Since we sold our farm in Virginia 18 months ago, my 12 year old Saddlebred mare has been staying at a stable that’s a bit of a distance for me to drive to and I don’t get to see her as often as I would like. I’m pretty busy, so I finally made the time to look for a stable close to home.
Choosing a boarding stable is about as complicated as choosing a new car. You want a stable that’s accessible, close and provides the array of services and comfort you want for your horse. One of the best parts of riding is having the ability to enjoy great weather on the back of your horse.
I don’t have a farm so I can’t care for my horse myself because I don’t have a farm, so I really want a stable that puts my horse first. I want a place where I can ride in the early hours of the morning or late in the evening. I want my horse to be in excellent hands where they will take care of her.
So when you’re choosing a boarding stable – here are the things I look for:
- Large, open pastures with plenty of shelter for inclement weather.
- Riding arenas that include good footing and an indoor arena if possible
- Large stalls, with good bedding.
- Clean areas in and around the stalls.
- Clean water buckets with no signs of mold
- Clean water troughs with no algae.
- Horses that are in good condition – you can tell a lot from the condition of other horses at the stable
You want to talk to the people who will be handling your horse, especially in a full care situation. Turn out for a horse should be a pleasant experience. Herd politics can cause issues, so you want to see the handlers understand that.
Putting the horse on an adjoining fence line can give them time to adjust to the other herds as well as letting them get to know each other. If horses are used to limited space, you need to work them up to larger pastures so they don’t hurt themselves.
Your horse’s safety and health are the primary concerns. So if you can answer all of these questions positively – you’ll likely have found a good place.
More on boarding stables tomorrow.