on your property, need for using the indoor etc. but just keep in mind all the added expense of insurance etc. and the possible need for an LLC or something similar and how that might effect your taxes.

Congrats on a beautiful place!