Stable Management: Solutions for Running a Professional Barn

Horse professionals work long hours in all weather, early starts and late finishes with a rare day off in return for a comparatively low pay check. The perk of the job is that they get to spend their time with horses, who they adore, and they cannot imagine getting that sort of job satisfaction doing anything else. But what about the equestrian's place of work ? When it comes to offices, factories and many other commercial premises the majority of staff prefer to spend their working day in a pleasant, efficient and comfortable space. Architects and designers spend a lot of time visualising not just how the completed project will look but also how it will work for its future occupants and visitors. The effect of natural light, fresh air and safety of workers is endlessly researched by the planning and design professionals....More

Learn about the latest innovations in barn design and materials from international barn designer, Liz Harper of Horse-Homes.com. Whether you are starting a new build or want to upgrade your current stable, you will gain tips and important insights about how to improve ventilation and utilize natural light to enhance the health and happiness of your horses and the people who care for them....More

For most horse owners, being able to build a new residence for their equine friends is beyond exciting! However, before you peruse the Stable Style chandeliers and brass door fittings I would like you to contemplate your horse's mental and physical health. Once you get that sorted, you can then adorn your barn with the wonderful array of barn fittings now available. Although your horse will probably not care at all whether you go with retro or minimalist style, you will, and you need to be happy too....More

Round pens have long been a staple for those who start young horses; but they're a useful addition to any farm. They make a great enclosed lunging area, can be useful for starting beginners or even tuning-up the more advanced rider. Some types, can also be used as a small turnout for a horse on rehab, and are the perfect choice for ground work. We have "rounded up" some info on different types of round pens, their best features, and what you can expect to invest to add one to your property. Prices were accurate at the time of this writing, and don't include shipping, ground preparation or other labor costs unless noted....More

There are many common mistakes that can be easily avoided when building an equestrian arena. Leading equestrian surface providers, Martin Collins set out the major pitfalls that can arise when either building or getting an arena built, and how to avoid them....More

When trying to decide whether you can afford to hire a new staff member and how much to pay them, it is important to consider all the expenses. This calculator will help you calculate payroll expenses so that you can forecast total staffing costs....More

Your business is currently running great. Your staffing is exactly where you want it and everyone gets along. You don't have any concerns about your day-today operations - but should you? What happens to your business if you lose a key employee suddenly? Thinking through some of the consequences and having a plan in place could keep you from having to address this issue in a panic. We can never be prepared for everything, but as a business owner, you should think about how your business would be affected with the loss of a key employee. First, let's talk about the definition of key employee. In most cases, a key employee definition revolves around someone that is highly compensated or owns a portion of the business. Well, that doesn't fit how most equine businesses run!...More

Since every state and country has its own laws and regulations concerning employees and employent applications, it is essential to have your documents reviewed by your attorney. However, this example will give you a few ideas to get you started....More

Writing a job description is an essential step in finding the right employees for your horse business. They are also helpful tools for managing employees. These two job descriptions will give you a few ideas about how to write a good job description. One of the descriptions is for a "feeder" and the other is for a "stable hand and maintainence person"...More

If you are like the typical owner of an equestrian business, you have little time or patience to invest in the process of finding, hiring and training employees. In fact, most likely - even if you are overworked to the point of near exhaustion - you may put off looking for help because it seems like finding and training help will be more trouble than it's worth....More

An independent contractor (IC) is someone who provides services to others, outside the context of employment. An employee is a person who provides services to a company on a regular basis in exchange for compensation (including trading work for free/reduced board, lessons, etc.) and...More

You know what you would do but how do you get your instructors to follow suit? Here is an example to give you a few ideas for creating Instructor Guidelines for your assistants and riding school instructors. Feel free to copy the parts that work for you and edit the parts that don't. You can download this document from our Download Library as a PDF or as a zipped word file for easier editing. Guidelines are also handy for instructors who are filling in for you out so you can take a vacation!...More

This checklist is handy to put in the front of your customer file to make sure you have all the necessary agreements in your possession and that they are up-to-date. We hope it will save you time as you head into the New Year....More

Have you ever had a client get upset when you were simply trying to provide them with information to improve their horse's care? Have you ever corrected an employee only to have them become resentful rather than improve their performance? Have you ever had a rider lose confidence and make more mistakes when your instruction was intended to help them ride better? As a professional equestrian a big part of your "job" is to impart your knowledge. However, in order to be effective and successful, your clients must receive your message in a positive way. Here is a simple but hugely effective little tip. When providing feedback or correction use the word...More

