Are Horse Boarding Stables a Good Option for Horse Owners?
Growing up, we had plenty of land on our farm for our horses to roam. We had several pastures behind our house that were dedicated spaces for our different farm animals. I remember one day I had a new friend at school come over to my house to play and he was shocked that we had horses living on our property. He and his parents owned a horse, but their horse lived at a horse stable, so the horse didn’t live on their farm.
Honestly, I think we were both equally surprised at each other’s situation. I was used to having horses right behind the house, and having to go out and care for them daily. On the other hand, he was used to having to travel a few minutes up the road to the local horse stables to visit his family horse. When you own a horse, there is no right or wrong decision about where your horse should live. It all depends on your specific situation and what works best for both you and your horse.
The Different Types of Horse Boarding Stables
The options for boarding will vary from stable to stable. However, there are typically a few standard options that most all facilities will offer.
#1: Full Boarding
Because my friend growing up had just moved into town and lived in a rental home at the time, his family had chosen to fully board their horse. In general, when a horse is fully boarded, owners pay a monthly fee. The full boarding package normally covers services like feeding your horse, turning them out daily, and keeping their stalls cleaned. A lot of horse stables/horse boarding facilities will also offer optional add-ons for fully boarded horses such as grooming or blanketing services. In the case of being fully boarded, the horse owner has little to do with the daily care of the horse and the stable hands do the bulk of the work, so it’s definitely the most expensive option.
#2: Self Care Boarding
In the case of self care boarding, the horse owner is responsible for taking care of their horse. The only service that the horse boarding stables will provide is the location. This is a great option for horse owners that have the time to travel daily to the horse stable and fully take care of their horse, but just don’t have anywhere on their own property to board their horse. This is the least expensive option for horse boarding.
#3: Partial Board (Also called Pasture Board)
A partial board really is the “happy-medium” between self care boarding and full boarding. What a partial board looks like varies depending on the horse stables that you choose. At some boarding facilities, this middle tier boarding package is similar to the full board; but the stable staff performs less tasks, and the horse owner has more responsibility.
In other cases, where the option is to pasture board, horses are always turned out but have access to water, shelter, and all the resources that they would need. Since the stable does take care of some of the needs of the horse with this package, it’s typically more expensive than self care boarding; but not as pricey as full boarding.
How to Know Which Horse Boarding Stable is Right for Your Horse
As horse owners, our horses are like family to us. If we choose to board them, we definitely don’t want to just drop them off at a random horse stable without knowing that they will be well taken care of. When it comes to choosing the right boarding facility for your horse, go through the following question checklist to help you make your decision:
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What type of boarding package will best suit the needs of both my horse and myself?
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Are the boarding stables located conveniently to me so that I can quickly access my horse if and when needed?
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What type of amenities are important to me for my horse? (Paddock size, type of fencing, etc.)
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Can I park my horse trailer at the facility?
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Who will be the primary person that is in charge of taking care of my horse? What type of experience and certifications do they have?
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How often are the stall areas cleaned?
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What is the condition of the barn/stables? Is it well-lit, ventilated, and secure?
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Are there trails or arenas nearby?
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Is there an onsite area to store your tack? How is it secured?
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Is your horse able to be socialized?
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Is there a pest control policy in place?
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Can I bring my own vet/farrier, or is there one assigned to the facility?
Another great way to make sure that you’re choosing a reputable boarding facility is to ask around in your local horse community. Chances are that if a place has a really great local reputation, it’s a solid choice. It’s also a great idea to take a tour of the place before signing any type of contract. Most places will allow you to bring your horse to visit before you make any type of commitment. You can also meet with the stable owner/manager and get all of your questions and concerns answered.
Where Do I Find the Best Horse Stables Near Me?
You can search by your state to find the best-rated horse boarding facility closest to you with our updated horse boarding stable directory list.
