Barn Friends

People often ask me why I board my horse. I have a few acres, pasture, a nice barn, and an all-weather outdoor arena. I could give the standard answer, and often do, that I want to be at my trainer's barn so she can ride the horse a few days a week.

Truth be told, while that's a good reason, it's not the main reason. I've kept my horse at home quite a bit over the years. It's been fun. In a lot of ways, I miss seeing her every morning and hanging out with her in the evenings. Yet, keeping your horses at home can be a solitary venture. At least, it is where I live. No one around me has horses so I'm pretty much on my own unless I want to trailer somewhere. With my busy schedule, that's often not possible.

The main reason I board is because of the people I meet at the barn. With the exception of childhood and college friends, I've met the majority of my good friends through horses. Let's face it, horse people are little different. Most of the time the only other person who can understand us in another horse lover. Over the years, my dearest and closest friends have been met through a boarding stable. Usually we share a love of horses and dressage that it's hard to find elsewhere.

When we meet for drinks, horses are the main topics of conversations. We talk about other horse people we know, their horses, where they're boarding and training now, etc. We go to clinics together, sometimes making it a girl's weekend out. Now those are the best of times.

While my barn is competitive at shows, most of the people who board there are not wealthy. We're working people who are willing to make sacrifices in our lives so we can afford our horses. We mortgage our homes to buy our next show horse or work two jobs to afford extra training and show fees.

I enjoy the personalities, both horse and human, you find at boarding stables. At least most of them. I could do without a few of thoses personalities, especially when their behavoior endangers themselves and others. For the most part, I like everyone at my barn. We hang out at shows together. Have parties together. Spend time at the barn together.

I'm a social person, so being around people is important to me, even if it costs me twice what I'd pay to keep the horse at home. So I imagine I'll continue to board for now.

There are other ways to socialize and ride horses. Perhaps, I'll cover some of them in later posts. Does anyone have suggestions? Especially those of you who keep your horses at home?

My Horses Always Preferred the Ritz

Hi Everybody,

Well, it's in the seventies outside and my twin three year olds are throwing a football (foam, with cartoon characters on the outside) around with the sitter while my seven year old sniffles on the couch with her inevitable springtime allergies. Poor baby. She is delighted with her latest gift from Mom and Dad. We were attending a silent auction and won her a day following a veterinarian around. For a girl dedicated in all ways to animals, this is a little slice of heaven. Allergies aren't a good mix for an aspiring veterinarian, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

She's taking a break from horses right now and is doing theater, tae kwon do, swimming and wants to start soccer in the fall. In the meantime, I'm trying to get to know the area barns a little better so I'll know my way around when the time comes.

I've been at a total of seven barns in the course of my career and each barn had it's own personality. Finding the right home for your horse is so incredibly important, and it becomes even more important when you're trusting a trainer with a precious child.

When I think back on the barns I've been at, I lucked into a couple of good ones and then we relocated. I had Spencer at that time and chose a barn in the new area mostly for the physical plant, turnout, and because I really liked and trusted the barn manager, so I knew Spencer was in good hands. The training wasn't that advanced, but that was okay because neither was I.

I bought Topper and stayed there for several years until Topper injured himself and needed surgery. The barn manager had moved on by that point and I needed a barn where veterinary skills were top notch. I chose a barn, thinking it would be temporary, where the trainer was excellent training both horses and riders and was a vet assistant to boot. Now, the facility was old, the stalls were small and there was no indoor ring. This didn't worry me as I wouldn't be riding much while Topper healed up & Spencer came to live with us and was happy trotting around a few novice riders at this place. When I went I told the trainer there it would probably be for about six months and he was fine with that. Surprisingly, in that time frame I rode one of his horses and learned more in those six months than I had in the three years previously. So I learned a valuable lesson. Creature comforts come second to the quality of the horse care and the training.

Unfortunately, when I moved up into a senior management position I needed a barn where they had staff to tack & untack, etc., since I was going to be lucky to get to the barn a few times per week and time would be very tight, so off Spencer, Topper (now healed) and I went again. Now I may have been happy without a large facility with an indoor but I don't think Spencer was. Usually Spencer was a bit resistant to loading. However, when the trailer pulled up I loaded Topper first, looked back and saw Spencer take one step at a trot, one at a canter and leap the rest of the way up the ramp and into the truck, pulling the driver and his lead rope right along for the ride! Topper and I executed a sideways leap of our own just in time!

When we arrived at the new barn, Spencer pranced down the ramp, head held high, and sauntered into his new stall with an expression that was an equine version of 'finally, accommodations suiting my illustrious presence.' (Spencer was always a sweetheart, but he knew his worth & wasn't afraid to let me know it.)

Now I'm barn shopping again. First order of business will be to evaluate the quality of the training. Since my daughter isn't riding right now I suppose I'll be taking a few lessons at different places while I try to get the feel of them. Wish me luck!

Cheers,
Mary