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 Money Eating Baggage Owner
Posts: 9586
   
Location: Phoenix | Currently board. Location is great, 10 minutes up the road from my home and has arena lights. Close to beautiful trails. But the arena footing is terrible and I have to ride off property to find good footing to work my horse. BO has made it clear he's not putting any work into the arena. Round pen is small and BO is lazy. BUT, he lets my BF ride his horse so we can ride together which is nice.
I've found other places that seem to have what I'm looking for, but are a good 20-30 minutes away from either my work, or my home. If they are close to work, that means they're even farther from my home so weekends I'd be driving pretty far.
I just don't know what to do. Anyone else board closer to their home than work or vice versa? How far do you travel? Any advice? |
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Meanest Teacher!!!
Posts: 8552
Location: sunny california | for me it would depend if i had a finished horse or a colt. for a finished horse i would just stay there and maybe trailer to another worked arena for a weekly schooling ride and just go for trail rides during the week. starting a young one i would find the best place that had decent ground and a situation that would allow me to ride at least 4 days per week. |
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 Mature beyond Years
Posts: 10780
Location: North of the 49th Parallel | I'm moving and I'm having to make this decision. Cheaper, closer to work but crappy "arena" and backed onto trails or slightly more expensive, but jumper arena. |
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 Three in a Bikini
Posts: 2035
| I think the biggest factor to consider is whether or not the BO will feed for you.
If yes, (and you find a decent place) now you are not tied into going everyday 2/3x per day. |
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 Don't Wanna Make This Awkward
Posts: 3106
Location: Texas | I would never let my horse be 30 minutes away from me again. The only reason I went with it was because I knew the barn owner and knew my horse would be well cared for(which he was). But I have recently moved him 15 minutes from my house and 5 minutes from work and I love it! I can't work the barrels great at this place either but honestly I've found it helps me find something else to do instead of just working a barrel pattern every day. |
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Money Eating Baggage Owner
Posts: 9586
Location: Phoenix | BO does feed and my horse maintains his weight. But he doesn't get his grain/supplements when he's turned out overnight 2-3 nights a week which bothers me. I can barely do dry work any faster than a trot because the ground is SO hard. The trails are softer than the arena! I do like riding out to my little cleared patch of land and doing stuff there, but with my busy work schedule I'd like to be able to lunge him or round pen him when I don't have time to go out with on the trails.
I'm looking at a place this weekend that sounds pretty good (same area) but it all depends on the arena ground. |
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 Party Girl
Posts: 12293
Location: Buffalo, Wyoming | I have never boarded where my horses were fed by someone else or the arena was worked by anyone but us... So with that said, could you figure out how to make the ground better where you are? Does your BO have a tractor he would let you use to try and fix these things? |
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 Not Afraid to Work
Posts: 4717
| I board about 15 minutes away and used to be 30 minutes away. I hated the 30 minute drive and I felt like it was such a big chunk of time to even drive there. I also felt like I had to do something when I went. Being only 15 minutes I don't feel guilty just brushing on them, letting them graze, etc.
I agree with the other poster who said it depends on your need for pattern/arena work. If I had a young one, it would be pretty important but if I had a seasoned one, it wouldn't matter much. |
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Money Eating Baggage Owner
Posts: 9586
Location: Phoenix | UTAHCANCHASER - 2016-03-30 5:58 AM I have never boarded where my horses were fed by someone else or the arena was worked by anyone but us... So with that said, could you figure out how to make the ground better where you are? Does your BO have a tractor he would let you use to try and fix these things?
Unfortunately no. He had dirt hauled in for free at one point and it was deep and great, but it packed down and is down to nothing now. His 4 wheeler broke, but even that doesn't do much; just drags around the gravel on top. My horse won't even roll in the arena. About the time he got a cruzefire roping dummy to pull with the 4 wheeler, it broke. I'm just so unmotivated right now. I like how small the place is but if I can't use the amenities provided....it's kind of pointless. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 582
Location: Wherever They Send Me | My horses are currently 20 min away. There is an arena (size of a dressage square) but I cant work the pattern. I do have access to a few acres of pasture that my hoses get turnout out in and I ride in frequently. The BO feeds mine 2x a day (I premix their grain/supplements all she has to do it dump the tubberware and add the Omni), she turns them out and bleaches their feet about once a week.
