Seeking PRIVATE, Adult H/J Boarding....(Palm Beach County)

[Guardian]

Hello Everyone, I am a dedicated owner of a handsome TB Jumper gelding and would like any suggestions towards finding a barn that matches or even comes near my following picky preferences:

I am seeking a private, affordable, Adults only (or majority of adults) barn, quiet, focused, clean and well maintained, organized operation with a reliable owner and staff with a basic arena/riding area, preferably sole turnout for my horse (inside during the day, out at night) and grass preferred in turnouts if possible. A few jumps would be great (even a couple of cross rails would be fine) and must have a bathroom. I am OK if the property is small with less facilities but has high quality standards because I trailer my horse out frequently to school at other arenas or show anyway.

Bonuses would be if I can find an indoor stall with a walk-out/adjoining paddock, complimentary trailer parking, and a tack and supply storage area for all of my things and be around other like-minded, show oriented riders/boarders.

My “ideal” barn owner/manager would allow me to maintain my own stall every day (clean his stall, replace shavings, scrub water buckets and refill, hang hay bag, clean feed tub, etc) since I am particular about my horses daily care. (by the way - I NEVER ask for a discounted rate off the board, and I never ask the staff to do what I can do for my horse myself first). Basically, I would be willing to pay full board price for these privileges of doing things for my horse myself… I have turned down boarding at some wonderful barns because they refuse to let their boarders be a part of their horses care, but that mentality doesn’t work for me so I have to be in a quality barn that would be flexible with me or at least come to a fair compromise.

I pay for or will provide any additional shavings above and beyond what the boarding fee includes (since I keep his stall well bedded), and I also pay for any extra hay he needs to stuff his daily hay bag that I would like to hang in his stall. I am also happy to scrub out his turnout trough myself daily and give him fresh water.

I am looking for an understandable barn owner who will allow me to keep his grain and supplements mixed together in pre-made Tupperware bins (marked AM/PM Monday-Sunday for 1 week only = 14 small containers), which helps prevent staff mistakes and also gives me peace of mind, so once a week I would need trusted access to the feed room.

I am with my horse 7 days a week (other than the occasional brief trip or errand days when I need a break) to groom, exercise, ride and bathe him. He is a show horse, so I keep up with his clipping myself as well as administer his wormer on my own schedule. In the winter, I am there to change out his winter sheets & blankets above what the staff provides based off of the boarding agreement, so that no one is doing extra work (although there are times when I am happy to tip any staff members willing to do extra swapping out of blankets/sheets for me when needed).

As for myself, I am quiet, mature, and responsible. I keep to myself and am completely dedicated to my horse. I do not have children or pets, and my husband only visits our horse a few times during the winter, lol. I have always been considered by others a solid, trustworthy, extremely dedicated horse owner.

If you hear of anything at all ranging in the areas from the Coral Springs/Coconut Creek/Parkland/Boca Raton area all the way up through the North Palm Beach areas, please message me or post contact info… I would ideally love to be in Wellington, but so far I can’t find anything affordable or flexible enough, ugh!

Sorry but NO barns with farm animals, pony party or kids summer camp type barns, no run down barns, or any barn that mandates boarders to be in their training or lesson program, thanks.

[roamingnome]

To be clear, you want to pay for full-service at a show barn in PBC, but will do all the care yourself?
And you won’t be part of any training program, but would prefer ‘show minded’ people and jumps to jump?
And you don’t trust the staff to feed your horse?

Where are you boarding now??

[findeight]

[QUOTE=Guardian;8290977]
Hello Everyone, I am a dedicated owner of a handsome TB Jumper gelding and would like any suggestions towards finding a barn that matches or even comes near my following picky preferences:

I am seeking a private, affordable, Adults only (or majority of adults) barn, quiet, focused, clean and well maintained, organized operation with a reliable owner and staff with a basic arena/riding area, preferably sole turnout for my horse (inside during the day, out at night) and grass preferred in turnouts if possible. A few jumps would be great (even a couple of cross rails would be fine) and must have a bathroom. I am OK if the property is small with less facilities but has high quality standards because I trailer my horse out frequently to school at other arenas or show anyway.

