Should I offer board or buy more horses?

[lenapesadie]

@Goforward

Getting a couple yearlings is the way to go. Then, if you still have space and meet the perfect boarder by chance, you can add one or two extra horses to the crew if you feel like they’re a good fit.

Yearlings are looking better and better lol

[lenapesadie]

@Bluey

There is one more option, don’t fill the place up.
Just keep the horses you have there.
Is no crime not to have every nook and cranny you own full of horses.

Once you have lived there for a while, then you will have a better feel for where you want to go with the part of your life that involves horses.
The reality of including their care and care of the place into your new life management may make what is best clear.

I only have one horse and he doesn’t care for solitary life. So either I buy him friends or board them. It’s a conundrum for sure!

[S1969]

@Goforward

Getting a couple yearlings is the way to go. Then, if you still have space and meet the perfect boarder by chance, you can add one or two extra horses to the crew if you feel like they’re a good fit.

That sounds like a joke. Just what someone working FT needs is a couple of yearlings to train in their spare time with a brand new farm. LOL.

As for boarders bringing their own grain; it definitely will depend on how many horses you are boarding, but it might be easiest to say “I will provide up to xxx of either 1, 2 or 3” (grains available from most convenient feed store.)

You might find, also, that if you are only talking about 1-2 boarders to begin with, that you can make those choices based on what they (and you) currently feed. In my experience (admittedly, with only 1 boarder at a time), my boarders were fine with a few options so long as the were decent options. Then if you add other boarders, you can say “We feed 1, 2 and 3. If you want anything else, you will need to provide it.” And you might find that they would rather switch feeds, than be responsible for buying, bringing and monitoring their feed.

[TheJenners]

Oh no I definitely think a couple boarders v more on your feed bill is the easier route, just maybe not the sanest

[mvp]

@lenapesadie

No I’m not sure lol! My horse doesn’t care for individual turn out. He will stand at the gate and look pitiful. So my motivation to board is to provide him buddies that I don’t have to have on my bank roll. Offering individual turn out would defeat that purpose. I’m still debating on what I want to do. I imagine the final decision will be controlled by which property we purchase. Thank you for your thoughts!

Yup. I want company for my horses that I don’t pay for. So many people suggest that boarding is worthless or just a PITA. Or they go further and think you should buy and feed yearlings. Ok, but just know that each of those suggestions is spending more and more of your money.

You can see that I’m first in line to remind everyone that boarding is a customer service job. But that’s because (in part), I’m fiscally-minded enough to see my horse farm in terms of its costs. Sure, it’s a luxury hobby, but not one that is completely divorced from the reality of money. In a perfect world, I’d pay only for my own riding horses… but I’ll have few enough of those that I’ll need some other companions on my small (4-5) horse farm. I’d love someone else to feed those because the alternative is worse: That extra horse (or two) will be the same amount of work for me, but the cost will be greater.

And the first time you want to/have to leave town for a few days, or get hurt and need some help, you will probably be glad to have a “captive audience” of competent, knowledgeable-about-your-farm boarders to call upon. So there are some potential pay-offs to having good boarders which I think you can have. It’s easier and cheaper to trade out their work for discounts on the (retail, not wholesale) horse care they are paying for than to pay a professional farm-sitter. Plus, you have to find and train the right person for that job. It’s so much easier to see if you can’t hire a boarder for that.

[MsM]

My inclination would be to offer the combination of services to the type of horses you want and then see if you can find a match. So you can specify a laid-back gelding with no stable vices and no back shoes, able to be turned out with compatible horses. (I am hoping yours is not fussy!) Offering up to X amount of Y brand grain, premeasured supplements fed. (Eliminates the problem of boarders running out of grain and/or being suspicious of who is using theirs)

I have boarded at a number of small, backyard barns and my horse received great care. I would only offer the amenities that you want for yourself. I often had no bathroom (stall!) and no hot water. Put in what you want and then accept the boarders that match your needs and are okay with that.

Personally, I would aim for three boarders. A nice manageable number that allows for one to go or another (yours?) to come without great upheaval and for one or two to be worked without leaving one alone.

