Conference noted::equitation

    As a horse owner who rides with boarders from 6 different local
    stables I have heard the comments of many. One of the biggest concerns
    I have heard is turnout. It seems that everyone wants their horse
    turned out as much as possible but not with a big herd where a timid
    horse gets beat up. If I were boarding horses I would have many
    small paddocks instead of one big pasture. At my barn I have the
    luxury of each stall having a 1 acre or better pasture attached
    to it. Also it is very important to have a boarding contract written
    up with clear language as to what you do and do not provide. I have
    2 friends who ended up stuck with horses for unpaid board that far
    exceded the value of the horse. Not to mention bills for the farrier.
    Some of the stables also provide worming at regular intervals to
    insure that all the horses are wormed so the horses can't get them
    from a horse at the barn whos owner is not concerned as the rest.
    This is charged to each owner in addition to board. The other biggest
    gripe I hear has to do with use of the indoor arena. With training
    and lessons going on boarders find themselves in last place for
    use of the arena. One stable has limited hours for lessons and training
    so boarders can get maximum use of the ring evenings and weekends.
    They do not give lessons after 7:00 pm evenings and 12:00 noon on
    the weekends, this keeps everyone happy. I have been asked many
    times why I don't board horses and I always say I don't want to
    ruin my hobby. Boarding is a huge responsiblity and you have to
    be able to read people and horses minds. Don't forget about liability
    insurance in this litigation crazy world or someone else may end
    up owning the farm.
    
    Good-Luck
    Sandy
    

    Your facilities sound great!  You have a nice variety of things to
    offer.  It is important to most to stress "Quality Individual Care"-
    it tends to attract conscientious people who care.  Rules are 
    definetely necessary.  You should establish them right from the start.
    Go over them with each person, give them a copy and post them in the
    tack room/lounge.  With lessons and boarders you will probably need
    to have some type of board to post lesson times and goings on.
    There should be specific rules pertaining to using the arena during
    lessons - ie pass only on the inside, right of way for lesson patron,
    courteous behavior of horse and rider, etc...   Rules for use of the
    cross ties, tack room etiquette and general safety are other issues
    to consider.
    
    Do you plan to make lessons mandatory?  Do you prefer boarders who will
    take lessons from your instructors - or would you allow them to use
    someone else of thier choice?  Some barns make lessons mandatory -
    it helps to make more of a profit and to keep a certain unison within
    the barn.  The same applies to vets and blacksmiths.  With a potential
    of 26 horses - having many vets and blacksmiths coming and going could
    be somewhat monotonous.
    
    You may need a price list too.  After all you are providing a service.
    Being upfront about what people can expect for 'X' amount and what
    would be extra, may help avoid conflicts.  For example worming,
    removing or adding a blanket, putting on bell boots for turnout,
    etc....
    
    Good luck with you new endeavor!!  By the way what would the cost
    be of boarding at such a facility in Ohio?  Up here in Mass -
    it would be around $300 a month plus the extra's. 
    
    Best of luck,
    
    Wendy

    Thanks for the ideas - and keep them coming....
    
    Board around here goes for $150-200.
    
    I don't want to force anyone to take lessons, but I may give boarders
    a discount.  Outside instructors are a problem.  They are a huge
    liability problem even if they are competent, and for some reason
    they seem to cause dissention among baorders.  I also don't see
    why an outside instructor should be permitted to use my facilities
    when I can offer quality instruction.  Occasional clinics are a
    different matter.
    
    Farriers and vets are kind of personal matters.  Rather than dictating
    a specific vet, I'd rather devise a worming/vaccination schedule
    and require that boarders follow it. I also think coggins and uptodate
    vet history will be required before moving in. I'd prefer that
    my clients arrange to hold their own horses for vet/shoeing activities
    - and arrange payment themselves.
    
    Security is another important item.  I really don't want unescorted
    visitors in my barn.  And lord help the first person who "borrows"
    someone else's stuff.

    re: .2
    
    I think the idea about using the same vet & farrier is a good one
    from a stable owners view, however I would be less likely to board
    at a stable where it was mandatory to use their vet/farrier.  (having come
    from a situation like that w/ bad feelings)    
    
    Most people out of convience would probably use a stable vet, but
    I know and trust mine and would not want to give him up!
    
    re:0
    
    good luck with your buisness!
    
