Boarding mini's

[fancyappy]

Hi everyone.Would like your opinions please .

If you have boarded your mini or are boarding it , what would your "dream list" be for your boarding barn?

What would you like to see at the facility? Equipment, care, space, services, etc? In your opinion what makes a boarding Stable perfect for mini's? What would make you choose one barn over another?

Thanks in advance for your feedback.

 

[Sandee]

Dream list would include a stall proportioned for minis (so they can see out). Their own paddock accessable from their stall so that "in" or "out" is their choice. Someone to exercise them several days a week. (you did say dream) Perfer someone knowledgeable about minis to be "in charge" of their care. A farrier and vet that is knowledgeable about minis. (talk about dreaming!) Other minis for company. Close enough to me that I don't have to drive 30 minutes or more. Clean barn (not a neat freak but no cobwebs or poo piles around from any animals -used to be at a place that the pet goat pooped all over.) and well maintained (no broken boards, protruding nails etc.) And as long as we're dreaming, a reasonable price.

Clean water in heated buckets, and quality soft hay are just the normal that I'd EXPECT.

I have put one of mine at a barn where the wife would come down and groom just because she liked the mini so much but I wouldn't list that as a requirement. It was just a nice bonus.

 

[nbark]

I am at the "dream barn". My friend has 12 x 12 stalls, in and outs with separate turnout. I bought a round pen for exercising my minis and buy and supply my own feed, hay and shavings. She lives on the property and feeds in the morning. I get there and do my own stalls. She has a constant eye on the horses as she is a homecare giver for her disabled mom, so the horses are always in eyeshot. She lives across the street from a state park that has miles of trails for driving my minis and is always willing to lend a hand with grooming. Hope this doesn't make too many of you jealous!! lol.

 

[fancyappy]

Thank you both very much. This is great info.

Duh..I never thought about mini's not being able to see out of traditional horse stalls.

Thanks again!

 

[Katiean]

When you board your minis, How much do you pay per horse and do you double up in a 12x12 stall? The reason I ask is I may be getting into a situation where I will have to board. I have 4 minis and they are all used to being together. In good weather I even feed their grain in seperate rubber pans but in a tight circle since when the weather is bad I feed them 2 in one stall and 2 in the other they do not fight over the feed.

 

[fancyappy]

When you board your minis, How much do you pay per horse and do you double up in a 12x12 stall? The reason I ask is I may be getting into a situation where I will have to board. I have 4 minis and they are all used to being together. In good weather I even feed their grain in seperate rubber pans but in a tight circle since when the weather is bad I feed them 2 in one stall and 2 in the other they do not fight over the feed.

Great question. I would love to read responses to this question.

The reason I started the thread is that we are considering boarding mini's exclusively at our home. We have built a new barn and need some feedback on the wants and desires of mini owners. We boarded our horses for many years before we moved here but we had all large horses then. So what I know from that experience may not apply when it comes to mini's.

Hope we get some more ideas and suggestions.

Thanks!

 

[shane]

my orses are actually in my dream boarding, there with a friend , who has a better place to keep them than even me....

she lets them out daily to kick up there heels and brings tham ikn at night to lovley hard feed and plenty of hay, ect

she treats them as her , so i guesss i cant ask any better than that!!!

 

[JewelsOK]

I board my mini at a facility built for full size horses and my mini can go under and leave the indoor arena, the outdoor arena and the pasture. All three places have the lowest rail too high for my short guy and he can escape from all three places. Thankfully in the indoor arena it is just one gate that is too high so I am able to tie two lead ropes across to block his escape. The other two areas are too high all the way around.

The stalls are too high for seeing out, too. The barn owners are wonderful, they let me build my own stall out of priefert gate panels (I was able to use the back wall as one side then 2 8'sides and the two 4' gates across the front (makes an 8x8 stall which I only use for inclement weather otherwise I keep him turned out in his pen). I also was allowed to build my own turnout area with 2"x4" horse wire and t-posts. They let us use left over material that they had to build an awning for him, too. They just charge me $30 per month for him (we pay $125 for our full size horse). It is self care, but they do throw breakfast if you set it out the evening before.

So all in all, I would have to say smaller spaces and smaller prices =]

Here is his turnout pen - the awning is like the others for the big horses, but is just out if viewfinder:

Here is a glimpse of his 8'x8' stall:

 

[Diana]

Loves all of Sandees suggestions. I would have only one suggestion as I like to drive my minis so to add to the DREAM list would be a indoor arena to work in during the winter months and rainy days.

