Horse
Boarding ©
2006 Cherry Hill ©
Copyright Information Dear
Cherry: I'd
like to start a boarding business that offers "hotel" accommodation
for horses during the owners absence. My
5 acre property has a lovely 16 stall barn, the property is fenced and cross fenced
and all the necessary equipment is here in each stall.
I am new to the equine business having been here
only 2 years. I have had several poor experiences with boarding--horses chewing
my fence, nasty mares (not just dominant)colicky horses taking up much of my time,
and downright spooky horses that were too much to handle. Then there's the problem
with people leaving the barn a mess, poop everywhere! Poor aisle manners, helping
themselves to feed, tack, whatever! I put lots of this down to my inexperience
and failure to have a "plan" first, but it sure has put me off boarding
on a full time basis. I love having horses (I have three of my own.)
I'm wondering what your opinion is about starting
up such a service. Your comments about my idea would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks for your time, and by the way, I want all
of your books! T Dear
T: Boarding
requires labor, patience, and a love of not only horses, but dealing with people.
I've heard the same "complaints" as you say you have had from long-time
professional boarding stable owners. The chewed fences and inconsiderate people,
I'm afraid, are part of the bargain.
HOWEVER, there are many wonderful people who would
appreciate a fine level of personal service. The trick is finding them, instituting
a way of filtering, interviewing people.
I would not use such a service because I have too
many horses - when I am away, I have someone come here to do the chores. But a
one or two horse owner looking for quality care would love to find a service like
yours in their area. As
far as resources, be sure to purchase both of Julie Fershtman's books on legal
issues for horse owners. If you look her up in Amazon.com, you'll find the first
one and the second one will be out in a few months.
Also, see if you can take a look at the books at
the end of this answer which are guides that list horse motels and bed and breakfast
places for horses across US and some Canadian locations. You'll probably find
good information in the books as well as a great source of contacts so you can
talk to people that are already in the business you would like to develop.
Best of luck,  Here
are the horse motel books:
Horse Lover's Vacation Guide: Lynne Johnson
U.S.
Stabling Guide: The Country's Comprehensive Guide for Horse Transportation in
the United States and Canada (U.S. Stabling Guide) by Lisa A. Doubleday
Nationwide Overnight Stabling Directory
: Janice J. Nelson, Equine Travelers of America, Inc., PO Box 322, Arkansas City
KS 67005-0322; (316) 442-8131
US Stabling Guide: James D. Balzotti,
5 Barker St, Pembroke MA 02359 (800) 829-0715, www.jimbalzotti.com | 2.jpg){kind=small}
