What is horse pasture boarding?

Finding a boarding facility is the most critical decision you will make for your horse. Your horse's day-to-day care is imperative in his health and well-being. The facilities, amenities, feeding program, community, and barn rules all play a role.

We've all been there, searching for the perfect place for our horse. We have researched boarding facilities and compared prices and amenities. But, we quickly find out that we are not comparing apples to apples, making the decision so difficult.

Let's dive into the components of a boarding barn that you need to consider.

I'm going to start with pastures because grazing season is right around the corner here in the Midwest.

Pastures

Now, this is something that can really get your head spinning. I often see pasture boarding advertised that it is actually a dry lot. It is essential to ask what you are getting when a facility says, "pasture board." Pasture board is healthy grazable pastures.

Take a look at the grass. The type of grass should be suitable for horses, mostly free of weeds, and maintained. There should be at least one acre per horse. Pastures need to be rotated, meaning that several pasture areas should be provided to allow for rotational grazing. When a pasture is not rotated, it gets overgrazed and is no longer suitable to sustain the horse's daily nutritional and caloric requirements.

The grass should be 6-8 inches tall on average. Anything less than the above mentioned is not grazable pasture; it is a dry lot with some grass present. If your horse is grazing on anything less, it should have another hay source. Often grass may be present in the spring but turn to mud quickly when overgrazed.

For pastures to be suitable for feeding, they need to be carefully maintained. Maintaining a horse pasture includes seeding, fertilizing, dragging, soil testing, mowing, and rotating.

Ask the boarding facility how your horse will be introduced to pasture. A proper introduction to pasture is imperative to your horse's health. Horses should be introduced to pasture by easing them onto the pasture in 15 minute daily increments (15 minutes the first day, 30 minutes the second day, 45 minutes the third day, etc.). You can give your horse unlimited pasture access once they are grazing five hours daily. (Krishona Martinson, Extension equine specialist, and Paul Peterson) Introducing a horse to pasture too quickly can be dangerous to its health.