Pasture Boarding...new trend?

[free-flying]

My guy has been on pasture board for the full four years that I've had him and he has loved every second of it. He came in as a rescue so I really don't know what his history was, other than the papers he came with.. However, when he first arrived, we put him in a stall and he freaked out. He just gets antsy, paces, and he refuses to eat or even just stand still and relax. In my case, it wasn't to save money - it was in his best interest. Not only is he more comfortable outside, it's more natural and it lets him blow off some steam!

[magnolia73]

I "semi" pasture board- I pay for a stall where my horse can eat grain. Otherwise she is out 24/7. She prefers being outside.It is hard to fine pasture board at more full service barns around here. My board is the same as full board.

[lolalola]

My horses are pasture-boarded, and keeping them clean is not a big deal - one of them is grey! Several years ago, I started using sunnieflax per COTH recommendations, and they not only looked great but their coats became very easy to groom. Previously, I had to vaccumm when they became mud-cakes, but now it brushes off quite nicely. Vaccum hasn't been used in years.

[2LaZ2race]

My horses are on pasture board...sorta.

I have them at my house so I try to keep them out 24/7... however I don't have a lot of land so in order to keep them from pulling up every nubbin of grass I have to take them off sometimes!

I also bring them in to eat (all year) as apposed to many pasture board places I used before that took them off grain in the summer.

[J-Lu]

I agree with one of the posters who said that pasture board is cheaper for many large barns with land. There is much less labor involved and it is generally cheaper to upkeep fences and put up shelters than build additional stalls/barns. Most of these barns already invest in maintaining turnout paddocks, anyway.

I'll be the oddball here, too. I pasture boarded my current horse for about 3 months (with buddies) and she hated it. She enjoys coming in and was much happier when I got her a stall (in at night out in day). I've known several horses who much prefer to come into stalls, for whatever reason (bugs, shelter, habit, whatever).

[Guilherme]

Er actually there is still Hay, grain, and shelter to pay for.

Depends. If you're in a 12 month grazing climate, have easy keepers, and a stand of trees then you've no need of hay, grain, or shelters.

What you really save on is labour.

Indeed; my first point!

We, too, have a number of "remote" pastures and that means long walks for boarders who select the lowest priced "accomodations."

As with most things in life you get what you pay for. If a boarder wants their horse close in and clean it will cost more than a boarder whole take their horse dirty and remote.

Ain't choice grand?!?!?!?!

G.

[fargaloo]

I have 3 that are pasture boarded; two that show and one retiree. I don't even stall them the night before a show -- I use lots of show-sheen and fervent prayers that they have not found found a mud patch during the night. BTW, they are less likely to rub out braids when they don't have a handy stall door to lean on! Five years ago, my old mare was stalled and it was a struggle to keep weight on her during the winter (we live in Southern Ontario, and it can get pretty cold). I moved her outside, and she did much better in the weight department. This year, I didn't even blanket her and she looks healthier than ever - like a fat, sassy yak. So go figure. I know the plural of anecdote is not data, but I'm sold on the benefits of pasture board. The only thing that really sucks is the extra cooling-out time in the winter so that they don't go out wet to face the elements.

[Huntertwo]

Guess what? You care more than she does. I bet she'd have no problem being out in the wind and snow! These were also my biggest fears and then I realized that horses are herd animals and actually feel BETTER in a herd (a compatible one of course). My horse is the LOWEST in the pecking order and she still lays down and sleeps outside w/ her friends and has no problem eating hay or her vits/mins.

Umm, no actually.. I had her at a barn when she was out all day, which was great when it was nice out.

But believe me, whenever it was nasty out (rain, snow) she would run to the gate when I pulled in and couldn't wait to get into her stall.

And on hot buggy days - same thing. She couldn't wait to get into her stall with fan, lay down and take a nap..

I do believe in more turnout the better, but if the horse is miserable if it is raining, snowing, hot and buggy and rather be in, so be it.

[Texarkana]

Maybe it's just me, but I want no part in a barn that considers pasture board "free money." And you're talking to a devoted pasture boarder here.

