Another boarding barn decisions post

[blob]

There is a lot I love about the barn I am currently at:
Cost is very reasonable
I love the other boarders--it is low key and supportive
I love the barn owners--they are accommodating and lovely. If something is broken or not up to perfect it's repaired instantly
Horses have free choice grass hay at all times
There is a covered arena and both arenas are dragged and watered regularly
There is plenty of turnout time in big pastures with small groups and horses have the option of going out rain or shine

And there are a few things I wish I had: a dressage arena, access to spaces to ride outside of arenas, temp controlled tack room

Well....the current barn is about to be sold (it will be demolished and turned into a houses). The owners have another property they've bought and have been working for the past 6 months or so to start getting ready. This new property will have all the things I love AND a dressage arena AND trails. PERFECT. The only problem is that there will likely be a rough transition period where the new property is not quite ready, but the current one will be gone. I don't mind having to have my horses on pasture board for a bit if need be. But I do want to make sure there is an arena to ride in and proper pasture fencing. And a lot of timing is hard to predict and something we might have to just have to wait and see.

There is an opening at a friend's barn. Objectively there is a lot I like about her space:
She is a good horse person and someone I trust
Everything is recently built and very nice
She has a very flexible feeding program
She has a dressage arena and trails
Footing is top notch and there is a plan to add in mirrors as well
climate controlled tack room
I like the people

Some things that are less ideal: no covered arena (we live in a wet part of the country), board is a more expensive, there is no turnout when pastures are very wet from rain, it would be a new place so of course there is uncertainty (I don't know what I don't know)

The opening at the friend's barn will not last forever so I will have to make the decision if i want to take it before I fully know the timeline of my current barn. So I need to make a decision to either move and avoid any difficult transition or stay where I am and deal with transition period to stay with current ownership.

What would you do?

[texsuze]

I hate to see areas designed for outdoor use, or, that retain open space become housing developments; happened to a barn where I boarded years ago. Developers snatched it up and built bunches of houses next to the creek, taking down a large grove of mature pecan trees, including the snags where bluebirds would nest each year...... anyway...

My thoughts would be: what will be your driving distances to Friend's Barn(FB) and to Relocation Barn(RB)? Has your current barn been sold yet/under contract/new on the market? How far along are the new facilities at Relocation Barn (stalls, fencing, tack room, etc)? Is there real commitment and ability with RB to build all that is promised? Is there some built-in grace period with the sale of RB to allow boarder transition to new RB before the bulldozers pull into the driveway? Is RB able to reclaim things like stall components, covered arena materials, etc. which might be used at the new RB, even temporarily? Will board go up at RB and by how much? How many current boarders are planning to hang in and stay with RB? Do you know anyone other than one friend at FB? Where would you ride at FB without an indoor or covered arena?

Depending upon the answers to these questions, personally, I might be willing to stick with current (RB) barn as long as the process looks to be truly going forward, and as long as you and your horse would be on solid ground before the ink has dried on the sale of your current barn. YMMV

[Moutaineer]

I having recently gone through a similar process. I tried to stick with old barn until new barn was built and apart from the sheer nuttiness that was going on, I will tell you that nothing, but nothing, will get fixed and no maintenance will be done at the old barn during this time period, and building the new barn will take much, much longer than predicted, and roughing it, which won't cost you any less in board and will probably cost you more in time and trouble, will be a shit show, especially during the winter.

I should have moved to the barn I'm at now 6 months earlier. It would have made my life so much more pleasant.

You can always move again once new barn is built and finished, if things are not entirely satisfactory at your friend's barn.

[blob]

Thanks, Texsuze--lots of good questions!

Driving distance for me will be about the same for both (neither is particularly close, but that is my reality living in the middle of a big city). The current barn is not under contract yet, but it is also not actively on the market (there is a singular buyer interested and they are in negotiations). As for materials--stall fronts, the covered arena, slow feeders in stalls, and some lumbar from fences and barn will be taken from CB to RB. So covered will definitely come. Board will be the same at RB. There will be some grace period between CB and RB, but it will be tight.

at FB i do know one boarder in addition to my friend who owns it. At FB, without a covered I would not be able to ride when it's actively raining hard or has rained very hard. But we do have a lot of sun/heat in the summer so usually rain doesn't mean days of not riding, but it does mean there will be days that i cannot ride because of weather. There is a long term plan for FB to have a covered. But that will be at least a year out (likely more).