Bonuses would be if I can find an indoor stall with a walk-out/adjoining paddock, complimentary trailer parking, and a tack and supply storage area for all of my things and be around other like-minded, show oriented riders/boarders.

My “ideal” barn owner/manager would allow me to maintain my own stall every day (clean his stall, replace shavings, scrub water buckets and refill, hang hay bag, clean feed tub, etc) since I am particular about my horses daily care. (by the way - I NEVER ask for a discounted rate off the board, and I never ask the staff to do what I can do for my horse myself first). Basically, I would be willing to pay full board price for these privileges of doing things for my horse myself… I have turned down boarding at some wonderful barns because they refuse to let their boarders be a part of their horses care, but that mentality doesn’t work for me so I have to be in a quality barn that would be flexible with me or at least come to a fair compromise.

I pay for or will provide any additional shavings above and beyond what the boarding fee includes (since I keep his stall well bedded), and I also pay for any extra hay he needs to stuff his daily hay bag that I would like to hang in his stall. I am also happy to scrub out his turnout trough myself daily and give him fresh water.

I am looking for an understandable barn owner who will allow me to keep his grain and supplements mixed together in pre-made Tupperware bins (marked AM/PM Monday-Sunday for 1 week only = 14 small containers), which helps prevent staff mistakes and also gives me peace of mind, so once a week I would need trusted access to the feed room.

I am with my horse 7 days a week (other than the occasional brief trip or errand days when I need a break) to groom, exercise, ride and bathe him. He is a show horse, so I keep up with his clipping myself as well as administer his wormer on my own schedule. In the winter, I am there to change out his winter sheets & blankets above what the staff provides based off of the boarding agreement, so that no one is doing extra work (although there are times when I am happy to tip any staff members willing to do extra swapping out of blankets/sheets for me when needed).

As for myself, I am quiet, mature, and responsible. I keep to myself and am completely dedicated to my horse. I do not have children or pets, and my husband only visits our horse a few times during the winter, lol. I have always been considered by others a solid, trustworthy, extremely dedicated horse owner.

If you hear of anything at all ranging in the areas from the Coral Springs/Coconut Creek/Parkland/Boca Raton area all the way up through the North Palm Beach areas, please message me or post contact info… I would ideally love to be in Wellington, but so far I can’t find anything affordable or flexible enough, ugh!

Sorry but NO barns with farm animals, pony party or kids summer camp type barns, no run down barns, or any barn that mandates boarders to be in their training or lesson program, thanks.[/QUOTE]

Sounds like you would be happier just leasing a dry stall on a smaller property without any training program so you can avoid confluct with a barn managers established program. Just hire somebody to feed, muck and turnout on days you need to run errands, take a trip or need a break. Maybe a private barn behind somebody’s house in a “horsey” subdivision like around Wellington. They are out there.

Your list of requirements and specific way you will be controlling his care and supervising staff around him is probably going to be a challenge in most boarding programs, especially if you are unwilling to compromise on some of your requirements.

[ybiaw]

I agree with findeight.

[CHT]

I find it may be a conflict to look for a high quality barn that also allows horse owners to do their own thing.

it is hard as a barn owner to maintain quality when you aren’t in control of the quality (because horse owners are wanting to do their own thing).

Possibly a good way to find such a place may be to talk to your vet or farrier: people that know you well enough, and that may know private/small barns that don’t advertise or actively look for boarders.

You may want to prioritise your needs though, in case you do need to compromise on some points.

[nccatnip]

[QUOTE=ybiaw;8291278]
I agree with findeight.[/QUOTE]

This. Odd post.

[Heineken]

Buy. A. Farm.

Your list is almost impossible in a boarding situation as it makes the staff’s job more difficult.

[findeight]

[QUOTE=nccatnip;8291305]
This. Odd post.[/QUOTE]

Indeed, hence the fact I quoted it. Don’t know if OP intended to or not but she gives the perception of wanting to run her program within somebody else’s program with them providing the facilities, bulk of the feed and staff who will work at her direction.

I, too, wonder where she is boarding now. Can’t see this working well in most boarding or training barns or creating harmony with staff and other boarders.

