How much does it cost to board a horse?

key point:

• Even if you own enough property to keep horses, you must abide by zoning laws and rules that govern horse ownership and humane care.
• Boarding horses provides safety and care for animals and provides horse owners with a community of like-minded horse lovers.
• Boarding costs can be as low as $100 per month if you take care of your horse yourself, or over $700 per month for full care.
• Ranch boarding is an affordable option that doesn’t include a stall, but offers a safe haven.

Some are lucky enough to have staff and stables on their property. But the truth is that the vast majority of horse owners don’t. One of the biggest hurdles the average horse owner faces is finding a place to keep their beloved horse.

This animal can be very distressed when living in an apartment or restrained in your small backyard. Horses need space. They eat a lot of food. Even if you have reasonable outdoor space, many places have strict laws about how and where you keep your horses.

The cost of riding a horse is not an expense that many people are willing to afford. Monthly fees can be high. You may be able to get a lower annual deal. Either way, you’ll want to get a good idea of ​​your average costs and the benefits you’re getting for those funds. You want to feel confident in the decision. You want your horse to be safe, healthy and happy.

Even if you own the property to keep your horses in stables, there are still substantial expenses (grooming and farriers, stable cleaning, etc.) and other equally important factors (access to pasture, training, riding lessons, etc.).

This article is about knowing what you need to know about horse riding costs. We cover the pros and cons, average monthly and annual costs, what you should be looking for and why.

Let’s ride!

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why did you get on your horse

The perfect spot for your horses is right on your property. But that’s not always possible. Not everyone can have a stable, solid farrier grooming, or food storage space. Paddock space is not for all homeowners.

You get on the horse and see if it has all the facilities and amenities that you would expect a horse to have, maybe you don’t have one. You probably want your horses to be close to trails and arenas. It is not uncommon for animals to be boarded for instructors, trainers and riding lessons in the hope that they will have an ecosystem that promotes well-being and good horse health.

Caring for the daily needs of a horse is not easy. Taking care of the horses yourself means less flexibility with vacations, routines, personal time, and more. Offloading these responsibilities to caretakers and professionals who manage barn chores like grooming and cleaning stalls can take some of the stress out of you.

leave your horses at home

Having the space and facilities to care for the horses on your property is a blessing to all parties. But you still have to consider square footage requirements and whether your area maintains zoning requirements.

Many regions have laws governing what is required to properly care for horses. For example, the requirement may be to have stables to protect the animals from the elements.

The great thing about home care for horses is that you can be sure that every aspect of their daily care is taken care of, and that you can spend time with your pet, whether it’s riding or taking them to the ranch.

The biggest downside of home care for horses is that you have to focus on every aspect of the day-to-day care of the horse, handling your professional and personal life around housework. From food to blankets and stable cleaning, caring for horses can be exhausting work.

Still, despite the obstacles, many people enjoy a challenge.

Horse Riding: Pros and Cons

When it comes to horses, it’s always greener than the grass over there. There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking care of horses. Too many of us think about the miracle of Black Beauty or the easy care of Mr. Ed, but rarely think about the real test associated with the effort.

Here are the pros and cons of boarding or home keeping horses.

board the plane

advantage

• No need for regular and daily horse care
• No need to own expensive expensive real estate to house a horse
• You are not responsible for the maintenance and repair of the horse costs
• Boarding facilities manage daily electricity, water, manure disposal, stall cleaning, food, etc.
• You become part of a community with other boarders, sharing training sessions and rides

shortcoming

• Someone else takes care of your horse
• You have to follow facility rules and don’t have much say in how things are done
• May have to deal with waitlists, overcrowding and under-resourced issues
• You can share resources such as paddocks and stalls with other boarders
• Depending on the region, the average cost of boarding is very expensive

Home Boarding Your Horse

advantage

• You manage complete control over horse care
• You save money compared to facility boarding
• The barn rules are yours
• Spend all the time you want with your horse
• Keep to your own schedule for feeding, cleaning, etc.

shortcoming

• Personal time like vacations can be risky unless you can find and afford a reliable person to take care of your horse
• You are responsible for waste disposal
• You pay for all barn water and electricity
• You are responsible for wear and damage to your horse
• A community without company rides and sharing

Pros and cons are personal. Some people prefer in-home care to the remote care a facility may offer. Homeowners can get dizzy with clearing hay, bedding and making all the decisions themselves. Others may not have the desire or time. Travelers may find that boarding is the more efficient route.

The only way to go wrong when making a choice here is to not investigate and determine what is best for your horse and your intentions.

different equestrian facilities

We hear “boarding” and imagine big barns, arenas, paddocks, possibly parking lots and offices, pastures, trees, and all that good stuff. Facilities will have steady hands, booth cleaning staff and groundskeepers. A professional will handle the grooming.

There may be on-site instructors and riding lessons, a farrier, and even a veterinarian. Other facilities may offer 24/7 pasture, which means your horse spends only a limited amount of time in a stable, or lives in a large paddock with shelter.

Specialized facility caters to retired senior horses. This is where owners put their animals to live out their final days in peace. You can find boarding houses dedicated to training, and many ponies and would-be racers may end up there.

Average cost of riding a horse in a stable

Average cost of almost anything is a misnomer. Costs fluctuate based on area, facility, amenities, variety, special needs, and of course, your budget.

You can expect to spend at least $350 or $400 per month. This is standard care. If your animal is boarded with full care, the monthly cost goes up. This can reach nearly $700.

Other boarding options include ranch boarding ($150-$400 per month). With self-boarding ($100-$200 per month), you pretty much just house the animal and manage it yourself.

Let’s take a closer look at each one.

Comprehensive care

Free boarding is a popular option for most horse owners. The staff takes care of all your animal’s daily needs, from blankets to outings, food to stall cleaning. The horses will be kept in stables and then grazed.

Take good care of it, you will get:

• Access to pastures and stalls
• Access to facilities (options such as training and riding lessons may increase prices)
• Universal feed twice a day
• Hay for corral or pasture
• Horses will be able to use stall buckets
• pasture filled and checked
• blankets for the colder months
• Farrier and Veterinary Dispatch
• Tack and Supplies Area

ranch board

Monthly fees for ranch boarding tend to be lower. In this facility, the horses are never in the stables. They stay outdoors, a state that is closer to their natural environment. They can run freely, forage for food and interact with other animals.

Pasture boarding typically includes:

• horse grazing
• shelter from bad weather
• If there is not enough forage, hay
• bucket (filled and checked)
• necessary coverage
• Veterinary and Farrier Scheduling
• Tack and Supplies Area

Self-care boarding

An affordable way, self-boarding requires only the facility to accommodate animals. Routine care and maintenance are all borne by the owner. With few amenities, this can be a difficult option to take advantage of. But there are also stables that provide self-care.

Most facilities are billed on a monthly basis, but you can of course find out if there is an agreement with an annual fee. Very likely. The yearly option might save you a little cash, so ask if there are any discounts on long-term agreements, yearly vs. monthly.

If money was no object…

Then consider China’s Heilan Horse Culture Museum – considered the most luxurious stable in the world. The barn features marble floors, grand sculptures, chandeliers, a grand staircase with a red carpet, and a golden ceiling. Fancy, yes, but it’s hard to beat wooden barns and green pastures for charm.

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