I have a woman interested in one of my TB broodmares and also a 3/4 TB-ISH filly. Her farm won’t be ready for horses for 10-12 months and I was considering boarding the horses here for the interim period. Mare (16.3h) is on pasture - stalled 2x a day for grain. Right now she is out with my broodmare band on plentiful grazing/35 acres. In the winter she gets more grain, free access to good quality hay. The mares all have stalls and a 24x72 loafing shed. The yearling filly is also turned out with another youngster, grain in a stall 2x daily - generous grazing, good shelter. In the winter she is stalled at night, days turned out with free choice hay. Should I charge a flat year-round figure or increase during the winter months, less in the grazing season?? I’ve never boarded non-training horses. Thanks.
Flat rate for year round. Don’t start going about showing the details, that just a wide open door for an argument on horse husbandry.
Don’t change the rate according to the seasons. My boarding contracts stipulate that horses are turned out daytime, nighttime, or 24/7 depending on the season. The rate will be whatever your area can support. At my farm, straight board (no indoor here) is $450 a month. Broodmare board is $20/day dry, $25/day wet. Foals are charged straight board as soon as they are weaned.
We charge 10$ per day pasture board for mares, and mares with foals until weaned. The the mares and foals are then charged separately. We raise our prices for a short time with mares in foal during foaling season when they are given a stall 30 days prior to foaling and generally 60-90 days post foaling.
Hope the helps
One place near me was charging $400/mo for mares. Once the mare foals, the fee increases to $500/mo for mare and foal. They have experienced people on site 24/7, and a good foaling attendant (foaling out fee is $500). Board for weanlings/yearlings, etc., is $350/mo. That includes stall, shavings, feed, hay, and daily turnout on nice pastures with other broodmares or age-appropriate pasture mates. Farrier/vet expenses are billed at cost to the owner. Rates I quoted are the 2011 rates - I believe most of their fees went up about $50 for 2012.
I pay $375/mo for grass pasture. They get fed a mixed hay 2x’s a day and grain supplements. It’s pretty bare bones. They stay out 24/7. Foaling out was $300. Vet and shoeing are separate charges. The foals are handled in the beginning at no extra charge.
And to add, I charge $10 per day for an adult horse alone, I guess it would be something about $7 a day for a yearling, I’ve never had to board a yearling.
I paid full (pasture board) cost on a yearling. I did pasture board, so she had heated waterer, shelter, grain daily, 24x7 hay, mineral, but no stall. Full pasture board cost on the weanling too, actually, as soon as it left mother.
I would have paid extra for the mare for extra feed if that was needed before or after foaling (I actually had her at a different facility, but I don’t want to get too confusing here, so I will just stick to the “norm” for sake of discussion). They had a set amount per day and then if you want more hay or grain it is extra. I did not pay extra for a mare and foal once the baby came (again this was pasture board) but they did have a deadline for “weaning date” whether you chose to do it or not. That way the boarder doesn’t try to keep the foal on the mare forever to avoid the additional board. If they want to go longer on the mare, that is also fine, but the boarder is paying board for two. Good idea, imo, to set solid timelines.
Pasture board here with basic grain is around $200 a month, fyi. Foaling out fee at that time was around $300 I believe (I had mine foaled out at the vet’s–so different cost). That was 2010 and I’m pretty sure it has gone up. Very experienced barn owner.
Also, imo, charge a flat rate board. I have boarded at facilities where it varies from pasture months to hay months, and the BO and the boarder end up getting frustrated with each other if it varies due to rainfall and hay production, etc. or if you switch winter months from starting in Nov. to Oct. due to early snow, or whatever. People just want a set number they can plan for–much easier for both of you. Charge what it is worth to you.
Thanks for all the input. The mare is not in foal and although she is a big TB, she is an easy keeper. The filly - not hers - is on a higher grain ration for her growing needs. I would charge less for the mare and more for the yearling. Board in this area is all over the place. Either show horse/training or VERY rough (as in NO grain or shelter - water where they find it. No daily eyeballing - hope they are still alive at the end of the month!) type!!
Wow, these are all very reasonable fees!
I guess it depends on where you live, around here (Northern VA and surrounding area) mare/foal board is about twice what these posters are quoting.
:sigh:
