# Has anyone here ever boarded horses?



## black_cat (Dec 11, 2020)

**the 'p' key on my computer is broken, so I have to copy paste every 'p'. Sometimes I forget, so I apologize for any selling errors!**
Has anybody here ever boarded horses, either being the one housing other peole's horses, or boarding your horses at another place? What was your experience? How much money did it cost/bring in? Was it worth the cost/work? I'm asking this because when discussing farm possibilities, several of my friends have recommended boarding horses to bring in money.


----------



## Hillenmeyer (Dec 11, 2020)

it very much depends on your area. I grew up outside of chicago, my friends pay over $600/month for board. We are in wisconsin, in the country and I dont know anyone that pays more than $300/month for board. It'd depend on what hay you get and cost. My experience growing up in the horse world, Horse people are CRAZY! Some crazy good, some are just wacky. If you open up your place for boarding horses, be careful. Horse people can be super picky about hay, footing, shavings, fencing, weather... We have our horses on our property and our dairy farmer neighbor wants to bring his girlfriends horses over for the winter b.c one is arthritic and i just cringe at the thought of having that liability, the pickieness, the extra eye on them... I  am a horse person, i love horses, but they are work, they are fragile and I would avoid it.


----------



## secuono (Dec 11, 2020)

If you've never owned, leased, dealt with horses before, I'd suggest NOT opening your place to boarding.


----------



## Mini Horses (Dec 12, 2020)

Then there's the $$$ issue.  Some don't pay well, some think they bought the farm!  The whole thing can go real well or real wrong.

Remember the liability you are subjected to with fence, damage, visitors, injury, etc.   Talk with insurance and attorney for contracts.


----------



## black_cat (Dec 12, 2020)

secuono said:


> If you've never owned, leased, dealt with horses before, I'd suggest NOT opening your place to boarding.


That makes LOADS of sense- but I am experienced with horses, and this would be happening after several years of experience owning my own horses. I wouldn't dream of taking anyone else's without proper experience.


----------



## black_cat (Dec 12, 2020)

Hillenmeyer said:


> it very much depends on your area. I grew up outside of chicago, my friends pay over $600/month for board. We are in wisconsin, in the country and I dont know anyone that pays more than $300/month for board. It'd depend on what hay you get and cost. My experience growing up in the horse world, Horse people are CRAZY! Some crazy good, some are just wacky. If you open up your place for boarding horses, be careful. Horse people can be super picky about hay, footing, shavings, fencing, weather... We have our horses on our property and our dairy farmer neighbor wants to bring his girlfriends horses over for the winter b.c one is arthritic and i just cringe at the thought of having that liability, the pickieness, the extra eye on them... I  am a horse person, i love horses, but they are work, they are fragile and I would avoid it.


The area part makes a lot of sense- because there wouldn't be as many places to board the horses if you're nearer the city, right? Does the person paying board also cover food, shavings, vet cost, etc, or is it all you?


----------



## black_cat (Dec 12, 2020)

Mini Horses said:


> Then there's the $$$ issue.  Some don't pay well, some think they bought the farm!  The whole thing can go real well or real wrong.
> 
> Remember the liability you are subjected to with fence, damage, visitors, injury, etc.   Talk with insurance and attorney for contracts.


Would one want to ask for pay upfront for each month? Or does it not work like that?


----------



## Mini Horses (Dec 12, 2020)

Yes, it's always pay in advance....so, no payment and what do you do????  You have possession and responsibility for a live animal.

Can't not feed, turn lose off farm, what?   The courts will give you right to collect,  take you 60 days and no money in hand.  In some states you can have a lien on animal.   Back to attorney before taking on the business, to know your rights.


----------



## Baymule (Dec 12, 2020)

Check out insurance cost and liability. Any time you let the public on your property you are responsible for anything stupid that they do. No matter that it is their fault, as owner you are held responsible.  Personal injury attorneys get rich off this.
I’ve had horses practically all my life. Spooky horse plus idiot owner equals lawsuit. It’s bad enough to have to put up with idiots, then have them sue you because they got hurt on your property. No way I’d take that on.


----------



## Hillenmeyer (Dec 12, 2020)

black_cat said:


> The area part makes a lot of sense- because there wouldn't be as many places to board the horses if you're nearer the city, right? Does the person paying board also cover food, shavings, vet cost, etc, or is it all you?


