I moved from a small town of oh, about 4,000 people located about two hours outside of Phoenix, to the grand, sun-filled city of Phoenix, Arizona, with my two horses. The small town in the middle of the desert no-where had limited horse-facilities. Horse board consisted of shade covers that were small and holey, dirt had washed away from monsoon rains to reveal clumps of concrete and hard rock, and the heavy metal bars had long-since eroded and had begun to come un-welded, hanging precariously from their posts.
I made the most of the situation. I asked the owner to fix the bars, and I shoveled dirt from a sand-filled wash out back, bought new rubber tubs for feeders, and scrubbed the moldy water-tub until it sparkled white once more. The roof was nailed back down, and I bought a new hose for some summer rinses after the hot days melted into the evenings.
The horse board facility was self-serve, meaning I drove the two-hour drive one-way once a month to the outskirts of Phoenix to get hay to bring back. I cleaned their pens daily, filled up their water tub, and took care of them myself.
For two horses the owner of the place charged me a grand total of 40 dollars a month for horse board. I thought I had hit the jackpot. I didn’t mind the self-care. In such a small town it was the perfect distraction after work and on weekends, and I love horse-time anyways.
After 8 years I decided it was time for something new. The bright lights, horse-filled venues, and competitions in nearby Phoenix were to be my new home. Excitedly, I scoured Facebook, Craigslist, and the Internet for horse boarding facilities near my soon-to-be-new-home.
I knew that horse board was significantly more expensive because many of the facilities do not have the self-serve option. They buy the hay and feed, blanket your horse, and do all the work, while the owner shows up to ride and/or groom.
Without me having to purchase hay and the gas money it took to drive hours to get it or to travel to horse shows, I summed up that it would still be more expensive than my small-town costs, but not by much.
I posted an ad on Facebook in the Arizona horse network asking about board prices. Some were way over the top-wanting 400 dollars PER HORSE per month, something I could not afford because I had TWO (I realize that is my issue, not other people’s!). Others were 40-minutes or more driving one-way.
Little by little, I ruled out options that I couldn’t afford, and little by little my horse board options dwindled to almost nothing. I found Facebook and Craigslist the best-producing search engines for horse boarding.
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I responded to a post on Facebook to a woman who had two stalls available. It stated that this was at her private residence and that another boarder (a friend of hers) had claimed the third stall, and she had her own horse in the fourth stall. She didn’t want any drama (who does?!) and said she would be fairly picky as this was her sanctuary to come home to after working a stressful job.
She wanted 300-325 per stall, per horse, depending on how much they ate.
The facility was lovely. Large, matted stalls full of fluffy shavings, a lit arena, and a tack room to die for. I decided to get my A-game together and show off just how good of a boarder I could be, and my attempt WORKED. After negotiations I secured each stall for 225 per month and HERE’S how:
#1. My response was polite, professional and clear. I spell checked and read it MULTIPLE times before I sent it.
#2. I sent pictures of my horses. Pictures do wonders. My two equine friends are quite attractive (in my opinion). They have all their vaccinations, their feet done on time, and are fed well. Their coats shine in the warmer months and you can tell they are well cared for.
#3. I stated what I was looking for and my price range and asked if we could set up a meet and greet to see if everything was a good fit. IT WORKED. Meeting face-to-face is an excellent way to show that you’re not a crazy, dirty psycho, but an equine enthusiast who wants the very best for their animals.
#4. Dress Appropriately. I wore a polo shirt tucked in with a belt and jeans that did not have any holes. I shook hands, looked her in the eye, and smiled and commented on her beautiful facility. After showing me around she said, “you know, I’m getting a really good feeling about this.” I nodded my head in agreement and we got down to discussing the deal-maker or breaker – price.
#5. Ask, don’t demand. I laid it out on the table for her. I reiterated my horses are well cared for, I compete, I am a clean person and always tidy up my area as well as rake the area and keep my items organized and out-of-the-way. I expressed my concern about having two horses and the price tag that goes along with it, purely of my own doing of course, but many horse-people understand.
I asked if her prices were non-negotiable, and if not, could we possibly work out a deal.
IT WORKED.
I offered to clean stalls in exchange for lesser horse board prices. She agreed. She already had a stall cleaner on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and I was to clean stalls (at any time of day which was nice) on Tuesdays and Thursdays and an occasional weekend day.
I was ecstatic. I don’t mind a little extra work if it helps in any monetary way which leads me to my last suggestion:
#6. Go the EXTRA MILE. I didn’t just stop at cleaning stalls twice a week. Occasionally I’ll head out early on a Saturday and Sunday morning to ride and spend time at the barn, and ride, and I will clean stalls and tidy up a bit. This scores major points. It can also get you a great reference if you decide to move or switch boarding facilities. Many people cannot provide or even offer such a reference.
Have a game plan before you start sending out your inquiries. Know what fits your budget and have good pictures available of your horses and reasons why YOU are the perfect boarder.
Keep in mind that this is not a fail-proof option. I received many hard “NO’s” from horse-board places refusing to or unable to negotiate. Decide what is best for you and your horse and do your research. If you receive a no, simply thank them and move on to the next. At least now you know who is willing to consider your offer and who is not.
It never hurts to ask. The worst they can tell you is no, but that means there is something better out there for you and your pony.