How to Start an Equine Boarding Business

If you have the right facilities and the proper experience, opening an equine boarding stable has the potential to be a lucrative investment. When owners do not have the space to keep their horses at home, they need a place that is safe and accessible. Experienced horse people may be able use their own properties to open a boarding stable or rent a facility and recoup their investment by taking in boarders.

Things You'll Need

  • Horse facilities
  • Barn
  • Tack room
  • Ring or riding area
  • Business plan
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Instructions

    • 1

      Examine the property that you own to determine if it will work as a boarding stable. You will need a sufficiently sized stable area or barn, with room for enough borders to pay your monthly expenses and make a profit. Many horse owners also look for additional features, like an indoor or outdoor riding ring, a tack room with lockers and a heated wash rack.

    • 2

      Check the local zoning laws in your municipality. Not all areas will allow new boarding stables to open in their jurisdiction. Apply for any permits required by law.

    • 3

      Research local boarding stables that are open in your area. Check with the business owners to see how many vacancies they have and how much they charge. If every boarding stable within driving distance of your facility is full, then it's a good sign that there is sufficient demand for a new facility. If they have plenty of vacancies, it may be over-saturated and hard to start a new boarding business.

    • 4

      Write a business plan based on your research of the other facilities and estimated expenses, including veterinarian fees, feed costs (if not paid by the boarder), utilities, advertising and any office expenses. Remember to add income not only from your boarding charges, but also from the profit of products sold and services, like horse riding lessons.

    • 5

      Think of ways that you will differentiate your own boarding stable from others in the same area. Offering additional services like riding lessons, horse training and even guided trail rides may increase demand and provide additional streams of income to support your operations.

    • 6

      Contact an attorney who has experience with equine businesses. Ask the lawyer to draw up a standard boarding contract for clients. A quality contract is important, since it protects you from liability in case of accidents or injury involving your boarders and their animals. Sample contracts may be found on the Internet, but it is a good idea to contact an attorney to ensure that it's done correctly.

    • 7

      Make sure that your business has sufficient insurance protection in place. Again, an experienced equine law attorney will be a valuable resource in determining how much liability insurance coverage you will need.

    • 8

      Advertise your services at places where horse owners tend to congregate, including horse shows, tack shops and feed stores. Contact the owner of local equine businesses and ask permission to post ads for your new boarding facility on their bulletin boards. Also, join online equine communities in your area and advertise your new business there.