This may be in the wrong forum.
If you were boarding at an average facility ( by that I mean- not the lowest price nor the highest priced for your area), what care/ services would you expect to receive? Not a retirement facility but one that has indoor and outdoor riding ring. Lookig for opinions- thanks
Generally speaking I would expect to receive what my contract says I receive.
What that means is very area dependent, so I have learned here on this amazing forum. For example, in some places in the country it is typical that grain is not included in board, owners provide it.
In my part of the world I would expect daily/nightly turn out/in, stall cleaned daily. Feed/hay provided (maximum amount listed, more than that paid for as an extra). Barn willing to feed supplements/meds that are prepackaged by owner.
I have never boarded at a facility that does blanket changes or any of that stuff (and I have not always boarded at the cheapest places).
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Echoing @trubandloki, Iāve found this differs wildly depending on area of the country.
I am in the Northeast, and find that most of the average facilities Iāve boarded at/leased horses at include hay to the amount stated in the contract, certain brands of grain up to a certain amount daily and you provide your own if horse eats something different, supplement administration, daily turn-in/out with a once over of the horse on the way to their stall, and once daily blanket change. There were definitely barns that didnāt include blanket changes at all or charged per change, but my experience over the last 20ish years has been theyāll do one depending on that dayās weather and if you need more itās on you. For an average facility, thatās about all Iād ask beyond general maintenance of the place, etc. Iāve certainly been at barns that have offered much less, and much more, for the same price.
I will add that the biggest thing to me is what a barn considers a sufficient amount of hay. I looked at a place that was looking to check all my boxes until they stated the horses are fed one flake in the morning, one flake in the evening, thatās it. They were on dry lots. The barn Iām currently is at relatively the same board price (average for the area), and feeds 4x a day, and weighs the flakes. Little bit of a side tangent, but always interesting to me how the same price doesnāt reflect the same care or services offered.
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Iām in the SF bay area, been at several what I would consider average boarding barns (no obligatory training board, but also clean well managed facilities). What Iāve seen is 4 flakes grassy hay or alfalfa/day, stall cleaned 1x / day, waterers checked/buckets filled 1x per day, turn out/in included if in a stall (many places have stalls with runs, in which case no turnout, some places charge extra for more than a few hours of turnout as well), blanketing/fly sheet/fly mask sometimes included sometimes extra, feeding bagged grain/supplements extra. This will generally run anywhere from $800-$1200 depending on how nice the barn is, how far from the city you are, quality of training available, etc. Many places will not have an indoor either, but given how great the weather is around here itās not super necessary.
I would expect the following: stall clean 1x a day, grain and hay fed 2x a day, supplements I provide fed during one of those two feedings, water filled and checked at both feedings, horse taken to and from pasture at a schedule of the farmās choosing (but one that I was aware of in advance). I would also expect use of at arenas/riding spaces (with lessons being given priority) and space for me to keep my tack (either a tack room or permission to keep a tack trunk near the stall).
I would not expect my horse to be groomed or carefully looked over. I would not expect sheets, blankets, or any kind of turnout equipment to put on or off my horse. I would not expect the barn to hold my horse for farriers, vets, etc. All of these things would be nice but not what I would expect at a middle of the road price point.
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Southern California. Hay or alternate roughage fed twice a day. Possibly a choice of hay. If your horseās dietary needs arenāt compatible with the hay or other roughage provided, barn will probably feed hay of your choice if you provide it and put it where they tell you, typically in front of the stall in a container or in a small container (laundry basket) in a hay area. Stall cleaned once a day. Shavings provided for box stalls. Perhaps blanketing/unblanketing though thereās often an extra fee. Iāve been at one barn that provided turnout for an additional fee.
You can typically either pay the barn for things like blanketing, turnout, hand walking, feeding provided concentrates/supplements or extra hay or contract with a person at the barn for these services. Horses in a training program within a stable will typically have these sorts of things included in their training fee.
Concentrates are typically not provided at boarding stables. Iāve been at or associated with six or so and none provided concentrates.
Hereās an example rate sheet for a public stable in an urban/suburban area. Before you get too excited about the ācheapā board, note that charges for roughage are added on top. And I realize that a bygone version of the internet wants their website back. http://ocfairequestrian.com/Information/rates.htm
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This is a āhow long is a piece of stringā question. What is and is not considered part of board varies widely by region.