[Simbalism]

My TB mare has been on pasture board for years. She will do a stall if necessary, but is quite content to stay out. The last place she lived was a private farm and she could go in/out of a stall as she wished. I did feed her grain in the stall as it was in closer proximity to the feed area. She was the only horse there so could come and go as she pleased. She rarely stayed in the stall and there would never be poop in the stall. Now she is at an actual "boarding" farm. She is on a large pasture with a retired mare and gelding. They are fed on the fence. She gets grain and hay in the colder months and grain in the summer. I knew I would not be happy with the amount of hay fed after "doing it my way" for years. I purchase hay that I feed in addition to her normal farm supplied ration or in the summer when the farm does not feed hay. Luckily she is head honcho in the field so I don't have to worry about her getting her complete ration. Ideally, I would like my own place-doesn't have to be huge, but I would still do pasture living for her. She is a girly girl and definitely likes her blankets in the winter. When I showed more, I would body clip and then just blanket heavier. In the summer she has a fly sheet. Never have any proble with her coat.

[jn4jenny]

In general, I'm a big believer in pasture board, BUT in my area, very few people do pasture board right. They've either got bad fencing, major mud/footing problems, lack of shelter or wind break, too many horses for the acreage, incompatible herds, not enough hay, etc. IMO, good pasture board should involve free choice hay, and that isn't cheap to provide.

I tried to put my horse on pasture board for a year, both to save money and for his health. It ended up being MORE expensive because he is a TB in full work, and the amount of hay and grain it took to support both his work AND running around 24/7 was much higher than on stall board. He also became more herd bound than I'd ever seen him. He is now back on 8-to-12-hour turnout and is much happier in general--to my surprise, he's standing at the gate at 5 p.m. no matter what, even if he's not going to eat until 6 or 7, ready to come in.

If I could find quality pasture board in this area with free-choice hay, I would try it again. If I had an easier keeper or a non-show horse, I'd also go to pasture board for sure.

[camohn]

Of 13 horses here 12 prefer to live out and one of the 12 is a stall walker so she really does not like stalls! The one is not fond of living out and is usually looking hopeful that I will let her in. Not boarding here...our barn...but they basically live out 24/7 spring/summer/fall except during bad weather (in for excessive heat during the day which is all of a few days during the summer) and storms. In winter (basically November through March) the are out about 12 hours/in at night. Pature feeding works well in a stable herd environment: for one there are 7 feed pans for 5 horses set well apart so they can play musical food bowls a bit and they establish a line up in pecking order when they see me coming with the food bucket. The only one I have had to bring in to feed was a low pecking order rescue mare that was underweight. SHe really needed extra feed plus it took her a long time to find her place in the herd pecking order....so she was fed by herself until she put weight on and got with the herd's program. When I hay I flake it out along the fenceline a good distance so everyone is spread out and not squabbling for hay either.

[onthebit]

Done correctly I don't find pasture boarding to be any cheapier OR less labor intensive! Large, well-managed pastures aren't cheap. Your land costs are higher for more acreage, your fencing costs are higher for the same reason, then you have to run water and electric lines all over creation. Plus build shelters, fertilize, re-seed, harrow, lime, etc.

There is still plenty of labor involved in doing pasture boarding correctly. My pasture boarders are still fed 2x/day, still blanketed and have blankets changed/removed as needed and all the time you would spend cleaning/bedding stalls is spent on pasture maintenance instead.

I always shake my head at this notion of pasture boarding as "free money." I do realize that some barns take that approach and the pastures and the level of care (basically none) reflect that, but it is not an approach I am comfortable with.

[theoldgreymare]

Done correctly I don't find pasture boarding to be any cheapier OR less labor intensive! Large, well-managed pastures aren't cheap. Your land costs are higher for more acreage, your fencing costs are higher for the same reason, then you have to run water and electric lines all over creation. Plus build shelters, fertilize, re-seed, harrow, lime, etc.

There is still plenty of labor involved in doing pasture boarding correctly. My pasture boarders are still fed 2x/day, still blanketed and have blankets changed/removed as needed and all the time you would spend cleaning/bedding stalls is spent on pasture maintenance instead.

I always shake my head at this notion of pasture boarding as "free money." I do realize that some barns take that approach and the pastures and the level of care (basically none) reflect that, but it is not an approach I am comfortable with.

I have to agree with Melissa and EqT on this. We have a few here on field board (most are stalled retirees) and they yield little to no profit to us after costs and labor are factored in. Well done field boarding is not "free money" and is certainly not inexpensive for a barn to offer.

I find the original topic interesting though......approximately 90% of the inquiries we get for retirement still want stalled board for their horses so I am not sure that the "trend" is that people have finally realized that horses are herd animals and do better when treated as such. I think it more likely an option being offered by large/show barns in response to current economic conditions.

