For horse stable owners: I need help!?

Question

So a friend of our family just bought a really big farm on a lot of land in the country and is going to be boarding horses out there. We are going to change the old dairy barn into a big barn with lots of stalls for all the horses, and a tack room and feed room and stuff like that. The pasture is really nice, and they will have access to a lot of fresh grass and water. We already have a boarding contract to use from the stable we now keep my horse at, but he will be moved to the new farm in the fall. (We hope to have it ready by fall, at least for my horse and my grandpa's horse!) I just need to know if there are any special laws or standards we need to meet that we may not know about. The horses will be well taken care of and healthy, with a nice barn and pasture. We just need to know the official details and laws. Thanks very much for your help!

Answer 1

Better go to the township first before you do any improvements and find out what the requirements are for a boarding facility, and if the property is even zoned for that sort of use.  I was dismayed to find that in order to have a boarding business in my barn, I had to spend about $600 applying for permits and more that $4000 for surveys of the property. And this property has been a boarding facility (with previous owners) for more than 25 years! And no, we didn't make any changes at all - so at least we didn't need building permits or inspections.

The township next to us is very strict - they require you to own 40 acres or more to board even 1 horse!

Good luck - running a boarding barn is one of the toughest, most thankless and heartbreaking job there is!

Answer 2

You will probably need to get a business license - depending on where you live you might need to get a permit specific to stabling horses too.  You might also need to be inspected and have insurance.  There are a lot more things to consider than just putting horses in the stalls.  I have a friend who boards horses and she said the horses are easy - it is the people that can be a real pain in the butt.

Answer 3

This is kind of funny because I am the (only) assistant to my barn owner and I work at a law office

You will need to contact your local fire marshall, who will need to approve the property

Also you will need to contact the city to make sure everything your doing follows city laws.  There will also be a limit to how many horses you can keep on the property, which depends mainly on the size of the property.  

There are noise regulation laws, which I'm pretty sure can be cleared by either the city or the fire marshall.  

You should have an attorney look over your board agreement just to make sure it is all up to par...

Good luck and I hope everything works out for you and your friend!

Answer 4

If you are operating a strictly boarding business you will only need care, custody, and control liability insurance to cover injury to the boarded horses and you will need general business liability insurance and you might need a business license depending on what your municipality or county requires to operate a business. Check with your city and county. If you will be leasing or renting horses to ride, whether for lessons, pleasure, or otherwise, and whether they are your own horses or horses owned by a boarder which are leased or rented for hire to ride, you will need commercial equine liability insurance and the standard horse rental agreement and liability release forms and you might need a riding stable license issued by your state Department of Agriculture depending on what your particular state requires to operate a riding stable business. To determine whether or not a riding stable license is required in your state you will need to check with your state Department of Agriculture. I know that sounds like a lot of red tape and expense but it really isn't.

Answer 5

as long as you own the place it is yours to do what you like with (so far as English law)

You can make is as unprofessional and trampy as you like but equally you can have a really smart professional looking stables.

As long as your happy with it, and the horses or liveries are at no danger, thats fine and no one can really argue.

Answer 6

For people to be able to answer you have to say where you are. All the states have different laws.

Answer 7

Margie covered the local, state laws but there are other things you need to discuss.  Get everything in writing.  Without everything spelled out, this could be a disaster and you could lose a friend.

Make sure they have a "care and custody" insurance policy that covers the farm and the boarders.  Should your horse get out and damage property, you are protected.

Discuss how you want an emergency handled should your horse become ill or injured.  Do you want them to notify you and you ok a vet call before treating or do you want them to use their own judgment?

Will anyone else have permission to ride your horse?

Do you want your horse in at night?

Rough board only?

Try to think of all the situations and have solutions before moving in.

Then......enjoy.

Answer 8

In my state, boarding stables have to be licensed and inspected by the state Horse Industry Board, which falls under the state department of agriculture.  This ensures "minimum standards of care" are met.

Answer 9

You should talk to an attorney about this- states, counties and cities all have their laws & ordinances.