 

[dreaminmini]

We board our mini. We bought him in May and have been boarding him ever since. I love it where he is - at Milo Acres(Milo Minis on here). Hope you don't mind Lori

She has mini height stalls, nicely bedded. My guy gets turned out play with her other minis, which he likes.

Bonus, she is a trainer as well, so he has been trained to drive and she gives my hubby, son and myself driving lessons. She is very knowledgeable and I trust her with my mini and feel he is very safe there. Tho, an indoor arena would be nice in this winter weather, my fingers almost fell off last weekend when we went for a drive.

The only drawback is she is a little far from where we live and it is a 1 1/2 hr drive to visit so we don't get out as often as I would like. But Lori came highly recommended and it has been worth the drive. My dream would be to move next door LOL

 

[TN Belle]

A dream boarding barn is not where I just came from for three years. Definitly issues with stall doors, they need to be lower or at least see through. You can use stall gates too since they can be lowered from biggies to minis. A must for me was smaller crossties as a mini in a 16 ft isle didn't quite work. I had two in one 12x12 stall that the owners built a plywood wall down the middle with a solid lift gate in the middle (a royal pain but it worked great). Definitely had too create their own paddock area with lower electric tape and smaller buckets to get into.

My stall doors - not the boarding barn

http://www.doversaddlery.com/dovers-yoke-s...1-27468/cn/186/

Dover Stall Gate

 

[HorseMom]

I board my guy as well. I actually bought him from the trainer at the farm, so they were already prepared for him. He has his own dry lot with mini sized panels. The trainer's brother had made her this cute little house for Jay that looks like an oversized dog house. Its too cute. The only complaint that I have is that they over feed him hay. Way too much for a little 33" Horse. Plus there is a boarder that comes in the evening who re-feeds all the horses hay. He's been told to stop but doesn't listen. He feeds Jay the same amount as a larger horse. Its no wonder that I can't get that fat off the boy. The owners of the farm are great though. Very laid back. We'll be re doing one of the pastures in the spring so that Jay will be able to have some pasture time when everyone else is in the barn. I only pay $60 a month.

Heather

 

[midnight star stables]

A dream boarding barn is not where I just came from for three years. Definitly issues with stall doors, they need to be lower or at least see through. You can use stall gates too since they can be lowered from biggies to minis. A must for me was smaller crossties as a mini in a 16 ft isle didn't quite work. I had two in one 12x12 stall that the owners built a plywood wall down the middle with a solid lift gate in the middle (a royal pain but it worked great). Definitely had too create their own paddock area with lower electric tape and smaller buckets to get into.

My stall doors - not the boarding barn

http://www.doversaddlery.com/dovers-yoke-s...1-27468/cn/186/

Dover Stall Gate

:OKinteresting

So cute! When I own my own barn I want stalls like this.

Due to space restrictions here, we have to stall four horses 2 and 2. Two sure do make a mess

The other two have been stalled like that for year and it works well. In a couple of months, our place should be back to normal, and everyone will have their own stalls again.

Our stalls are 10 x 10.

 

[mydaddysjag]

What I like to see is a barn owner who follows the feed schedule the owner sets, and doesn't adjust it how they see fit. i have no problem buying my own special feed if my horse eats something the farm dosen't feed, but I get a little irate when I find out they are feeding my horse a scoop of sweet feed with his normal ration, and enough hay that he has enough to swim in for 3 days. My horse can be a bit of a hot head, and defiantly doesn't need the extra sugar from sweet feed.

I expect water buckets to be plenty low enough that my guy doesn't have to strain to reach it. Mini safe fencing and turnout away from other horses. A dry lot for show season when I want him kept off of grass, and of course, a round pen, preferably with sand footing. Electricity and running water to the barn, its a huge plus if it has warm water. Also, If I live more than 10-15 mins from the barn I need access to a restroom or porta potty.

Right now I pay $50 a month for full care board on a mini gelding at a big horse barn that has an indoor arena, bathroom, tack room, outdoor round pen, however no real turnout for Midas. He gets turned out in a big indoor arena, and sometimes out in the round pen. I was looking into moving him either home in the spring, or to a persons farm that had emailed me (I had a posting on my local craigslist, but when I sold my other computer it wiped out even my web mail email, and I lost contact with them. The situation sounded perfect too, so much for my luck)

If I don't get him moved home by this spring, i'm going to talk to my barn owner and see if she will let me fence in a small dry lot area for Midas, and whatever other horse I get to show this year. I'm about positive she will say yes, I just need to figure out what I am doing for sure before I talk to her about it.

