Just a lament - barn closing

[chaserider]

I just found out that the barn where I take lessons is downsizing and likely to close altogether in the next few months to a year. Reason: older owner, older lesson horses, older tack, hard to find good staff, whiny boarders, and encroaching development. Apparently there are several barns in the area that will be closing soon for many of the same reasons.

As an older (over 65) rider, I worry that I won’t look attractive to a prospective new lesson barn. I don’t show. Frankly, I’d be happy to just plod around on the trails though those are hard to find due to aforementioned development.

I’m not looking for solutions. I do know others in the local riding community who could probably offer some resources. It’s just that I had hoped to finish out my riding years without having to make these choices. But I’m not quite ready to hang up my helmet yet.

Mainly I am sad that a good person is shutting down a great program due to factors beyond their control.

[equest]

Sorry you are going through this. I too recently had my barn close up shop, and finding a comparable new situation has been really tough. Maybe create another thread explaining your location and what you’re looking for, and folks can pitch in with suggestions?

[furlong47]

Whenever my trainer retires or closes the barn, unless someone else acceptable takes over, my next plan would probably be to find a part lease on a horse to just trail ride a few times a month. But I have enough local connections and the area still has enough barns that I should hopefully be able to make something like that work.

[2DogsFarm]

There was a thread on here: Riderless Horses & Horseless Riders
Gist was people looking for someone to ride a horse for them.
There may be someone in your area who posted there.
Give me a minute & I’ll search for the thread & link it here…
Here it is, still active in June

Riderless Horses and Horseless Riders--matchmaking service!

London Ontario (Canada) Opinionated mare looking for an equally opinionated rider. Great opportunity for re rider looking to get back in shape and develop some leg strength and quality seat. More woah than go. Lessons will be required, choice of dressage or (small) jumps with opportunity in a top notch adult non lesson barn. PM for more details.

[TheBigEasy]

You have just put into words my worst nightmare.
I’m dreading the day I’m facing the same scenario, and I know it’s inevitable.
While I do some showing, and have a nice horse, I’m an AA doing this for fun, in a small but quality barn, with an aged BO who is closer to retirement age than drinking age.

I have no sage advice, but do commiserate the worry.

[Texarkana]

I remember they day I got the phone call that the best barn I ever boarded at was closing.

It sucks.

I hope this ends up being an opportunity for you to land in an even better situation. Although the way things are trending in the boarding world, that’s becoming less of a guarantee.

[LCDR]

A fact of life is that barns located near urban areas or in the surrounding suburbs or just a bit further out from towns and now in rural areas will eventually be gobbled up for development into dwellings. Six of the eight places I boarded over the part 40 years are now entirely gone - replaced by residential subdivisions.