Mountaineer--they have been working on new barn and still repairing stuff at current barn for the past 6 months, so that won't change.

[Moutaineer]

My views may be colored by my own experiences

Reading again, the covered is pretty important in either the heat or the rain, so yes, access to that would certainly affect my decision.

[blob]

My views may be colored by my own experiences

Reading again, the covered is pretty important in either the heat or the rain, so yes, access to that would certainly affect my decision.

I feel confident that the maintenance won't be an issue for my situation. BUT I do worry that the new barn will take longer than predicted and the transition period will come with more challenges than anticipated (as you experienced). So I do think your experience is a very, very valid one!

[PaulaO]

No covered/indoor arena would be a deal breaker for me. I would stay at the RB. Sounds like they are maintaining the old place along with building the new. And it could be years before the place becomes a subdivision. Happened at my previous barn.

[Moutaineer]

True that, Paula O. There's a barn down the hill from my current barn that was sold to a developer over 20 years ago. They can't get planning permission/water rights to do what they want. So they are just sitting on it, and the barn is still there!

[Kyras_Mom]

Tough isn’t it? I would probably head to the friend’s. Everything is done and you know what you have. Are the arena’s rideable in the average wet weather? Boy, if the other barn isn’t ready that gives an awful lot of unknown’s.

I am moving Kyra next week. I am giving up the indoor…which is crappy where I am anyway. I avoid it as much as possible. That said, at the new barn they work the outdoors daily (well 6 days/week) and will salt them for the winter to minimize freezing. Arenas where I am now haven’t been worked in 3 weeks. Kyra is 19 and I am interested in keeping her as sound as possible. We have survived the rocks and the dust at the current barn but I am over it. She won’t have as much movement which is a little worrisome but I won’t have to be cleaning and the idea is to spend much more time actually riding. They do have some turnout available for the barn she is going into so I will have to see how it goes and may have to pay a little extra to do that. The new barn has hill trails access just across the street so I look forward to giving that a try in the spring when the trails dry out.

I hope it all works out for you. You just have to go with your gut. I know I lost a couple nights’ sleep running endless scenarios

Susan

[khall]

Blob I’m in Georgia too. I would stick with your current BOs. Even if there is a rough patch sounds like they are a good fit for you and your horses. Living in Georgia too I know how important a covered is for our heat. I don’t have one and summer is a difficult time here.

We did the whole move farms in 2004/2005. It took us 7 months to get the barn and fencing up. Took a bit longer for the arena outdoor but was professionally put in. A covered is a huge expense. I’ve been wanting one for years and just cannot afford to yet.

[hoopoe]

I would stick with your current BOs. Keep your friend your friend. NO covered arena is a deal breaker. I put up with that for half a year in Puget Sound country.

Your current BO have showed you their commitment to you and your horse. Keep that business arrangement. There might be a rough transition time, or then again, there might not be.

Planning, zoning ,construction timelines, all of that is up in the air these days. The transition time might not even happen. Your BO may have their work done before your new property owner is ready to build. Such a large scale construction is likely to be seasonal. Does your region have a good and available work force for large scale construction?

your fried will always be there as a fall back. Personally I would fear the business arrangement of being with friend might taint the friendship

[Ryeissa]

I would move to your friends. I always say to give a new barn a year once completed to sort out the kinks. And there could be material delays due to the current situations. I know the current owners have good intentions, but reality can be much different. If you weren't trying to keep the horses in top shape and progress then you might have less risk involved.
Nothing is permanant, keep in touch with current BOs and tell them to keep you informed when they are ready to go. You can always say that you want to be on the wait list and keep a good connection. Its not personal or any negative about them/the barn.