# Boarding Question



## Seahorseys (Nov 14, 2009)

What do you as a boarder look for in a barn? Taking into account fencing, shelter, turnout, etc...


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## ridergirl23 (Sep 17, 2009)

Just make sure the barn/fences and whole property is in good shape (meaning, no junk in the feilds, strong fences,not a braking down barn.)
and the PEOPLE, if theyre not nice people, or if theyre crazy, it wont be as nice a place to be around.


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

First and foremost - that it is a proper fit for my horse and my horse's well being. That includes type of turnout, feed, farrier, vet, etc.

A barn that offers all kinds of way cool amenities does me no good if I have to use a farrier I do not like or their feeding program is not something that agrees with what my horse needs.


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## ridergirl23 (Sep 17, 2009)

Alwaysbehind said:


> First and foremost - that it is a proper fit for my horse and my horse's well being. That includes type of turnout, feed, farrier, vet, etc.
> 
> A barn that offers all kinds of way cool amenities does me no good if I have to use a farrier I do not like or their feeding program is not something that agrees with what my horse needs.


And if theres a ferrier that doesnt work out for you or a vet, make sure to heck if you can bring other vets in, or if you have to use theire vet.


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## Jessabel (Mar 19, 2009)

I look at the horses first of all. Are they fat, shiny, and happy? The condition of the horses speaks volumes about the barn. Next I look at the facilities and make sure it's all safe and secure. No broken fencing or protruding nails, debris, etc. I also like clean, dry pastures and paddocks. No slime pits. And I like to be around nice people who take good care of their horses.


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## starlinestables (Nov 24, 2008)

When I used to be the boarder and not the boarding facility. The most important things to me were Safety. It could be the nicest facility ever with the nicest people but if it had a line of barb wire fencing it would be a deal breaker for me. Its important that you accept their feeding program, vet, farrier allowances. I do look at the condition of the horses as a whole... I've gotten in a nasty horse or two and I would hate to be judged on a new boarder!
Also one of my other deal breakers is how clean it is.. The facility could be ugly but if its not clean and functional then I wouldn't board there.


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## pieinthesky (Mar 12, 2010)

Facility and feeding program should meet my needs. I prefer a barn that will feed your choice of grain.
Its the BO that really is the deal breaker or maker for me. My current BO is wonderful. She goes above and beyond and helps me out whenever she can. She always comes out to chat when I come over. She updates me about my horses via barn notes or in person, usually daily. Ive had some crappy BOs before, and if those people are involved in daily horsecare the horses tend to suffer in someway. Most of the bad BOs, at barns I left, were cheep, and really tried to cut corners in ways you shouldnt. 

She runs a retirement facility. Some of the older horses have health issues or are at their last year or so. So, for me to judge the facility based on those horses would be unfair. But in most situations that would work.


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## Seahorseys (Nov 14, 2009)

So which do you prefer?:

Wood or metal barn?
Wood, vinyl, or electric fencing?
All-day turnout or half-day turnout?
What do you think of bathroom facilities? Does it matter to you that you have a porta-potty vs a full bathroom?


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## pieinthesky (Mar 12, 2010)

Seahorseys said:


> So which do you prefer?:
> 
> Wood or metal barn?
> Wood, vinyl, or electric fencing?
> ...


Fence doesnt matter, but I dont like wire-electrobraid type. 
I only do pasture board. Horses should be out as much as possible if they can handle it. I dont have a potty at my barn, I just use the stall if I cant hold it


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

Seahorseys said:


> Wood or metal barn?


Does not matter as long as it is safe (so where the horses are turned out where they have access to the barn itself the lower metal siding should either have backing so a leg does not kick thru it or be replaced with wood).



Seahorseys said:


> Wood, vinyl, or electric fencing?


Does not matter as long as it is safe.



Seahorseys said:


> All-day turnout or half-day turnout?


Depends on the horse. 



Seahorseys said:


> What do you think of bathroom facilities? Does it matter to you that you have a porta-potty vs a full bathroom?


Full bathroom is always nice but it does not really matter to me. I am perfectly OK using a stall.