    

    I agree that being responsible for show horses is a great liability
    and an agreement/contract should be written out. However, the boarder
    also can be taken. I had my hunter show horse in a stable boarded
    and trusted the people. It was an expensive horse. Because I told
    the owner that the horse did not have water last summer 
    (90 degree weather) she got mad and borrowed horse and trailer for
    several night rides in three days. She ruined his hoofs, his
    personality, he is now scared of everybody and is learning how to
    trust again. It will take me probably another year until the horse
    is the Medal horse he was last spring. When you take on the
    responsibility of taking care of these boarders please remember
    how dear they are to the owners. I pay $400 a month for his board
    now and this is basic board but good care. The farrier and vet are
    not included. For $400 he gets a big paddock for 1/2 day and food,
    shavings, water, and even a private time. Since he is now a very
    unhappy fellow, he gets to be talked to by lots of people every
    day. I rather pay more than less and know he is well. $150 - 200
    is very little money for your responsibilities!
    I wish you good luck - most boarders and horses are good people.
    Rules have to be established.
    Ruth
    
    

    Where in Ohio are you? The price you mentioned sounds very cheap
    for the facility you described as compared to the going rate here
    in Pittsburgh PA. I would expect to pay $250.00 a month for such
    a place. 
    Sandy
    

    Your price does seem very low, especially for the facilities that
    you will be providing.  Call around to other stables and get some
    of the other rates in your area.
    I have boarded for many years until recently and these are just
    some ideas/issues that come to mind;
    -I agree with the previously mentioned boarders requests for individual
     turnouts, or turnouts with small numbers.
     (If a boarder is showing a horse at halter, the bite and kick marks
      could count)
    -You might want to list hours that you allow boarders to visit their
     animals, with exceptions if the animals are sick.  We had boarders
     coming very late at night (11:00).
    -I would invest in an intercom system from barn to house, you can
     then communicate with your boarders without going to the barn if
     need be, also you would be able to listen for problems.
    -I agree with the statement that the boarders should be present
     when the vet or blacksmith is with their animals, and that they
     should be responsible for the bill.  If the owners couldn't be
     there, then list a charge on your price list for attending their
     animals.
    -Depending on the crowd at the barn you might want to include a
     "no alcohol on premises" policy.
    -Provide a tonic or juice dispenser on the facility, this was a
     great treat at one barn I was at!
    -Make it clear as to how much grain that you will provide at your
     cost, some of the barns would provide up to say 15 qts, the rest
     you would be charged extra.
    -Make it clear on the feeding schedule, such as owners are not 
     allowed to feed, feeding will be at such and such a time.....
     (then they can plan their riding around this) and whether or not
     owners are allowed to give their horses extra hay.
    
    hope this helps 
    and good luck!

    Hi Maureen,
    
    I have always had to board out my horses and it seems like the places
    that I have been most comfortable were that way because I trusted
    the barn management and the barn policies were known and were followed.
    
    There is nothing worse than being told your horse will be fed at
    5:00 every day and then you arrive at 7:00 to ride and the horse
    has his face in his bucket, happily munching away.
    
    Also, we do have a few different farriers come in, which is fine,
    but we also have only 6 boarders so 26 might be a handful! Please
    keep in mind that owners generally board because they can't get
    to the stables and do the care and one part of this is taking time
    off from work to hold their critter while the farrier or vet comes
    (I do, but my manager knows about my "habit"!) and you may want
    to give boarders the option of doing it themsleves or you could
    charge extra for it...
    
    Also, our barn has an indoor ring and we have a sign-up sheet for
    each week which allows us to sign up for an hour at a time for that
    week. That allows us exclusive use of the ring (for lessons and
    such); as sommeone else mentioned, you could say boarders hav the
    ring from x to y and maybe have peole sign-up or something...
    
    Most importantly, I think that many people will want different things
    for their horse; and different things have different priorities
    to every person... For example, I happen to be a great believer
    in turn-out and for 2 years my horse was out in a 2 or so acre pasture
    with 1 other horse.. Well, then my horse decided that the "grass
    was greener on the other side" and now he can only go out 1/2 a
    day by himself cuz, come afternoon, he gets bored and does an exit
    stage left... He only does this during the first week from winter
    that spring where we *all* start to get spring fever but no one
    wants a loose horse!
    
