Since the last blog on horse boarding, I discussed various options regarding boarding fees, the amount of turn-out time, feed, etc.  Today I would like to address the differences in various types of housing for your horse.

When determining where you will board your horse, housing is a key factor.  Here are some important factors you need to keep in mind;

Will the horse be able to move around and not have to stand in manure and/or mud for long periods of time?  What to do for thrush is more about making sure a horse has the ability to get out of wet areas.  While thrush is a very common condition it can be painful and cause lameness issues if left untreated or if a horse has to stand in wet earth and manure for any length of time.

So if you will have a horse in a stable with little turnout time – I don’t recommend a horse ever be left in a stall all the time unless there is a medical or other necessary reason for it – you need to make sure the stall is cleaned at least once daily.  If your horse will have access to a run-in shed you need to make certain the area surrounding the shed is lower so that water is unable to pool inside the shed.  The shed should also contain sandy, gravely soil so that urine will drain.  It too will need to be cleaned of manure, but not as often as a stall.

STALL or RUN-IN SHED: Pros vs. Cons

Stall Pros:

• A Stall provides a great space for tacking your horse.  
• It’s a good place for the farrier to work.  
• It’s a nice place to groom your horse in inclement weather.  
• If your horse should require stall rest due to a medical or lameness issue a stall is the ideal spot. 
• It may be easier to determine just how much your horse is consuming and how much he is pooping and urinating.
• Stalls keep dominant horses and passive horses separated when you are concerned about a horse’s safety.
• While your horse will likely not appreciate it, it will stay much cleaner than if left outside to roll and play in the dirt and mud.  

Stall Cons:

• Horses are built to move.  They are happier and healthier when they can move around and get exercise.  Horses are herd animals and enjoy the company of other horses. A horse in a stall should be exercised daily.  
• Stalls require more maintenance, including mucking stalls.
• Stalls are more costly because they require regular bedding changes. If someone is hired to maintain them there is an extra cost for labor.
• Because they are enclosed there is more dust, more concentration of ammonia due to poorer ventilation.
• Stalls are an easier place for flies to gather.
• If stalled too much horses can very well develop vices such as cribbing or pawing, not to mention they just get painfully board being in a stall for long periods of time.

Run-In Shed Pros:

• A run-in shed is much cheaper and easier to build.  Some can even be movable.
• Horses can come and go out of shelter as they please, allowing them to be happier and healthier.  
• Run-ins are less expensive to maintain because they do not require regular bedding changes and mucking. Every few days the shed will require manure removal and a few times a year it will need to be cleaned out with a tractor and new sand or gravel added, depending on the number of horses using it. 
• Being more open, sheds have far less dust and ammonia concentration than stalls. 
• There is far less chance of a hose developing vices such as cribbing when they are free to move around and run.

Run-In Cons 
(some of these will not be issues if your horse is the only horse using the run-in*):

• You will need a place to groom, tack, and have a farrier and vet work with your horse, such as an empty stall or other covered shelter with a flat surface.  Run-ins are not good candidates for these things.
• If there ever is a bad storm, a run-in will not protect your horse as much as a stall from heavy, driving winds and blowing rain, snow, or hail. 
• If there is a dominant horse, that horse may prevent your horse from entering the shed, as well as eating and drinking. This can be a very stressful situation for a horse. *
• You will need access to a stall if your horse should ever require stall rest. 
• Since your horse is with other horses it will be difficult to determine how much your horse is eating and drinking. Monitoring poop and urination will also be very difficult. *
• Being allowed to enjoy life as a horse, your horse will be dirty more often than clean.

Regardless of which type of housing you choose, I strongly suggest – at the risk of sounding like a broken record – you ensure your horse has as much time as possible to be outside where he/she can move around and just be a horse.

-          Happy Trails

Like so many horse owners, you may not have the space to house and pasture your horse at your home.  So the question of how much board will cost, and where to find it are first and foremost in your mind if you are not already fortunate enough to have your horse at a good boarding facility. 

Prices can range from under $100 to over $700 a month, so pay attention to what is offered or not offered.  Read over the boarding contract and make sure you understand exactly what it includes.  Will you be charged extra if you want your horse blanketed or if you want any other special care out of the normal feeding, stall cleaning and turn-out?  Will you be charged extra if someone at the facility handles your horse for the vet or farrier? Often times, if you request supplements or grain to be given to your horse, you will have to supply them or reimburse the facility for them.

Let’s go over what you need to consider.  There is quite a range of choices available to you, depending on where you are located and what you can afford.  I would say the dominant deciding factor is going to be what you are able to pay each month.  Once you have a sound budget figured out you can determine what you can choose.

FULL BOARD (these are the usual things you get – always verify):

• Adequate hay given at least twice daily
  
• A constant supply of clean, fresh drinking water
• Cleaning/mucking of stall or run-in shed on a regular basis
• Regular turn-out on a daily basis, some facilities offer 24/7 turn-out
• Tack storage
• Scheduled vet checks (you pay the vet)
• Scheduled farrier visits (you pay the farrier)

FULL BOARD EXTRAS 
(some facilities will offer these – again, always verify):

• Regular, rotational deworming, administered about every 8 weeks
• Use of an indoor and/or outdoor riding arena
• Riding lessons
• An on-site vet
• An on-site farrier
• Trails for riding 

There are many facilities that will allow you to barter for the board fee, or at least part of it.  You can work out a schedule wherein you clean stalls, exercise horses, etc.  If you can instruct others in riding you may even be able to give lessons at the facility in exchange for some or all of the board.

SOME KEY POINTS TO KEEP IN MIND:

• How much turn-out will my horse have?  Horses are built to move.  Have you seen horses that sit in stalls day after day with little or not turn-out? They never look very happy do they?  The ideal situation is a set-up which allows a horse to come and go out of shelter as they desire.
• Does the facility provide good, quality horse-grade hay? Make sure the hay fed is not moldy, and has good color.  Make sure your horse will be fed enough hay.  Generally the average horse needs between 15 to 20 pounds of hay daily – depending on the individual horse.
• Does a farrier come on a regular basis to the facility?  You will want to make sure your horse’s feet are well-maintained. That will require regular farrier visits every 6 to 8 weeks, depending on the time of year and your horse’s needs.
• Does the vet arrive annually or semi-annually for check-ups and shots, and is the vet available readily in an emergency?
• Are the areas where the horses are kept free of protruding nails, screws, etc. that may cause injury to a horse? Horse owners frequently chuckle about how accident-prone horses can be.  Making sure a boarding facility is kept clean and free of anything a horse may be injured on helps to keep accidents from occurring.  Old farming equipment, metal, glass, etc in pastures and housing areas are accidents waiting to happen when it comes to horses.

As with anything it is a great idea to talk to other horse owners.  Who do they recommend? Who do they not recommend? Find out why and why not.  How do you relate to the people running the facility?  Do you feel comfortable with them?  Do you feel they will take good care of your horse?

Remember, it’s not just how fancy a facility is, or is not, that you consider when making a decision.  It has a great deal more to do with how safe and well-cared for your horse will be, what quality of life will be offered, and what you can budget yourself for.

Happy housing … and - as always - happy trails!