Boarding your Horse - Boarding Stable & Equestrian Facilities

If you are looking to own a horse and don’t want to avoid some of the responsibilities involved with keeping a horse at home, then boarding your horse is a good option.
If you look around your area, you’ll find places near by where you can board your horse. There are also those who have a horse or two & welcome the opportunity to board a horse on their property to help pay for bills, hay & supplies. They may also ask you help take care of their horses when they are away in exchange for a discount on your board for that month. You can find these type of people through the internet or classified ads. You can also drive around and ask people that might be in your neighborhood that keep horses.

Here’s some words of wisdom, be careful when selecting a place to board your horse. You may find that the care and treatment horses get at certain horse boarding facilities varies, and my not be suitable and up to your standards. You want your horse to be treated like you would treat him. So make sure you ask a lot of questions, such as how they feed, handle and care for their horses. Observe the horses that are there and see how they are kept. Are they well fed and look healthy? Do they look like they are well treated? Are the grounds clean? If you happen to see some folks that board there ask them a few questions as well and see if they are satisfied with the facility.

Good thing to keep in mind is that boarding cost varies considerably. So do the services provided. For example you may find horse boarding facilities that provide an indoor or covered arena, keep horses in stalls or stalls with paddocks, clean everyday or every other day, provide bedding, hay twice a day, provide grooming and exercise daily, administer medicine as needed, and supply feeds or supplements.
Another facility may only keep horses in a pasture or paddock with a shed, feed hay twice a day, and you’ll have the responsibility of grooming, feeding supplements, giving medicine to your horse, exercising your horse etc….

There are many solutions and equestrian boarding facilities to board your horse. It all depends on you what’s comfortable for you and your horse and what you can afford.

Also Read Article

Average cost for horse & expenses for horses - The cost of owning horses in the suburbs

Feeding your horse grass hay & Other varieties of hay

Feeding your horse grass hay is the standard feed for horses today. You will need hay pretty much all year round, especially in the winter months. Unless you use a complete pellet feed. If you’re going to feed hay in the winter then you need to make sure your store enough up to get you through, depending on how many horses you have. Feeding hay will help to conserve your limited supply of pasture in the summer months. Depending on where you live, hay can cost less than feeding pellets. And if you cant find good hay then you might want to consider a complete pellet feed.

Good grass hay or pasture is all you really need to keep your horse or horses healthy and in shape. Unless you are doing some hard ranch work or showing your horse then you’ll want to consider a supplement with the hay. There are several other varieties of hay, Alfalfa which has the highest in protein, oat hay, rye hay, coastal hay, timothy hay, and bermuda grass hay to name a few.

Finding good grass hay is not always easy to find. When buying good hay you need to be able to identify it. Good quality horse hay should be leafy; fine stemmed and not overly dry, most of the nutrients are in the leaves. The hay on the inside of the bale should be bright green in color, the greener the better. Green hay is high in protein & vitamins. Be careful with feeding hays such as alfalfa and clover, they are very high in protein and to much can cause your horse to become sick. It is best to purchase an alfalfa grass mix. Good hay should be free of dust mold and weeds. It should not have a musty or moldy odor either. There should be no excessive moisture to cause overheating or spoilage.

You can purchase hay by the bale at your local feed store or from a local hay grower. Buying hay from the local feed store can be a bit expensive depending on how many horses you have and the quality may not be as good. You can also purchase your hay every 6 months or for the year. It is best to feed the current years hay than last years hay.

Lastly make sure you store your hay in a high dry & cool area free from moisture so that your supply won’t mold. If you feed moldy hay to your horse it can cause your horse to get sick and colic.


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"Do You Really Want a Horse? Pleasures of Owning a Horse"

Do you really want a horse? Part2 - Horse keeping responsibilities & maintenance

You’ve heard about the pleasures of horse ownership, but what about the other side of the coin. Let’s look at some other considerations while you decide if you really want a horse.

A horse must have hay and water & the stall or paddock must be cleaned 365 days of the year if you are planning to keep a horse at home. This can be very confining should you decide to you decide to go away for the weekend or take a months vacation. Who’s going to take care of your horse? If you have horse friends or family, then you should be able to make arrangements. If not you may have to find boarding your horse somewhere.

