Looking for affordable boarding near Hartford, CT

[starhorse]

I have checked out some of the older threads about boarding in Hartford, and I have found them pretty helpful, but I’m hoping some CT people can chime in on my specific situation.

I’m looking for boarding near Hartford for an older mare. Indoor ring is preferred but not a requirement - she is 21, and I’m open to giving her winters mostly off if the turnout is excellent. I have a H/J background but I’ve boarded at more eventing-oriented barns, as well, and loved them. I’d also be open to more private barn situations, if anyone knows specific people looking to rent a stall.

I’d like to keep board to under 750ish. The horse is sound enough (and sane enough) to be a beginner half-lease horse, too, so I’d be open to a barn that offers lessons and whatnot to find a lease person.

I am still job searching, so I don’t have an exact town where I will be living yet, but we have to be commutable to Hartford (where SO is working).

I’d appreciate specific barn names rather than suggested towns, if anyone has that kind of info.

So, basic summary:
*great turnout is a must (hours out is more important than grass)
*indoor is preferred but not necessary
*trails would be nice, too!
*under $750 per month
*potential lease opportunity is a plus

Thanks, everyone, for all of your help. I appreciate the help!

[tbchick84]

Have you posted an ad on Connecticut Horsey Folk on Facebook? You’d probably get some nice options in that area for that price.

[starhorse]

No, but I will do that now! Thank you!

[mvp]

If you are south of Hartford, try Bear Paw Barn in Middletown:

http://www.bearpawbarn.com

It checks just about all of your boxes.

The BO’s husband works in Hartford (they live across the river from the barn) and the commute isn’t bad. I have driven it as well.

BO is honest and professional, and the care is great. The only thing holding her back in the past was her lack of an indoor. That’s fixed now!

I’m an old skool hard-a$$ about horse care and I liked it there. There was enough TO and a management style that supports that. Fields about as well. The barn is small-- just 6 stalls?

I even left my old show hunter there for a part-time job in her school horse program while I moved to the other coast. And that’s not something I ever imagined doing with any horse of mine. That’s how much I trusted the BO and her program.

Check it out and, of course, you are welcome to PM me if you want to ask nitty-gritty questions. As one HO to another, I won’t send you to the wrong place even if it was the right place for me.

[starhorse]

Thanks so much, mvp! I have created a barn spreadsheet (no joke…) and I made a note that you know the barn personally, so once I move into the area in 2 months, I may PM you for further details! It sounds really great.

I appreciate everyone’s help so far!

[mvp]

Do that.

And if you are the type to make a barn spreadsheet, you are my type of Research Queen HO. I think the BO would be ok with that, too. By the way, she’s the master of horse nutrition. I thought I was pretty good, but she out-did me, so I just let her feed mine as she thought was best. It really was nice being able to “take a breath” and not have to be that control-freak HO.

I think she does have a spot opening in July and there is a horse leaving before then. If you end up being in the right area, maybe call the BO first and let her know that you are in the market.

[starhorse]

I swear I’m not a crazy HO… It’s more that I look at websites and forget where they are or what they offer, and then I have to keep going back and mapping it and it’s a big pain in the butt.

We’re actually open to where to live, if you have any suggestions for that too! We are both young professionals. He’s definitely working at Hartford Hospital, and I will (hopefully) be working in Hartford with a chance of New Haven (in the interview process now). We have a dog so a yard would be a plus. He said a lot of the residents at the hospital live in West Hartford, but it sounds like a lot of the barns are east or south.

Moving is just so stressful sometimes!

[oliverreed]

I board at Double A Arabians in Somers, CT. I have been there 5 or so years. It’s a great place, no drama - lots of show arabians but we have hunt seat people too, and jumps in the outdoor ring. We have an indoor, nice stalls, good care, the BO is fantastic. Don’t know if that’s too far away for you, though - it is just about smack dab on the CT/MA line. Good luck!

[oliverreed]

Went back and read your first post - I think Double A would work well for you. Nice big turnout and plenty of trail riding, too. And within your price range. PM me if you like.