[ybiaw]

Honestly, OP, just go to Sunshine Meadows and rent a dry stall or two.

[findeight]

Or…are we getting our chains yanked? Again. Kind of sounds like a poke at unrealistic expectations from boarders.

[roamingnome]

[QUOTE=findeight;8291424]
Or…are we getting our chains yanked? Again. Kind of sounds like a poke at unrealistic expectations from boarders.[/QUOTE]

As it was her first post, I too thought this may be a troll…
I’m really picky about my horses’ care, but this is a new level for someone paying for ‘full care’.

[nccatnip]

[QUOTE=ybiaw;8291415]
Honestly, OP, just go to Sunshine Meadows and rent a dry stall or two.[/QUOTE]

What did Sunshine Meadows ever do to you?

[MHM]

[QUOTE=nccatnip;8291468]
What did Sunshine Meadows ever do to you?[/QUOTE]
I did literally laugh out loud at this one.

[mroades]

surely a troll?

[akhunterrider]

I think you would be better off looking for a self care facility where you can rent a stall, or finding a property to lease or buy that you can do everything yourself. I don’t believe a boarding facility like you detailed exists, or if it does, it is not going to be what I would consider reasonably priced. Many barns do not allow you to do your own chores and will not allow you to have access to the feed room. Honestly, I think you are the type of boarder many barns would not want to have around.

[DMK]

well, if you assume “high quality” means exclusively a show barn with an established routine and all the baggage (good and bad) that comes with a show barn, that list of requirements is requirements is probably not going to be met because it doesn’t fit in with how those programs work.

But I think it may be wrong to exclusively equate “high quality” as “show barn”. It could very well mean a smaller barn with some adults, a full board program that doesn’t have a regular trainer and nice facilities, but MOST of all, safe facilities with personnel who can recognize issues/problems in the horses they are charged with caring for.

Not for nothing, but I could have written that post because - except for the part where I never offered to pay the full dime - that is how I take care of my horses since 2006-2014 (and for all of my years in SFL - but that was the late 70’s to mid 90’s). Before and after that, I just leased my own barn (my preference, but you go with what works at the time).

My deal was that I will be out every day, I will buy hay/grain and set up AM/PM feed every night. I’ll pay you for the value of cleaning the stall and buying bedding, and yeah, I’m probably going to clean that stall every night if it isn’t clean when I get there. If it’s clean and you are not around, I’m probably going to re-clean it. But I’ll resist the temptation if you are right there. And I will lie to any boarder and tell them whatever you want me to tell them as to the financial nature of our arrangement LOL.

I have had that deal work out very well with three different BOs. The first one was a private farm and we both were self care h/j types - actually competing against each other - ended up 1-2 in the state association one year. But the place was a long drive at $4/gallon, I bought a yearling and I didn’t think it would fit in well with her program (I had no problem, I just wasn’t sure she wanted to deal with a baby) so I moved to another place and stayed there briefly until that trainer gave up the lease on the farm. That was actually a big facility that did a show and lesson program - not the normal kind of place to approve that sort of deal, but I was friends with the trainer and there was a place to set up all my stuff out of the way. And in return for the courtesy of being allowed to go off the grid, so to speak, I managed the manure dumpster pick up and ordered shavings/feed/hay so the trainer didn’t have to worry about it. The last place was a private farm exactly as I described earlier. Technically I am still there, I just lease a smaller farm on the property and take care of my horse and the BO’s retiree.

^however, all that said, I still think it is a miracle that I found three different places to work out that deal (and I thank my connections, friends and the fact that I think I have a decent reputation as being Not A Crazy Horse Owner and more importantly, pays on time/every time). And that’s why I am now leasing a VERY humble little barn-ette (but safe and with tons of grass and a fantastic ring), and responsible for most of the care (the BO brings in/feeds in the AM/picks out her retiree’s stall and we cover for each other when the other goes out of town). I just wasn’t sure I could pull off the magic 4 times.

So it can be done, and I hope it isn’t a clear indication of Teh Internet Tubes Krazee, but some days it is a lot like going on a snipe hunt.

[meupatdoes]

Honestly, -and as much as I myself seek out boarding barns where I don’t have to be “part of a program” myself- it is a pain for the staff when taken to this level.

