[Eddie Haskell]

I love horses but have never owned one. I don't have space for one where I live. I would love to have my own horse and am curious about stables. Have any of you ever kept a horse in a stable? How much did it cost per month and what is life like for a boarded horse?

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Cindy boards her horse, Beaker use to work in one, and Hair wants to own/run one:)

Check out Eddie's post.

Becky

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Check out Cindy's post 4322 for some info on boarding stables.

Becky

[CindyDawg]

I checked with my vet and he recommended which stable he felt was the best. I kept mine in a stall at first. (I'm in Texas) It was 330 dollars a month. That included his stall, feed, hay and use of the grounds. I now have mine pastured. It's 180 a month, feed included. I live in the city also and my husband and I travel a lot so I can't be out there everyday and it's reassuring to know that he is watched and cared for. Stables usually offer lessons too and will help you with equipment and maybe even have horses for sale.

I'm looking for my own place though because they are like potato chips. One not enough:')

I would pasture one as soon as possible though. Mine was turned out every day but still had too much energy built up.

[HairOfTheDog]

I would imagine the cost of boarding depend some on where you live and how high-falutin' you want the place to be.

Here, boarding will range from a fairly affordable self-care deal you could make with a farm nearby, to full care at a stable where it would cost from $150 to $350 depending on your area, the facilities they have available and how much you want to spend.

I would check around for lessons at a place, would let you get into the horse thing, try out a few people till you find a trainer and a stable you like that fits your style and what you want to do. Someone learning to ride because they'd like to ride trails in the woods will want different lessons than someone who wants to show. There is a type of horse for everyone.... If you find a good trainer to take lessons from, they can be a fabulous resource for helping you find the right horse when you decide to buy.

Welcome to the thread, feel free to just read along and join in.... we are all different types here, my husband ecurbh is really new to riding, he didn't know he wanted a horse till he met me! We keep ours at home, I rent a place with 7 acres in Washington.