 

[fancyappy]

What I like to see is a barn owner who follows the feed schedule the owner sets, and doesn't adjust it how they see fit. i have no problem buying my own special feed if my horse eats something the farm dosen't feed, but I get a little irate when I find out they are feeding my horse a scoop of sweet feed with his normal ration, and enough hay that he has enough to swim in for 3 days. My horse can be a bit of a hot head, and defiantly doesn't need the extra sugar from sweet feed.I expect water buckets to be plenty low enough that my guy doesn't have to strain to reach it. Mini safe fencing and turnout away from other horses. A dry lot for show season when I want him kept off of grass, and of course, a round pen, preferably with sand footing. Electricity and running water to the barn, its a huge plus if it has warm water. Also, If I live more than 10-15 mins from the barn I need access to a restroom or porta potty.

Right now I pay $50 a month for full care board on a mini gelding at a big horse barn that has an indoor arena, bathroom, tack room, outdoor round pen, however no real turnout for Midas. He gets turned out in a big indoor arena, and sometimes out in the round pen. I was looking into moving him either home in the spring, or to a persons farm that had emailed me (I had a posting on my local craigslist, but when I sold my other computer it wiped out even my web mail email, and I lost contact with them. The situation sounded perfect too, so much for my luck)

If I don't get him moved home by this spring, i'm going to talk to my barn owner and see if she will let me fence in a small dry lot area for Midas, and whatever other horse I get to show this year. I'm about positive she will say yes, I just need to figure out what I am doing for sure before I talk to her about it.

Great advice! Thank you.

Good luck finding Midas a new barn. I am sure the perfect one is waiting for you.

I appreciate all your feedback and if you think of anything else please let me know.

 

[fancyappy]

A dream boarding barn is not where I just came from for three years. Definitly issues with stall doors, they need to be lower or at least see through. You can use stall gates too since they can be lowered from biggies to minis. A must for me was smaller crossties as a mini in a 16 ft isle didn't quite work. I had two in one 12x12 stall that the owners built a plywood wall down the middle with a solid lift gate in the middle (a royal pain but it worked great). Definitely had too create their own paddock area with lower electric tape and smaller buckets to get into.

My stall doors - not the boarding barn

http://www.doversaddlery.com/dovers-yoke-s...1-27468/cn/186/

Dover Stall Gate

Great stalls!

I wish I had seen this before we built our barn.We put low windows with bars in each stall for a view ousidet but I really like your set up. You can see your mini easily and he can see out into the barn. Very nice.

 

[fancyappy]

I board my mini at a facility built for full size horses and my mini can go under and leave the indoor arena, the outdoor arena and the pasture. All three places have the lowest rail too high for my short guy and he can escape from all three places. Thankfully in the indoor arena it is just one gate that is too high so I am able to tie two lead ropes across to block his escape. The other two areas are too high all the way around.
The stalls are too high for seeing out, too. The barn owners are wonderful, they let me build my own stall out of priefert gate panels (I was able to use the back wall as one side then 2 8'sides and the two 4' gates across the front (makes an 8x8 stall which I only use for inclement weather otherwise I keep him turned out in his pen). I also was allowed to build my own turnout area with 2"x4" horse wire and t-posts. They let us use left over material that they had to build an awning for him, too. They just charge me $30 per month for him (we pay $125 for our full size horse). It is self care, but they do throw breakfast if you set it out the evening before.

So all in all, I would have to say smaller spaces and smaller prices =]

Here is his turnout pen - the awning is like the others for the big horses, but is just out if viewfinder:

Here is a glimpse of his 8'x8' stall:

Thank you for the photos, good ideas and comments. It was very helpful. Thanks again!!!!!

 

[fancyappy]

Thanks everyone who has replied. I am learning alot and getting great ideas. Alot we have in place is going to work great but I see that I have to change some things and add some other services. Thanks so much!

 

[nbark]

On my two minis, they can both be in one 12 x 12 with plenty of room, but I separate them at night, each in their own stall. My friend does not charge me board, but I am responsible for the dumpster, which comes out to about $100 a month. This way none of the property is "unusable" because of a big manure pile and in Mass they are coming down on horse owners for keeping manure piles too close to wet lands with run off. Have a few friends who were told to clean up their manure piles.

 

[TN Belle]

Thanks, I LOVE my stalls. We debated and searched until we settled on these. The top half has a yoke cut out that can be removed for a big horse to stick their heads out and the stall can get ventilation. So, with a mini, is was doubly perfect cause they get the air and get to see what's going on without a major conversion in the barn. My horse future is pretty diverse so I wanted to keep my options open. The bottom bars are only about half inch apart, so no feet can come through.