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[RC] Boarding facilities - wish list - Ridecamp GuestPlease Reply to: Sharon Hahn sharon.hahn@xxxxxxx or ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ========================================== 1. Safe facilities. Doesn't have to be pretty, but nail-free floor, doors and gates that latch propertly, no weekly "horse loose because the fence sucks", no sharp edges or places for the horse to get the head/feet stuck in, etc. 2. Good quality feed. No moldy hay. Individualized rations (not everybody gets a scoop of the house special whether a Shetland or a Clydesdale). 3. Turnout - preferably 24/7 with shelters and use of a stall daily for feeding and as needed/desired. 4. Individual attention for each horse. I don't mean that the barn owner needs to feed my horse carrots and sing her a lullaby every night, but someone should know what's normal for my horse, call me or the vet if she's acting strange, work with me to come up with a new diet if she's fat/skinny/foundering/hyper, put her in a different pasture if she's getting beat up or needs time to recover from an injury without her rambunctious friends, bring her in the barn or tell me to supply a blanket if she's shivering, etc. I'm happy to pay extra for "special treatment" if it's needed and it's a treat to have a stable where something other than the "standard treatment" is an option. Of course, I know the barn can't develop a separate routine for each horse, but it's nice to know that the routine can be customized if truly needed. For me, that is what separates a quality boarding facility from just an OK one. It's also important for the stable to be clear about what they can and cannot do. Don't tell me you'll adminster eye meds 4x a day if you'll only manage it once all weekend. I need to know if the barn can't provide this so I can make other arrangements such as doing it myself, having a friend do it, leaving the horse at the vet clinic, or whatever. 5. For the rider, it's nice to have amenities such as an indoor arena, trail access, a wash stall, tack room, changing area, shows/clinics and activities at the barn - but #1-4 above are far more important. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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