How Does a Horse Boarding Stable Owner Spend a Workday?

Contracts

When a stable owner decides to take in and board horses, they must come up with a solid contract that is legal and binding. This protects both the owner of the horse and the owner of the stable. The contract should state as many details as possible, such as how much money per month will be charged for boarding the horse, feeding arrangements and whether or not the stable owner is allowed to contact a vet if needed. The stable owner must spend time creating the contracts, explaining them to potential boarders and filing them in a filing cabinet.

Caring for the Horses

Most stable owners are responsible for feeding and caring for the horses daily. This includes brushing the horses down and giving them baths as needed. Specific responsibilities in caring for the horses should be laid out in the contract. If the stable owner notices any health problems with the horse, she must either contact the horse's owner or call a vet. The stable owner should also spend time each day letting the horses out to gaze in the fields and get some exercise.

Cleaning the Stalls

The stable owner must clean the stalls daily and insert fresh hay. The cleaner the stalls, the less of a chance of the horses catching any diseases. This will also keep the flies from hanging around in the stalls. Some stable owners collect the horse manure and sell it as fertilizer.

Riding Lessons

Many horses that are boarded at a stable are used to give riding lessons to children. The owner of the stable should have come to an agreement about this with the horse owner in the contract. The stable owner must know the horses well and spend time with them to know which horse to pair up with each rider.

Bookkeeping

The owner will need to spend some time each week keeping up with the bookkeeping. All income and expenses for the week must be recorded to pay accurate taxes at the end of the year. The stable owner must also submit her taxes quarterly. If the stable owner has hired any extra stable hands, she must take time each week to print their paychecks. Even if a stable owner hires a bookkeeper, she should spend some time looking over the books to make sure everything is in order.

Insurance

A stable owner must have insurance if he is going to take on boarders. This insurance should cover any liabilities from giving riding lessons with the horses. The owner will have to take some time to research several policies to choose the best one for his stable.

Resources

• What Stable Owners Need to Know