However, I thought I'd take this opportunity to discuss boarding barns. Because I have never found one that really worked for me, and I'm starting to think they aren't out there.
I have both Ernie and Stella at school with me now. (No, I'm not rich, I'm still a broke-ass college kid; no, mommy and daddy don't pay for anything, I pay for everything out of my own pocket with my money that I've worked my butt off to make; and yes, it often means I am frantically calculating and reconfiguring my checkbook to make sure I can make ends meet). Either way, my two don't go without; their feet always get done on a timely basis, their stalls are always bedded nice and deep, and I don't ever hesitate to call the vet, no matter how bad the numbers may be. I do what's called a rough board at a co-op barn for students on the same property as the school facility; I pay $200 a month per horse, and provide all my own hay, bedding and grain. It's actually horribly costly, and I really don't save all that much, BUT I get to do my own chores the way I want them done and I see my horses multiple times a day. I will never, EVER make sacrifices when it comes to my horses' health. They deserve the best I can offer them, and it makes me feel better knowing they're well taken care of.
HOWEVER, not everyone shares that same sentiment. I've boarded at, oh, 5 different barns. Stella has only been at 2, but Ernie probably thinks I'm whack every time he walks off the trailer, because it's never to the same place. I'm very, very particular about boarding barns (as well I should be; I feel like too many horse owners settle for less than they deserve, or less than their animals deserve.) I've probably been called every name in the book for it, but I'm not rude at all. If you run a customer-based business where you are providing a service, it's expected that you will tailor your services to your customers and their needs. In my experience, that's very rarely the case.
So, until the time comes when I can look out my window and see my horses grazing happily in my backyard, I will be hunting for that ideal barn. And since I'm going to be looking for said barn this summer, I've put together a comprehensive list of what I absolutely need from a boarding facility, as well as what is a huge, huge bonus and highly desired.
What I absolutely need:
-Daily turnout. Neither of them can sit in a stall all day. Each to his own, but I've never understood not putting horses outside. Probably never will. Group turnout is also a must; Ernie cannot be turned out by himself...he'll just run the fence all day long. Stella doesn't really care either way.
-A run-in shed or walk-out stall for Ernie. Weather is not a huge issue; this horse is tough; he'll stand outside if he wants, and he'll come in if he wants. He just doesn't care. He's very claustrophobic because of past abuse and needs to see what's going on and feel free to come and go. This is the nicest one he's had thusfar...
-Indoor arena. In Vermont, weather is a pretty huge limiting factor when it comes to riding, especially in the winter. 75% of our winter weather renders riding impossible outside. An outdoor arena is always awesome, but an indoor makes riding possible every day out of the year. Take this, for example...
This was my car upon return from Virginia in early January. We got 3 feet of snow in 36 hours. It was also about 20 degrees without wind and a nice sheet of ice to boot. There's no riding outside in that.
-Care tailored to the horse's needs, not the barn owners. As in, the horses needs come first. There are certain situations in which a horse should not have to "tough it out". I'm tired of being told that Ernie needs to "tough it out" when he gets uncomfortable or anxious; he is the way he is, PEOPLE made him that way, and I want him around for many years to come. So he needs to be made comfortable, no matter what that means.
-Night check. It's just good barn practice...in the 15 years I've been around horses, night checks have saved at least 1/2 a dozen animals. It's amazing what you'll discover with just a walk through the barn.
-Feeding my grain. I feed Blue Seal grains. Ernie gets Sentinel Senior and Hay Stretcher pellets in a nice mush, and Stella gets a small amount of Vintage Hunter. I like these grains, they both do well on them, and I don't want to switch them to something new.
Those things aren't negotiable. The following are, but I'm definitely willing to pay a price for them:
-A pasture buddy for Ernie. I would love, love, LOVE to not have to turn out Stella and Ernie together. They get along fine, but they're too attached, which can make it difficult to work with them separately. I have been known to, in a real bind, bring both into the area and leave one loose while I work the other (no other horses around, of course!). I haven't had to do that in a long time because they each have their own walk-out stalls now so they're already separated, but I've had to in other barns. My perfect situation would be to have Stella in her own stall and put Ernie in a 24/7 pasture situation with a nice, big run-in shed and an old, laid-back retiree who's sole job is to eat and be fat and happy. That way, Ernie has a friend, and I can take him and work him whenever I need to and I don't have to worry about having his friend taken away.
-No drama. I really didn't care for highschool. Honest to God, they was probably the hardest years of my (short) life. It was FILLED with nasty girls, gossip, cliques, everything you don't ever want your kids to get caught up in. I don't want to relive that, especially not in a barn setting, where I have to relax for my horse's sake. Every barn has a bit of drama from time to time, but I don't want to drown in it whenever I walk through the door.
I know this isn't impossible. I know it. I have to balance between finding a boarding barn that suits my needs AND my budget.
And the search is on.
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