First-time boarder...what do I ask?

[Dramapony_misty]

I've had horses in my backyard my entire life, and left them home when I went off to college. After taking a few years off from competing, I'm getting the passion back again. Just as I feel like I'm getting back in the groove (and my ring is no longer soggy), Autumn has arrived with it's earlier sunsets and now more rain.

Having horses at home has it's advantages (looking out the bedroom window on a misty morning to see the boys' funny antics, the girls laying down or peacefully grazing, etc). But there is the disadvantage that I only have a grass outdoor arena with no lights, and I live in Northeast PA. I've started looking at the possibility of boarding my main horse somewhere so I can still ride during the winter and take lessons.

My problem? I don't know enough about boarding to know what questions to ask (other than boarding and lesson rates)! :confused:
I have the obvious ones (turnout, feed, barn hours, lessons, discipline), but that's it. I want my girl to go somewhere good but don't know if I should do a trial month or something.

So, I figured I would pose this to the experts: what questions do you ask when looking for a place to keep your precious 4-legged treasure?

[baysngreys]

The obvious questions you already stated - turnout, feed, barn hours, lessons, etc.

But it's not only what you "ask", but what you "see".
Are the horses there in good weight and condition? Is the barn neat, clean, safe? Is there sufficient access and parking for trailers? What is the condition of the paddocks? What's the footing like in the riding arena? Is the arena harrowed, maintained regularily?

In addition, ask questions not only of the owner but of the boarders. What do they like? Dislike? What would they change? How long have they boarded there (that'll tell you alot if everyone is new!)

Look into the tack room - is there a private space for everyone's belongings? Again, is it organised, clean? Is there a sink to clean tack?
Look into the feed room - peer into bins - is the food stored safely? signs of rodents? Look at the quality fo the hay they're feeding. How do they handle supplements?
Is there sufficient grooming and wash areas for several people/horses at once? If everyone shows up after work are you stuck grooming in your stall?
For some people dogs and children running loose does not make for enjoyable barn time.

What about human facilities? If you're going to be riding at night in the winter, how well lit is the facility? Not only the ring and barn but parking areas? Bathrooms - toilet paper and paper towels available? (believe it or not, you do have to check for this kinda stuff!) Sitting or viewing room/area?
Along with knowing the barn hours, how secure is the property? Does someone live there full-time?

When you visit, sit and watch a lesson for a while. Observe the trainer's teaching technique. Are the students sitting and talking, milling about or getting to work? Is the trainer answering calls during the lesson or talking to people outside the ring instead of paying attenion to her students? Taking a break half-way thru is one thing but a trainer who treats someone on the phone as more important than the rider in front of her may frustrate you.

If possible go at a time when the trainer will be riding.

Since you've had your horses at home, even if you've been "slack", you know what it takes to maintain the horses and facilities.

[BlueEyedSorrel]

Who feeds and how? By this I mean is there an organized system to make sure Dobbin doesn't get the grain of the next horse over? In my barn, every horse has a small labeled bucket for their grain and the feedroom has a chart of who gets what and how much.

Where do they get their hay? How much do they get at a time and do they have an established relationship with a supplier? You don't want to be midway through winter and have the barn run low and start skimping or buy some crappy hay that's all they can find in February.

When do the horses NOT get turned out? Ice storm or hail, sure keep them in, but I don't want my horse kept in because of a little rain.

How do they group the horses for turnout? Are mares and geldings separated? Are old timers separated from rambunctious youngsters? How do they handle "personality conflicts" among turnout groups? If your horse needs it, is individual turnout available?

Are there extra charges for blanketing/medicating/holding for vet&farrier/adding supplements/spraying with flyspray before turnout etc? In general, do they nickel & dime and are the extra charges something you can live with?

How do they handle the "special needs" horse that something other than the standard package, like different grain, watered-down hay, beet pulp, more bedding, more hay etc? Are they willing to work with you, or is it a one-size-fits-all program?

Can you have a vet, farrier or trainer other than the barn's? I like being able to choose my own vet and farrier and not being bound to the barn's choice and schedule. Some people like knowing that the barn takes care of deworming and scheduling routine vaccinations.

Are there times when the arena is not available due to lessons? How often? Is the lesson schedule posted in advance? If it's a multi-discipline barn, are there separate arenas for jumping and flatwork or designated times for jumping?

What is the footing like in the arenas? Is it dragged regularly? Watered down in the summer?

If there are days/hours when the barn is closed are exceptions made for injury and illness of the horse? If the barn is closed on Monday, but your horse needs to be handwalked or have a bandage changed, can you come do it or are you expected to pay barn staff to do it for you since the barn is closed?

My horse is pasture boarded. For me, one of the most important criteria is knowing that someone is checking in on her at least once a day. At my barn, Pixie gets grain in the morning and grain+hay at night. If she didn't show up at the gate for her meal or came limping instead of her normal trot, the BO or one of the workers would notice and call me.

BES

[stryder]

What is included in the basic board rate?

