Behind the Bit

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The make-believe barn manager: How much hay? Posted: 03 Mar 2010 01:38 PM PST Bob and I talk about running a boarding barn -- after our lottery winnings are deposited and the hoopla dies down, that is. We envision a "money is no object" approach to horse care, with stalls available for close friends and a mini-retirement community for older horses. Free choice hay, 5 pasture acres/horse, and ample bedding are part of our plans. And then there's reality I'll letcha know when that happens. In the real world, barns operate within a budget. A  barn manager  tries to control variable costs like hay and shavings. This post focuses on managing hay costs and setting boarder expectations. Some boarding contracts specify exactly how much hay is provided. I've seen this expressed as: number of flakes a day number of feedings per day % of body weight (the horse's) How much hay in contract? I think it's smart to be fairly generous in the amount of hay quoted in the boarding contract. First of all, knowlegable horse people will scrutinize hay amounts Second, you don't really want everybody asking for extra hay -- it's an accounting/billing headache; Thirdly, your staff will have to remember exceptions in addition to the regular rules (e.g., "feed three flakes except for Rosie's mom paid for 2 extra and Sugar's mom paid for 3 extra") Six flakes a day to me would be an absolute minimum (e.g., for a barnful of easy keepers); eight would be more realistic. If I was a barn manager I might word the contract to state "2 am flakes, 2 lunch flakes, and up to 4 flakes at dinner (subject to seasonal changes and individual horse needs)." But that's just me. Of course the post-lottery ticket barn contract will be a whole 'nuther story. "Do not feed more hay than you can lift."

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