Most people are not in a position to keep their horses on their own land. This means entrusting their pet's care to another person's land and often, stables. Horse stables are not all alike, and there are some important things to consider when choosing one.
One of the important things for a barn to have is good airflow. People might find them drafty, but horses need the circulation of air to avoid getting ill from being cooped up inside. A horse's body is well adapted to deal with the weather, but poorly adapted to deal with the dust and air pollution of living indoors, so the more airflow, the better.
The size of the stalls offered by various barns differs, and you should choose a stall size that is comfortable for your horse. A pony can live in less space than a draft horse, so don't consider all stalls the same. 12x12 feet is the industry standard, and is appropriate for horses up to about a thousand pounds.
Some barns provide full-service stall cleaning, while other rely partially or solely on the owners of the horses for cleaning out the stables. Make sure that you are clear on what your contract provides, and ask how often the stalls are cleaned if you are not solely responsible. The best option is every day. Double-check by looking in on a few horses, and seeing if their stalls are fresh.
There are many different types of bedding that can be used to safely house horses. Straw is cheap but difficult to work with, and not very absorbent. Shavings are absorbent, but more expensive. Pellets are quite absorbent, easy to replace, but even more expensive than shavings. As long as your horse has no problems with any of the choices, there is no need to be excessively picky. Just make sure that whatever the bedding is, there's enough of it and it's changed regularly.
The riding arenas at boarding facilities are often in use a lot of the time. Make sure that you understand the policies concerning the use of the riding areas, and what their general availability is like, before you sign up to board your horse. Ask about the different times of the day that you might be riding, because availability can vary drastically between mid-morning and after school.
Choosing the cheapest option is appealing for a number of reasons. And it's alright to do so, as long as you've investigated thoroughly and made sure that they aren't cutting corners on important parts of their horses' care. Likewise, choosing the most expensive option you can afford is also fine, but be equally careful that they provide what you need.
Take yourself on a tour of the facilities before you sign any contracts. Make sure that the other horses boarded are healthy looking, in clean stalls, and have fresh water and bedding. If you want to, ask for references. Then read the entire contract very carefully. Remember, your horse is counting on you to look out for him.
One of the important things for a barn to have is good airflow. People might find them drafty, but horses need the circulation of air to avoid getting ill from being cooped up inside. A horse's body is well adapted to deal with the weather, but poorly adapted to deal with the dust and air pollution of living indoors, so the more airflow, the better.
The size of the stalls offered by various barns differs, and you should choose a stall size that is comfortable for your horse. A pony can live in less space than a draft horse, so don't consider all stalls the same. 12x12 feet is the industry standard, and is appropriate for horses up to about a thousand pounds.
Some barns provide full-service stall cleaning, while other rely partially or solely on the owners of the horses for cleaning out the stables. Make sure that you are clear on what your contract provides, and ask how often the stalls are cleaned if you are not solely responsible. The best option is every day. Double-check by looking in on a few horses, and seeing if their stalls are fresh.
There are many different types of bedding that can be used to safely house horses. Straw is cheap but difficult to work with, and not very absorbent. Shavings are absorbent, but more expensive. Pellets are quite absorbent, easy to replace, but even more expensive than shavings. As long as your horse has no problems with any of the choices, there is no need to be excessively picky. Just make sure that whatever the bedding is, there's enough of it and it's changed regularly.
The riding arenas at boarding facilities are often in use a lot of the time. Make sure that you understand the policies concerning the use of the riding areas, and what their general availability is like, before you sign up to board your horse. Ask about the different times of the day that you might be riding, because availability can vary drastically between mid-morning and after school.
Choosing the cheapest option is appealing for a number of reasons. And it's alright to do so, as long as you've investigated thoroughly and made sure that they aren't cutting corners on important parts of their horses' care. Likewise, choosing the most expensive option you can afford is also fine, but be equally careful that they provide what you need.
Take yourself on a tour of the facilities before you sign any contracts. Make sure that the other horses boarded are healthy looking, in clean stalls, and have fresh water and bedding. If you want to, ask for references. Then read the entire contract very carefully. Remember, your horse is counting on you to look out for him.
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Get inside info on how and where to find proper horse stables now in our comprehensive guide to everything you need to know about equestrian buildings in the UK .
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