[anon40672407]

@lenapesadie

I am exceptionally interested in knowing what I will and won’t offer and having that laid out clearly in a good contract. I want potential clients to have a thorough understanding of what they will and won’t get for their board check. So much angst in boarding is the result of lack of communication and unmet expectations. For example, a board contract that reads grain and hay fed appropriate to horse is useless. Who decides what is appropriate? My appropriate and your appropriate may be wildly different. I’m hoping to spell out exactly the range of what I feel is appropriate and allow clients to consider if that suits their needs. Does that make sense?

thank you for sharing your insight! I appreciate the good luck as well. I’ll probably need it!

For feed issues, how I handled it was very simple. I offered X feed (hay), but had physical room for the owner’s Y feed stored in the barn. It had to be measured and bagged, but I would happily feed it in place of or supplemental to X feed. We just kept a chart and they refilled bags every week or so.

That way, the horses could have individualized feed plans, but I didn’t have to bend over backwards finding 6 hays and spend hours adjusting grain rations. My friends/clients very much appreciate this because one had old ponies that needed special feeding plans they could not get handled anywhere else. And it didn’t cost me an arm and a leg to accommodate her.

I was laxer about blanketing, because I knew all the horses. tossing a blanket on or taking one off wasn’t a big push up for me (N.B. I was on limited acreage, so I didn’t have to walk out into a 10 acre pasture and find the beasties first.) None of the horses were bad actors. I have helped my former client/friend “do the horses” at her new barn and one of the horses IS a bad actor and she should not be handling him at her age. So, that’s a wrinkle to consider. You do need to be able to refuse to handle a rank horse. (I would say a big no to yearlings for that reason alone. But I’m old.)

[Jax]

I have a version of this set-up at my place and it works great. Usually I chime in saying no no don’t ever board but your situation sounds very similar to mine and it’s totally doable.

Two horses belonging to me, two others belonging to boarders. One is a friend (which is sometimes a small problem), other is a girl I’m friendly with but not close (honestly ideal). One has been there 4 years, and the other moved in last summer after a high maintenance boarder conveniently got a job elsewhere.

I was really up front about barn expectations when they moved in and it’s worked great. I laid out what I was offering, and what I was explicitly not offering (and was not negotiable on), and set a fair price and that was it. What I offer is pretty minimal (two feeds daily, no ring to manage), but the turnouts are excellent, and I have a ton of experience (even if I fortunately don’t use those skills super often). When the most recent one moved in I was very straight forward “this is the deal, I work full time outside of horses, if it works for you great, if not move along cause it’s not changing”.

As a result of this I have two boarders who mostly stay out of my way, cover for me when I’m on holiday or out sick, and most months cover the costs of my own retirees by doing all the work myself. Also, I’ve got a list of barn rules printed and pinned by the front door. It can take some finessing and waiting for find the right people, but start with your trainer/vet/farrier and I’ll bet you find a few who work for you.

[lenapesadie]

@S1969

That sounds like a joke. Just what someone working FT needs is a couple of yearlings to train in their spare time with a brand new farm. LOL.

As for boarders bringing their own grain; it definitely will depend on how many horses you are boarding, but it might be easiest to say “I will provide up to xxx of either 1, 2 or 3” (grains available from most convenient feed store.)

You might find, also, that if you are only talking about 1-2 boarders to begin with, that you can make those choices based on what they (and you) currently feed. In my experience (admittedly, with only 1 boarder at a time), my boarders were fine with a few options so long as the were decent options. Then if you add other boarders, you can say “We feed 1, 2 and 3. If you want anything else, you will need to provide it.” And you might find that they would rather switch feeds, than be responsible for buying, bringing and monitoring their feed.

The yearling route quickly lost its appeal this afternoon while I was at the farm I currently board at. I turned in a youngster as a favor and thought gosh this horse need a bunch of ground work like yesterday. Maybe I can get my horse a teddy bear or some such bs cause horses are the time suck of life.

My original intention was to do as you wrote. I feed Triple Crown pick from ration balancer, senior, or low starch. But if people want choices I guess I could presumably offer board at x price includes grain or board at y price and supply your own.

I dunno the whole thing is stressful and aggravating my ulcer.

If I could find a good boarding situation I wouldn’t be buying a farm, Id be buying a house near the beach. But nooo, I can’t find a single place within a reasonable drive that offers what I want. Sigh.