AL | AK | AZ | AR | CA | CO | CT | DE | FL | GA | HI | ID | IL | IN | IA | KS | KY | LA | ME | MD | MA | MI | MN | MS | MO | MT | NE | NV | NH | NJ | NM | NY | NC | ND | OH | OK | OR | PA | RI | SC | SD | TN | TX | UT | VT | VA | WA | WV | WI | WY
Alabama
Oak Meadow Stables - Toney, Alabama
Alaska
Flying Horse Equestrian Center LLC - Palmer, Alaska
Arizona
Superstition Stables Horse Boarding - Apache Junction, Arizona
Arkansas
Stout Stables, LLC - Fayetteville, Arkansas
California
Hillcrest Ranch Boarding - Los Angeles, California
Colorado
Bibber Creek Stables - Golden, Colorado
Connecticut
Magnolia Run Equestrian Center - Willington, Connecticut
Delaware
Deer Antler Equestrian Center - Clayton, Delaware
Florida
Dream Horse Equestrian Center - Eustis, Florida
Georgia
GB’s Stables - Smyrna, Georgia
Hawaii
Koa Ridge Ranch - Pearl City, Hawaii
Idaho
Laughing Horse Boarding and Horse Motel - Meridian, Idaho
Illinois
Fox Chase Farms, Inc. - Maple Park, Illinois
Indiana
Star Stables Indiana - Indianapolis, Indiana
Iowa
Chasing Laurels - Des Moines, Iowa
Kansas
Equus Curito Equine Center - Louisburg, Kansas
Kentucky
Steppen’ Hi Stables Inc. - Walton, Kentucky
Louisiana
Rocking N Ranch - Des Allemands, Louisiana
Maine
Whispering Woods Stables - Augusta, Maine
Maryland
Wheaton Park Stables, Inc. - Silver Spring, Maryland
Massachusetts
Hillside Meadows Equestrian Center - Grafton, Massachusetts
Michigan
Meadowlark Equestrian Center - Plymouth, Michigan
Minnesota
Sunnyside Stables - Rosemount, Minnesota
Mississippi
Hillbrooke Stables - Pass Christian, Mississippi
Missouri
Sleepy Hollow Stables LLC - Crane, Missouri
Montana
Tri-H Stables - Bozeman, Montana
Nebraska
Log Barn Stables - Plattsmouth, NE
Nevada
Las Vegas Horse Ranch - Las Vegas, Nevada
New Hampshire
Riley’s Farm - Epping, New Hampshire
New Jersey
Bleecker Street Stables - Randolph, New Jersey
New Mexico
Spur Stables LLC - South Valley, New Mexico
New York
GallopNYC: Sunrise Stables - Howard Beach, New York
North Carolina
Horse Shadow Run - Charlotte, North Carolina
North Dakota
Medora Riding Stables - Medora, North Dakota
Ohio
Rising Star Ranch, LLC - Pataskala, Ohio
Oklahoma
Stoneridge Acres Stables - Edmond, Oklahoma
Oregon
The Sherwood Forest Equestrian Center - Sherwood, Oregon
Pennsylvania
Black Horse Stables - Furlong, Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
Morning Star Horse Farm - Saunderstown, Rhode Island
South Carolina
Hidden Creek Horse Farm, LLC - Fountain Inn, South Carolina
South Dakota
CK Stables - Harrisburg, South Dakota
Tennessee
Break N Run Farms - Ooltewah, Tennessee
Texas
Manor Equestrian Center - Manor, Texas
Utah
R Sharp Acres Horse Boarding and Riding Equestrian Heaven - Lake Point, Utah
Vermont
Hemlock Hill Farm - Shelburne, Vermont
Virginia
Silver Eagle Stable - Nokesville, Virginia
Washington
Red Horse Farm - Auburn, Washington
West Virginia
T&J Farms Horse Barn - Parkersburg, West Virginia
Wisconsin
Windy Hill Equestrian Center, LLC - Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin
Wyoming
Broken Heart Stables - Gillette, Wyoming
Use a horse boarding facility that you love and don't see it on our list? Contact us so that we can add it!
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to board a horse?
On average, horse owners can expect to spend $300 - $700 a month to board their horse. This depends on which boarding package that you choose as well as the amenities provided by the facility.
What is a horse boarding stable?
Boarding your horse in a stable is simply when you pay to have your horse housed at a facility.
Is it cheaper to board your horse or keep it at home?
As far as cost efficiency, it is less expensive to keep your horse at home as opposed to boarding them. Although it may be more upfront cost if you have to do any type of work or building on your property - keeping your horse at home is not an option for everyone and boarding is a good solution for many horse owners.