It's no secret that the hardest part of running a horse business is not always the horses. Understanding and learning how to work with your customers and the problems that can arise is essential to having a successful horse business. One question that we are asked regularly is how to deal with people who are constantly making special requests for their horse, such as more feed, more shavings, window closed, sheets on/off outside of normal service, change stall, or fan on/off outside of normal service, etc....More

Heidi Henry loves horses. She has been caring for them since the 1960's. She got her first barn when she was 16-years old. In 1982 she became a professional rider and trainer. Today, she owns and operates an equine facility with indoor arena where she boards and trains horses in Marseilles, Illinois. Her longevity in the business did not come without hard work and bumps along the road. One of the many problems stable owners face is competitors who are out to steal...More

I was raised with the ethic of, "Not tooting one's own horn" and "Letting my work speak for itself." For years, I ran my horse business on these principles and for those clients who were around me enough to observe, absorb and intuitively know the benefits of my labors it seemed to work, sometimes. But then there were "the other clients" the one who "didn't get it." The ones who "didn't see" all I was doing for them, their horses and/or their children. After realizing there was a pattern with these clients that often included me working harder to get them to notice and me becoming increasingly frustrated and resentful when they didn't, I decided it was time to take a different approach....More

Feedback is essential to maintaining healthy relationships and a high level of customer satisfaction. Having a system to help you collect that feedback can make all the difference. This set of horse business customer feedback surveys will save you hours of time and provide you with...More

"Smart Insurance Coverage for Horse Professionals" provides you with a comprehensive overview of the different types of insurance policies used in the equestrian community to help you make informed decisions. Attendees will: Get an overview of the best equine and equine business related insurance products - make sure you are appropriately covered! Find out what insurance policies are important for your clients to carry - yes there are more than one! Learn about common "gaps" in coverage and how to fill them! More...More

During this live Q&A our members were able to call in or text questions to our speaker. This will give you an opportunity to ask questions you may have been afraid to ask your own agent....More

Webinar: The Top Advances in Equine Sports Medicine Summary: For decades most advances in Equine Sports Medicine revolved around diagnostics. However, over the past few years more and more therapeutic treatments have evolved. During this webinar you will learn what's new, what's working and get a chance to ask questions from a sports medicine expert. Speaker: Dr. Mark Wooten...More

When disasters strike, having a plan and being prepared could mean the difference between life and death for both horses and humans. In a recent EquestrianProfessional.com webinar on disaster preparedness, Dr. Roberta Dwyer, a professor at the University of Kentucky's Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center and editor of Equine Disease Quarterly, offered advice on what you can do to protect yourself and business in the event of a disaster. Here are some of her top tips for horse professionals:...More

The growing reality of drug resistant parasites has made this topic of serious concern for horse owners. During this webinar, leading equine parasite researcher, Dr Martin Nielsen, DVM will unveil his findings and share solutions to help you answer your customers questions and provide optimal parasite management for the horses in your care....More

The overhead costs associated with running a full-service equine veterinary facility are higher than for small animal practices and rise each year. To maintain a viable business, equine veterinarians must pass these costs on to clients. In part, veterinary charges for horses are much higher than those for small animals simply because of their size....More

This Sample Bill of Sale is for a very simple straight forward sale. As with any legal document you should have your lawyer review it to be sure it is suitable for your needs....More

If you lease horses on a month to month basis or for the show season. You may want to use something like this lease agreement. You can use it as is or edit it for your own personal needs. As with any legal document you should have your lawyer review it to be sure it is suitable for your needs, i.e. your States particular Laws, Requirements etc.....More

Your Barn Rules help to make your barn a safer and more comfortable place for you and your clients. Providing clients with your barn rules helps them to understand your barn's safety protocol and procedures in advance. This tends to make clients feel more comfortable because they understand what is expected of them. Since this document may be one of the first things a new client comes in contact with make sure it is polite and professional! Here are a few ideas and guidelines to get you started....More

Whether you need a Liability Release like the one below depends on which country and state you live in and their liability laws. However even if your location doesn't have tough liability laws don't let it lull you into complacency. The basic thing to remember in most countries and states is that anyone can involve you in a law suit any time they want to and it is always better to protect yourself and your business as much as possible. This release also includes a medical release for both clients and animals....More

In this day and age of law suits and precarious economies the right boarding agreement can offer you substantial support and protection. This agreement is from a California barn and addresses a broad number of valuable points. Every Country, State, and Horse operation will have different needs but the types of things a good boarding agreement should do are: Enable you to act quickly if a horse needs medical help, allow you to sell a horse for its board bill if a client owes you money, help protect you if there is a legal dispute and more....More