19 horses go out on the barn’s turnout schedule, then there is one horse looking for a paddock at a random time.

19 horses eat their breakfast, lunch and dinner at once, then there is one horse eating his food at a random time and the owner is puttering around in the feed room while barn staff is trying to make breakfast for tomorrow and be done.

I mean, basically there are 19 horses happily living there and one special snowflake who thinks the barn’s program isn’t good enough for him.

I was one of the “other boarders” once. Two clients felt the need to micromanage every minute of their horses’ care. Do they have hay NOW. Why is he out in the SMALL paddock? Mine needs SPECIAL GRAIN. This one needs SEVEN SUPPLEMENTS. Mine needs WARM WATER in his paddock. etc etc etc.

Meanwhile I had dropped off my horse (who is also a show horse and is worth more than my house) so he could be leased in the barn and I came to visit maybe four times that year.
And you know what? He was doing absolutely fine just like all of the other horses there, and those two boarders were still micromanaging every single thing as if the barn’s program wasn’t good enough for them. Somehow he continued to thrive when I let the trainer make absolutely all decisions on his feeding, turnout, schedule, showing, etc. Interesting when the horse down the aisle whose owner leaves the program up to the program is doing great why others feel that the program will somehow fail their horse if they don’t micromanage the works.

So what really is it that you think no barn in PALM BEACH can provide adequate care for your horse?

[Pancakes]

[QUOTE=MHM;8291493]
I did literally laugh out loud at this one.[/QUOTE]

ME TOO!!!

Honestly, OP, go on the Wellington-WEF boards and find a dry stall to rent. You’re not going to find a barn owner or manager to put up with that level of high-maintenance. You’re either going to have to compromise on some level of control or do it all yourself.

http://www.wellington-wef.com/directory/

[Guardian]

Hi roamingnome,

Yes I have a lovely situation right now in Central FL that I WISH could be transferred to the south FL area … I was raised and brought up in south FL and have been in similar boarding situations there before, but that was before 2007 when I moved here to central FL… so I do know it is possible for me to find a small lovely barn with a similar situation, but I am sure it is RARE… hence why I am simply asking around for starters…I completely understand, that’s why I said “…or a fair compromise”…

I would LOVE to be able to board my horse and have complete peace of mind, maybe it is just this area (a night and day difference between the areas and standards of care), but yes there have been enough things that conclude me to try to help reduce mistakes/misunderstandings/miscommunication when it comes to my own horse, and it works out great now that I am part of his care, everyone’s happy, things are smooth now.

Yes it might be a surprise, but I am willing to pay for full board regardless, because I still need the staff to be there for my horse. I still need the help when I have days off or go out of town for a couple of days. I understand this situation only comes around once in a blue moon, we will see…I believe once the barn owner/manager/staff gets to know me, they will be comfortable

As far as training… I school/train/show my own horse, been doing that forever with my other horses. I work with trainers on occasion and hand pick them, so even though I might love to board at a specific trainers barn does not mean that it would work out with them as my trainer, I prefer the option and freedom to work with a trainer I prefer for myself and my horse. I hope you understand me a little more now? lol

[Guardian]

Hi Pancakes…

Yes, I am preparing for the fact that moving back to south FL with my request for being involved in my horse this much would be to just find a dry stall option and might be my only hope in the end, however, I am giving this a shot in case there are barn owners out there willing to work with me and understand me… I can only say that being paid full price for board and having less work for their staff is a good compromise in itself lol

The only problem I face now regarding a dry stall is that I would be doing all of the ordering, delivery and moving around the incoming supplies, hiring my own part time staff to keep up with the daily help I still need, etc etc … stressing when I need a day off to find someone to help, bleh…well this is why I prefer to pay full board (to be clear, I didn’t mention this before…the barn does the morning shift, I do the afternoon).

One more thing I have had to consider is the total price of A) paying a flat rate full (or even partial board) price VS. B) getting a dry stall (so far extremely expensive!!) and paying for ALL of the extras I need PLUS hiring part time people to assist in feedings, etc. Option B turns out to be more way more out of pocket expense that option A