What do you expect with full care board

[Equestrian1992]

Hi everyone. Just curious what everyone expects in terms of feeding, routine, cleaning, medical care etc…with full care board. And what would you expect to pay extra for? I know things might vary greatly in terms of price and location, but that’s ok. I’m just curious!

My full care includes turn out, two feedings (more deoending on pasture) including grain and supplements, blanketing if needed (unless it’s changing blankets daily then it cost extra). Catching and holding for any appointment costs extra, and some medical care cost extra depending on how extensive it is. There is no discount for lessons or training if you board there, which I think would be nice but obviously a perk.

I’ve boarded a couple of places and so far this is my favorite.

[firefoot]

I would expect full care stall board to include adequate hay, turnout (either day or night, my preference is night year round but no all places do that), stall cleaning, feeding 2x a day including supplements provided by owner, and reasonable blanket changes. Oh yeah some place to store a reasonable amount of tack/trunk. Some places include grain and some places don’t, but I’d expect them to feed whatever you want if you provide it. Really anything beyond these basics I’d assume is extra: catching and holding for appointments, extra blanketing, fly spraying, fly gear, medical care, stall rest, etc.

I don’t really think many places I’ve been have included a discount for lessons or training. Most places include training into the board package, and lessons are their own thing. I think that’s pretty reasonable because lessons can vary by owner availability, etc. I will say it’s been a hot minute since I’ve been in the loop on that stuff.

[Obsidian_Fire]

At its most basic: Adequate volume of hay, good hay - not junk. WATER. WATER. WATER. Need I say it again?
A clean stall, with adequate bedding. When I say a clean stall, I mean all the poo and the pee spot removed. Not dragged to the middle and covered up with shavings. Turnout, every day. Fly masks in season. Appropriate fencing, and repairs made in a timely manner. Arena maintenance - at a minimum drag it weekly. Tack storage.
Consistency and that consistency should not be your INconsistency! Communication. Barn rules enforced.
Other things such as holding for farrier or vet should be worked out on an as-needed basis, everyone’s work schedule is different.

There is tons more, but as I said: at its most BASIC.

There’s a reason I self-care board.

[mvp]

For full care board, I expect that, with the exception of training and exercise, I could go totally AWOL for 60 days and have the horse completely cared for.

What counts as “completely cared for”? I’d say, all biological needs met. Horse should be fed adequately, supplements given as I bought them and directed. These days, there are so many grain and supplement options, that I would not be unhappy if boarders were asked to buy what they wanted fed. Horse should have clean water always and get turned out. Of course the stall should be bedded well enough (though I think my standards for how deep shavings should be are way outdated— the go back to the rich and credit rich 1980s and 1990s). Of course the stall should be cleaned at least once per day; paddocks or pastures cleaned as the size and number of head and season warrant. Fly masks, blankets or boots for turnout (if I have That Horse and I’m at a high-end barn) should be included. My horse should be cared for with the same high standards that the BO would use for the most valuable horse on the property.

I also care about supervision. The horse would get checked for cuts or illness or missing shoes and the rest. I do expect staff to hold my horse for the farrier or vet if I’m on that AWOL walkabout. But I can’t remember a time that I wasn’t there for a vet or farrier appointment.

I’d like communication and professionalism. Unless space is truly a problem, I think trailer parking should be thrown in.

I think I need safe, convenient places for my equipment. I haven’t had as many problems with “borrowed” stuff as other COTHers report.

If this is all done, I’m a happy camper and a good customer. I’m happy to pay for great care and professionalism!

[DoodlesMom]

Our full board includes bringing in/out, feeding 2x day with barn provided grain (or owner supplied), adding supplements/oral meds, minor injury care, water (fields and stalls), hay in stalls and fields as needed, blanket changes AM/PM in winter, fly sheet/mask changes in the summer, and stall picking/cleaning. It technically also includes facility maintenance - biweekly ring dragging, regular mowing of our grass rings and fields, fence repair, etc. We also include trailer parking and locking tack room.

