# How did you choose your stables?



## PoptartShop (Jul 25, 2010)

Good questions!

For riding:
-Nice-sized arena, good trainer(s), nice-looking place, nice horses, people are nice, etc. & a reasonable price.
When I'm checking out a barn, in general...it must be in good condition, the horses are well-cared for, the people are nice, & the pricing has to be good.  Also, an indoor arena is a plus. & good trails, as I loveee to trailride on nice warm days! Get info about lesson times too of course lol.

For boarding/leasing:
Always make sure the horses are well-cared for (your horse is gonna be one of them!) & also sign an agreement/warranty of course. Ask a lot of questions about feed, the farrier, & the schedule of feeding, turnout, blanketing, etc.  Or if they use the combined system (which is half turnout half stables). Also if other people are going to be riding your horse (like for lessons). Good conditions (of pastures/fields, tack room, barn/stable, stalls, hay, etc.). You want the best for your horse, lol. Also a good price. & ask about when you can see your horse, like some barns have restrictions on when you can go to the barn (like late at night & such), etc. There's more but I'll add later.

You're definitely on the right track!!  It is very important when you're looking for a place to board your horse(s), the current horses are in good health & cared for properly. 

I think I covered most of it, that's my 2 cents! Prolly forgot some things, soo I'm gonna have to add more soon. LOL!


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## PG'sGal4ever (Sep 25, 2008)

This is the Barn I Ride at , I really love this place but I mainly choose it because It was very local only about 20 mins while other barns were atleast 45 mins.

http://www.mysticmeadows.net/

when I choose a barn

I look at there horses and make sure they look happy & healthy.
i look at where I would be keeping my tack and horses food
Where would we be riding? Is there an indoor?
Are the other boarders or lesson takers freindly?

And most importantly is the barn safe? I mean like no nails sticking out, wire laying around, fallen pasture boards etc

What are there methods of training or teaching styles for lessons!


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## TwendeHaraka (Oct 5, 2008)

In the end, it doesn't matter how nice the facilities were, but how much you learned at them.

This obviously isn't true at all for every place, but when I started taking lessons when I was eleven or so, we found a nice barn, but the instructor didn't know anything. We moved out to an old thoroughbred race horse barn. It was definitly not the nicest of sorts, but the instructor was and still is a natural.

When I look at barns, I look at...
-How healthy the horses look and what sort of circumstances they're kept in,
-Trainer's knowledge,
-Safety things,
-And the trainer knowing how to handle people well.

I've had bad experiences with barns, butthe one where I'm keeping my horse now I'm very happy with and fits all of the above.


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## SonnyWimps (Feb 22, 2008)

the main things I looked for was the proper care that I believed that my horse should have. I wanted pasture board, unlimited hay, and him to be with other horses.

I looked for how clean water buckets were, the pasture's...how the horse's looked, how clean the place was, the BOs knowledge, lessons, and how all the other boarders were


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## Solon (May 11, 2008)

It was the only place that would take a draft horse! Thankfully it turned out to be a great place to be.


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

....it's my backyard....

BUT - back when i did board... i wanted my horse to have turnout 24/7 with shelter. I wanted him to get fed twice a day and have plenty of hay. The place had to have an arena of some sort and beleive it or not, the place I was happiest, was someones house, not a fancy stables....


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## Chiefie (Oct 13, 2008)

For boarding, I unfortunately had to set myself a price limit, then choose the best facilities within that limit! I always look for good fencing (my horse is a klutz and will always find ways to injure himself), top class facilites (ie floodlit, fully equipped arenas), things like undercover washbays etc. Where I agist, my horse gets fed twice a day (my feed), rugged twice a day, put out to paddock on my paddocking days (3 days a week). For extra charges you can have them brought in, have your manure picked up for you (!!! no thanks lol) etc. What really got me with the place I am at now, is that everything was clean and tidy (as far as horses go), the stable block was new, airy, etc etc. 

For riding instructors/schools- I have 2 instructors. One is a previous Olympian who I volunteered for a few times, and you know you're going to learn a lot from an Olympian so that wasn't a hard choice! The horses she has are all very well cared for. 
My other instructor was a matter of location- was very close by where I used to agist, but her facilities were excellent and she was very professional.

I've agisted at some awful places. One place I was at had feral goats roaming around, who would always eat my hay. The fences were AWFUL (numerous injuries from them). And the owner would regularly forget to fill up the water tank, and my horse would often go a full day in 35 degree + heat (celsius) without any water in his trough, I ended up having to bring water from home for him!


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## travlingypsy (Apr 5, 2008)

We called the vets and asked for the local barns. We got three called each one and only one was looking for people to work in exchange for lessons...Then we bought a horse from there, bored, ride, work you name it.


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## missy06 (Apr 5, 2008)

I looked for a few things (in no particular order)

-proximity to my house
-cost of board (I wanted 24/7 turnout with shelter and hay)
-how well cared for the horses looked
-amenities (I must say I'm a little bummed we don't have a full size arena but there is a small indoor work space I can use on winter nights)
-safety stuff (anything the horses can hurt themselves on in the pasture? fences broken?) 
-are outside trainers allowed?

I just read that you're thinking more of riding than boarding your own horse, whoops!


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## wanderlust (Nov 18, 2008)

When I began looking for a place to take lessons I had a few criterion. Putting aside cleanliness, nice staff, proximity to my house, good horses, good instructor, and reasonable pricing I had to take into account whether or not they had an appropriate horse for me. I am a big girl. I had called a few places, and one recommended the stable I am at now. My instructor is wonderful, and I ride a great, if a bit stubborn, Draft cross.


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## Tiffany01 (Apr 21, 2007)

I went back becuz I knew my horse would get good care.


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