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Agreed. Iāve boarded in NY, CT, and PA. In those areas, middle of the road board typically includes grain/hay and āfullā care - stall cleaned daily, horse turned in/out every day, grain fed twice a day. There is probably a trainer on site, but you may or may not be required to do anything with that person (if you are, itās likely only one lesson per week). Turnout boots/flyspraying/holding for vet/farrier may or may not be included.
Central Ontario- most places have daily turn-out/in, daily stall cleaning, Hay AM, at turn in and night check plus either hay or grazing in field/paddock. Grain is usually provided and fed along with your supplements tho choice may be limited. Blanketing, fly masks and boot changes are often extra.
This would be around C $750 at a middle-of-the-road facility with indoor arena.
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I am in the mid-Atlantic. Most facilities targeting a H/J competitive crowd offer:
stall + group turnout on pasture; ālong turnout,ā dry lot, or private turnout may be at additional cost depending on the facility
grain from the barnās mill of choice, if horse needs something additional itās at boarderās expense and subject to management approval; supplements fed in grain, provided by boarder; a sufficiency of hay for the average animal, with extra hay, alfalfa, or cubes offered at extra cost
blanket changes when the horse leaves stall for turnout and when they come back in, there may be limitations on the number of blankets the boarder can have on the stall front, and restrictions around type (ex. some wonāt deal with layering over a stable rug)
bell boots or fly masks for turnout generally put on at no charge, items provided by boarder
stalls have an adequate amount of bedding and electricity for a fan, which may or may not be provided by the farm
daily care includes 2 grain meals, hay at least twice, water checked at least twice, stall cleaned once daily, turn in and turn out, maybe picking feet and applying fly spray if I provide it. I expect that staff will look at my horse when they interact with him and will notice things like āhe doesnāt have a shoe on,ā āheās colicking,ā or āheās bleeding.ā They may or may not notice āhis legs look a little full.ā
a certain amount of storage is provided for boarders- usually trunk space, 1 saddle, 1 bridle rack.
sometimes trailer parking is included gratis.
I will say that at every farm Iāve ever boarded, the staff would make a horsemanlike decision about services not included if that was best for the animal. Horse comes in filthy with mud and needs a rug overnight? Knock him off with a brush before the rug goes on. Itās 100 degrees in the shade? Cold showers. Iāve not been billed for this, though you better believe Iāve made cookies. 
Examples of things I expect to be billed for: daily grooming, holding for vet or farrier, applying medical treatments or dosing medication that canāt be given in the feed, being annoying, having a horse who doesnāt have any manners and requires more staff time, multiple blanket changes per day, hand-walking, and an extra stall cleaning + additional bedding charges if the horse is on stall rest for a prolonged period of time.
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I think this is too broad. Itās apparently variable. Geography and economics plays a huge role. What I think in the NYC TriState is reasonable is different than California is different than the South.
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Mid-Atlantic generalizations:
Full board
-Stall with bedding provided, cleaned daily.
-Watering
-Feeding AM & PM, barn provides hay and feed and will handle any supplements, medication, etc.
-Daily turnout (number of hours may vary wildly)
-Blanketing, fly spray, fly mask, etc. (owner probably provides), though they may put limits on it
-Access to arenas
-Tack/Equipment storage
-Depending on the barn, more may be included. Things like grooming, lunging, boot application, laundry, holding for appointments, etc.
Field (Pasture) Board
-24/7 turnout, normally in a herd setting
-Feeding 2x per day - hay and feed. Barn provides hay, may or may not provide feed, will feed supplements and medication but may not separate horses when eating
-Water
-You may or may not have stall access
-They may or may not apply fly spray, masks, blankets
-Tack and equipment storage
-Access to all arenas
-Hopefully there is decent shelter in the pasture
-They probably wonāt offer extras like grooming, holding for appointments, etc.
Self-care
-Owner handles all feeding, watering, stall cleaning, etc.
-Owner provides all feed, hay, bedding
-It may include a stall or it may be pasture only
When I lived in various areas in the south, these generalizations were not the same. In the south, field board and self-care were frequently synonymous. Things like stall cleaning on full board were not a given. There was a big dichotomy with some very high end full service barns and other very minimal care barns.