IMO farm maintenance, clear communication (with owners, staff, about injuries, whatever), clean water, and an appropriate amount of good quality hay - all should be standard for full or field board.

[Redlei44]

@mvp described what I’m most familiar with - if the client disappears for a while, the horse is already fully cared for, including daily grooming, and tacking/untacking/grooming for the pro rider/trainer. All feed, with unlimited hay, included. The client buys smatpaks, tack, and horse clothing and is required to pay an additional monthly supplies fee for the communal fly spray, basic med stuff, etc. Laundry included. All daily/reg services included - blanketing, holding/jogging for vet or farrier, turnout booting, etc. Does not include medical treatments (wrapping hooves, special bandaging, etc). Does not include meds (tranq, banamine, etc). However, staff is available and capable of providing those services (just not included in reg full care cost).

ETA - we used to have both full care and partial care. (“Basic” was available only to field boarders.). I can’t recall all of the details, but I believe the main differences were whether daily grooming and tack/untack for the client were included, and possibly stuff like mane pulling and tail washing. The pricing was such that full care was not that much more than partial - they wanted to standardize (at the higher level) as much as possible.

[Schatzi09]

Full board in my small semi-private barn includes grain (barn supplied) 2x per day, hay (weighed on a scale so everyone gets the correct amount), owner provided supplements/meds, water inside and out, turnout every day (overnight spring - fall), outdoor arena drug as needed, rain sheets (owner provided) put on/off as needed (usually fall, winter, spring in cold rains for turnout), checking of horses for shoes or cuts/scrapes, holding for vet/farrier, individual tack lockers, well-bedded stalls cleaned at least once daily and usually picked during the day when they’re on night turnout. I even soak one horse’s hay daily since he has a dust allergy.

Most of my boarders are trail riders and not high-maintenance. My personal show horse is definitely the highest priced horse on the property and my 29 yr old TB is probably the least priced horse and everyone gets the same treatment. (They go out in a mixed herd with no boots or fly sheets/masks and stay outside as much as possible.)

[Scribbler]

I would demand good care such that the owner would not need to visit the barn for several days in a row. Water at all times, correct hay grain and supplements to keep horse in good weight, stalls and paddocks cleaned, blankets on and off as needed, turnout. Basic first aid.

Riding or training would be extra.

Other than that I would expect what is stated in the contract.

I however have always done self board. My only experience with full board was 2 winters back when I was off with an injury and for 3 months. I sent maresy to my coach for full training board.

However I see the OP here mentions full care board, not full board? Are these the same things, or is full care board full training board?

[Palm_Beach]

@Equestrian1992

Hi everyone. Just curious what everyone expects in terms of feeding, routine, cleaning, medical care etc…with full care board. And what would you expect to pay extra for? I know things might vary greatly in terms of price and location, but that’s ok. I’m just curious!

My full care includes turn out, two feedings (more deoending on pasture) including grain and supplements, blanketing if needed (unless it’s changing blankets daily then it cost extra). Catching and holding for any appointment costs extra, and some medical care cost extra depending on how extensive it is. There is no discount for lessons or training if you board there, which I think would be nice but obviously a perk.

I’ve boarded a couple of places and so far this is my favorite.

It’s specific to the facility. You ask what is included in full care, what is extra, and think about your specific situation and what services you may need that are not covered, or are not offered. When you draw up the contract, or review it to sign, you make sure that everything is clearly laid out.

[Equestrian1992]

@Scribbler

I would demand good care such that the owner would not need to visit the barn for several days in a row. Water at all times, correct hay grain and supplements to keep horse in good weight, stalls and paddocks cleaned, blankets on and off as needed, turnout. Basic first aid.

Riding or training would be extra.

Other than that I would expect what is stated in the contract.

I however have always done self board. My only experience with full board was 2 winters back when I was off with an injury and for 3 months. I sent maresy to my coach for full training board.

However I see the OP here mentions full care board, not full board? Are these the same things, or is full care board full training board?

