In search for Pittsburgh, PA boarding

[Shainasue]

Hello,
I have done/read search results for Pittsburgh boarding but haven’t found what I need. I just got married and moved to Shaler, PA. My horse is still ‘at home’, a few hours away and I am new to the area.

My current board is under $250 and I really cannot budget much more. My quarter mare is retired and I cannot ride her due to dropped fetlocks and lameness issues. She currently has a run in stall and access to paddocks with grass. She does best moving around as she pleases so a stall is not necessary. My discipline was always western, and hunter under saddle but being that I can’t ride her anymore, it doesn’t matter. We will fit in anywhere.

So…private barn owners, fields, boarding facilities with individual paddocks? Preferably somewhere around the North Hills. We are easy going and I just want my horse to be closer. I’m entertaining any options to make it happen.

Thank You in advance!

[mrs.smith]

That’s not a lot of budget for the Pittsburgh area. Because of suburban sprawl, cheap boarding has become a thing of the past in this area. I’ll pm you the name of a place close to your budget for pasture board, but not individual turn out. Hope you find what you’re looking for.

[copper1]

Drive around the area and stop at different barns and inquire. They may know somewhere that does not advertise. check the local tack shops as feed stores as well but you are pushing the limit money wise for the area. Good luck!

[saje]

You might try giving SilverCrest a call (724) 898-0003. Their board if definitely not in your range but I know they have clients with horses kept at home, so they might have some good contacts for you.

You are going to have a hard time keeping to your budget though, especially in that area. Would you be able to do self-care for that price? You’d have feed & daily travel on top of that $250, but you might find something do-able.

[copper1]

I just got a copy of the Equine Marketer" and it has a listing of boarding barns by county in PA. If you let me know which county, I can send you some numbers. I have no idea if these places are good, bad, or ugly but it is a start!

[walkinthewalk]

Ditto the other posters in that there are no boarding deals near Pittsburgh:no:

The only place I know (IF she still is in the boarding business) that would give your horse AAA+ care is 75 miles NW of Pittsburgh in Mercer County. In terms of time, that would pretty much put you in the same position you’re already in.

You might also check in the Butler/New Castle area; things might be a little cheaper in that direction.

Having lived the bulk of my life in the Mercer County area, I’m not familiar with anything east, NE, or SE of P-Burgh. I know your chances of finding something reasonable to the west or NW and outside of Allegheny County, might be best.

Pick up some of the free advertising rags and see what’s in them. I’m sorry I can’t remember the names of any of them anymore - I’ve been gone 15 years:( You can usually find them at the 7-11 type stores, Denny’s sometimes has them, I lived in a rural area and they were delivered to my mailbox.

Hope this is some help:)

[saje]

I took a peek at the Pittsburgh area Craigslist, just out of curiosity, and there are actually a bunch of things in your price range. Now what you get for that I don’t know, and I suspect it’ll be a long commute, but it might bring her closer and you could see her a couple of times a week instead of once a month or so…