I board at a mid-level facility for the area with quality care (nice barn w/ fly spray system, fantastic pastures, outdoor ring, but no indoor and no trails, owner lives on site). I pay ~$700/month. For that I would expect (and receive) stall board with unlimited quality hay, daily grain, clean facility w/ maintained pastures, blanketing in winter, fly spray, masks, and sheets on in summer, basic application of ointments (owner provided) for cuts, holding for vet/farrier (for an additional fee).
Full care board varies tremendously by region and market. When I boarded in the Westchester, NY area, full care board at a high end facility (though not an A circuit show barn) ran approximately $2k a month. Horseās every need and ownerās every (reasonable) want included. Grain and free choice high quality hay provided. Oversized stalls bedded obnoxiously deep, and cleaned 2-3x per day. Turnout was generally partial day at most. Horse needs hand walked, groomed, bathed, medicated, clipped, or tacked for lessons? Done, no questions asked. Very much a facility where owners could come out and ride and not have to think about daily care.
Upstate NY for college was a whole different kettle of fish. Full care board ran $500-$800 depending on the facility. Except for a very select few places, the market up here just wonāt support the kind of boarding operations running in some of the wealthier/higher cost of living areas. Some included grain, some didnāt. Some fed hay free choice, others fed hardly any hay at all. Some barns scheduled/held for vet and farrier. Others you were on your own. Stall cleaning was included once per day. Bedding is provided at a minimum - if your horse requires more you may be able to provide it yourself. Full day or 24/7 turnout is the norm. Extras like lunging, wrapping, medicating, etc. may or may not be available for an additional fee.
They each have their benefits and drawbacks. When I was at the higher end facility in Westchester, I was new to horse ownership after leasing and generally had no idea what I was doing. Being in a facility like that ensured that my horse was well cared for, but I didnāt know how much I didnāt know. Once I moved upstate, I had to learn a lot very quickly because those amenities simply werenāt available. I had to learn to advocate for my horse. It was a blessing because it made me a much more competent horseman than I was back then.
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that the horse is well taken care of, handled with care, inspected/looked at daily for problems
I have not had a horse boarded since the early 1990s but then my horse was very well taken care of, had her personal groom who knew my horseās behavior
Today, I would like to have a WiFi camera(s) in the stall that would allow me to view my horse
I am in a midwestern city. Personally I havenāt heard of many barns around here that offer self care. First of all, I think itās extremely important to read the contract carefully as well as visit and observe, because it varies widely. It is always a trade-off when boarding. For example, I prefer as much turn out as possible. However, the facility I boarded at that provided the most turn out had fences that had fallen into disrepair and werenāt being repaired, as well as automatic waterers in turn outs when the same issue.
Typically, full care seems to provide:
ā¢ once daily stall cleaning
ā¢ daily turn in/out
ā¢ feeding with barn-provided feed (supplements may be extra to have fed)
ā¢ access to a tack room and arenas (and a lot of faculties here have some type of an indoor)
Things I now consider must-haves:
ā¢ turn-out provided by barn staff
ā¢ barn willing to feed owner-provided feed and supplements - An extra charge is ok, but never again do I want to have to get these things approved by the barn. Practically speaking, that typically involves a vet that sees all of the horses in the barn and itās just a very difficult thing to deal with.
ā¢ barn willing to feed hay in a net or slow feeder - After going through ulcers repeatedly, I just think itās helpful to be able to implement the recommendations
Iām in the Canadian prairies and consider myself incredibly lucky to board at a great barn with a fabulous barn family. I have not used indoor board but it is available. What I expect based on the rate card:
- hay either via netted round bale or thrown 3-4x per day (amount depending on horses needs) - multiple piles based on number of horses in the paddock
- waters checked daily
- a general ālook overā and a call if anything needs medical attention
What I get because itās a fabulous barn family:
- medication administered when needed (and I really stretched this one for about a monthā¦)
- bring in & hold for farrier as required
- blanket changes for severe weather changes
- separate from the herd to feed more hay in the morning & feed baggie of pre-mixed grain
There is also a vet on site (BOās husband) but he is in his 70s and near retirement so he is not the primary vet. In an emergency he is always willing to help out (typically while we are waiting for the primary vet to arrive) and he does care for the BOās horses, one of which I ride and definitely have had to call him out a few times for emergencies with my schoolie
I have offered to pay for these extra services and they would not hear a word of it. I always try to pay it forward in the barn and also will do any of these things for my barn mates as required. I also will frequently bring in treats. Today Iām off from work and will be spending the bulk of the day at the farm doing seasonal choresā¦ today itās clearing logs from downed trees in the paddocks and stacking them near the boiler for when winter hits.