[lenapesadie]

@TheJenners

Oh no I definitely think a couple boarders v more on your feed bill is the easier route, just maybe not the sanest

Is there really anything about having a horse hobby that is sane? Lol

Its not just the feed bill. It’s the vet. It’s the farrier. It’s the guilt of not spending enough time with them to develop and maintain their training. It’s all bad lol.

[lenapesadie]

@mvp

Yup. I want company for my horses that I don’t pay for. So many people suggest that boarding is worthless or just a PITA. Or they go further and think you should buy and feed yearlings. Ok, but just know that each of those suggestions is spending more and more of your money.

You can see that I’m first in line to remind everyone that boarding is a customer service job. But that’s because (in part), I’m fiscally-minded enough to see my horse farm in terms of its costs. Sure, it’s a luxury hobby, but not one that is completely divorced from the reality of money. In a perfect world, I’d pay only for my own riding horses… but I’ll have few enough of those that I’ll need some other companions on my small (4-5) horse farm. I’d love someone else to feed those because the alternative is worse: That extra horse (or two) will be the same amount of work for me, but the cost will be greater.

And the first time you want to/have to leave town for a few days, or get hurt and need some help, you will probably be glad to have a “captive audience” of competent, knowledgeable-about-your-farm boarders to call upon. So there are some potential pay-offs to having good boarders which I think you can have. It’s easier and cheaper to trade out their work for discounts on the (retail, not wholesale) horse care they are paying for than to pay a professional farm-sitter. Plus, you have to find and train the right person for that job. It’s so much easier to see if you can’t hire a boarder for that.

I like youngsters. I suggested the yearlings myself. But it is in reality a terrible plan. While yes I would like to develop another young horse one day, no I’m not ready now.

I hear you. It’s going to be the same time doing chores for my horses as it will be for someone else’s horses. But I get paid instead of paying. It sounds much more sensible to board if I can find the right people willing to pay the right price.

My funds are limited and I keep a close eye on them. If I can “make” enough money boarding other horses to basically keep my horse for free (presuming my time and facility investment are costs that I would pay regardless) then I’ve basically given myself a nice raise. Cause I’m spending a good chunk on my board bill now. Who says no to a raise? People who don’t want the extra responsibility that comes with that promotion. Am I that person or not remains to be seen, but dang a raise might be sweet and I do enjoy tending to horses and horse people are my favorite crowd.

[lenapesadie]

@MsM

My inclination would be to offer the combination of services to the type of horses you want and then see if you can find a match. So you can specify a laid-back gelding with no stable vices and no back shoes, able to be turned out with compatible horses. (I am hoping yours is not fussy!) Offering up to X amount of Y brand grain, premeasured supplements fed. (Eliminates the problem of boarders running out of grain and/or being suspicious of who is using theirs)

I have boarded at a number of small, backyard barns and my horse received great care. I would only offer the amenities that you want for yourself. I often had no bathroom (stall!) and no hot water. Put in what you want and then accept the boarders that match your needs and are okay with that.

Personally, I would aim for three boarders. A nice manageable number that allows for one to go or another (yours?) to come without great upheaval and for one or two to be worked without leaving one alone.

It would be awful if someone ran out of grain cause they couldn’t get by the store or something. Or what if they wanted to feed straight corn or some other nonsense? On the other hand a knowledgeable owner might really know what’s best for their horse and be ordering it on auto ship from Chewy. Who knows?

Yeah I’m thinking that hind shoes are gonna be a no go. Offering individual turn out really messes with rotational grazing unless you specifically set up for that. It’s going to be easier on me to do two pairs or a pair and a trio.

I really have enjoyed this thread. It’s making me think long and hard about what is negotiable and what isn’t.

Thank you for your contribution!

[lenapesadie]

@anon40672407

For feed issues, how I handled it was very simple. I offered X feed (hay), but had physical room for the owner’s Y feed stored in the barn. It had to be measured and bagged, but I would happily feed it in place of or supplemental to X feed. We just kept a chart and they refilled bags every week or so.

That way, the horses could have individualized feed plans, but I didn’t have to bend over backwards finding 6 hays and spend hours adjusting grain rations. My friends/clients very much appreciate this because one had old ponies that needed special feeding plans they could not get handled anywhere else. And it didn’t cost me an arm and a leg to accommodate her.