[osgoka01]

West Hartford is nice but on the wrong side of the river for most of the farms you will likely be considering. Also, the traffic can be really bad around rush hour, when you are going to be trying to head off to ride. If your husband is working in Hartford and you are in New Haven, Middletown would be a good central location for you to live as it is inbetween the two cities and has good highway access.

Glastonbury is a very cute town as well, but more family oriented than West Hartford. It has ALOT of farms that meet your criteria. Check out the following:
Seven Js Farm ($800 I think, small indoor but great care. Has a small IEA team)
Hunters Run Stable ($650 I think, lots of kids, hosts a large IEA team, has trail access and turnout)
Beacon Woods Stable ($850. New contstruction and very nice people. Beautiful indoor and lots of trail access. Not many kids)
Glastonbury Hunt Club ($700 Newer spot- don’t know much about it and it is on the “far” side of town)

I’ll add more as I think of them!

[PletchersMom]

Matson Farm in Berlin.

Outdoor ring
Indoor ring
Round pen
Trails

[sarcam02]

Shallowbrook is lovely

[starhorse]

Thanks for all of these ideas!

I will look into Middletown and Glastonbury for horse and people homes. My SO and I are looking to rent, not buy, and we’re definitely not ready for a family. It’d be great to be within a short drive of bars and restaurants.

Feel free to chime in with any other barns or towns to check out!! You guys rock!

[mvp]

Middletown has a nice downtown. It has Wesleyan College, so it has a good vibe. The commute to New Haven isn’t bad and it is a nice half-way point between New Haven and Hartford.

[starhorse]

Slight update!

Sounds like I will (somewhat likely, fingers crossed) be working in Springfield, MA, so we’d like to be living somewhere between Hartford and Springfield. And, therefore, I’d like the mare living somewhere in that area, too.

Would love some ideas for towns where we can rent, and barns in that area. Will also be posting on the Facebook page in the next few days.

[LoriO]

I would recommend looking in the Ellington and Granby area. Lots of horse farms around there. I’m south of Hartford so I do not know the farms up there well enough to recommend anything but I’m sure people up that way can help steer you in the right direction

[starhorse]

Thank you! We’re looking for rental situations in the Enfield area, so Ellington looks very close on the map. (Also - if anyone has leads on rental housing, feel free to pass those along, too!)

I’m going to be checking out a few of the places mentioned above, like Double A and Shallowbrook (does anyone know board cost there or turnout situation?)

Also found these places by googling… Any thoughts? Feel free to PM, too.

http://rideoakmeadow.com/
http://www.decarlifarm.com/boarding/

Thanks guys! Don’t know where I’d be without all of you!!

[ssandstr]

Just a thought - if you’re working in Springfield…consider going a bit north perhaps - I live in Northampton and board my mare in Southampton at Carrier’s farm…it’s all boarding (some great trainers come in to give lessons but no in-house person)… all day turnout in very well irrigated private (or shared) spaces… indoor that’s only 3 years old, trails, two outdoor rings, big riding field with some cross country jumps… and $500 a month. it’s about 15-20 minutes from Springfield. It’s the best place I’ve ever been. No drama, incredibly friendly and helpful folks, and Nancy and Bob Carrier are true horsepeople. Worth checking out.

[EEventing]

Well-A-Way farm in simsbury is great. Nice rings, indoor, great care. Heard its super drama-free. Not sure about turn out situation but you should check it out.

[sarcam02]

[QUOTE=starhorse;7605581]
Thank you! We’re looking for rental situations in the Enfield area, so Ellington looks very close on the map. (Also - if anyone has leads on rental housing, feel free to pass those along, too!)

I’m going to be checking out a few of the places mentioned above, like Double A and Shallowbrook (does anyone know board cost there or turnout situation?)

Also found these places by googling… Any thoughts? Feel free to PM, too.

http://rideoakmeadow.com/
http://www.decarlifarm.com/boarding/

Thanks guys! Don’t know where I’d be without all of you!![/QUOTE]

Hi my daughters small pony hunter lives at Shallowbrook and is very well cared for. They have a massive indoor and a second smaller I think the board range is around 6-800 but you should confirm. They do have ample turnout - dirt-grass-single or group depending on what your horse prefers. I will PM you contact