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

I've moved a lot lately. I have run up a rather extensive checklist. It all revolves around the fact that most barn owners apparently will tell you whatever you want to hear to get you in there only to later recant. 

1. Visit midday. Take notice if the horses have any hay left to eat and if the water buckets are sufficiently full. Most barn owners tell me on the phone that their horses get plenty of hay which is usually BS. If you don't see any hay on the ground, ask the BO why they have no food. The answer will determine whether you should just walk away right then and there. Also if the water buckets are empty, just leave. It won't change. 

2. Look at the horses. Are they outside or in their stalls? Do they have shelter from passing storms? Are they ribby or fat and happy? Are they happily dozing or do they look stressed out? 

3. Fencing - Simple stuff. Is the fencing strong and sturdy or about to flop over? Any jagged pieces sticking out? Any nails? Pieces of wire? 

4. Ask about the feeding program. Are all horses fed the same quantity of grain regardless of their needs, or is it talored to the individual horse? If the answer is all get the same and you're welcome to buy your own weight gain supplement, run for the door. I've been at barns where I thought I was saving $100 a month, but paying it all back out in supplements to keep weight on my horse. 

5. Check the footing in the ring or rings. Too deep - leg injuries. Too hard - same thing, just different injuries. 

6. Ask other boarders if they are happy with the place when you can get away from the BO. If you have time to make your choice, visit a few different days and times. 

good luck


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## starlinestables (Nov 24, 2008)

Visiting mid-day is a little too specific. For example if someone visited my barn tomorrow at say 1pm...stalls wouldn't be clean or in the middle of being cleaned... buckets would be dirty and the isle way wouldn't be spotless. 

My husband turns horses out at 7:30 am when he gets home from work and my help arrives from noon-1. 

However, Puck did have a good point. Lets say your horses needs vary quite differently from the barn's regular program (exp. they feed strategy and feed coastal and you have a hard keeper on triple crown senior and alfalfa cubes soaked). If your horse is the ONLY one on that program then there may be problems. 

Another good example is a new boarder of mine came from a $700 a month show barn. They had an indoor, deep shavings and 4 hours of turn out alone every day. I charge $350.. outdoor ring only, and horses are turned out all day with 2 other horses. 

No I won't leave your horse in all day unless he's sick.. No you can't store 20 bales of alfalfa in my barn I don't have the room. No you can't buy your own feed because you will get low and I will end up buying it anyway. I have 3 feeds to choose from (Strategy, Ultium, Senior) if you don't like it go some where else. I will add some extra shavings but I'm not going to bed your horses stall 8 inches deep for at least 5 reasons I can think of that I don't feel like typing out. As a BO I will tailor needs to an extent but if you're completely off wall then all I can do is try. 

I think every boarder should do our job for at least a week. ) It is like every horse person's dream job and it isn't. Can't you tell I'm on a mission to create understanding boarder awareness? LOL



MyBoyPuck said:


> I've moved a lot lately. I have run up a rather extensive checklist. It all revolves around the fact that most barn owners apparently will tell you whatever you want to hear to get you in there only to later recant.
> 
> 1. Visit midday. Take notice if the horses have any hay left to eat and if the water buckets are sufficiently full. Most barn owners tell me on the phone that their horses get plenty of hay which is usually BS. If you don't see any hay on the ground, ask the BO why they have no food. The answer will determine whether you should just walk away right then and there. Also if the water buckets are empty, just leave. It won't change.
> 
> ...


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

With the midday visit thing, it was solely a way of determining if the horses are fed and watered as advertised. I can't count how many times BO's have told me on the phone that horses have hay in front of them all day only to get there and find the horses standing around with not a scrap to eat. At some of the barns the water buckets were very low too. The BOs who like to embellish probably just throw hay with morning and evening grain and assume nobody's going to be around in the daytime to find out otherwise.


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## MyGalSal (Apr 8, 2009)

starlinestables said:


> Visiting mid-day is a little too specific. For example if someone visited my barn tomorrow at say 1pm...stalls wouldn't be clean or in the middle of being cleaned... buckets would be dirty and the isle way wouldn't be spotless.
> 
> My husband turns horses out at 7:30 am when he gets home from work and my help arrives from noon-1.
> 
> ...


