Boarding Question?

Question

How much on average does it cost to board a horse? Do stables charge per week or month? What all does the boarding fee cover? Im considering buying a horse in the near future, within the next 2 years, and do not own land. Im just curious as to how much it would cost and whether it would just be better to wait a few more years until I can afford to buy land and build a little stable for myself.

I live in Ohio, just oustide of Mansfield if any of you are familiar with the area. I have tried looking in the newspaper and there are never any horse stables listed. I also dont have any friends that ride or have land and barn available.

Answer 1

Boarding costs vary dramatically depending on where you live. For instance, southern Florida and most of New England can be extremely expensive (with top show barns listing costs at well over $2000 a month), but fortunately for you the Midwest is much more affordable. I was out in Ohio for school, and even though that was quite some time ago, I believe prices have stayed basically the same.

Boarding fees are normally charged on a monthly basis. There are different types of boarding options available to you, and that would affect the price. You could choose to do a working board, which would be one of your most affordable options. Under a working board arrangement, the manager or owner of the stable would typically provide a stall, feed, and turn-out, but it would be your responsibility to clean the stall daily, including corner feeders and water buckets. You might also have to provide your own feed or bedding. Some of the places I was at in Ohio charged anywhere from $75 to $150 a month for working board. The cheaper the price, though, the more you would have to buy or do for yourself.

The most common boarding option is full care board. In full care set-ups, the barn would take care of feeding, mucking, and turn out. You wouldn't have to clean your own stall or provide your own feed or bedding, these things are all covered in the cost of your board. Full care board in Ohio generally runs at around $150 to $400 a month. You might also consider full service board, which includes everything that full care offers but includes amenities like tack-up service, clipping, and a personal groom for your horse. Full service barns are normally top show barns, and they're prices usually amount to well over $1000 a month.

I want to stress here that the Midwest is one of the most affordable areas for horse owners, mostly because of its distance from the main show circuit. If you ever take your horse with you to college or if you ever move, the prices you will pay will most certainly go up drastically. Average price for full-care board in Connecticut, for instance, is between $500 and $1000 a month. In Florida it's between $600 and $1200. Something to think about.

You should also consider the additional expenses of horse ownership. Horses need shoes every 4 to 6 weeks, and even those that go barefoot need regular trims. This costs between $50 and $300 a visit depending on the type of shoes your horse needs. You also need yearly vaccinations, which are usually a few hundred dollars each year. Worming the horse monthly or bimonthly also adds up close to a hundred a year. Then there's also equipment you need. A saddle alone can cost well over a thousand dollars. You also need grooming supplies, bathing supplies, fly prevention products, nutritional supplements, and so much more. Owning a horse isn't cheap. Ask horsey friends what they pay yearly. The answers may surprise you.

I also must strongly advise you NOT to own your horse on your own property if you're a first time horse owner. In my experience, the amount of care and time that horses need overwhelms people. First time horse owners rarely understand everything a horse requires to keep it healthy, sane, and sound. If you want your horse at home, first board it at a professional facility for a few months and see how they run their stable and the work involved. Then make the decision on whether or not you have the time or resources to care for your own horse.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

I will keep this one short and sweet by saying that you have a wonderful boarding facility just to the north of where you live ( less than an hour away, in fact) in Brecksville. The Brecksville Stables are a county owned facility, and I know for a fact that they board horses and are also a lesson and show barn. They are also situated right on the edge of the Cuyahoga National Park, which means that they have trail access through that park and also through the Cleveland MetroParks system. I do not know off the top of my head what the rates for boarding at that facility are- you need to call them to get this information, and their numbers are in the yellow pages. I do know, however, that the rates are reasonable, because both this facility and the Rocky River Stables are run by the same county entity- and I was considering boarding my horse at Rocky River for a while. ( Had I stayed in Ohio instead of moving to my current location in Delaware, I would have done just that, because Rocky River was just around the corner from where I used to live.)