Our barn truly is a family atmosphere and I consider myself incredibly grateful.
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as others have stated, this will vary wildly based on location, discipline/breed, and amenities.
I often offer 1-2 stall board full-care at my private farm. Iām not a boarding facility, and often have no boarders (who are carefully screened to make sure theyāre the right fit).
for my farm, full board includes:
12x12 fully matted stall with its own light, fly control mister, sealed motor fan.
stall is cleaned daily when horses are on regular t/o schedule, picked as required if horses are in more due to injury/weather/etc. Stalls are bedded with low dust pine shavings. Water buckets are dumped daily, scrubbed as required (e.g. daily or every other day all summer)
all day or all night turnout (depending on season) on grass in small group. Pastures are rotated for grass health, fertilized as required, treated for sandspurs and fire ants (regional issue), and we plant annual winter rye every fall. Fencing is wood 3-rail with all perimeter fences lined with no-climb wire to keep coyotes/neighborhood dogs, etc out. During periods of no/low grass (winter or droughts) we supplement with free choice hay by large bales. Groups are 3-5 horses matched for compatibility. Water troughs are scrubbed at least weekly. Pastures are picked at least 2x/week, and dragged, mowed, weedwhacked regularly as required.
We feed Triple Crown feeds, owner supplements as required, and all horses receive barn-paid feed-thru fly control supplement, Vit E/Sel, and mineral salt daily. The BIG cost is hay. We live in NC, the land of coastal and fescue, and refuse to feed either. All our hay is O/A or Timothy blends sourced from mid west or Canada.
Horses are blanketed or turn-out sheeted as required. Fly masks are put on/off as owner requests.
Amenities include access to 110x210 grass arena with jumps and LED lights. We have direct access to the amazing local trail network (over 4000 acres of horse-only property with lakes, fields, trails, jumps, etc). Open trainer policy. Tack room is over sized, dust free, and has a/c and heat. Thereās a washer/dryer, and saddlepads are washed after every ride. Boarders have a bridle rack, saddle rack, and room for a large tack trunk. They can store additional tack/equipment (off season blankets, etc) in non-HVAC room if they need more room than tack room can accommodate.
We hold for routine vet/farrier appointments as long as boarder uses the barnās vet and farrier.
We offer trailering services, at a reduced rate if boarder is attending same show/clinic I am.
If Boarders are traveling or donāt visit frequently, we send regular photos and updates.
DH was a (human) medical professional and is great at medical response to injuries/illness and all followup care.
For all the above we charge a little above the āaverageā local costs. The direct access to the trail network does drive cost/demand up, as does the fact we donāt feed coastal hay. More show-oriented barns, places with covered/indoor, or required lesson/training packages tend to run about 25-50% more. Places that offer pasture board and/or crap hay tend to be about half the price. Iād rather have empty stalls than lose money (my time is not free) or have the wrong boarder (horse or owner) to deal with.
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My personal opinion?
All I would want is my horse to receive the good quality hay they need to maintain their desired weight, the stall cleaned well on a daily basis and water at all times. I would like the arena kept maintained and for the barn rules to be upheld and enforced by the BO.
Turnout was not an option as horses were stalled but for those who needed it ( absentee owners) some horses had turn out in the arenas as needed. Most boarders rode regularly. Not an issue as I was out 6 -7 days a week.
I would want to feel safe when there and feel that my horse is safe and well cared for in my absence.
I would want a BO/ BM who was a true horse person who could recognize if a horse is off and needs vet care ( again in my absence).
This was my one and only boarding experience. I supplied and fed the grain my horses received and any other medical care they might need but did have a BO/ BM who kept an eye out as well on a daily basis and took action as need.
I prefer to have more control over my horses care so this was my preference and what I would want if I ever boarded again ( which I wonāt).
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Turnout is not an option? That surprises me.
Would a bathroom be considered an amenity?
Would dragging the riding rings be expected?
How about cleaning the water troughs?
I think safe and cared for would be bottom line basic business practice.
Just curious to know what care average board covers.
Interesting that it varies from region to region.
Thanks