    I guess you can do the best you can, don't try to be everything
    to every person cuz it will drive you crazy to try to meet every
    person's needs and as long as people know what to expect up-front
    (no hidden costs, rules, etc.) than you'll do great!
    
    Best of luck both with your new endeavor and your own competing!
    
    Linda

I'll mention a couple things I've liked at boarding stables:

One place would do mandatory fecal samples of all the horses once a month,
checking for worms.  This only cost 8 dollars extra a month. 

Another feature is having a burglar/fire alarm connected to the police
department.  

It seems to me that barn help comes and goes with the breeze at most
places.   And when people are coming and going so quickly there are often
times when stables have hired someone not-so qualified out of desperation.
To me, the most important requirement when choosing a boarding stable is
knowing that the people handling my horse are well qualified.   If a person
had been working at the stable for a long period of time, too, I think that
would reflect positively on the stable management.  When I had to board
my horse, I was happy to pay top dollar provided there was top quality
care.   

Good luck with your new endeavor!

Melinda

    I have been on both sides of the fence.  I have had boarders and
    I have boarded my horse out for the winter months.  I think it is
    VERY important that you remember; you are a BUSINESS and offering a 
    SERVICE and the boarders expect top quality care for their animals!
    I had a very bad experience this past winter where my horse was
    stabled.
    
    The owners had just built this beautiful 20 horse stall barn attached
    to a 200 x 60 feet indoor area.  They seemed very nice and knowlegdeable
    in the beginning, but as my stay continued it became very apparent
    they didn't know anything about running a large stable!!  They had
    outlined the feeding, turn out and barn chores schedule in a "Boarders
    Newsletter" (that is a good idea).  They said the feeding schedule
    was 7:30 A.M. -- 1:00 P.M. -- 8:30 P.M.!  But they never stuck by
    this schedule and there were times I was at the barn until 10:00
    P.M. and the horses had not been feed hay or grain because they were
    still doing the STALLS from the night BEFORE!!!!  Sometimes the
    stalls would not get done for a day because they needed help so
    despartly.  I offered to work some of my board off to help them
    out but they could not financial afford it!!
    
    Also the horses would still be outside at 9:00 p.m. at night in
    the middle of the winter with frozen water all day.  There were
    days I would get there early in the morning and the water had not
    been filled and usually it was frozen from the night before and
    they could go until noontime before it got done.  There were alot
    of inconsistencies with regard to what they said they supplied and
    did with what actually happened day to day. 
    
    A few of the boarders approached me with their unhappiness and I
    agreed with them.  So I wrote the owners a VERY NICE letter explaining
    all of our concerns and they in turn sent a letter to all the boarders
    which basically said this is the  way we run the barn and we are
    not going to change.  Approximately three of four of us left the
    barn at the end of that month.  Which hurt them more then ever because
    they needed every stall filled to make their loan payment!!
    
    My suggestion to you as an owner and manager:  Listen and watch
    closely for unhappy campers and talk with them.  Use your business
    manangement skills in the barn.  Have and "OPEN DOOR OF COMMUNICATION"
    and be open for change if all your boarders are concerned about
    the same things!!                     
    
    Good Luck with your endeavor,  it's alot of responsibility and work.
    
    Kerry
    

    thanks for all the good ideas - and please keep them coming.
    
    This is what we've come up with so far...
    
    The stalls will be done twice a day - I hate messy stalls.  Each
    stall has two water buckets that will be kept clean and filled,
    and individual salt blocks.  Feeding wiil be done between 8:00-9:00
    in the morning, 5:00 in the evening, and a late night snack about
    10:00. I'm going to put a limit on the amount of feed I will provide
    at the basic rate, but I haven't got it figured yet.
    
    For turnout I've got two small individual spaces plus a larger pasture.
    Unfortunately, the XC jumps will have to share the larger pasture.
    I'm going to implement the ring scheduling sugestions, too. We've
    also arranged for discounts at tack shops and a real good rate for
    a years worth of routine vet care (shots, worming, tooth care).
    
