I am fortunate to be at a barn that feeds on schedule, multiple times/day, throws hay often, and is obsessed with clean stalls and poopless pastures. The extras that come to mind: tacking up and hosing off my horse for travel-in trainer when I’m out of town. Dosing my horse 2x per day for seven weeks when on an antibiotic program. Quick hose off when they come in sweaty from pastures in Florida summers. Barn staff hauled out compressor and filled my trailer tires so I didn’t have to go find a gas station with working air.
No place is perfect but honestly I’d be hard pressed to find a better boarding situation…
I am currently at a mid sized full care boarding barn (about 30 horses). Feeding is individualised with several different options- including an extra grain meal if needed. Beet pulp, ground flax is added on request. Oldies with poor teeth get soaked hay cubes. Hay is plentiful and horses are fed what they need. Blankets, boots on and off according to weather. Routine vet and farrier care is organised and co-ordinated tho owners can also bring own vet or farrier. Worming is done regularly for all as per vet’s recommendation. Minor medical problems dealt with, owner promptly informed. No extra charge for administering meds. BO says she charges a good enough rate that she can afford to provide the care that she feels is important, and she doesn’t need to charge extra if a horse needs something special. That means, of course, that the healthy easy keepers are subsidising the fragile flowers, but no-one objects because they know their horse would get the care they needed if they were unwell.
Best of all, they agreed to take my sick horse when I was told to leave my last barn “because she was too much trouble”. They worked with me and vet to bring her back to health and I will always be grateful!!
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I just recently moved barns, and the difference from the previous one to this one is WELL worth almost double the cost.
At the previous one, there were many times that the horses were left up with no food or water. The pastures weren’t maintained at all, the ground in the outdoor arena and round pen were this clay stuff that just turns into mud when it rains, and were rarely dragged. The owner was/is drunk half the time. I never really knew if my horse was being cared for. When he got cellulitis, I asked the BO to give him his antibiotic in the mornings because I couldn’t get out then to do it. He did it one morning and found out later than he never did it another morning (there were too many pills left at the end of the week, I didn’t realize I would have needed to count them to make sure he was giving it). So the cellulitis went away and then came back with a vengeance and I’m pretty sure that’s why. Then, when he had to get IV and IM injections for more antibiotics, I found he was doing it without putting a halter or anything on, just went in the stall and stuck it in while he was loose. Luckily my horse is apparently really good, but the time I saw him do it he started moving and it pulled the needle out a bit and he ended up with a big lump on his neck, there is still a hairless spot there. Just lots and lots of really crappy care, not actually caring about the horses, leaving his own horses up and never turning them out because they were fancy western pleasure horses (those poor babies are basically neurotic, they are so bored). I was staying there because my best friend was there and felt like her horses were happy there and couldn’t afford to move them both. But after the cellulitis crap, and finding them left up in nasty stalls with no hay or water in the middle of the day multiple times, I decided to leave.
The place I’m at now: my horse is SO much happier. Things I love:
– The farrier is scheduled to come out every Tuesday. There are a lot of horses, so it’s really nice if someone throws a shoe or has an issue you know he will be out by then (though he will also come out earlier if he needs to). And I don’t have to worry about scheduling, he keeps records of them and checks them every week as it gets closer to trim/new shoe time. Of course if you have another farrier you want to use they are totally fine with that, it’s just so nice that I don’t have to worry about it and just leave a check the week after he comes out.
– Blanketing is included in the board
– There are multiple places to ride. An indoor ring, an outdoor jump ring, an outdoor dressage ring, all with great footing and maintained well. Not to mention trails, and the large pastures with varying terrain will be available once they are on night turnout. So even if there is a lesson in one or even two arenas there are still places to ride.
– Two washracks, the inside one with hot water.
– Cross ties in the stalls so you can tack your horse up in his stall
– They do the holding for farrier, vet, etc. Which is great when you work and can’t take off to go out there. Old place you had to get someone out, and if no one could get out there it wouldn’t get done because the BO wouldn’t do it.
– Boards for lesson schedules, notes for the farrier/vet, feeding instructions, upcoming shows, anything you could think of.
–A private group on facebook for boarders/workers where people can share things, shows, information, clinics, ask questions, etc.
Loves:
-Current barn owner is a nutrition expert - feed program for each horse is closely monitored, complete with supplements, and she mixes her own minerals. Every horse is in great weight, shiny, and dappled.
-Fantastic relationship with vets, farriers, and bodyworkers. Knows who is excellent at what, and who to avoid, and if you want to bring in someone else, she’s fine with that. This is key for me, especially farriers. I don’t care if your farrier is your best-ex-boyfriend from 20 years ago - if he continues to chop the toes off my horse, and you won’t let me bring in another farrier, I will leave.
-Always staffed with knowledgeable horse people and the BO is a lifelong horse person and can spot a problem from a mile away. I never have to worry about my horse being ignored or ill. Example: she came in from her paddock one day with some crud on her fetlocks. BO washed her legs, clipped her fetlocks and medicated the crud.
-Flexible hours. Some days I need to ride at 7am, other days at 7pm.
-Well maintained arena and round pen. I never have to worry about footing.
-Free-choice supplies: fly spray, fly masks, ointments, hoofcare - we can use what we need as long as we put it back where we found it. Makes life a bit easier.
-Tack shop on the premises. This is a major bonus and a rarity. Spur strap broke? No problem. Want to try a different girth? Try this one.