I was laxer about blanketing, because I knew all the horses. tossing a blanket on or taking one off wasn’t a big push up for me (N.B. I was on limited acreage, so I didn’t have to walk out into a 10 acre pasture and find the beasties first.) None of the horses were bad actors. I have helped my former client/friend “do the horses” at her new barn and one of the horses IS a bad actor and she should not be handling him at her age. So, that’s a wrinkle to consider. You do need to be able to refuse to handle a rank horse. (I would say a big no to yearlings for that reason alone. But I’m old.)

Thanks for your insight. I feed X but pre bagged owner supplied supplements/grain fed at no extra charge would be an easy enough way to handle it.

Blankets are a sticky point for me. I will not be out there changing blankets every time the temp moves 8 degrees. Not happening. Lol. Blanket changes at feed times only and only to my specifications. Pookie does not need a 300 gram fill rug because the low is 49 tonight! In fact Pookie doesn’t need a 300 gram blanket period. We live in FL. Can you tell I’m on my soap box lol.

Rank horses gotta go. I will not be in the business of training horses. Not my job not my problem. I don’t mind average horse behavior, but that horse that rears when you turn him out every day won’t be welcome!

[lenapesadie]

@Jax

I have a version of this set-up at my place and it works great. Usually I chime in saying no no don’t ever board but your situation sounds very similar to mine and it’s totally doable.

Two horses belonging to me, two others belonging to boarders. One is a friend (which is sometimes a small problem), other is a girl I’m friendly with but not close (honestly ideal). One has been there 4 years, and the other moved in last summer after a high maintenance boarder conveniently got a job elsewhere.

I was really up front about barn expectations when they moved in and it’s worked great. I laid out what I was offering, and what I was explicitly not offering (and was not negotiable on), and set a fair price and that was it. What I offer is pretty minimal (two feeds daily, no ring to manage), but the turnouts are excellent, and I have a ton of experience (even if I fortunately don’t use those skills super often). When the most recent one moved in I was very straight forward “this is the deal, I work full time outside of horses, if it works for you great, if not move along cause it’s not changing”.

As a result of this I have two boarders who mostly stay out of my way, cover for me when I’m on holiday or out sick, and most months cover the costs of my own retirees by doing all the work myself. Also, I’ve got a list of barn rules printed and pinned by the front door. It can take some finessing and waiting for find the right people, but start with your trainer/vet/farrier and I’ll bet you find a few who work for you.

Your situation does sound similar to what I am anticipating. Except I will have an arena or three. I like my jumps set up but not in my dressage court! And a round pen cause those are dead useful when you need it! I’m glad to hear setting expectations at the beginning works as intended.

Clearly posted barn rules is a great plan!

Thanks for your help!

[BatCoach]

Honestly your set up sounds great and I think you will be able to make the right owners super happy. As a hands-on AA boarder this is actually the set up I prefer!

The feed thing really isn’t that complicated. Every place I have boarded only includes hay. Supplements and grain are on me. You are provided space for 1 or 2 metal trash cans (border provided) to store your grain/cubes whatever goodies in. Feeding plan is then written on a sheet in one of those binder sheet protectors and that’s that. FEEDING IS DISCUSSED BEFORE MOVING IN. I emphasize this so that there are no surprises to you. Make sure its doable. If the boarder’s horse needs soaked pellets then make it clear that it is the boarders job to do so.

I have never EVER run out of grain. why? I’m a responsible adult who knows how to buy feed in advance and store the extra bags in my garage. Trust me, the right boarder will do the same. As a previous poster said - its nice to give the boarder a heads up on when their bag is getting down to the bottom 1/4.

I’ve also boarded at a place that did not offer blanketing or holding. Again, not an issue at all to me since I was able to have a flexible schedule at work to do this myself.

Don’t forget to include a bathroom (porta potty is fine as long as it is cleaned regularly). One place I boarded the only restroom was in the caretaker’s home which I did not feel comfortable using.

Other big things to keep in mind:

1. Be prepared to say NO. Practice it. Embrace it. You have the benefit of holding the cards and not needing boarders. You can 100% be a picky as you want to be.

2. Interview the hell out of people who are interested. What is their experience? Where else have they kept their horse? What are their goals? What trainer/vet/farrier do they use? Think of it as you are hiring these people to your little ‘company.’ The goal is to find someone like-minded about horse care. They don’t have to ride the same discipline, but its really helpful if thy have the same POV on shoeing, clipping, vaccinating, etc etc. Do this over the phone before they even set foot on the property.