I always thought of them (full board abd full care board) as the same and just used full care board.

[TheJenners]

What I have had provided to me, as a client, discounting horror stories: quality hay in appropriate amounts twice a day (or once if turnout supplied grass), grain if provided (by me or by the barn), turn in and out, water in stalls and turnout, daily check over for injury, place for tack and supplies, arena, round pen, washrack or place to bathe, and often, a place to park a horse trailer. Stuff would still get borrowed, but it is what it is since it was usually a boarding barn with an active lesson program.

What I have provided in the past: quality hay in appropriate amounts twice a day, offer to feed a quality foraged-based low NSC feed to X pounds or feed what is provided AND bagged or prepared by the owner in a way that I can just dump it, turn in and out, water in stall and turnout that is clean, eyeball for injuries, place for tack and supplies, trailer parking, arena, round pen, place to bathe. I didn’t do blankets because it backfired in a big way, and I tell them upfront I won’t spend gobs of time trying to catch their horse if it is the type who likes to be hard to catch. Boarding was always a second job. I’ve taken a shedding blade to a boarded horse from time to time just so it didn’t bring down the quality of the place.

[MissAriel]

Many of the places in our area separate “care” and “board” with the care portion being paid to and performed by the trainer/trainer’s staff, and the board portion being paid to and performed by the BO/BM and barn staff.

Board would include stall or paddock, hay (x times/day, usually can choose from bermuda and alfalfa, sometimes timothy or teff, other hay types are extra or provide your own), water, stall cleaning and access to facilities. May or may not include trailer parking, tack room, barn fly spray system, etc. or these may be additional fees, charged if/when used.

Care/grooming would include turnouts, lunging, hand walk, feeding grain (either provided by care provider or owner) and holding for farrier/vet. Will often include minor clipping (face, legs), mane trimming, scheduling farrier and vet and minor first aid, stable wraps, giving wormer, etc. May or may not include blanketing, full clipping, grooming, tack up/down for owner or trainer, etc.

[joiedevie99]

I’m in a part of the country where all-inclusive is the norm. Full Board at most trainer’s barns includes everything the horse needs (except purchase of supplements/boots/tack) to be happy and healthy for the month. Barn provides grain (3-4x/day) per horse’s needs, water, unlimited reasonable quality hay, daily turnout, stall cleaned 2x/day, daily grooming, 5 rides or lessons per week, scheduling and holding for all service providers, basic supplies (hoof polish, fly spray), trimming, blanketing. Full body clipping is extra.

Farther from the city there are full care barns that aren’t run by trainers. These don’t usually include rides/lessons, grooming, trimming, supplies, or scheduling/holding for service providers. They do include water, hay, grain, turnout, stall cleaning, picking feet/checking for blood/counting shoes, and blankets.

[seabreeze]

Full (care) board can be whatever a contract stipulates, as mentioned previously. However, as a boarder, I would want the care (not necessarily services like clipping) that the horse would need on a daily basis. Providing basic grooming, blanket changes, etc., is part of the point of full board, I think. If not, I might as well keep them at home or do self-care board.

[foggythistle]

Full board where I keep my guy is daily stall cleaning (including holidays), 3 grain meals/day, 4 hay meals/day, half-day turnout weather permitting, use of indoor & outdoor, prepackaged supplements fed as directed, water checked 4x/day.

Facilities maintenance is expected (safe fencing). Reasonable ring grooming.

Left to the boarder - extensive equine clothing changes, holding for farrier, exercise, grooming, calling the vet, except in dire emergency.

BO is very good about noticing things that aren’t quite right with the horses, and will call if somethings off. My horse owes his life to her (and the vet, who knew when to say ‘Uncle’ and send him to hospital)

[Scribbler]

Around here full board would be feeding, water, turnout, blankets, first aid.

Training board would include the horse being ridden by trainer a stipulated amount.

I don’t think it is standard anywhere that the horse gets groomed or supplies bought for him unless he is in training.

I imagine different places have different arrangements as far as holding for vet and farrier