Facility Improvements
A while back, I saw a post on a horsey Facebook group I’m in asking about non-monetary benefits to horse facility improvements. After beginning the management of a barn program last year that had very poor previous systems put into place for most of these subjects, this is now one of my new favorite topics to discuss!
Monetary benefits or not, the following are five things I think are some of the most essential for efficient public boarding facility management.
1) Automatic Waterers
Labor, labor, labor. At one point, I calculated that within a week, about 8-10 hours of labor on average were spent maintaining our waters (including pasture troughs and stall buckets). Aside from the monetary expense towards paying the employees or myself for that labor, this greatly depleted physical energy (ever hauled 200 feet of hose across a property?) and can cause physical pains that affect later work. Additionally, after an hour in the heat or the cold, the water is often no longer fresh or cool, so the health and hydration of the horse can be affected.
Then the emotional aspect: I was constantly worried about the horses' water, to the point of waking up in the middle of the night from stress dreams and going out to check that the buckets were filled. Night check was a big source of stress; if it was missed or done incorrectly, the horses would be without water before midnight. Automatic waterers of any kind just allow a huge peace of mind, improve horse health, reduce labor, and reduce costs in the long run.
The only real downside I've ever heard to automatic waterers is being unable to monitor horse water intake; however, thanks to wonderful modern technology, there are now dozens of attachable monitoring systems that can be installed to track water intake. Most current automatic waterers can also be individually shut off in case of emergencies, or situations in which water intake would need to be closely monitored, such as colic.
2) High-Traffic Mud Grids
Mud issues are so much more than just an inconvenience. There are health risks and farrier impacts, and the upkeep required is greatly increased. I spent several weeks laying gravel over muddy high-traffic areas, and would probably need to do this annually, but with mud grids, the solution can last several years without as much required maintenance.
Additionally, as a potential boarder, I would be much more likely to favor a facility with mud solutions implemented in their turnouts than one without, so this potentially makes your facility more favorable to future clients.
3) Pasture Improvements
After owning horses while living in three different areas of the continent with three very different climates, I can say that the needs for this definitely depend on location. My last living situation was a very humid, prosperous climate where most facilities have pretty adequate pasture turnouts; while not necessarily lush, nutritious grazing, they at least have sufficient growth to keep the horses occupied during their turnout time. However, in my current area—a dry, desert, mountain climate—there are approximately two (2!) barns (for my discipline) in the entire county with pasture turnout; if there were a facility here that were to create or improve pasture conditions, that would greatly increase its potential client interest levels.
Aside from this, it is just very important for horses' digestion systems, mental health, and physical health to have as close to 24/7 grazing as possible; so no matter what, the more pasture you have, the better environment you create for the horses in your care. Even if it isn't high quality grazing, horses need to have that constant mastication (chewing) to keep their digestive system protected from gastric acid and potential ulcers.
4) Compost Management
While there are definite potential monetary gains in this area, other areas of benefit from a good composting system include fly management, pasture development, and environmental impact. Good manure management can directly impact your facility's fly population, which affects horse health and overall appeal of the facility. Using your compost to spread in your pastures can help with the pasture improvements previously discussed. Environmentally, having a proper and sturdy compost/manure pit prevents manure water runoff from affecting other parts of your property or your local ecosystem.
5) Water Runoff Management
Lastly, as a tangent from the three previous subjects, finding a solution for water runoff is very essential, and can exponentially improve property management. Every horse property needs to have a well-designed, well-maintained, effective system in place for water runoff: where does water flow from when it rains, where does it pool, where does it flow to, and what paths does it take?
Whether for outdoor riding spaces, pastures, turnouts, driveways, or any other part of your property, it is imperative that there is a plan for standing water to be redirected. Not only are miniature ponds across your property unsightly, they can impact your pest control, create mud issues as previously addressed, reduce potential turnout space, increase labor, and affect the efficiency of your property. Besides, leading horses to morning turnout through six inches of standing rainwater is one of the quickest ways to ruin your day!
If there are more facility management topics you feel are important to consider, comment below!
