HolidayHorseCare.com

Tips for Creating your own Horse Boarding Facility

After spending the past 15 years caring for over 40 horses/month, I have accumulated a vast knowledge base of the ins and outs of creating and operating a successful horse boarding business.
 
I designed and built R Lazy 5 Horse Boarding in Bozeman, Montana, to service the general horse owner in our area. One of the main keys to my success was not getting in too far financially, yet still providing a very safe and secure facility for both horse and owner. That combined with my highly visible involvment in both the business and horse worlds created a recipe for personal and financial success.
 
I plan to create a written guide that will cover the essential issues with creating and operating a successful horse boarding business. This guide will help you reduce your mistakes, increase the positive flow of your facility and ultimately help you generate real income. In the mean time, here are a few keys to help you:
 
First, treat it as a business from the start. If you are going to start a boarding business, it is simply that, a business. If you are only "dabbling", you will become exhausted and trampled by it in no time.
 
It is essential that anyone starting a horse boarding business be personally involved in the horse industry. You can be a rider, a trainer, a breeder, a recreationalist, etc., but you must be involved and present on a regular basis to be credible.
 
And plan, plan, plan. You must map things out and plan to the smallest degree to ensure your personal safety, the safety of the horses both in and out of their holding areas, the process of handling hay, grain, water, etc. There are so many things to consider and it is so easy to make silly mistakes that you will kick yourself for years over if you don't take the time to plan well.
 
I would love to visit with you about building your own facility. I have worked at several different boarding facilities, as well as creating and managing my own here in Montana. Every location has it's own special needs but in general, horses are a 24-7 proposition and those of us who share the love of them can benefit from uniting our knowledge.
 
Take care and Happy Riding!
Rosi Slater
One of the keys to happy and healthy horse care is pairing horses appropriately. Horses are herd animals, and prefer to be with other horses, but finding the right group can be critical to their safety and well-being. It is also essential to provide good quality hay and keep on a regular feeding schedule.
Rocky River Farm, pictured above, is a gorgeous boarding, lesson and training facility nestled in the rolling hills of southern Indiana. With 40+ stalls, two outdoor arenas and a large, airy indoor arena, it offers all the necessary ammenities of a quality equine facility.

Hay is the largest expenditure of a horse boarding operation. When I was operating   R Lazy 5 Horse Boarding, I would purchase 125 tons of hay/year. The cost of hay delivered used to run around $70/ton. Over the past 10 years, the price for hay has skyrocketed to $125-$160/ton, depending on what kind of hay you are buying (straight grass or grass/alfalfa mix).

Cleaning is as critical as quality hay when it comes to good horse care. Horses deposit 10-12 piles of manure every 24 hours and it has to be cleaned up and removed from their living environment. A build-up of manure can cause all sorts of negative issues, including hoof problems, general health risks, as well as being unsightly and a tell-tale sign of a poorly managed facility.