# Opening a boarding facility



## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

For flies, the fly predators do work very well, at least at a smaller 8 horse barn. You'd probably have to buy a lot each month to keep up with more horses. 

Most new boarding barns quickly take on their own identity. The first month you may have 2 jumpers, 2 trail riders, 2 western, etc. 6 months later 4 will have left and the whole group will be essentially one discipline. Most people do want to be with others who share their likes, so it'll all shake out as it should.

As for the stallion thing, I'm not sure I would board where there was one unless the stallion was very well managed and was in a very secure area. I definitely would not let a boarder bring one in. An incompetent boarder can be bad enough with a mild mannered gelding to even bother with a stallion. 

Yes you need electric wire. One skillful escape artist will make quick work of nice vinyl fence.

I personally love the idea of run-ins. You can always shut the doors if the weather's absolutely horrible, and it gives the horses way more freedom and ability to be horses if they can come and go as they please. 

The only thing I don't see in you plans is a pasture board option. If you are closer to a city and have a higher price point, pasture board might get in some good boarders who might otherwise not be able to afford your facility. 

Love your ring plans. Can't find anything like that in CT for less than $950.


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## Born2Ride (Apr 13, 2011)

MyBoyPuck said:


> For flies, the fly predators do work very well, at least at a smaller 8 horse barn. You'd probably have to buy a lot each month to keep up with more horses.
> 
> Most new boarding barns quickly take on their own identity. The first month you may have 2 jumpers, 2 trail riders, 2 western, etc. 6 months later 4 will have left and the whole group will be essentially one discipline. Most people do want to be with others who share their likes, so it'll all shake out as it should.
> 
> ...


I've considered pasture board, but basically that was going to depend on how much land we get. After pricing it on Fly Predators site it will be about $500+ for the season (per year). So its actually not that bad in price, i just dont know how effective it will be with a larger boarding facility.


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

I do know with the smaller place I was at, there were zero flies. As long as there are enough predators to do the job, it should work regardless of the size of your manure pile.


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## Born2Ride (Apr 13, 2011)

Ya that's what i figured, we always sprinkled some on our manure pile as well, since it's kinda close to our barn and we never have many problems. I just dont want to have to end up having to put up a bug zapper in the barn lol, i know how annoying those are :/


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## Lisa Marie (Apr 26, 2011)

IMO pasture board is an excellent option for extra income and will tailor to people who cannot afford full board. 

In our area stalls with run-outs cost about a hundred bucks more.


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