Seasonal Horse Stables

Horses are expensive creatures, as we all know. They require food and water, and should also receive regular farrier work, deworming, and vaccinations. They require these things even when not being ridden.

Let's say we have a lesson barn that only has an outdoor facility, so they only teach from May to September. That is 5 months of teaching. Maybe they can carry into October a bit, and maybe they can start before May, but I am thinking they need time to recondition their horses, and time to allow for make up lessons to cover for when the weather is uncooperative.

So five months to make money, and 12 months to spend it. In a year like this one, where prices for rounds bales have doubled, and the hay supply is short, it can be hard for stables without a good relationship with a feed supplier to get enough hay. Alternatives to hay are there, such as green feed and hay cubes, but it is still a tricky year for feed.

Now if you are the above mentioned seasonal stable, your first choice might be to try to earn income year round somehow...say by trying to lease your horses out. But hard to get someone to pay for a horse they can't ride as you don't have facilities. Next step is that you might try to sell some of the horses that aren't able to be used in lessons...but with the market the way it is, those types of horses don't go for much, and quite often the meat buyer is the only ready market for untrained horses or questionable quality, or of an age that makes you wonder WHY they are untrained.

So now, this stable is in trouble. They don't have the income to support their horses, they don't have a way to make more money (other than getting another "real" job, but rarely seems to be a consideration), and they can't seem to sell there horses for the price they are asking...and don't want to just give them away...do what to do, what to do.

Well, hey, the horses aren't being worked...so do they really need farrier work? We can save money there...but that isn't enough. Dental work? Nah, don't need that. Vaccinations aren't needed as our horses don't go anywhere...

Hmmm...maybe we can get away with not feeding them so much either. I mean, they may get thin, but we have time in the spring to fatten them up....The ASPCA can't do anything as long as we have feed here and no dead horses...

Well there is the solution! We won't feed them so much! Their hair will hide the ribs!

Only it got warmer sooner than you expected...and the hair is coming off...and people driving by can SEE those ribs. And they email me. And they phone me. And they PM me. See you forgot to take into account that the barn you learned the little trick of inadequate care over winter as a cost saver had something going for it you didn't; their paddocks were all hidden from the road, and they had blankets on the worst ones... and they were better liars.

If you need help...if you are truly in over your head (the horse business is not an easy one!) then ask for help. Hillside Stable will help you! Other barns would help you! But please, please, get some help for your horses, and some help coming up with a better business plan so this doesn't happen again next winter.

Karen