How are additional services handled? (blanketing/supplement/farrier-holding, etc.)

when was the last time board was raised? (are you coming in at one rate, only to find price will increase Jan. 1?)

How are deworming and vaccinations handled?

What kind of riding do people do?

If there's an arena, is it ever closed? (during lessons, for example, or does the BO use it for turnout during inclement weather?) How often is it worked/watered/whatever?

Will your horse be turned out alone, or in a group? If in a group, how will he/she be socialized to the group?

[mg]

While there are a bunch of other things that people have already mentioned, I have a new question I ask places now when I go to board: "Is there a minimum amount of time I need to board here as per the boarding contract?"

When I started college and moved my horse to a barn down there, I talked to the woman thoroughly about their boarding contract before moving in. After having been there a few weeks, I was given another contract to sign. If I didn't sign it, I would have had to leave. Considering I'd spent a long time looking for a board with the facilities I needed which was still in my price range, I wasn't exactly prepared to up and leave at the drop of a hat. The contract stated that I had to board there for 6 months. I wasn't 18 at the time but was made to sign it anyway, so that helped later when I ended up transferring schools and getting rid of my horse and they told me I had to keep a horse there. I never want to get into that situation ever again (and quickly found out why they decided to put that clause into a contract! nice facilities but run by IDIOTS!), so I always make sure to ask.

[equest]

Bring a list of questions to your interview. If possible, try to visit the place a few times to get an idea of how it is run and the cleanliness of stalls, water buckets, ring conditions, on several separate days. Ask questions of current boarders to gauge their satisfaction.

Never assume anything. Just because there are light poles around the arena does not mean the lights work or that you are even allowed to use them.

Since you'll be relying on an indoor, make sure that it will be open, not scheduled for lessons and unavailable, and no horses turned out in it, during the hours you will ride.

[Saidapal]

Whenever I was looking for a place to board I would make an appointment with the BO, talk to her, and then I would walk around and look at the horses. You can tell a lot about their management style by how happy/or not the horses are. If they were all well fed and contented it was always a big plus since my mare had to live there 24/7. Clean stalls, clean and full water buckets told me a lot. Several times I noticed the BO had a good story, but the horses just didn't seem to be happy or they were thinner than I liked. One or two thin/overweight you can understand might be a personal matter, but when the whole barn seems nervous or is fretting....I get outta there.

You know a happy horse when you see it.

After happy horses turnout was number 1 and lights always number 2 for me since I work a daytime job and can only ride in the evening. And they had to be up and running before I would move in. More than once I was promised there would be lights and they never materialized.

Boarding is a matter of what you can live with and what you can't. And you'll only know after you move in unfortunately.

[tpup]

Look at the horses, first and foremost. Are the majority in good weight, condition? Look at the GRASS! Ask if they have a pasture management system in place, or rotate pastures.

Ask how much hay they put out for how many horses in the fields. My old barn did 1 round bale in one location for 15 geldings - yep! Wow....big first boarding barn mistake on my part. My older, hard keeper didn't stand a chance :no: We're now at a smaller place with fab care and hay, and he's getting FAT!!

Ask who, if anyone, can soak a hoof abcess or handle meds if necessary, or are you expected to come out once or twice a day to do that?

Ask who feeds if the main "feeder" or barn mgr. is away.

Ask if anyone is on the property 24/7 or do they go home at night?

Look at the condition of fencing, run-in sheds, things horses can get injured on.

Ask about barn drama! If there is any....what the general "feel" is...is it more pleasure? Show? Adults?

Ask who is there when you will be riding - how crowded will it be? Will you be riding/jumping alone?

Ask for references of current boarders - try to visit when boarders are there so you can get a "feel". Gut feeling is very helpful, and dig dig dig for opinions, reviews.

[Nezzy]

i'm in NE Pa in the Poconos. if you are looking in this area, I can tell you if a barn is reputable or not,( i can only tell you what i've heard) you can Pm me if you want.

[BuddyRoo]

Since one of your goals is to take lessons at this barn, I'd try to go take a few lessons there before you ever bring up boarding....that way, you can see what happens there on a regular basis. You can scope out the other horses and get a feel for how well cared for they are. You can see how well the footing is maintained. You can figure out what the REAL turnout and feeding schedules are.

IME, some BO's talk a real good game but they play dirty when they think no one is watching. (not saying ALL, just saying SOME) So, if you can spend some time at the barn prior to the boarding thing coming up, I would.

That's how I decided on my current barn and I couldn't be happier.

Since you want to ride a lot, take advantage of the indoor and lessons.....and it's going to be only for the crappy part of the year, some of the things I would want to know are:

-turnout?
-feed schedule?...then look at hay, etc.
-barn hours?
-can you use your own vet/farrier?
-lessons/boarders and arena use?
-arena maintenance?
-blanketing?

Make sure up front that they know that you intend to stay for the winter only. Some places are fine with that. Others are not.

[Go Fish]

Find out where they get their hay. How fast do they go through the hay and how often to they have to put new bales in. Is the hay supply consistent (i.e., fron the same supplier/grower)?