I'm not a BO, but I've worked at the stable for a little over 8 years, so I know a lot about it.
1) How did you start up your barn?
The current BO bought the barn 20 years ago. It was built in the 40s. She kept the original barn, but added on a new portion. It was already a boarding barn/trail riding barn when she bought it. There used to be a tack shop connected to the front of the barn, but she converted it into apartments that she rents out. There also used to be auctions and rodeos held in the indoor arena, but now she has 3-4 day clinics. Also, the trails around the township that the barn is located are grandfathered in, so if anyone ever wants to build a house near the trail they have to either build around the trail or ask us to move the trail over. This is very helpful because not many people like having the stables so close to the beach, but they can't do much about it except pout.
2) Did you build on the property or buy a farm?
Answered above.
3) Can you get companies to sponsor your barn to help with building costs?
I have no idea. The BO has 3 apartments, a 2bed 1bath cabin, and a 4bed 3bath house she rents out constantly on the property. I think she's also one of the top 10 real estate agents in Chicago. So that's how she pays the bills.
4) How much money each month does it cost usually cost to care for the horses and the facility?
There's 35 horses at the stable. Six are self care, so they provide their own hay, grain, shavings. Four buy their own grain. The rest are either full board or owned by the BO.
For grain alone it's around $1,100 a month. For round bales, it's $180 a month. She buys a few round bales for the horses at pasture when the grass isn't very nutritious. For squares... It depends on if the loft is already full or not. But for 100 square bales it's about $445. It's takes about 1500 bales to fill the loft. 1500/100=15 445x15=$6675 - to fill the loft.
She buys a semi-load of shavings, which is $225. This literally lasts like 5 months because the horses are kept outside as mush as possible. I think she buys it from a lumberyard, and she really only pays for the delivery.
For water/electric, I'm not entirely sure. Probably around $4500ish... ? The lights are rarely used during the summer, it's during the winter months when it gets darker quicker that the lights are on a lot.
I was 8 years old when I started taking lessons from the dressage trainer at this barn. I was 12 when I started working there. I can tell you right now that when we hire someone we're looking for experience. Now we're not a huge jumping/eventing barn, we're not a fancy barn. We have boarding and we have trail rides for tourists, that's all.
We want someone who has either owned horses before, or is/was in 4H Horse & Pony or does showing. Because 90% of the time these people know how to take care of/handle horses, know how to help if they're choking/knows if a horse is colicing, can ride a horse CORRECTLY and can easily help tourists while riding, etc. You'd be surprised how many people say they can do this, and end up working for only a few weeks.
