Horse Boarding in Oakland County, Michigan

If this is your first time looking for boarding stables, it can be quite an ordeal. Just like house hunting for you and your family, choosing the best stables for your horse takes time and consideration.

After collecting a list of facilities that are convenient for you to travel to, call and make appointments to check the areas with the manager or owner. It may take some of your time, but inspecting everything first hand with keep you at ease, knowing the facilities in the end.

The first thing to do when you get to the boarding stable is to talk with the owner/manager. Ask a lot of questions about their years and experience riding and caring for horses. A very good sign is if they are relaxed, friendly and very open in answering your questions.

The second thing, which is very important to do on your own, is to be very observant to the things around you. Check the fields and surrounding area, making sure everything is neat and clean. Check the stables carefully to see if it is in top condition for your horse. Ask the owner any questions you may have about maintenance, feeding and care.

The third thing to look out for is the condition of the existing horses at the stables. Check their overall health and appearance. Keep a mental note about sickly or nervous looking horses, dull coats and unusual manners. If they all look happy and healthy, it’s a very good sign that they are well cared for.

The fourth thing to consider when choosing boarding stables is the feeding and nutrition of the horses. Make sure you know how and when the horses are fed, what they are fed and talk about any concerns or requests that you may have.

The fifth and final point to consider is about veterinary care. When the horses need care and checkups, you need reassurance that help is close by. Ask the owner if there is someone who regularly visits or stays at the stable grounds. If no one is available, it’s a very good idea to move on with your search!

There are several different kinds of services offered with horse boarding, either by different set plans or general services offered for everyone. For the best possible services provided for a happy and healthy horse, there are a few things that should be included, especially the ones who advertise as a full service boarding facility.

Regular Cleaning
Regular stall and bedding cleaning is a must. On average, mucking should be done at least once a day, while the stall itself has a range of time for cleaning. Depending on the amount of time a horse spends in a stall daily, it should have a thorough cleaning once every week to once every couple of months. For horses that have particular respiratory problems, more frequent cleaning is required. Along with the stall, the muck bucket and all other equipment and accessories should be cleaned and disinfected well.

Fresh Water and a Balanced Diet
Since a horse has a delicate internal system, having a fresh water supply is one of the more important needs required when boarding. During the boarding inspection, make sure there is a fresh water source near the stables, whether natural or in a large clean tank. The same importance should be placed on a balanced diet that will work best with the horse’s condition and needs. Ask the boarding owner what the different kinds of feed they provide and where they are kept.

Pasture and Paddock
Most of the horse boarding facilities will have general pastures available which is great for the horses to get out and get some exercise and socialize with the other horses. One concern that some horse owners may have is the types of horses that would be out with their horse. It is possible to check out the horses prior to placing their horse in the stables, and if there is still a worry, requesting a paddock will usually be fine.

Check-Ups
Finally, it is very important for the horses to have regular check-ups. As with every question and concern, ask the owner if there is an on-site veterinarian or at the very least, if there are on-site staff that are trained to care for horses. If they do not offer veterinarian visits, perhaps choosing a facility that does would be the best route.

There are many reasons why you would want to board your horse with a professional stable. Obviously the primary reason is if you don’t actually have stables of your own, but would like to keep a horse. Perhaps your little princess has been badgering you for a pony for a long time, and you’ve always used the excuse that a downtown condo is no place for “Angel”. However, even if you do have the space, you may want to take the following points into consideration.

Ready? Then let’s start. First, in favor of:

The number one point in support for the advantages of horse boarding stables is going to be that most boarding stables are professionally run, with years of experience in dealing with horses. This means the best care possible for your steeds. Animals can pick out inexperience, and may react badly when they feel uneasy, which is a danger to all involved. With experienced handlers the horses will remain calm and safe.

The second positive point is that with the level of professionalism comes a certain level of responsibility. All stables are required to be registered businesses, with some States further requiring permits or licenses to operate. You can rest assured your horse will be in good hands!

A third favorable point is you have a full-time staff that will pay the utmost attention to your horse, 24 hours a day. They will get the attention and treatment they deserve.

A fourth big benefit is all horse boarding stables have vets on call, so in case anything should happen, your horse will be the first to be looked after.
Lastly, the 5th point in support is going to be that your horse will be happiest with other horses to run with. Most stables have open paddocks that allow the horses free roaming time, which is great for the mental wellbeing of your horse.

To keep this balanced, there are cons:

The leading point of disadvantages of horse boarding stables is the cost. Most stables are not cheap. As they say, you get what you pay for! Of course the cost normally includes feed, care, insurance, housing, transport and 24 hour care/protection, so it’s understandable.

And the second negative point is that the horse is not nearby! Particularly if you are in a city. Most horse boarding stables are in the countryside, which means a significant drive just to ride for a few hours.

A third significant point against is that you cannot look after your horse. Many people get horses to experience the joy of looking after them. When your horse is boarded at a stable, the day to day care is usually looked after by the staff. Obviously you can usually visit as often as you want, but it can get terribly inconvenient.

A fourth negative point will be because of the previous point; the horses often form bonds with their caretakers, and not their owners. This isn’t a huge problem however, as horses which are well looked after will be loyal and kind to anyone!

And 5th and last, but not necessarily the least, consideration against is the lack of responsibility. It might sound odd, but if you are getting the horse for your daughter, one of the primary reasons might be to teach her the value of responsibility of a living being, and looking after it. With the horse housed in a stable off-site, this isn’t as easy to teach.

So there we have all the arguments from each side.

Finally then, what’s the “bottom line” here? Are the advantages and disadvantages of horse boarding stables bad or good?

We have a “Yes” response to both questions! The advantages and disadvantages of horse boarding stables are both negative and positive. The reader will have to pick which side, the good or the bad, outweigh the other…