Picking the right Boarding stable for you and your horse.

Today I want to talk about picking the right horse boarding stable. I have been boarding horses for almost 20 years now and have probably been at 10 different stables some great others not so good. Over the next couple of days I will talk about things to look for when picking a stable.

The well being and safety of your horse is of the utmost importance. This sounds pretty basic but really it is the most important aspects of boarding and probably the broadest to cover. One of the most important aspects is fencing. There is all sorts of fencing out there today from monofilaments to tapes and steel pipe each have their pluses and minuses. At the end of the day the fence must contain your horse safely.

If you are located on a busy highway you will want very strong sturdy fencing to contain your horse, electric wire temporary tape or a strand or two of braided rope may not do. You will want a stout fence that your horse would not consider trying. Look for 5ft high and 4 strand or boards wide.

If you have a horse that may try a fence a line of electric wire may help.

Also consider the size of the pasture or paddock. If your horse if on 3000 acres you could get away with a strand or two because they are not going to try going through the fence with that much room. If they are in a small paddock I suggest a stronger fence with 4 strands. Ideally something that will not harm the horse if they get caught up in it.

Make sure the posts are well set not broken or leaning over. I have seen a horse hit an old wood post with his face, the results were not good.

I find that fencing is a good reflection of how a stable manages the other aspects of their business. If the fencing looks haphazard and thrown together chances are so are other parts of the stable.

check back next week for more tips on selecting a boarding stable

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Comment by Steve Wawryk on April 8, 2010 at 12:13pm: It can be a concern, but there are so many other things you could worry about with horses that I never give it much thought. If you have your horses close to a road people will always be able to stop and take a look. I am kind of glad people do keep their horses near the road I get a lot of pleasure driving a nd looking at horses in a field.
An electric fence can be a good deterrent for keeping strangers out of the pasture.
I think you just have to assume people are good and would not try to harm your horse. A stategically placed "no trespassing" or "under video surveillance" sign may help.

Comment by Barbara F. on April 8, 2010 at 11:43am: Steve, do you ever get concerned about people from the roads having access to the horses in the fields? It's something I've thought of.