OT: Boarding Horses

[William]

I'm curious if the horse owners on the forum (or someone in the know) can give me some info on boarding horses. We just bought a property that came with a horse barn. We will likely get a horse down the road, but that's a few years off at least. I'm wondering about renting the barn out or maybe offering it to board a couple of horses.
I wouldn't even consider doing this until I educate myself on what's involved. But I know there are a few horse owners on the board and was wondering if there is any advice that you would be so kind as to pass on?


Thank you,

William

[keno]

I can give you horse adivce 'til I'm hoarse. We do own and have owned and boarded horses both at Pasture Prime Farm and elsewhere for decades.

Your attitude of knowing what you may be getting into is the one to have when you're having more than one.

keno

[William]

I can give you horse adivce 'til I'm hoarse. We do own and have owned and boarded horses both at Pasture Prime Farm and elsewhere for decades.

Your attitude of knowing what you may be getting into is the one to have when you're having more than one.

keno

Just want to make sure that we know what's involved and that we make the right choices if we decide to go forward with the idea.


William

[Kevan]

invite Sandy to stay there for a while? You'll get the hang of it in no time with little to no risk.

[William]

invite Sandy to stay there for a while? You'll get the hang of it in no time with little to no risk.

Boarding a horse, or borading Sandy??? :confused:



William ;)

[Ginger]

William,
As you're planning on being the one doing the boarding, rather than boarding your horse somewhere else, some things to think about:

Strong fences make good neighbors. (And horse fences are different than sheep fence, etc.)

Boarding horses is all of the work but none of the benefit of having your own horse. If you haven't had horses before, practicing on someone elses isn't cool.

Liability insurance. Lots of it. (most boarded horses are valued far beyond their cutter and canner value)

A horse will try to kill itself or hang itself on even the smallest nail sticking out of the barn at the most inconvenient times.

If they aren't your horses, you don't get to control if you have a psycho horse on your property or not. Not all horses are tolerant of dogs or children and they are big enough to intentionally kill either (not all "accidents" with horses are accidents...)

If you rent your barn, absentee owners will expect you to be doing horse stuff that you didn't sign on for. (Say you lease your barn rather than board the horses and the horse owners can't come over and feed their horses one day...)

If you wind up with boarders who don't know what they're doing with horses you may wind up with some neglected horses on your hands that you can't legally help. That's very frustrating.

(Our family has had horses for longer than I've been around and we did board other horses on the farm from time to time.)

Good luck!

[Ken Lehner]

I'm curious if the horse owners on the forum (or someone in the know) can give me some info on boarding horses. We just bought a property that came with a horse barn. We will likely get a horse down the road, but that's a few years off at least. I'm wondering about renting the barn out or maybe offering it to board a couple of horses.
I wouldn't even consider doing this until I educate myself on what's involved. But I know there are a few horse owners on the board and was wondering if there is any advice that you would be so kind as to pass on?


Thank you,

William

(going on my wife's experiences at three stables, ranging from minimal to first class)

Make sure you have turnout ability. This means a couple of fenced in pastures, or else you may have to juggle which horse goes out when. Some horses can't be turned out with other horses. In addition, you need to let a turnout or two grow back some grass let it be unused for a period of time), or you'll end up with all dirt. Then there's the feed issue; each horse may have its own type of feed; will you require the boarders to provide their own feed? You have to have a farrier and a vet available on a regular basis, I think. A couple of stalls with cross-ties to allow for cleaning; running water and good drainage a must. A room for tack.

But you probably already knew all this.

[Smiley]

Turn the farm into a cyclo cross park and board your bikes its much cheaper pal.

[Ginger]

There you go. A new niche market.

High end bike storage.

People can buy as many high end bikes as they want and store them in your barn (for an appropriate fee), the SO will never ever know!

Now THAT is a good idea.

[Ginger]

Ken has some very good points on turnouts. How many acres are with this house and barn? There are suggested turnout sizes so that horses can get a bit of exercise, and if they aren't big enough, you will only have dirt out there.

Barn drainage is important. If horses are kept in box stalls those stalls need to be dry. If they aren't it leads to foot problems.

Having a vet contact who does house calls around the clock is important. Having a farrier contact is important as well. The feet are the easiest thing for people to neglect. Boarded horses aren't walking on all sorts of surfaces and they're getting good feed so their hooves grow well.