If you want to wait until you can build your own barn and buy land, then be prepared to pay a prettty penny for the privilege- land in that part of Ohio is astronomically expensive right now, and so are houses and farms. ( I have a sister who is a Realtor in Shaker Heights, so I know what I am talking about. ) Usually, boarding fees at most places cover feeding, turnout, stall cleaning, and the scheduling of vet and farrier's visits. Some barns will include things like worming and shots in their fees. Others, such as the barn at the Chagrin Hunt, include grooming and training, as well as lessons. Most barns charge a monthly board fee, and if the fees are not paid on time, the owner of the barn can put a lien on the horse and possibly sell it to cover the cost of the care. That's why you need to keep up with the payments if you are planning to board for any length of time.

Other things to think about include facilities for comfort at the barn- having access to a restroom is a real plus, especially in the winter time. Before you sign a board agreement, ask what is included in the fees- and ask about hidden fees for things like blanketing, if you want this for your horse in cold weather. Make sure you understand what the rules of the facility are- such as when boarders can use the arena, when and where longing is permitted, can the arena be used for turnout in bad weather, and other things of that nature. Find out what the barn's or stables' hours of operation are- and find out when feeding times are. Ask about safety and security rules and procedures, and also how emergencies ( such as a sick horse in the middle of the night, or a fire) are handled. Lastly, ask about the barn's visitors' policy- and stay away from any place that doesn't regulate both visitors and trespassers. Good luck to you, and I hope this helped.

Answer 4

Hi there!
In central IL it is anywhere from $320 at the lower end barns to $675 at the really nice barns. Up near the city I have friends who pay close to $1000 per month for full service board. Most places I have ever had my horses have charged by month. Often you have the opportunity to pay by night or week if you horse is only there temporarily but if it is a long term thing then paying by month is cheaper. Before you decide to buy a horse think about the things you would want at the barn where you will be spending all of that time. Things like an indoor arena, large pastures, cross country course, trainer on site, etc. The more of those options the more the board is going to be.
Once you have decided what you would like to have in your boarding stable then the best advice I can give is look into the barns in your area. Call around and go and visit the barns who see where you would want to keep your horse. The people at the barn make all the difference in it being a fun experience and it being miserable. Once you have seen the barns then look at how much board is going to be. (Make sure you add in the little things, like if they charge you to hold for the farrier and vet or if they charge you for extra bedding, etc).
The first time I moved my horse from my parents barn down to near me I was shocked at the first bill they sent me. I ended up having to shop around a little and move him to a different barn even though they didn't have a cross country course like I wanted.
My best advice is to shop around and plan out the finances before purchasing a horse, there is nothing worse than getting a horse and falling in love with it and having to sell it because you can no longer afford the board.

Answer 5

As you can tell boarding can vary, but not just the cost, what kind of care you get will vary also. Most large stables will be listed in the yellow pages under "stables". Call around and find out what it is in your area and what services they offer for your horse. Have you checked with your local tack shop and feed stores? They may know of placed that aren't listed. Also you need to figure out if you want training included or not cause that will make a difference on the cost. Some boarding facilities wont even board someone with out training of some sort. If money is an issue, you also need to take in consideration....Farier every 6-8 weeks, yearly vaccinations, deworming every 6-8 weeks, and accidents (which all horses have) causeing a surprise vet bill. If this is all in your budget, then happy horse shopping and barn hunting. , and welcome to the horse community!

Answer 6

Boarding is SOOOOOOOOO much easier than having a horse in your yard! Besides, you'd need to have TWO horses -- horses are herd animals and really shouldn't be kept alone.

I live in New England, which is an expensive part of the USA. Full board costs between $350 - $600 per month, depending on the facility and services. Full board usually means that they provide food (water, grain and hay), stall cleaning and turn out. Some places also provide worming and blanket service (putting blankets on and off) -- other places charge you more for that. You are responsible to get a farrier (for shoes) and vet for your own horse, although often a vet or farrier will come and see many horses at the same time. You are also responsible for providing any supplements you want your horse to have and for grooming and exercising your horse. SOME stables will exercise and groom your horse for you but those would be MUCH more expensive.