3. Feel free to outlaw certain practitioners/trainers from coming in. Its great that you are flexible and will allow boarders to choose their own, but if you know (first hand) of bad trainers, farriers or otherwise that you don’t trust or you feel are bad to horses, be clear at the initial interview that person wont be allowed on your property (prob a red flag)

4. Don’t take newbies. You want a competent, responsible adult. You don’t want someone who bought their first horse 4 months ago after taking 3 lessons at the local lesson mill that now thinks they know everything.

5. Be super super clear with your rules and expectations. If you expect the boarder to come out 4x a week then make that clear. Do you require the boarder to be on the same worming schedule? put it in the rules. No sub-leasing or guests out to ride the pony? put in in the rules. (BTW - def don’t allow leasing or guests to ride the boarder’s horse - I’ve seen that situation go wrong too many times)

6. Utilize a probation period. Since this boarder horse is really for your horse’s benefit as a buddy, make it known that if the two horses don’t get along then your barn isnt the right place for that other horse.

7. Be clear with your emergency plans and what role the boarder will play in it, like are they responsible for trailering their own horse out?

8. the hardest - remember its not your horse. So what if they feed their horse straight omelene topped w/ corn oil or want to braid protective crystals in their mane? As long as they pay on time, respect rules, and keep their horse in good health and their horse has good behavior, boarders are allowed to do things differently than you. Its up to you as the BO/ BM to be upfront about what you expect from them and enforce your own rules.

Bottom line, be clear and picky. There are LOTS of great boarders out there who love their horses and will make it work if your place is the right place for them. Listen to your gut and stick to your guns while sussing out the right boarder and you’ll be fine.

[Jax]

@lenapesadie

I like my jumps set up but not in my dressage court! And a round pen cause those are dead useful when you need it! I’m glad to hear setting expectations at the beginning works as intended.

Clearly posted barn rules is a great plan!

Just a follow up suggestion: write down absolutely everything about how you would want to do the barn, then shorten each bullet point into a sentence or less, then prioritize the list. When you start talking to potential boarders you can literally go down the list and if concerns come up you can see if the item is a big priority or not, and negotiate from there. You’ll be talking to them knowing the whole paragraph you have about “no blanketing” without overwhelming them with your treatise at first meeting.

I have many things that are hard rules on the printed sheet but will realistically bend, largely the things suggested on this thread. For example I say no blanketing, but I’ll make reasonable exceptions per my inclinations and schedule. With feed I again do what a lot of people are suggesting, however I provide feed bins because I could not stand the thought of mismatched ones.

Again, it’s all about deciding what you can live with and what you can’t, but everything you’ve said on this thread is completely reasonable to expect, you just might not jump at the first potential boarder who calls you. I treat my boarders like my own horses and both of the owners appreciate that, even if they do think I’m a little bit nutty about where dirty laundry goes.

[Foxtrot_s]

Horses are like chips - you cannot have just one and more than one, not always a good idea!?

[RedHorses]

If you have people supply their own feed and they run out, all you need to do is nothing. I know the CotH crew is a bit nuts about the idea of running out of feed, but barring some health issue missing a hard feed isn’t an issue. You’re still providing hay so it’s not like the horse will starve.

I’ve been buying my own feed for years because I have a couple of horses with specific health issues and managed to find something that works. I haven’t gotten a discount on board for supplying my own - I pay the regular rate and buy feed in addition. I don’t resent it at all, rather I am grateful that the BO can accommodate the extra feeds and do my best to make it as easy for them to manage as possible (determined in consultation, experiment, and adjustment with the person/people feeding).

There are stacking containers/bins that will hold 75lbs of feed - this might be a better use of space, and more aesthetically pleasing than garbage cans.

[lenapesadie]

@BatCoach

Honestly your set up sounds great and I think you will be able to make the right owners super happy. As a hands-on AA boarder this is actually the set up I prefer!

The feed thing really isn’t that complicated. Every place I have boarded only includes hay. Supplements and grain are on me. You are provided space for 1 or 2 metal trash cans (border provided) to store your grain/cubes whatever goodies in. Feeding plan is then written on a sheet in one of those binder sheet protectors and that’s that. FEEDING IS DISCUSSED BEFORE MOVING IN. I emphasize this so that there are no surprises to you. Make sure its doable. If the boarder’s horse needs soaked pellets then make it clear that it is the boarders job to do so.