Are there any trees in the turnout area? Bored horses will strip bark. If there are apple trees in or around the fence area you need to be careful in the fall and spring when the apples might be frozen or frosted...that can lead to colic on horses. And with horses, colic is a bad thing (This sounds stupid, but I've seen the old wives tale of giving a horse vernors [ginger ale] when they've gone down after eating frosted apples work.)

A horse basking in the spring sun can look very dead.


OH! From a working farm point of view: Running water is important, but even better is installing heated waterers in each stall and in the turnout area. In the summer, hauling water isn't so bad, but in the winter hauling water and draining hoses so they don't freeze sucks...and horses drink a lot of water.

Good, protected lighting in the barn is important as well.

[William]

Turn the farm into a cyclo cross park and board your bikes its much cheaper pal.

Smiley-pal, believe it or not, that thought actually did cross my mind.

Thank you folks,
At this point it's just in the "let's explore the idea phase". I would never jump into something like this with an animals welfare at stake without exploring all the issues involved in such a task.

Though Ginger may be on to something here. Why don't all of you order a new ride from your favorite builder, outfit them with your fav groupo and send them to me. I'll store them in the barn for a nominal fee and keep them heathly and ready for the next NewEngland forum ride (as yet to be determined ;) ).

What do you say??

William

[Ginger]

Build a velodrome in the field and you'd still have a few liability issues, but you wouldn't have the headaches of running a farm full time.

:banana:


Oh yeah...ever want to take vacation? Make sure you have someone who is capable of taking care of the boarded horses while you're gone.
(I loved growing up on a farm, but a working farm is just that...a lot of work and expense...)

William...we're not trying to discourage you...after all, you *did* ask!

[William]

Ken has some very good points on turnouts. How many acres are with this house and barn? There are suggested turnout sizes so that horses can get a bit of exercise, and if they aren't big enough, you will only have dirt out there.

Barn drainage is important. If horses are kept in box stalls those stalls need to be dry. If they aren't it leads to foot problems.

Having a vet contact who does house calls around the clock is important. Having a farrier contact is important as well. The feet are the easiest thing for people to neglect. Boarded horses aren't walking on all sorts of surfaces and they're getting good feed so their hooves grow well.

Are there any trees in the turnout area? Bored horses will strip bark. If there are apple trees in or around the fence area you need to be careful in the fall and spring when the apples might be frozen or frosted...that can lead to colic on horses. And with horses, colic is a bad thing (This sounds stupid, but I've seen the old wives tale of giving a horse vernors [ginger ale] when they've gone down after eating frosted apples work.)

A horse basking in the spring sun can look very dead.


OH! From a working farm point of view: Running water is important, but even better is installing heated waterers in each stall and in the turnout area. In the summer, hauling water isn't so bad, but in the winter hauling water and draining hoses so they don't freeze sucks...and horses drink a lot of water.

Good, protected lighting in the barn is important as well.

The property is over 2.5 acres was over 50 at one time). The house is located on the front edge. The Horse barn is located about in the middle. The barn has built in drainage, box stalls, water & electricity. It is not fenced at this time but we would obviously need to put fencing up if we were to consider it. The property does have trees on the back edge, and the only fruit tree is near the house. There is a neighbor on one side of who has about 20 acres and a real horse operation going there. There is another one up the road that is actually owned by the town with plenty of pastures and a competition course (obstacle course).


William

PS: I'm not getting discouraged, just want to know the facts to help make an edumacted decision.

[H.Frank Beshear]

Check with your zoning official also and make sure that you are still zoned Ag1 or whatever its designated out east. Here you need over 5 acres and have to classed as a Suburban estate, minimum. Darned city slickers move to the country for fresh air and cant stand the fresh :rolleyes: country air I guess :D

[William]

Check with your zoning official also and make sure that you are still zoned Ag1 or whatever its designated out east. Here you need over 5 acres and have to classed as a Suburban estate, minimum. Darned city slickers move to the country for fresh air and cant stand the fresh :rolleyes: country air I guess :D


We're good.


William

[terry b]

My wife is a trainer, and we have an 8 stall operation. Most of those are filled with ours (Appaloosas) but we always have a few empty. We've never considered boarding any horse that was not on the premises for the purpose of being trained.

A few simple reasons:

First, boarding means you're opening up your property to visits by the owners any hour of the night or day. We simply don't want people showing up unannounced and staying for as long as they like. Yes, we are anti-social. How about when you head off to Europe for 3 weeks?