    Now a couple of questions...
    Is it too much to ask for references? How about other people using
    a boarders horse or posessions (I'd prefer that all visitors be
    escorted and that nobody messes with a horse but the staff and it's
    owner. What can I consider to be unsafe behaviour and how do I cope
    with it. And what do I do if a conflict is unresolveable. And what
    have I forgotten.
    
    We officially open May 1 - with a little luck.
    

    
    I am lucky in the fact that I have never had to board my kid.
    But if boarding were the case, my big concern would be feeding!
    
    My riding hours would definatly conflict with your nightly feeding
    schedule. Gearing towards long distance riding, I've got to clock
    riding time. This means on summer days, I wouldn't be back to the 
    barn 'till approx. 7:00pm or so, provided I start the same time 
    every day, which one never knows. Also, as my time and distance 
    increased, so would my horse's feed requirements. If you stuck to a
    set amount of feed regaurdless of work load, my pore kid would blow
    away with the first strong wind. I think in my case, we would have
    to work out $$$ per pound, I add any suppliments to the feed my horse 
    needs, and I would want 100% control over my horses feeding hours,
    no ands, ifs or buts...or I'm gone. Is that asking alot or what?
    I realize not every one rides like this, but there are exceptions, 
    and this would be one good reason to keep the doors of communication
    open at all the times. I'm not trying to say "give special treatment", 
    and even if it were, it's only a few heads involved. I watched a 
    friends horse starve away to bones because it was fed an idle ration, 
    and it was being ridden often (once the weather was good). He finally
    had to move because management disagreed. His kid looked 100% better 
    in just weeks. Only difference was management.
    
    Also, how about the person who shows and likes his/her kid meaty?
    
    All replies looked ok so far, but this feed thing is going to add
    some trickiness. I've seen it as one of the biggest complaints around
    here. But then again, my biggest complaint is that all these people
    pay the big $$$ to board and no one ever rides there horse.
    
    Good luck, Dave'
    

    I think references are a good idea. If just anyone can move right
    in you could end up with a barn full of non or late board payers.
    You may also want to consider a no riding without hardhat rule to
    limit your liablity. Guests will always be a problem, we all like
    to show our horses off to everyone and there will always be some
    one who wants to take a spin. The boarder does own the horse so
    some of this will have to be allowed. You can however limit it to
    only in the company of the owner.
    As far as feeding, I would let the owners make recommendations as
    to what and how much each horse should be fed. In my own experience
    no two are the same. My 3 horses get 3 different diets to meet thier
    needs. Your barn will probably end up with 26 different diets.
    One thing one of the local barns just started is putting a folder
    slot on the outside of each stall for emergency info., coggins reports,
    and individual info. about each horse(allergys, don't turnout with
    others,etc.). They also have an 8" by 12" chock board for feed amounts
    and messages to and from owners and manager. It has made everone
    happier and communication better.             
    More ideas,
    Sandy

    The chalk board is up.  And so are the stall cards- with feed info,
    phone numbers, vet and farrier data.  The hard hat rule is in place
    too.
    
    On feeding... we will have to use a scheduled time.  There's too
    many horses to mess with individual schedules.  Also all will be
    doing similar kinds of training (dressage and CT).  There are other
    barns in the area for other discplnes and I don't want  to manage
    the conflict pleasure.vs.performance or english.vs.western.  I figure
    I'm going to have enough problems already.
    
    Though I will limit the maximum feed, the owners will have the option
    of providing more(for more $$$) or less, pluss any supplements they
    may want.
    
    -maureen
    

	 Regarding non-boarders riding boarders horses - You may want to
     investigate  having  a release form for the non-boarders to sign if
     they  are  going  to  be  riding a boarders horse without the owner
     being present.  You may also want to request that you be introduced
     to  the 'stranger' before they show up to ride the first time. 

	 For example,  if  I  board my horse at your place and I go away
     for  a couple weeks and want a (riding) friend to exercise my horse
     while  I am away, I would be required to bring them down, introduce
     them  to  you  and have them sign a consent/release form.  This way
     you would recognize them when they come to ride, you could ask them
     questions  (e.g.   how  long  have you been riding, etc), make sure
     they know the barn rules, etc.  Also, if you don't like them, (they
     come  roaring  in on a motorcycle, smoke in the barn, whatever,) it
     gives  you  a chance to tell the owner that that person can't come,
     before the owner is unreachable.