Lets also take into consideration there’s always work to be done, feeding, buying and hauling bedding, feed, hay, and other supplies especially if you have more than one horse. Then you have watering, fixing fences, repairing the barn, mowing weeds, and disposing of manure. These are all jobs that require some muscle, some that aren’t very pleasant, and some downright despicable. Though you can organize your work in such a way that it will only take a couple minutes each day to care for your horse or horses.

Will horse odors create a nuisance with your neighbors? Will a paddock an eye sore?
Also if you keep a horse in a residential or suburban area it can be a hazard, especially to curious children wanting to feed, pet, and ride your horse. These situations can be serious problems, if you have a horse that has a bad habit of biting and kicking. Even the gentlest horse can kick if startled or step on someone or run them over. To avoid this problem make sure you have good fencing and gates that can be easily opened or accessed. Its also a good idea to get some liability insurance for your horse property.

If you haven't read Part one of this segment please read now!
Do you really want a horse? - Pleasures of Owning a Horse

Fly control for horses Tips on effective fly control for horses

Effective fly control for horses requires a lot of attention in the suburbs as opposed to a farm or agricultural community. Because of the many neighbors, who are likely to be bothered by the flies. There are many different ways you can control this particular problem. I’ll just share with you a few.

Flies will be attracted to your stable even if you keep it clean. But the cleaner it is the fewer flies you will have. You can hang old fashioned fly paper or fly traps, where your horses can’t get to them. You can also use fly baits but be careful to keep them out of reach of horses and children. If you have can afford it, it would be a good idea to invest in a fly insecticide misting system for your barn or stable. It’s harmless to your horses and will keep the fly problem down significantly. There are also bags and water traps that work pretty good I like to place a mixture of water and vinegar in them with a lil vegetable oil. Another good ides is t feed your horses a fly feed larvicide. It’s a feed supplement that contains a larvicide & can be fed to your horses daily, to prevent development of flies in manure. For best results start feeding it to your horse early in the spring before the flies appear and continue feeding until the beginning of winter.

Also use fly sprays and repellents on your horses. You can even make your own fly spray and repellent and save a lil money, because buying fly spray can be costly depending on your situation, area and how many horses you have. I usually mix a lil apple vinegar, baby oil, and fabric softener in a spray bottle. I’ve been doing this for years and it has worked great. Just be sure that if you are going to ride your horse, don’t spray it on your horse until after you have saddled him or else you may find your saddle sliding if you have sprayed his back, due to the baby oil. There are many other natural remedies to making a horse fly repellent just look around the internet. Do forget to use a good fly blanket & a fly mask to keep your horse from being irritated.

What you should do with all that horse manure? - Horse manure recycling & disposal

Disposing of horse manure and soiled bedding is a necessary chore, which need not be time consuming depending on how many horse you have. Further more the horse manure can be turned in to a valuable asset, thus converting a problem into a lucrative opportunity.

Horse manure is considered to be one of the best natural fertilizers because it is high in nitrogen and contains variable organic matter & trace minerals.
Once horse manure is manure is collected, you have several different options. It can be hauled away, immediately spread across your pasture, or dumped into a compost pile to later be sold or distributed.
Composting:
(A mixture that consists largely of decayed organic matter and is used for fertilizing and conditioning land, a dark, pleasant smelling soil)
is the usual method for horse manure recycling & disposal. If you compost your horse manure it doesn’t have to be hauled away everyday.

If you don’t have the room or equipment to use the first two methods then you can have your horse’s manure hauled away by a collection company or a gardening company. You can also offer it to neighbors to use in their gardens, or you can make and advertisement in your area for free manure.

Wash & Groom your Horse – Things you should know about horse grooming & horse washing

Lets first talk about the subject of horse washing; I always get asked how often do you wash your horse? Well I feel like horse washing is a practice that is done way too much. I see people wash their horses for everything.

