RE: Boarding an Endurance Horse

[trishd@softthought.com (Trish Dutton)]

Bruce,

I have boarded my endurance horse at two different facilities.  I had
been at the first facility when I did reining - left shortly after I
started endurance because of problems similar to that which you
described.  My mare was not getting adequate turn out, all horses
(regardless of use) were on basically the same feed, and I had to feed
any supplements myself (I mean literally to be there every feeding if I
wanted any supplements!)- and this was a full care facility.  I think
the problem at this barn was, not only the lack of knowledge about the
sport, but the large number of animals they had on the place.

The barn that I moved to is a much smaller facility.  I am open and
honest with the owners about my horse's needs and they work with me on
supplying them.  For instance, I provide small baggies of supplements
that they give at feeding time, they feed exactly what I ask them to,
and my mare gets turned out in a 20 acre pasture even on days when the
show horses wouldn't be caught dead outside.  At first they thought I
was nuts, I think, for the nutritional requirements and the conditioning
- but after several months, they realized how dedicated I am and how
much I care about my horse's well being (mentally and physically).  I
even have the owner coming on a training ride every now and again, so
she can see that we don't just run wild through the woods - I think I
might have made a new convert!

Anyway, I agree that you need to ask a lot of questions of potential
boarding facilities and once you've chosen one, manage it carefully so
that they understand that you do need things done differently than the
folks that don't ask so much of their horse partners.

--
Trish Dutton