I could move them closer to another facility that has a barrel pen and is a little closer...but they wouldn't have access to grass and the several acres of turnout like they have now.
Finding the right place is always hard...good luck! |
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 I hate cooking and cleaning
Posts: 3310
Location: Jersey Girl | For me it's important they are within 10 miles of my home and in a convenient location. When I needed a break from doing self care I boarded at a friends farm. It was 25 miles from home and 35 miles from work. On work days that I would visit my horses too I was driving 90 miles. Once I wanted to be more involved I moved them closer to home. |
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  Damn Yankee
Posts: 12390
Location: Somewhere between raising hell and Amazing Grace | I have never ever had my horses in a place with a decent arena, all of which were at my home, so I have always had to trailer out to arenas to work them.
I think you need to weigh the pros and cons on everything. Which place is safer overall for your horses, which is the best care for your horses? You can make it work without a great arena. It's harder to make it work if the horses are not cared for. |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | missroselee - 2016-03-30 9:42 AM I have never ever had my horses in a place with a decent arena, all of which were at my home, so I have always had to trailer out to arenas to work them.
I think you need to weigh the pros and cons on everything. Which place is safer overall for your horses, which is the best care for your horses? You can make it work without a great arena. It's harder to make it work if the horses are not cared for.
This^^^^ I dont board never had but if I did I would want the place that is best for my horses not me, like the best care and safe as in fencing and stall, I would want my horses were I know they are being taking care of. If you have a truck and trailer you can haul to someplace to work your horses, having good riding trails would be a plus.. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1131
| We used to board 45 minutes away from our house. Why? Because it was a nice place. She lived in a good sized turnout dry lot, was fed top quality alfalfa hay that they provided, got her grain and supplements 2x a day, had access to a nice arena that they kept dragged quite often, a hot walker, nice round pen, etc. I'd rather make a longer drive and know my horse is being well cared for and have everything available to make the most out of my rides then have them close but not be able to do anything. She looked better there than she ever did at the place just down the road from my house (we also learned that the one down the road was skipping feedings and not cleaning stalls because they didn't feel like it.... that was a major no no with me).
Edit: I also don't care about trails, which this place didn't have. If we wanted to go trail riding, we would trailer them out to a friends house and go in a big group, so it didn't affect us much at all.
Edited by FlyingHigh1454 2016-03-30 12:44 PM
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 678
Location: Canada | You need to look at it this way. You could drive an ADDITIONAL 10 minutes to a place where your horse will get the supplements its supposed to get and you'll have good footing. Alternatively you can stay where you are and be 10 minutes closer but your horse isn't getting the supplements its supposed to get and you have to ride on the trails to be able to work your horse. On top of that you mention the arena has lights but what good are they if you can't ride in it? If you have to haul your horse somewhere else to ride so you can practice then the convenience of only being 10 minutes away is pointless really.
For me it's an easy choice I'd drive the additional distance so I had footing I could work my horse in.
Good luck |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 889
| I boarded for two years...it was my first time having to board. The care and safety of your horse HAS to come first. You need quality feed, definitely quality hay (even if you have to buy your own), adequate turnout...and one thing I didn't realize until it was too late...A CLEAN BARN and good ventilation. I had an indoor and outdoor arena which was great...but the footing wasn't any good out of a high lope, but I made due. In the end, the cleanliness/biomedical issues were why I left and I am glad I did. Luckily, we got our place done I could bring them home.
