To Board or Not to Board - Money Isn't the Only Question

Should you board your horse or keep old Thunder at home? Hundreds of people face the to-board or not-to-board dilemma every month.

Money is one of the top motivating factors for keeping your horse at home. Average U.S.A. boarding prices published in Equus magazine (November 1998) range from $229 in the Midwest to $275 in the North East for stalls. Field/pasture boarding ranged from $103 in the Southern regions to $145 in the Northeast.

"Great! I'll save a couple of thousand a year by keeping old Thunder home," you say. Think again. The average cost of a bale of alfalfa hay ranges in price from $6-16 a bale. Multiply that by a minimum of 4 bales per month, then factor in the extra water, electricity, and liability insurance in case Thunder gets out and plays highway tag. Then factor in the start up cost of pipe corrals or to purchase fencing material, shelter, feed and water bins. Next, consider the "time-factor." You will be feeding twice a day, cleaning out the corral and water container that may take away from your limited riding time.

Be honest with yourself. Are you really that knowledgeable in case of a horse accident? Do you know what to do in a horse emergency when your vet is 100 miles away? Do you have back-up help in case you get sick or get stuck in traffic? Your horse depends on you to keep a normal feeding schedule and he can become anxious if it's not kept. What about horse care when you take a vacation? Is your property zoned to have horses? And how do those cleanly neighbors feel about horse dust or extra flies?

If you can answer these questions positively, then by all means keep your horse at home. There's nothing like looking out your living room window and watching your horses frolicking in the turn-out.

If your work or housing situation doesn't afford you the luxury of keeping your horse at home then be selective where you put your equine buddy.

Laurel Monreal who grew up on ranches and now is a urban dweller due to her demanding work schedule states her top criteria for a boarding stable - "Number one: The people running the place must have practical horse experience. Two: Someone is on the place 24 hours a day and they have a fire and disaster escape plan. Three: Good feed. I checked out the horses already stabled at the place to see how healthy they looked."