[DressageGeek "Ribbon Ho"]

My boy is out 24/7 and he has never been so happy or content. He has a good buddy, he gets to roll, and I'm sure all the walking around has helped regarding possible colics as well as kept him more sound. I won't ever stall board a horse again (barring stall rest, of course). I'd pay extra if I had to.

[asterix]

I'm a huge field board proponent and my horses are addicted to it...but I think there is a happy medium between the "free money" argument and what many folks provide for their boarders.
Mine live out in a HUGE (70 acre) field that is very well maintained by the BOs -- but there is a spring fed stream and one run in shed. No electricity needed. They don't feed grain (I do that myself), they certainly don't blanket, etc etc.
Grass is so good they really only have to hay from December-early March.

I have found that my horses do just fine largely naked (and, yes, they are in full work in the winter -- in this climate they can get a bib or a trace clip and stay plenty toasty except for the worst freezing rain days), being fed once a day (5 or 6 days a week) at random times. They need a lot less "intervention" than I thought they did, and boy are they happier!

[DressageGeek "Ribbon Ho"]

I should add that our horses come in 2X/day for feeding so they get checked over, and each has a stall, which is picked out regularly. And of course they are stalled if there is a health issue.

My weenie TB is sporting a hairy yak disguise, has not yet needed a blanket even in sub zero temps, is playful and snorty in the cold (unlike his owner). He does need a run in, mask, and boots in the summer as he hates bugs, but he'd hate them in a stall as well. He is also able to keep weight on, something we've never managed before.

A year or so ago he had a bad abcess, and we kept him inside when he was so uncomfortable. That night he was happy to be inside. The next morning, when it was better, he was yelling to go outside - and he is not a very vocal guy.

That is the hardest part about away clinics and shows...he's in a stall.

[*JumpIt*]

My TB mare was in 24/7 pasture board last year, it was great for her excessive energy levels but she lost weight in the summer due to extreme heat and her feet got bad because of the mud in the winter (even though there was plenty of dry area she had to stand in the mud -insert eyeroll-). So now she is in for 12 hours and out for 12 hours, this has helped tremendessly with her feet (which are poor to begin with), allowing them to be dry overnight has really helped strengthen them.

I liked the 24/7 T/O but there were also problems with her not always getting all of her food or enough hay, mainly because no one wanted to truck horses/hay back and forth from barn to pasture. If I had a barn that would allow the pasture board and make sure all needs were met I would love to pasture board again.

[MoonWitch]

I over both, but get constant calls for pasture board. Yet no one wants it without a shelter. Funny, but when there is one, the silly fools don't go in it anyway! So, I do both. In the winter, they all have a stall and are on a 12/12 schedule in both the exteme winter & summer (SE PA weather - go figure). In spring/fall, they come in get grain and go back out or get fed in the field.

As far as "free money" - BS. Let's see there's trucking through the slush/mud/snow/ice to keep hay out in the winter; chipping the water tubs; filling the water tubs; doing checks to make sure they are all ok...yeah - free money.

While I agree that there are those horses that definitely do better living out, I also believe there are those that do better coming in. I have had my boy on both and see benefits to each. Unfortunately, we don't have endless pasture, so bringing in is an evil necessity to keep the pastures healthy.

[Susan P]

How can you call it free money for pasture board???

Who pays for the land, the fence, the shelter, the well, electricity, the insurance? Are you kidding me, nothing free about it. It all adds up, if you have a loan on your land then you certainly know it's not free! I take high offense to that comment since I lease out one of my pastures to a neighbor who could have bought my land but couldn't afford to at the time. I guess if it were free he should have just put his horse there, spent the $6,000 + on the shelter, $5,000 on drilling the well, $5,000 to run electric, paving the long driveway, don't even remember how much the fencing cost, I think I have around $4,000 in that not to mention the $117,000 for the land itself. If you call that free I'd like more please and this time you can pay since it's free.

Pasture board is very conservative of human labor and that's a major cost in any boarding operation.

On the other hand, at grooming time the same facts may not apply!!!!

From the barn's point of view, "pasture board" is almost "free money." Keep the fence in good condition and all you have to do labor-wise is count the noses a couple of times per day. While I agree that maximum turnout is the best deal for horse and rider there can be a downside if you're dealing with a "show horse" that will be judged on appearance. Also, horses closely clipped will require some "help" with the weather (like a "rug") in colder areas; the labor associated with "rugs" must be factored in.

Pasture board can be a pretty good deal for everybody except the groom!

G.