If we were to rent our pasture out. I would charge an amount that covers maintenance to the pasture (reseeding, spraying for weeds..) and enough to cover cost of hay in winter. Owner is 100%reliable for vet and farrier issues and care of horse of it gets injured. I would charge extra if it needs grain or supplements that I would have to feed on a daily basis. Yes charge board up front. There are people that will not pay and move from place to place with their horses and free load. The horse world is really tricky. I wouldn’t suggest it as an easy way to get income or make use of your property. Rent it to sheep or goats instead


----------



## black_cat (Dec 12, 2020)

Hillenmeyer said:


> If we were to rent our pasture out. I would charge an amount that covers maintenance to the pasture (reseeding, spraying for weeds..) and enough to cover cost of hay in winter. Owner is 100%reliable for vet and farrier issues and care of horse of it gets injured. I would charge extra if it needs grain or supplements that I would have to feed on a daily basis. Yes charge board up front. There are people that will not pay and move from place to place with their horses and free load. The horse world is really tricky. I wouldn’t suggest it as an easy way to get income or make use of your property. Rent it to sheep or goats instead


For some reason I had never even thought that renting it to sheep or goats was a thing!?!! What does that entail?


----------



## Hillenmeyer (Dec 12, 2020)

black_cat said:


> For some reason I had never even thought that renting it to sheep or goats was a thing!?!! What does that entail?


It depends on what kind of fencing you have. You provide water and shelter they bring their herd over. Pretty simple most of the time. We have a creek running through our property so we put fence up and and rented ours out. You can also get that premier electric netted fence that goes up pretty easily and fast.


----------



## Kusanar (Dec 14, 2020)

What you offer is entirely up to you. I have boarded my horses at a place that was just a field with a creek, trees for shelter. In winter they were fed hay (the same round bales the guys cows ate). At that place he charged a different amount during hay feeding season due to the expense of the hay being fed. 

I boarded at my place for a while, we charged $200 per horse or $300 for 2 horses owned by the same set of people, the people were more of a hassle than the horses were so discounts for less people around. We also charged the same year round so that we didn't have people boarding while there was grass, we stocked up on hay for them, then they left as soon as we started feeding hay. 

We did not include grain, only hay and water, I would go out once a day and would feed their horses their grain if they wanted when I was there for free, I would not make special trips to the barn for their horses for free. If they used my vet and my farrier and had appointments the same day as my horses I would hold their horses for the vet and farrier for free, extra charge if it was a different day or a different vet or farrier. 

Essentially, I would treat their horses like mine when I was there to handle mine, but any special treatment was extra.

Each horse had a stall that they could use to bring them in and feed, groom, etc, and there was sawdust provided, if they wanted to stall overnight (feeding extra hay) they would need to pay more, if they wanted different shavings they had to buy them, if they wanted me to clean their stalls, they would pay more. If I made a decision to bring everyone in overnight due to bad weather or something like that, then that was on me, no extra cost to the owners, I would bed the stall, add water buckets, give hay, and clean the stall the next day. 

So, decide what you are comfortable providing, then detail it in a contract. If there is something you do not want to provide but are ok with people providing for themselves (like different or extra shavings) then you can list that as well or negotiate on a case by case basis (but write it in and sign off on it). You want as much listed as possible so that you and the boarder know exactly what to expect and if someone isn't doing their part, they have it in writing rather than it being a grey area. 

Board should be payed up front, I might even say that you should ask for 2 months up front before the horse comes on the property, that way if they miss a month you already have the money and are not hurting due to that. Maybe even do a late fee of an extra $50 if you receive their board check that was due on the 1st after the 15th to encourage prompt payment (I wouldn't worry about interest though, too much hassle). I BELIEVE but don't know for sure, that if they do not pay for 60-90 days or somewhere around there that you can legally claim the horse as yours and sell it to make back the past due board but you would need to look at the specific law in your area, I would also include that in the contract in the board fee section so that they know. Obviously if someone falls on hard times and they are normally really good about paying on time, you could make an exception for them if you wanted but it does give you an out if someone dumps a horse on you and vanishes.


----------



## Finnie (Dec 16, 2020)

Mini Horses said:


> pay in advance....so, no payment and what do you do????





Kusanar said:


> Maybe even do a late fee of an extra $50 if you receive their board check that was due on the 1st after the 15th


The place we boarded our horse at had a hefty late fee, and it was _per day!_


----------



## beefalocindy (Dec 16, 2020)

All of the above is serious stuff to consider! You at a minimum must carry a million dollars insurance. liability!! Don't advertise it but do have it, you will sleep better at night. Also a really really good contract is in order along with something about parents with there children. Anyone under 18 yrs of ae


----------



## Mini Horses (Dec 16, 2020)

Insurance -- talk umbrella with you agent for extra insurance, normally less overall in the long run.


----------