I have never EVER run out of grain. why? I’m a responsible adult who knows how to buy feed in advance and store the extra bags in my garage. Trust me, the right boarder will do the same. As a previous poster said - its nice to give the boarder a heads up on when their bag is getting down to the bottom 1/4.

I’ve also boarded at a place that did not offer blanketing or holding. Again, not an issue at all to me since I was able to have a flexible schedule at work to do this myself.

Don’t forget to include a bathroom (porta potty is fine as long as it is cleaned regularly). One place I boarded the only restroom was in the caretaker’s home which I did not feel comfortable using.

Other big things to keep in mind:

1. Be prepared to say NO. Practice it. Embrace it. You have the benefit of holding the cards and not needing boarders. You can 100% be a picky as you want to be.

2. Interview the hell out of people who are interested. What is their experience? Where else have they kept their horse? What are their goals? What trainer/vet/farrier do they use? Think of it as you are hiring these people to your little ‘company.’ The goal is to find someone like-minded about horse care. They don’t have to ride the same discipline, but its really helpful if thy have the same POV on shoeing, clipping, vaccinating, etc etc. Do this over the phone before they even set foot on the property.

3. Feel free to outlaw certain practitioners/trainers from coming in. Its great that you are flexible and will allow boarders to choose their own, but if you know (first hand) of bad trainers, farriers or otherwise that you don’t trust or you feel are bad to horses, be clear at the initial interview that person wont be allowed on your property (prob a red flag)

4. Don’t take newbies. You want a competent, responsible adult. You don’t want someone who bought their first horse 4 months ago after taking 3 lessons at the local lesson mill that now thinks they know everything.

5. Be super super clear with your rules and expectations. If you expect the boarder to come out 4x a week then make that clear. Do you require the boarder to be on the same worming schedule? put it in the rules. No sub-leasing or guests out to ride the pony? put in in the rules. (BTW - def don’t allow leasing or guests to ride the boarder’s horse - I’ve seen that situation go wrong too many times)

6. Utilize a probation period. Since this boarder horse is really for your horse’s benefit as a buddy, make it known that if the two horses don’t get along then your barn isnt the right place for that other horse.

7. Be clear with your emergency plans and what role the boarder will play in it, like are they responsible for trailering their own horse out?

8. the hardest - remember its not your horse. So what if they feed their horse straight omelene topped w/ corn oil or want to braid protective crystals in their mane? As long as they pay on time, respect rules, and keep their horse in good health and their horse has good behavior, boarders are allowed to do things differently than you. Its up to you as the BO/ BM to be upfront about what you expect from them and enforce your own rules.

Bottom line, be clear and picky. There are LOTS of great boarders out there who love their horses and will make it work if your place is the right place for them. Listen to your gut and stick to your guns while sussing out the right boarder and you’ll be fine.

Thank you for your input! I appreciate your time. Considering an emergency evacuation plan is important! Clear and picky! Got it.

[lenapesadie]

@Jax

Just a follow up suggestion: write down absolutely everything about how you would want to do the barn, then shorten each bullet point into a sentence or less, then prioritize the list. When you start talking to potential boarders you can literally go down the list and if concerns come up you can see if the item is a big priority or not, and negotiate from there. You’ll be talking to them knowing the whole paragraph you have about “no blanketing” without overwhelming them with your treatise at first meeting.

I have many things that are hard rules on the printed sheet but will realistically bend, largely the things suggested on this thread. For example I say no blanketing, but I’ll make reasonable exceptions per my inclinations and schedule. With feed I again do what a lot of people are suggesting, however I provide feed bins because I could not stand the thought of mismatched ones.

Again, it’s all about deciding what you can live with and what you can’t, but everything you’ve said on this thread is completely reasonable to expect, you just might not jump at the first potential boarder who calls you. I treat my boarders like my own horses and both of the owners appreciate that, even if they do think I’m a little bit nutty about where dirty laundry goes.

Thank you for your advice. Especially about summarizing and prioritizing my list of SOPs. I think that will be most helpful.

I’d probably want matching bins. For sure lol.

I bet you have happy boarders!