So You Want To Buy A Farm!

So you have decided to open a horse boarding facility or maybe you bought a farm just so you can keep your horse at home? Congratulations! But before you make that decision, are you really sure this is something you want to do?

 If you answer yes to any of the following questions, you may want to re-think your decision:

· You think it is fun and glamorous?

· You think you can make lots of money?

· You think it is easy?

 The truth is, running a horse farm or a boarding facility is not glamorous, it is hard work and you may not make much money if you are doing it correctly….in other words, no cutting corners and ensuring that the horses well-being comes first. This means feeding a good quality hay and feed, bedding stalls deeply and hiring employees who are well qualified and knowledgeable.

Traditionally, the boarding business has notoriously been a bad business model, because barn owners feel that they have to justify what they are charging for board. They may feel that they will be unable to attract boarders if they charge too much, or that their current boarders will leave if they raise their rates, or they believe that they cannot charge a fair board due to their location. But at the end of the day, nobody should be subsidizing someone else’s hobby. As a barn owner, you are entitled to cover your expenses…not just hay and feed, but whatever it costs for employees, taxes, insurance, farm equipment and even your time!

If you are providing a good service, with the horses well cared for in a drama-free barn, providing good quality hay and feed and you have nice riding areas, you will have no problem attracting and retaining boarders! Most horse owners would rather pay extra to know that their investment is well cared for, rather than worrying about its care or having to shell out more money for vet bills due to sickness or injuries, caused by inadequate care.

Teaching, training, attending horseshows, breeding and sales are all ways to boost your earnings as well, and if you have your own farm as a home base, being able to offer any of these services will supplement your income.

If you are a horse owner and are ready to make that big leap and move your horse to your home, keep in mind that while there is no better feeling than looking out your own window and seeing your horse grazing in your own pasture, there are also drawbacks. In a boarding barn, there is something to be said about the companionship of others with the same goals and interests as you. Unless you plan on offering boarding, it can get lonely! The same goes for you horse. Will he have companionship, whether it be another horse or even a donkey? Horses are herd animals and most prefer the company of other horses. Other drawbacks include having to hire someone to care for your farm when you travel, you are now responsible for damages and maintenance costs and you will have to fork up the money for equipment such as wheelbarrows, tractors and manure spreaders. If you plan on offering boarding, your need for equipment will increase, more horses mean more wear and tear on your property and you will lose your privacy, unless your house is located a distance from the barn. These are all things that barn owners must consider, whether keeping only their own horses or providing board for others.

When I finally convinced my husband to sell our home in the suburbs and move to a farm in the country, his mantra became “Did you know how much work this was?” or “Did you know how much money it was going to cost?” Even though I do most of the work, he is the one paying for the new fencing, farm equipment and Shoo-Fly system. Even though I had managed barns and had leased my own facility for many years, with boarders, I was unprepared for how lonely it would be to have my own farm. My daughters were no longer living at home to ride with or to help with chores and we moved into a neighborhood with no horsey neighbors and I desperately missed the social life of my old barn! My young Thoroughbred has 2 donkeys and 2 goats for companionship, but the drawback to being an only horse is that the sight of new horses could send him into a complete melt-down when we began to leave the property. I think he believes he is a donkey! Traveling to visit our kids means having a reliable farm sitter and there is a level of stress associated with not being able to go home and leave the care of your horse to someone else, especially when neighbors are shooting off fireworks or their loud rifles!

But at the end of the day, I would not trade this for anything! I love sitting at my desk and looking at my barn and my animals. For me, the benefits outweigh any negatives! This is my happy place!