A visit lets you see the facility and level of care for the horses. You should have a list of questions to ask the owners or the manager running the farm. The facility need not be fancy but must be safe for horses to reside at. Things to check:
Fencing
All gates and fences should be in good repair and not broken and functional, Fencing doesn't have to be 4 boards or no climb mesh. Electric tape can be just as good as long as it works, barbed wire is not acceptable.
Stabling
Check stalls for dangers like holes in corners ,broken boards and protruding nails, look for fire hazards and exposed wires and any signs of a fire extinguishers and smoke alarms. There should be clean stalls, clean water buckets. Also take a deep breathe in... you shouldn't smell ammonia.. if you do.. that is a sign of poor ventilation.
Feeding
Ask how often horses are fed and how much, and if they have a custom feed plan for each horse that comes in for boarding. When peaking into the feed room you should see lots of grain and different kinds and supplements stored in a rodent proof containers. There should be a chart with each horses name and what it gets for AM/PM feeding time. Check the hay.. it should be leafy and green and sweet smelling not dark brown, dusty, course or stemmy.
Turnout
Paddocks that are grazed down to no grass and muddy suggest over crowding of horses in them. Paddocks should have a good source of water, space between paddocks will prevent aggression along fence lines.
Amenities
Make sure the farms arenas meet your needs and that footing is maintained and appropriate for your discipline. Keep in mind that no barn is perfect , pick the amenities you want and ones that are just an added bonus.
Horses
Look at the condition of the horses.. they should be fat and look healthy, not sore. They should be relaxed and happy.
20 Questions to ask:
1) How long have you been in operation?
2) What id your turnover rate?
3) How often do you feed?
4) What do you feed?
5) How often and where are horses turned out?
6) Do you require the use of a specific vet and farrier?
7) When are horses de wormed?
8) Do you require boarded horses to have negative coggins?
9) Does someone live on the property? how often are horses checked on?
10) Are there days where i cant visit or ride my horse?
11) Do you require the use of a specific trainer?
12) Can someone blanket my horse if im not there?
13) What services are not included in the board price?
14) Where can i store my tack?
15) Do you have a boarding contract?
16) Can I see a copy of the barn rules and regulations?
17) Do you provide trailering?
18) Do you have liability insurance?
19) Can you provide names and numbers for references?
20) If there a waiting list?
Good luck and have fun choosing a place for your horse to live at.
:)