If you think about it how often do horses get washed in the wild in a natural setting?
Horse usually get washed in the rain if the is not protection or when forced to swim across a river or lake. Otherwise they get along pretty well with out it. I don’t think any harm is done for the lack of a bath. I believe this to be true for the domesticated horse as well. A lot of times after working a horse hard and he is wet and full of sweat, most people like to hose them down with cold water. Washing a horse with cold water when he is hot or when the whether is cold is a major temperature shock to a horse. How would you like it if someone just all of a sudden hosed you down with cold water especially in the winter? Though when my horse is hot after a work out I sometimes will hose his legs down but that’s it. Also when washing your horse its not necessary to use soap or detergents every time you wash him. This will remove natural oils from the skin and hair.

Instead after a hard ride, walk your horse around a bit until he dries off then brush him. A lot of times I unsaddle my horse and turn him out and let him roll in the arena or pasture while I go clean his stall. By the time I come back to halter him up he is cool. Then I brush him really good making sure I brush away all the sweat marks.

The only time I think its really necessary to wash your horse often is if you are showing your horse. You don’t want to be competing or showing with a dusty looking horse. When you do wash your horse make sure you scrape all the excess water and let him dry in a place where its not very cold or use a good light weight blanket.

The best way to groom your horse clean is with a brush & curry comb and use plenty of elbow grease. This is another good way to bond with your horse & your horse will love every minute of it. Give him all the attention he wants. Brushing usually takes no time at all. Keep in mind your horse should always be brushed well before saddling. He may have hay or stickers on his back or girth area from rolling around. And if you saddle him, you may come flying off when you get on to ride. Lastly always brush your horse after you ride to clean up any sweat marks that appear from being saddled. It’s also a good idea to run your fingers down your horse’s spine to make sure your horse isn’t experiencing any soreness.

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Basic Horse Grooming Made Easy – For Beginners Young & Old

Daily basic horse grooming should be on the top of your list when it comes to caring for your horse. You’ll need some basic horse grooming tools & equipment.

Stiff brush: A brush to loosen dirt, hair, and caked mud from the coat. Also use it after a nice long ride or workout to brush the sweaty areas of your horse back, girth etc…

Finishing brush: A brush with soft bristles for giving your horse’s body a final polish

Face brush: a soft bristled brush made especially for the face.

Curry comb: A comb to loosen dirt and hair, make sure you get rubber one as they are the best.

Hoof pick: Used to remove rocks and other debris from the hooves.

Mane comb/brush: A comb for the mane and tail. Plastic rubber or metal combs are best because these will last longer.

Shedding blade: A metal blade for loosening dead hair from your horse’s coat, especially after winter.

Grooming is rather easy. Start by using a rubber curry comb. Use it in a circular motion to loosen dirt that has settled under the horse's hair. Don’t use the curry comb on your horses face. Next get your stiff bristled brush for your horse's body. Start at the neck and work your way down to his withers, back, stomach and hindquarters flick the brush away from the coat so that the dirt comes off of his coat. Look for any scrapes, fly bites bumps etc…and treat them as needed. Then after you’ve made sure you’ve gotten the heavy dirt off you come back with the finishing brush to get any excess dirt and to smooth the coat out to a nice shiny finish. Also use your finish brush on your horses’ legs

Use your face brush gently on your horses face. I generally start from the bottom of the face or neck & work my way to the top to get a horse used to being brushed on the face.

Next I comb my horses mane and tail, pretty self explanatory though here’s a grooming tip. I run my fingers through my horses mane & tail so that when I comb it, I don’t get a lot of excess hair coming out in my brush.

Lastly I pick out my horses hooves. I check for any rocks or debris, any scrapes on the bulbs of the hoof, pastern and fetlock areas. If you have access to an arena, After picking out my horses hooves I usually walk my horse around the arena to pack the arena sand in his hooves so he doesn’t get any rocks or debris in there.

That’s pretty much basic horse grooming. There are some extra things you can do but we’ll cover those in another segment.

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"Learn How to Train a Yearling Horse"



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Average cost & expenses for horses - The cost of owning horses in the suburbs

For most of us, one of the big factors affecting our answer to the question “Do you really want a horse?" is money. How much does it cost? Well the fact of the matter is I cant give you a definite answer due to the fact that cost depends on many different things. Owning a horse can be a very expensive hobby or be managed on a very modest budget. It not so much the initial cost for a horse, as it is the average cost for horse keeping

If you hire someone to build a fancy horse stable, build a high dollar fence, purchase a registered sport horse with an established show record, keep a vet on hand for the slightest lil thing, buy and expensive horse trailer to show in, and a nice big truck to pull it with. Then you are looking at a nice chunk of change and the cost for upkeep is going to be through the roof. On the other hand all that hoopla is not necessary.

