Post by hugs on Aug 23, 2014 22:23:53 GMT
I think that's what I'm struggling with right now. I've been checking out boarding stables. I've seen two, either one would work I guess but there are differences and I don't have a lot of experience with these kind of choices... actually NO experience 
Boulder Pointe; the owner gives lessons and trains horses. Heated indoor arena, outside exercise area from which you can go on miles of trails only for the folks at the barn, no outsiders at all. I walked the trails and it would be fun to hone my plant ID skills. She is young and experienced, sweet and really understands horses and people. I like her point of view and how she treats people and horses and dogs and cats
She isn't flashy although she is tall, blonde and beautiful and has every reason to be a snob, she's not. Her place is gated and you need a code to get in. Peachie would be in a paddock (at home we have 13+ acres for the three of them) with Peanut (a dark grey/black pony) who is also on the bottom of the totem pole like Peaches. Peach will get grass hay only and a shed and automatic waterer, like home. Two concerns; can't use an outside instructor (but I don't have loyalty to the gal I chose but I did ask her for help finding a barn and that's how I found this one) and it costs $375/month. They have a farrier out every 6 weeks and worm every 2 wks. Worming is way more often than we've ever done but then we keep our horses in a large pasture.
Rainbow: the owner also gives lessons but doesn't train outside horses. She's older and just as nice but I didn't think to talk about her training/instructing point of view except I didn't get she was pushy like that horrible experience I had in Grand Forks (*shudder*). They have larger paddocks of sufficient size for grass which is well managed and also hay with no grain. There is a lot more room but no adjacent trails. There are two round pens, a 50ft and a 60 ft and also an exercise area. An arena and an unheated indoor with lights and a mirror. There are outside lights to extend the use of the exercise areas. The grounds themselves are roomy, plenty of places to walk a horse around, park. And it costs a lot less, $275/month pasture board.
I like the Boulder Pointe gal, I think she'd be a good instructor for me which would add $65/1 hour private lesson. I like the trails. I don't like $375.
Rainbow, I could bring my own instructor who is $80/2 hour private lesson. I like all of the training/exercise areas. I really like $275/month.
Neither appear to have drama and that's not really something you can know before hand but the Boulder Pointe owner emphasized how calm things were there and since she takes in TB rescues on a regular basis, it is very important to their rehabilitation and so important to her.
What else to look for?
Boulder Pointe; the owner gives lessons and trains horses. Heated indoor arena, outside exercise area from which you can go on miles of trails only for the folks at the barn, no outsiders at all. I walked the trails and it would be fun to hone my plant ID skills. She is young and experienced, sweet and really understands horses and people. I like her point of view and how she treats people and horses and dogs and cats
She isn't flashy although she is tall, blonde and beautiful and has every reason to be a snob, she's not. Her place is gated and you need a code to get in. Peachie would be in a paddock (at home we have 13+ acres for the three of them) with Peanut (a dark grey/black pony) who is also on the bottom of the totem pole like Peaches. Peach will get grass hay only and a shed and automatic waterer, like home. Two concerns; can't use an outside instructor (but I don't have loyalty to the gal I chose but I did ask her for help finding a barn and that's how I found this one) and it costs $375/month. They have a farrier out every 6 weeks and worm every 2 wks. Worming is way more often than we've ever done but then we keep our horses in a large pasture. Rainbow: the owner also gives lessons but doesn't train outside horses. She's older and just as nice but I didn't think to talk about her training/instructing point of view except I didn't get she was pushy like that horrible experience I had in Grand Forks (*shudder*). They have larger paddocks of sufficient size for grass which is well managed and also hay with no grain. There is a lot more room but no adjacent trails. There are two round pens, a 50ft and a 60 ft and also an exercise area. An arena and an unheated indoor with lights and a mirror. There are outside lights to extend the use of the exercise areas. The grounds themselves are roomy, plenty of places to walk a horse around, park. And it costs a lot less, $275/month pasture board.
I like the Boulder Pointe gal, I think she'd be a good instructor for me which would add $65/1 hour private lesson. I like the trails. I don't like $375.
Rainbow, I could bring my own instructor who is $80/2 hour private lesson. I like all of the training/exercise areas. I really like $275/month.
Neither appear to have drama and that's not really something you can know before hand but the Boulder Pointe owner emphasized how calm things were there and since she takes in TB rescues on a regular basis, it is very important to their rehabilitation and so important to her.
What else to look for?
