What Makes A Good Boarding Barn?

Facebook posts are full of people complaining about either boarders or barn managers/owners. Rare is the compliment of a good barn. But nobody has addressed what it takes to make THE perfect boarding barn.

I have been on both sides of the fence. I have been a boarder most of my life, managed barns, worked at barns and I leased a barn where I had boarders, taught lessons and ran a non-profit horse rescue. And now I finally own my own farm! So I know what it is to be both a boarder and a manager/owner.

When I was leasing my own farm, I was happy, knowing that I had total control over my horses…..what they ate, what their turnout schedule was, how their stalls were cleaned and more. Now that I have my own farm, I am once again in my happy zone….don’t get me wrong, there is much stress, angst and worry that comes with owning a farm, but I would not trade it back for being a boarder for anything in the world!

When I had boarders at the barn I leased, I like to think that I was pretty easy going. I would feed whatever the owner wanted. The horses always had clean, good quality hay and the water buckets were dumped and cleaned daily and refilled with fresh, cool water. Water troughs were dumped daily and scrubbed of algae. The fencing was safe and kept in good repair, I always had grass and good footing. Stalls were mucked daily and bedded deeply. I blanketed in the winter and horses were hosed off in the summer. I really had no rules, other than to keep the barn clean and to leave things as you found it. My boarders were happy and stayed with me the entire 6 years I leased the barn. And more importantly, the horses were happy!

And isn't that really what we all want as horse owners? Good feed, safe facilities, fresh water, clean stalls and ample turnout with grass? I don't think that the services I provided were above and beyond what every horse deserves. I think that is what every owner pays for and should receive.

So why is it so hard to find a barn that cheerfully offers these basic services?

When I gave up the lease on my barn and became a boarder again, I admit, it was hard going from having total control of your place to placing the care of your beloved horse in someone else's hands.

I found I had to make a list of what was most important for me. Because I had a "special needs" horse, it was important to find a barn that would adhere to his diet (my draft/cross had EPSM. His diet was planned by a vet and it was crucial to his well-being) and due to his extreme allergies to bugs, he could not ever be turned out at night. That was hard, as most barns in Florida turn out at night during the hot summer months, and finding a barn that would bring him in by noon and not leave him out all day in the heat and storms, was hard to come by. It seemed that I had to choose either option A or option B and there was no wiggle room.

Finding those 2 criteria meant that perhaps some of my "basic" requirements" would have to take a back seat. The trick is to find what you can live with and what you can't.

I finally found THE perfect boarding barn. And it hit me. I finally realized what THE perfect boarding barn was all about!

I remember driving the beautiful tree lined driveway and feeling a sense of peace, even before I saw the barn or met anyone. The barn owner was gracious, and very accommodating with feed and turnout, even to the point of letting me bring my barn cat with me who I still had from when I was leasing my barn! (And she even ended up adopting her as the years went by and my cat decided she wanted to move into the house!) As I met the boarders, I discovered that most of them had been there for several years and a few had been there for 15-20 years! It was the first time I had encountered such longevity in a boarding barn.

One doesn't have to be a genius to know what the secret is!

It is all about giving the paying customer what they are paying for! Just as I used to give my paying customers what they were paying for, so did this barn. There was no question about what I was feeding Tucker. When I was looking into new barns, I actually had a barn owner tell me that my horse would be just fine eating what the other 19 horses in her barn ate, never mind his EPSM or what the vet said. The arrogance on the other end of the line was mind boggling and I quickly ended our conversation. Here, not only could Tucker eat what he needed, but EVERYTHING on my list was being checked off: morning turnout, check. Water buckets cleaned daily and replenished with cool water, check. Good quality hay, check. Stalls cleaned daily, check. Pasture, manure and fly management, check, check, check. Lots of grass, safe turnout and no weedy fields? Three more checks. The only drawback was that it was a 45 minute drive from home, but well worth it!

And because the barn owner was giving her paying customers what they wanted, I noticed something amazing. There was so much respect for this barn owner, that when something happened (dog sick, gotta run to the vet; sick/injured horse, hurricane approaching), boarders appeared almost from thin air to help! After one hurricane, the son of one boarder appeared first thing the following morning and picked up the tree branches that were blocking the driveway and disappeared before anyone knew he was there. I never once heard a boarder complain, and there was no barn drama whatsoever. What a rarity that was!

When I traveled, I got text messages letting me know Tucker was fine. I received cute photos of my barn cat Hobbs, whom everyone fell in love with! We would meet up for lunch and breakfast and celebrate birthdays and even though I have since bought my own farm, we still get together. The death of a horse meant that flowers would appear at the stall or on the horses grave site and a large photo would appear on the stall, for all to sign their condolences.

So just what are clues to finding THE perfect boarding barn?

Well for starters, ask how long other boarders have been there. Speak to boarders and listen carefully. They may be reluctant to tell you they are unhappy, but you may be able to pick up on clues. Is there a trend of longevity or is it a revolving door? If the barn is advertising every month for stalls available, that could be a red flag. I learned that good barns don’t need to advertise. My farrier, vet and a local tack store owner all recommended this place. I just had to wait 6 months for an opening. I had never even heard of the barn, it was just a great little secret. So just because you have never heard of a place or seen it advertised, don't think that THE perfect place doesn't exist!

It goes without saying that you need to visit the barn and I suggest making a few visits. One barn I moved to looked great when I first checked it out, but when I moved my horses there 2 months later, I discovered it was a disaster, with weeds filling the once lush pastures, trash everywhere and a barn owner who was losing interest.

And of course, look at the horses. Are they in good health? Happy? Are stalls clean with no odor of urine. Are pastures in good condition? How is the fencing? They should be happy to show you the feed room. Is the room well stocked with good quality feed and hay? Are there rat droppings and signs of bugs or is it clean and well organized? A barn owner who won’t show you the feed and hay should be a big red flag. Is the barn safe? Are there obvious fire hazards, such as box fans in use, extension cords everywhere, or flammable items stored in the barn? Is the barn aisle a disaster area and dirty or is it neat and tidy? Check water temperatures in buckets and troughs. If it is a hot day, are they cool and clean or hot and slimy? Don’t be fooled by beautiful new barns either! I have know barns which cost a pretty penny and should grace magazine covers, yet the care was horrible, whereas many backyard barns provided exemplary care. It is important therefore to do be thorough in your search.

If you are unhappy at your current farm, be sure to do your homework and evaluate a new barn very carefully. You do not want to go from a bad situation to one worse. I have many horror stories to relate of both myself and friends who ended up in worse situations. And be sure to ask friends, your farrier, your vet and even the local tack store what they have to say about a potential barn. And ask them if they can recommend a place if you are having a hard time finding one on your own.

If every barn owner and manager gave their paying customer what they are entitled to, there would be a lot more perfect barns and a lot less grumbling and barn drama!

Did you know that Common Sense Horse Keeping will be published in 2024 as a book? Be sure to follow us on social media for upcoming contests and updates relating to the release!