4 Things To Look For When Searching For a Farm/Trainer

    Searching for a new farm to train at or to board your horse can be very scary for some. You might ask yourself; What exactly am I looking for, What should I look for in the facility, What do I need as a ride or what does my child need to succeed in this career. There are four important things to look for that will help you get started in your search.

    The first and most important thing is safety. Does this barn feel like a safe environment? This means the horses are well behaved in and outside of their stalls or paddocks. Are there dangerous items lying around where my child or I might get hurt. Now with that last statement keep in mind that it is a running farm it is not 110% childproof. Are the trainers and staff keeping an eye on things while doing other tasks?

Safety is always top priority in every barn so make sure the barn owns up to their word.

    Quality training is also very important especially if you have a small child or you need one on one training. When in a training season the trainer should have full attention on her students. The trainer should not be on her phone or chatting with parents; these tasks can be done after the lesson is over. 

    A quality facility is also important. I'm not saying they need to have white glove walls or a covered/indoor arena. They do in fact need to have clean stalls, clean water buckets, clean tack up area, and well fed horses. The trainer or owner should have pride in their facility and lesson program. 

    Cost is also very important. This sport is NOT cheap so please keep this in mind in your search. In some areas you will pay top dollar for quality care but this is because keeping a top facility open is not cheap. You get what you pay for. If you have a horse that is low maintenance look for a facility that has field board. If you have a high maintenance horse look for a full care facility. You want to be able not to worry about your family members if you are not able to come out everyday. Lesson cost will also vary by facility and level of the trainer. If you have a highly experienced trainer you will pay top dollar. Do some research and ask around to see if the barn or trainer is going to be the right fit for you. Take your time and do not rush into things. You may need to visit the barn several times before making a decision. 

If you have any questions about what to look for in a new barn or any other questions about riding, send us an email on our contact form and we will help you out.