It's stressful and I wish you luck. Also, do not be afraid to speak up if issues arise. They'll either correct them or you can find a new place. |
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 Total Germophobe
Posts: 6437
Location: Montana | I have only boarded as I live in town, but I've only boarded with friends so far, and they feed for me (I buy all hay, grain, etc., and do all vaccines, trimming, worming, etc.). My first place was 30 miles away, and it was too far to go out every day. Now, where I'm at is about 8 miles out, she feeds for me too, and it is so much nicer being closer, that way if I had to go feed it wouldn't be so far, but I can more easily go out several times a week to ride or groom or whatever. No where I have been has had an arena, but has had pretty good places to ride (trails, pastures, that sort of thing), but there are several arenas close by if I want to go use them, a couple about 4-7 miles from where I currently board. That's just what works for me. |
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 Hog Tie My Mojo
Posts: 4847
Location: Opelousas, LA | missroselee - 2016-03-30 9:42 AM I have never ever had my horses in a place with a decent arena, all of which were at my home, so I have always had to trailer out to arenas to work them.
I think you need to weigh the pros and cons on everything. Which place is safer overall for your horses, which is the best care for your horses? You can make it work without a great arena. It's harder to make it work if the horses are not cared for.
Lol, same here. We finally spent some cash to have sand hauled in to our arena and the PTO broke on our tractor so we can't work it. I am back to trotting the pattern in a grassy slick psture, it is what it is. At least I know my horses are safe and well cared for. |
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Money Eating Baggage Owner
Posts: 9586
Location: Phoenix | Looked at a place yesterday. It's on my way home from work....pens were 12x20 but didn't seem that big and were really crammed together. Arena was pretty nice and so was roundpen. But it was kind of in the city....Id rather keep him where he's at because he gets overnight turnout 2-3 days a week and it's calmer out there. Looking at another today. Friend who I board with told me there won't be a perfect place....I need to remember that. |
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I just read the headlines
Posts: 4483
| Turn out time and feeding on a schedule are most important to me because I think that is really important for my horse's health. Of, course there are many other things to consider. If your horse is happy and you can ride with your SO and that makes him happy don't be afraid to stay. I understand the desire to have your horse close and in a really nice place, too. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 705
Location: Weatherford, TX | Yes...a perfect place for both you and your horses does not exist. I have boarded for 25 years at 5 places. The second place I boarded at was for 18 years. It was more perfect for me and the convenience of it...from the standpoint that I could move colts easily, feed what I wanted, had an indoor, etc.. It however had a crappy outdoor and crappy turn-out. We also LOVED the people that owned/ran it. However, we were buying off the track horses at the time...they really didn't want turn-out. I was there everyday and they were exercised/turned out when we were there. We made it work during the times we needed to. So it worked for me...and the horses too. I have since boarded at dressage and jumper barns....made it work (it really enlightened them as to how broke brarrel horses could be). I had fun at the those barns too! I also learned a lot.
I LOVE having an indoor or covered pen. Turn-out for me isn't a big deal as I am at the barn everyday; or if I am not for some reason, they are well taken care of. They get out everyday (whether I am there or not) doing something and 'fussed' over. However, I do have horses that really don't like a lot of turn-out. I have one that was a 'track baby' since he was a weanling and loves his stall. He only likes 20-30 minutes of turn-out at a time. I have another that was raised outside since he was born until he was a mid-2YO and not messed with at all; and now that he's a 4YO (and been to 'work' daily), he only likes an hour or so.
So...I guess I am saying that you have justify the price (I have been at the VERY high end and low end of that), what your horses like and what you like...all combined. Like I said in the beginning of this post, there is NO perfect place when you board. However, I could never keep them at my place neither, nor would I want to.
Edited by Gator Bug 2016-03-31 9:37 AM
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Money Eating Baggage Owner
Posts: 9586
Location: Phoenix | Looked at 2 places today. They didn't totally wow me for the increase in price. Might just hang tight and not make a decision until next month. Maybe I can network and reach out to arena owners in the area to see if they'd be willing to let me ride in their arena for a small monthly fee. That's not weird is it?? |
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A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | hammer_time - 2016-04-02 8:50 PM Looked at 2 places today. They didn't totally wow me for the increase in price. Might just hang tight and not make a decision until next month. Maybe I can network and reach out to arena owners in the area to see if they'd be willing to let me ride in their arena for a small monthly fee. That's not weird is it??
NO not weird at all, that would be a good ideal  |
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Who else boards their horse?? Can't decide on best scenario.....