If you keep your horse at home with suitable basic arrangements, then your monthly horse expenses will likely be lower than they would if you boarded your horse at a full service barn. The average cost in time and effort on the other hand will be higher, due to all the chores that come with keeping a horse at home. If you have a schedule that permits you some time & you plan well then this arrangement can be very enjoyable.

A good stable cost money great services and facilities aren’t free. Cost of boarding in the suburbs is moderate to high depending on location and services provided. You could be possibly looking at anywhere from $400 - $700 a month. A well run barn is typically in demand, so don’t be surprised if there is a waiting list. Also take into account the distance between your prospective stable and your home or job when considering overall cost. The barn you like may cost more money but if it saves you on gas its something to consider, it may be very well worth it. Remember you are buying a horse for you pleasure and enjoyment. If a barn is too far from home or work, boarding your horse could discourage you from riding. Always take our time and keep looking until you find a horse stable that best suit you and your horses needs.

You’re gonna constantly need tack supplies. The biggest expense is gonna be the purchase of a saddle. If you buy a cheaply made saddle you’re gonna end up having to purchase another one. Take it from me, you get what you pay for. A decent saddle can run you anywhere from a $1000 - $3000 or more. You may also want to buy extra bedding for your horse each month @ $6-$10 a bag. You my need to buy a different type of hay for your horse than what a boarding stable is feeding, and then you’re looking at around $15-$20 a bale. Oh and don’t for get about hoof trimming & shoeing every 6-8 weeks this could cost anywhere from $50 for a trim to $200 for shoes. It depends on whose trimming and shoeing your horse, once again you get what you pay for. Lastly if you want to supplement your horse the cost can be anywhere from $10 - $30 for a 50lb bag of grain or feed. If you decide to keep your horse at home, all these things you have to consider and more. I hope I have been somewhat of a help to you, because there is so much more to consider depending on your needs.

Learn about horsemanhip & how to train your horse at:
Horse Training Made Simple

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Owning Horses in the Suburbs - Suburban horse keeping

In today’s society about 20% of families in the United States own horsesin the suburbs. Thousands of other families living in urban or suburban communities with small acres of land and some with no land at all would like to own a horse or two. Many of these families have very little to no knowledge in owning horses in the suburbs or urban horse keeping.

Owning horses or a horse can be a very enjoyable, exciting, educational experience, for the young and old. Or it can also be a dangerous unpleasant experience if the proper knowledge of horse keeping in the suburbs is not pursued previous to buying a horse.

To many people, horses are simply beautiful creatures. But prospective horse owners should look beyond the appearances and know that there are many differences to horses many different responsibilities to owning a horse in urban areas as opposed to rural & agricultural areas.

-You need to learn about buying and how to buy a horse.
- Horse care & handling
- You also need knowledge of horse equipment.

You must also have the proper facility or accommodations for your horse if you have a small piece of land. You’re going to need a proper horse barn or shed, proper turnout area or run, also how are you gonna keep your horse or horses exercised?

There are many other things to consider, such as how many horses does your community permit per acre? How are your neighbors going to react to you having a horse or horses? Are they going to be comfortable with it and the possible smell of urine & horse poop, depending on how close or far you are from their property? Another thing to think about is what are you going to do with the muck after you clean the stall or paddock? Do you have the room to compost it or are you going to need a company or someone to pick it up? Where are you going to store hay and feed? Where will you store your horse trailer if you decide you want show with your horse or do some trail riding? Lastly consider what will be the cost to keep your horse at home, for feeding and maintenance etc…?

If owning a horse in the suburbs you may want to consider boarding your horse at a local horse boarding facility so you need to consider how much that will cost you as well.

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Horse Manes & Tails

I have found this book to be great for getting prepared for a horse show or a trail ride. There are some really helpful pointers for horse grooming, especially for horse manes & tails. I highly recommend this one.