If you have extra room at your barn, you may have considered boarding horses for other people. Maybe you could use the additional income, or maybe you want someone to ride with or share the chores.
Whatever your reasons, you need to do your homework before you offer to keep anyone's horse at your barn. Boarding horses can be very rewarding or it can be miserable. Here are some steps you can take to ensure that your boarding experience is great for both you and your new clients.
Can Your Facility Handle Boarders?
Before you can bring extra people and horses onto your property, you need to be sure the facility can handle it.
First, look at your acreage. Do you have enough pasture to support additional horses? The general rule is two acres per horse, but that varies by area and pasture quality. If grass is sparse in your fields, you will need more acreage per horse.
Next, take a look at your barn. Do you have additional stalls, or do you plan to only offer pasture boarding? Unless you have abundant pastures with run-in sheds, you should limit the number of horses on the property to the number of stalls in your barn. It simplifies feeding and caring for the horses during bad weather if each horse has its own stall.
Do you have an area where boarders can store their tack and grooming supplies? People need somewhere to store their "stuff." You don't have to provide the storage cabinets or trunks, but you do need to provide a tack room area for the boarders' use.
Before You Board
- Honestly evaluate your facility's ability to handle boarders.
- Decide on what type of boarders you want based upon what you can offer.
- Determine the specific services you can offer to potential boarders.
- Analyze what it will cost you to keep a boarder and what the going rates are in your area to determine your fees.
- Provide each boarder a list, in writing, of what you will provide and what you expect from them.
Do you have a wash rack or an area where boarders can bathe their horses? This is especially important during the summer. An enclosed wash rack is ideal, but if that isn't possible, you can provide an outdoor area. At a minimum, boarders will need somewhere to tie their horses and access to a hose. Be sure this wash area is convenient to the barn, but situated so that the water runoff will not cause a problem in the barn.
What about restroom facilities? If your barn doesn't have a restroom, you may need to consider adding one or renting a portable toilet. Don't plan to let boarders into your house to use your restroom. Keep your home separate from the area boarders are allowed to access.
The final consideration is what kind of riding areas you can provide to boarders. Where will you expect them to ride? If you have access to trails from your property, this can be a big selling point, especially to endurance and trail riders. An arena or a round pen will appeal to boarders who enjoy training their horses.
Some riders may prefer to ride on open land. Do you have areas where people can ride? If your acreage isn't very large, do you have neighbors who would allow people to ride on their land? If you don't have this kind of access, you may want to consider boarding horses that are not in work, such as retired horses.
The type of facility you have will have a big effect on the types of boarders you will attract. Once you know the strong points of your facility, you have a better chance of marketing your services to the right people.