Dislikes (mainly from past experience)
-Badly maintained footing. Last barn had the indoor arena out of commission for a few months because it was uneven- trenches and hills all over the place. Absolutely unridable and they lollygagged in getting it fixed. Extremely frustrating.
-Poorly managed turnout. Turnout is important, but management needs to pay attention to herd dynamics. Some horses can only be turned out solo, some with a buddy, some can go in a herd, and some are fine in all three. If I tell you my horse needs to be turned out solo because she’ll get beat up, please listen to me.
-Using my tack on other horses without asking me first. I don’t mind sharing, especially if it will benefit the horse, but if I show up to ride and someone is using my saddle on Dobbin, I’m not pleased.
-Please cash my check in a timely manner.
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I am absolutely loving all of these responses, keep them coming! I’ll share some of mine as well…
Dislikes:
-Poorly maintained footing.
This is one of my biggest pet peeves. Especially in the winter time when there’s only the indoor, please do not wait until last minute to drag and then make hills everywhere or think that I’ll be able to ride on concrete-packed footing.
-Lack of Turnout/Turnout Management
When I show up to ride and my level-headed horse is a fire breathing dragon because he was not turned out for 3 days and the weather has been fine, we have a problem.
-Impersonal BO/BM’s/Barn Workers
I am sorry, but if you are running a business, especially one that involves horses, you have to be easy to communicate with. End of story. I once had a barn manager (BO was basically non-existent) that you would have to walk on egg shells with because you never knew which day or at what moment she would turn in to a total you-know-what. If I am afraid to come ride my own horse or touch my own tack because you are dysfunctional, I need to leave. If I am afraid to confront you about issues with my horse, in any manner, because I am afraid (and every other boarder is) that you will blow up, you need to re-evaluate your people skills. Or maybe find a different area of work…
Likes:
-Preparing Supplements
Most barns will require you to provide your own supplements but I LOVE when those barns will also distribute those supplements/prepare them. If you know my horse gets a scoop of x daily and I forgot to come prepare that in a plastic bag before hand, just give her the dang scoop and not just ignore it.
-Picking Hooves after Turnout
I know this seems odd to love so much, but my barn will pick the hooves out of each horse when they come in to pasture. Such a nice gesture to make sure there are no rocks, packed hooves, etc. Really shows that they genuinely care about the horses.
-Online Lesson Schedule
Enough said. As much as I completely enjoy having to share the ring with 6 tiny children learning how to ride…(I’m pro kids, people, I just need some adult time when riding!)
-INVOICES.
Online invoices or basically just any invoice that is EXPLAINED and ITEMIZED. I understand small fees for holding, medicine given, etc. But when I was never told that Sammy was acting wild and needed lunged and then charged extra on invoice with no explanation, we will have issues. I absolutely love a barn that will break down everything so you understand why you are being charged, amount, and total. Being emailed or having an online payment system is amazing.
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My favorite thing about my current barn is that I don’t have to WORRY (I mean, I’m a horse mom, so I still do, but it is seriously minimized here). I work a fairly stressful job full time, so knowing that my horse is on the farm’s schedule to get shod, wormed, shots and that I don’t have to maintain those records is great. I know that if something happens such as a shoe off in the paddock or he comes out not quite right, they will both take care of it (call farrier, call vet if needed or cold hose/ wrap) and let me know what is going on. The quality of care is amazing and things get done without me having to ask- he looks a little thin, they will bump up his grain or hay, blankets are changed appropriately and sent to be cleaned at the end of the season, etc. They know my horse really well and can tell if something is not right. Frankly, it’s one less thing I have to think about every day.
A lot of people want to be more hands on and don’t want the BO/ BM to do things without the horse owner’s okay/ involvement. I on the other hand prefer to know that the pros are looking at him on a daily basis and doing what they think is best for him. Definitely a personal preference thing.
Things that I loved about my last boarding barn (which was a “backyard” setup, rather than a commercial boarding/training facility):
BO didn’t charge extra for holding for farrier or vet, if we were part of her horses’ group appointment. It was super convenient for her and me, we split the farm call cost (for the vet), and my guy didn’t have special requirements - so that really worked well for us.
BO was incredibly sensitive to my guy’s needs - he was (much) older and she adjusted his turnout/feeding to what worked best for him (which, at one point, involved him staying in overnight so he could take his time eating, but changing his stall so he could still see the other horses on night turnout).
On my guy’s 31st birthday, her twins (who were around 4 at the time) sang “Happy Birthday” to him - I still get a warm fuzzy thinking about that.
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This is a timely post for me as I am currently looking to leave my current boarding situation and am coming up with my list of wants/needs for my search.
What I like about my current barn:
the price - so far it’s the best price in town at $450/month for full board
my equine bff boards her horse there
What bothers me:
You certainly get what you pay for
The BO constantly will say she can’t do “such and such” because it’s too much $$. This is for almost everything around the barn. OMG…charge more for board and you might not have to complain as much.
BO lets certain boarders do what they want and not others…be consistent
BO lets the barn help (young kids working for free), ride boarders horses. So apparently she charges an extra fee for this…but nothing in the contract states who will be riding the horses, how often, experience level, etc. Way too much inexperience in my opinion.
Too many turnout issues - BO doesn’t really understand the herd dynamics because she is at work all day. Boarders have made suggestions and it goes un-noticed.
The BO has good intentions, but I think maybe she watched one too many episodes of “heartland” and thinks she has the same talent.