Second, depending on the deal you have with the boarders (you feed vs. they feed) you may find yourself in a situation where they're not caring for the animal properly and it suddenly becomes your problem. Sometimes this even turns into the animal being abandoned at your place.

Third, as mentioned above, horses have miraculous abilities when it comes to injuring themselves. My wife loves to say that they can slit their own throat in a padded stall. Decide whether hanging out with the vet at 3AM while they sew the horses face back on is something you want to engage in.

Fourth, there's the whole "billing" thing. We broke our personal value on this on and currently look after one horse that's not ours (he came to us because he'd once been part of my wife's show program) and billing is a pain in the neck. The don't pay, they pay the wrong amount, all the silly little small business problems that perhaps one doesn't need.

And lastly, there is the damage they do to your barn. It's not surprising to go out to the barn in the morning and find one of the little fellows standing in the driveway, he, during the night having decided to kick the stall door to splinters.

Oh yes, and then there's the daily clean up and disposal of recycled hay.

Unfortunately, it's not as simple as just having the horse stand around your place. It takes work and it increases your responsibility and liability. If we weren't in the business, or if we didn't ride for pleasure, there is no way we'd have the barn full. Except that when you're blue, there is nothing better than standing in a stall door and listening to a horse chew. Like all pets, they do give back some mental peace when you need it.

Unless of course they pin their ears and bite your nose off.

[Ginger]

25 or 2.5?
Yep, check your zoning. It may be a moot point.
At 2.5 acres you may not even be able to have one horse on the property, and rightfully so.

[scooter01]

How do you make a million dollars boarding with horses?


Start with two million.


Sorry William I could not resist.

[Tom]

I thought you mounted them.



Bandwidth waste of the day. Sorry. I'm really very sorry.

[dave thompson]

As one who was born on a farm, and is now a 'big city boy', I can tell you that when you have farm animals, there is no time off or vacations! (I'm going to Cabo in 3 weeks because I don't have any farm animals!)

[flydhest]

I thought you mounted them.



Bandwidth waste of the day. Sorry. I'm really very sorry.


Tom,

Only when William's wife cuts him off will he have to mount them.

[beungood]

Hey big guy, why don't you board shetland ponies? That way you can put two to a stall and make twice the money. And you would look good cantering on one.. :banana:

[beungood]

"If you wind up with boarders who don't know what they're doing with horses you may wind up with some neglected horses on your hands that you can't legally help. That's very frustrating."


Here in Mass and most states you can alert the MSPCA and thier LAw enforcement wing and have the problem addressed through court action and sometimes arrest. Cruelty to animals is arrestable here in these parts. :no:

[Kevan]

you get to tend for the animal, is my guess.

[mike p]

My daughter trained, showed and owned morgan horses for years. They are nothing but a money pit. Turn and run away and don't even be tempted to look back. Thank god she's in college now and has sold her horse.

[dauwhe]

My POSSLQ has a horse, which she boards at a local dairy farm. She does occasionally call at 9:30 PM, asking if they can bring her horse in out of the rain. They sometimes tell her the horse is fine, and go back to sleep.

They have one or two horses of their own, and board only the one other horse. Since they have so many other animals, and already care for their daughter's horses, one more is no big deal, and the horse owner is very helpful and responsible.

It seems it can work out on a very small scale with friends. But I can see how it would easily become unmanagable, especially if you're not already chained to your farm!

By the way, I'm very pleased with her Equestrian activities. Makes cycling look like an inexpensive, not-very-time-consuming hobby! "Well, dear, that Weigle Randonneur I want is worth less than your horse!"

[William]

Tom,

Only when William's wife cuts him off will he have to mount them.

Hey! I don't mount anything with hooves!

Hey big guy, why don't you board shetland ponies? That way you can put two to a stall and make twice the money. And you would look good cantering on one..

Cute, but it would look more like I was trying to mount one......which I wouldn't do....well maybe if.....NO I WOULDN'T!! ;)

First off, I was never approaching this as a real big money making investment. We bought the property and it has a horse barn on it. We just thought that someone might be interested in renting the space since at the moment it's not seeing much use. Heck, I don't think we would want more then one or two horses here if we were to do it. Obviously there are a lot of issues to consider which is exactly why I asked the question in the first place.

Thank you very much for your replies and insight.

William

PS: Hmmm, Shetland ponies? I wonder if I could train them to chase you guys around the property Beungood? :banana: