05/20/2025
A big part of the problem is backyard “boarding facilities” people who board a horse or two for ridiculously cheap because they aren’t running a legal business. They don’t have insurance, the correct zoning/permits, and no employees.
Really telling graphic from an article posted by The Chronicle this morning.
I was talking to a friend this morning about the unlikelihood of making money boarding horses.
According to this, 60% of people lose money boarding horses, with only 11% making some sort of profit and only 2% making a "good profit".
Remember when you're thinking you pay too much for board - whatever you're being charged probably is the bare bones of what the place can charge and not lose *too much* money. So much goes into a facility and horse care - a whole lot more than just feed cost. The list of expenses to make a facility safe, happy, workable, and appropriately managed is practically never-ending, and the people running it are likely working a physically and emotionally demanding job 12+ hours a day 7 days a week to make it possible.
