Barn Ownership

  Horse and barn ownership is something that I have been learning quite a lot about in the past few years. There is a lot involved with both of these things, but today I'll be talking a little bit about the things involved with having your own barn.

  I love driving through the country and looking at all of the farmland and stables some people own. I love the look of the different styles of barns and seeing their horses playing out in the fields.

  What I have come to realise is that running a stable is no easy task. Not that I expected it to. In fact, I had worked at a facility in the past so I already knew some of the things involved.

  Chores

  This is probably the most obvious aspect in owning your own barn. You have to muck out each stall, feed your horses, give them water, turn them out, turn them in, fly spray them, blanket them, sweep, manage the manure pile, fix the fences, water the riding rings, level the riding rings, keep the tack room organised... The list goes on and on. When owning farmland and horses, there is never really a time when there's nothing left to do.

Finances

  This is maybe not the most fun aspect of the stable, but it's something that needs to be addressed. You'll have to pay your mortgage or rent, vet bills and farrier bills. You'll also need money to buy hay, grain, tack, farming equipment, a truck, a trailer and don't forget gas. The dollars add up. This is usually why most places will rent board to other horse owners. It allows them to be able to keep enjoying their own.

Business

  This brings us to the next point. If you decide to turn your hobby into a business, you'll need to do a bit more work. You'll need to have a good accountant, a lawyer and a good insurance plan. You'll also probably want to advertise. That way people know that you exist. You may also want to hire a person or two to help you out. All of these tasks will usually be too much for just one person to handle.

  So there you have it, these are just some of the things that you need to be aware of when owning your own stable. I think it's much better to know this ahead of time than going into it blind. Some things might differ on your size and circumstances, but this is just a general overview.

  I hope you are all enjoying your day and that you have a great weekend.

  Until next time, happy riding!