Shoes are VERY expensive -- average about $110 every 6 weeks or so. If you live in a place where the horse doesn't need shoes, you might be able to get by with just having the hooves trimmed every 6 weeks, for about $50. But where I live it's so rocky that you NEED shoes -- and sometimes pads -- if you really want to ride. In Ohio you might be able to get away with having your horse barefoot -- maybe.

You can find all sorts of other types of boarding. Some places charge you much less, but you are responsible for providing grain and hay. Some places charge less but your horse lives outside (pasture board). Some places charge a LOT less, but all they provide is the stall -- you are responsible for getting there twice a day to feed your horse, letting him in or out and cleaning the stall. Personally, I would avoid any place where the owners were responsible for the actual FEEDING. Horses need a routine and owners won't get there at the same time each day. Plus, some owners will come at 5 PM and other won't come until 8 PM -- and it upsets horses to see others being fed, even if they've ALREADY eaten. And worst of all, some owners might not come everyday -- what do you do then? Let the horse go hungry? Or feed him yourself?

Turnout is another factor you need to consider. I think it's VERY cruel to keep a horse inside all the time. They NEED to go out for exercise, companionship and foraging. Land is so expensive these days that it's rare to find actual PASTURE, but at least the horse should be in a large paddock where he can run a little bit and at least PRETEND to be foraging for grass. And of course he will need plenty of hay.

What kind of riding do you want to do? If you want to show, then you probably need a place with an indoor arena. If you just want to ride on trails -- then you'll need to find a barn with acess to trails. Remember, the better the facility, the more you will pay.

Another consideration -- BATHROOMS!! Nice facilities for YOU are a definate plus.

I hope you get your dream horse someday!

Answer 7

It can cost anywhere from $30 a month to $700 per month, depending on the place of the stables and the services included in the board. I pay $210 per month. Most stables charge for a month at a time. Their is indoor board, inside a stall. Or outdorr, which is boarding your horse outside in a pasture.

Answer 8

I live within an hour and a half of you, boarding at a decent full care (aside from training) stable will cost you between 250-400 dollars a month depending on the facilities offered. It will cost less if you find a place that has you do your own care, or only pasture boards. I would deffinitly recomend not going for the cheapest option, but finding a stable that does the care, and has decent facilities (riding arenas, big stalls, etc...) The extra price is deffinitly worth it.

Answer 9

I live in Wisconsin and I pay $315. This includes daily cleaning of stalls and turnout and so much more. Organization of farrier and vet appointments. It also includes Strategy and and an organic grass hay twice daily and all the hay they can clean up. Also, the board includes any medicines that may need to be administered. There is a board certified vet tech that runs the facility. Other great features include:
12' x 12' and 12' x 24' box stalls
Fire alarm, ventilation, fly control systems
Tack room with washer and dryer
70' x 140' indoor arena with large mirrors
Wash stall (hot and cold) and cross ties
Large lots and pastures, Safe Fence
Outdoor grass arena, trails
Heated / A/C lounge with TV, kitchen and full bathroom
Fun and safe atmosphere
It is well worth the money spent being able to know your horse is in good hands. It would be nice to have them at home, but I am spoiled at this place.

Answer 10

like everything else, you get what you pay for. You should check out what hay cost are in your area. You can check with the local extension office or university in your area. Estimate the amount of hay you will need to feed in a year. Do you have plenty of grass all summer or is the grass gone by June? Do you have long cold winters? The more extreme the weather, the better the hay will need to be. I like to feed hay that is 12-16 % feed value. As a rule I allow 1/2 bale of hay per horse per day (50 lbs bales) If you know how much it will cost to feed your horse, you will have a better ideal what you will need to pay someone else to feed your horse. You can add extras like a privet tie or box stall, grain (not all horses need to be grained) seclude vet and farrier visit etc... all these thing will add to the cost of your boarding bill. I personally think that horses are happier outside with other horse. Pasture boarding is a great way to board as long as the fences are in safe repair and there is a shelter big enough for all the horses to get in. I think boarding first is a great ideal you will have the benefit of other to help and teach you how to care for your horse and if you ride on the weekend you will probability have lots of company.