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  • From: "Cherry Tree Farms" <ctfarms AT helicon.net>
  • To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Boarding horses
  • Date: Thu, 4 Aug 2005 22:56:33 -0400

Hi Andrea,
 
        I boarded horses at a farm I had before this one.  A few considerations are:
 
1) Price.  Find out what other area stables are charging.  At the same time figure out what your costs are, then see if it works for you. 
        Price is also varied on location/facilities.  One stable charged $70.00/month/stall for daily turnout 1/2 bale in the morning and another 1/2 at night and a small scoop of the "house" grain mix each feeding as well.  Any special mixes or supplemental feeding extra.  Hoof trimming, shots, etc. were on the horse owner.  They have an outdoor riding ring on the small side.
        Another stable charged $250.00/month/stall for daily turnout and hoof trimming every 8 weeks, shoes extra.  All hay and grain extra.  They had both an outdoor and an indoor ring.
        A third charged $250.00/month/head for what amounted to a run-in shed and hay. Grain was additional.  They had an outdoor ring with lights.
        I charged $150.00/month/head for a run-in shed, pasture with hay available free choice in summer (they wouldn't touch it unless drought) and 3/4 bale morning and night, grain extra.  Hoofs & medicines extra.  I did not have a ring; I put in a gate in the back of one pasture which led onto the edge of a state game land with a horse trail that emptied out onto a rail line park that ran for several counties and folks could go on overnights at state or county parks along the rail line if they wanted.
 
        Price depends a lot on what you have.
 
2)  Entrance/traffic control.  It is really nice if there is a separate lane/parking for the boarders to come in.  This keeps them from parking in inopportune places (even though you told them where to park and every other time they paid attention) that don't allow you to get your wagon load of produce over to the packing shed so you can get to the market you are already running on the late side for and they are out on a trail ride.
 
3)  "Horse People" are a special breed that think they are the next round of aristocrats.  Not all folks who own horses are horse people, but you will meet more than a few.  They are also great for wanting the best while wanting you to wait for payment as they continually plead poverty.   Which leads to:
 
4)  Payments.  Put in your agreement that after 60 days of no payments and/or a balance not to exceed (your comfort amount, at least 2 months stall fee) that you can sell the horse at your leisure the proceeds from which will pay off your bill and the remaining balance remitted to the former horse owner.  Be ruthless enough to make an example of the first clod that pulls it (and someone will for sure) and by the next morning you will have a reputation for not putting up with nonsense in 3 surrounding states.  After a while you will still get some deadbeat who tries it again anyway.  If you don't do it the first time, you will end up with a barn full of deadbeats quicker than you can get to the bank to find out their checks bounced.
 
5) Your farm resources.  Horses are called hayburners for a reason!  They will eat a pasture out from under (closer) any other domestic livestock (which is also why they get worms more than any other livestock) and because they crop it so close it will take that much longer to come back.  Who is mucking stalls and how often?  Who has time with your other operations/new farm setup?
 
6) Insurance.  Talk to your agent before the first hoof gets off a trailer.
 
        This is the knee-jerk list of things there are probably more that don't come to mind at the moment.  For me it did cover the expenses/effort while having a high aggravation factor and it worked as an enterprise for the operation I had going at that time.  Good luck how ever you decide to go!
 
Doyle
Atop the Alleghenies
Western PA Zone 5?
RULE Class X
   
----- Original Message -----
From: Andrea
Sent: Thursday, August 04, 2005 5:53 AM
Subject: [Market-farming] Boarding horses



Hello,

 

I am thinking about boarding horses this fall, and wanted to know if any of you have some tips ( DO'S and DON'TS), prices etc. to share.

We are about to buy this farm with 156 acres of land, where in the barn there are 5 super modern horse stalls, which could round up end of months eventually. I will also market vegetables and cut flowers next summer, but in that area I do have more experience, but any tips are welcome. I am really excited about this project.

 

Thanks

Andrea


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