Starline.....I have boarded and owned my own facility. As long as the feeding program is regulated and my horses are safe, then I do not EXPECT the barn owners to do MY job as I own the horse and he is my responsibility. If there is a problem or an injury/illness I expect to be contacted immediately. There are many boarders and friends that complain about the littlest of things. It makes me chuckle as I fed my horse recently three huge flakes of hay and they were gone within 2 hours. To think that it is inexpensive to own a horse and expect he has hay in front of him at all time is crazy at least in the Northeast! At $7 per bale the minimum cost to do that would be $210, what about bedding, feed, supplements, electricity, insurance, water....I think boarders think you are making a ton of money........NOT TRUE. I appreciate my BO more than words can express. They work so hard, feed and care for our horses very well, and the only people complaining were those people that couldn't do it themselves. For all you do.......Thank You!


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

All I'm saying is, if the BO tells me on the phone that they get hay all day, I expect that to be the case. I have seen a lot of places this year, and it's amazing how many BO's will tell you whatever you want to hear over the phone, or even in person, only to later change their tune once you're horse is there. I have been at several places that have free choice hay, and I am also in CT, so they do exist, even at $7 a bale.


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## starlinestables (Nov 24, 2008)

MyGalSal Thank you for the understanding! My husband and I personally loaded up 140 (75lb coastal) bales which cost me $6.50 a bale. I feed 12-15 lbs of hay in the evening once a day and alot of times we have some left over! My horses get turned out though. If horses are in stalls all day.. I think its fairly reasonable to expect hay two or three times a day. But each horse is slightly different and eat at different rates and may change with their surroundings with no notice! 

Personally I say, save yourself the mid day trips or waiting in the barn for hours..View the facility, get the basic answers and just ask for 3 references.


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## luvs2ride1979 (Nov 9, 2007)

Adequate shelter in pasture or turnouts (NOT just trees...)
Fences all in good repair
Does the property have a perimeter fence, in case horses do get out
Does someone live on the property
Are tack rooms secure (locked when not in use)
Is there a bathroom
Arena footing good/safe
Pastures safe & free of debris
Does the barn provide quality hay, up to free choice
Will they feed my feed and supplements at no extra cost
Is there a heated & air conditioned office or lounge? (a MUST here in Arkansas IMO!!)
Are outside trainers allowed
Bonus items, but not necessary:

Trail access
Indoor or Covered arena
Trailering services available
Trainer on premises
Shows or clinics held on property
At the barn I run I provide most of my "must haves" at the top and 2 of the 5 "bonus items" I like. I'm working on covering everything on my list, but I'm young and our business is new & small. We'll get there eventually ;-).


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

luvs2ride1979 said:


> Adequate shelter in pasture or turnouts (NOT just trees...)
> Fences all in good repair
> Does the property have a perimeter fence, in case horses do get out
> Does someone live on the property
> ...


Where were you when I was looking?? This is a great list. The only thing I would add is "adequate turnout space". I know every horse is different, but mine likes some space to run around and kick up his heels. Fortunately I already found everything on it other than a secure tack room, but my saddle's so high up, a thief would have to be very motivated to grab it. Also the dog would eat him/her before there was time to steal it. I saw many places before I found one with everything I wanted and am very happy that I held out for the whole ball of wax. Horsey is very happy.


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## Citrus (Feb 26, 2010)

I look at the stalls... are they clean....are they filthy.... if there is an injured horse on the property, how is it being treated. Are the other boarders friendly or bossy. I think it should be obvious that the fences are in good repair, the pastures are not filled with rusting junk, and the water is only one day dirty. The barn owner sells the place for me. Are they knowledgable? Will they know if my horse is ill, since most of the time I won't be out there..... Are they friendly? It is the best to see a friendly barn owner who gives a mini report on your horse for the time you have been gone... even if it is just "Citrus played alot with River and Winter.... then he ate like crazy". I find that comforting.


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## luvs2ride1979 (Nov 9, 2007)

Good one Citrus, a definite concern is how often the stalls are cleaned. I looked at one place that only cleaned them ONCE A WEEK! I was APPALLED to say the least... 

I only clean stalls as needed at my barn, which is usually 1-2 times a week, but I only keep the horses in to be fed, then right back out. Any horses that are stalled have their stalls cleaned once, and sometimes twice a day.

I also like to know how often they feed. If the hay isn't free choice, then I want them fed hay at least twice a day, preferably three times a day. I'm good with one hard feed a day, but I don't feed my horses much, so splitting "feed" into two feedings isn't a big deal for me.


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## Maverick101 (Nov 8, 2009)

MyBoyPuck said:


> All I'm saying is, if the BO tells me on the phone that they get hay all day, I expect that to be the case. I have seen a lot of places this year, and it's amazing how many BO's will tell you whatever you want to hear over the phone, or even in person, only to later change their tune once you're horse is there. I have been at several places that have free choice hay, and I am also in CT, so they do exist, even at $7 a bale.


So could be said for boarders:wink:...how many times have I hear.."oh he is an easy keeper" then comes with a list longer then my families groceries for the month!! Or "I'm easy to get along with"...and they turn into Paris Hilton on crack....

Also in regards to free choice hay...In winter I feed rounds, or large sqaures, but in warmer months I only buy the small squares so I still feed free choice hay, but does that mean that the horses have hay in front of them *EVERY second* of the day?? No it does not.
It means that they will have access to hay the MAJORITY of the day. If usuing a percentage Id say 98% of the time....

For example...Horses go out and are fed 3-4 flakes/horse, and it is replenished through out the day as required. This is to ensure that they do not waste hay that they cannot finish during their allotted time out. And it also ensures that we can check on them periodically through out the day when the hay is being replenished. I find that places that toss a whack load of hay out to horses, just never go to check on them to make sure everyone is still in one piece...as there is no reason too, plus one gets busy doing other things and forgets....but when you have to replenish hay on a rotating basis, it helps to ensure that doesn't happen.

So for instance... when I go for lunch the horses are tossed hay again if they need/as required...if the horse finish his hay while im at lunch...could he be out of hay for 20 minutes? Quite possibly...but he would get fed again when I returned from lunch. 
I don't have the man power or the time to sit and watch your horse and toss him hay the second he is done. But I will ensure he has ample hay in a timely and adequate fashion. So IMO that constitutes hay all day, as for the 10 hours hes out he will probably have hay 9 of those hours, the other hour, is the 10-15 made up through out the day that he had to wait for his next flakes to be tossed...in IMO that is more then acceptable.


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## starlinestables (Nov 24, 2008)

Maverick101 said:


> So could be said for boarders:wink:...how many times have I hear.."oh he is an easy keeper" then comes with a list longer then my families groceries for the month!! Or "I'm easy to get along with"...and they turn into Paris Hilton on crack....



lol aint that the truth!!!!


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## corinowalk (Apr 26, 2010)

Finding a good stable is really difficult in this area. Everything around me is either top-notch dressage barn with a huge lighted heated indoor ring or a cow barn with horses. Since im a bartender, the big barn isn't in my budget (nor my style) but the cow barn isnt enough for nico (he would just chase cows all day!) So its all about finding what you and your horse need. Im totally cool with the bare basics (my horse has pasture, shelter, feed and fresh clean water) but you and yours may not be. My only requirement for any barn outside of meeting my horses basic needs (he truely is the easiest of easy keepers and could survive on air) is access to trails. Figure out what you can live with and what you can't live without. Start there and add in extras but know that they cost a good bit more


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

Maverick101 said:


> So could be said for boarders:wink:...how many times have I hear.."oh he is an easy keeper" then comes with a list longer then my families groceries for the month!! Or "I'm easy to get along with"...and they turn into Paris Hilton on crack....


No argument there. I am very upfront with barns that my horse does well with lots of forage and turns into a skeleton otherwise. I also supply fat supplements to help keep his weight up so it's not all on the BO. I can see where it would suck to be mis-led by a boarder as much as it is the other way around.


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