Wow, a lot of inexpensive boarding out there! I was paying $300. A mo. For full board...including stall and private run, in eastern Massachusetts, which was pretty much unheard of. I've heard of a normal full board situation in that area going anywhere from $400. To $800. Depending on the barn. Pasture boarding was $275. When I was there.
I'm in Southeastern Connecticut where the going rate is $475/month for an indoor stall, all day turnout, lots of hay and grain, and very good care. We have an outdoor (no lights) and an indoor arena. Worming, blanketing, shoeing, lessons are all extra.
I am so envious of all the low, low boarding that some folks have. I think you can probably find lower boards here in backyard barns, etc. I used to have my horses at home ... but the cost to feed/care for horses is so high, that I can't imagine that anyone is making too much money, even at $400+ per month. It's a labor of love, for sure!
I pay $125 a month for a share board. It's great! That $125 pays for 3 days riding a week, plus one free lesson for me, and one for my daughter each week. That includes use of the indoor, outdoor, wash stall, and trails too. It's AWESOME! The girl I share board from is also my new trainer, and with her being a college student, we trade/barter for extra riding time. I'm giving her a big cage for her chinchillas and helping organize her tack(that I use too) and that will cover all lessons for January! Poor girls CAN ride!! Hehe
$425 for field board. Right between Baltimore and Annapolis. Next to the Baltimore Washington International Airport - literally - we do out hill work/xc conditioning in the crash field.
I board my horse at a co-op style barn with a bunch of friends and a very responsible BO. We each have a chore day which helps keep costs down. I pay 125 monthly for 24/7 grass pasture board. I pay for hay and grain. We are responsible for setting up our own vet/farrier appts because it isn't like a full service board, but because we are all friends we make them together anyways to keep the call out fee down.
But the really awesome thing is that even though it isn't "full service" all of the boarders treat it like it is anyways! Because we all care about horses in general. If a horse needs to be held for an appointment, that is done without extra cost if someone is already out there. If someone has special blanket instructions, we take care of that too.
Last week one of the boarders hadn't been able to make it out because she lives pretty far away, one of the other boarders was out and noticed the horse was shivering because of the cold, so she went up to the barn and grabbed her own horses blanket and put it on that one and then called the owner to make sure it was okay.
So it's pretty neat. I pay a low fee but get the royal treatment :) And it's all friends!
If I were to own at board at my current barn it would be around 600, just for indoor board, plus lessons, plus tune-up rides from one of my two coaches, plus trailering and clinic fees. But I wouldn't board anywhere else, facilities are AMAZING and my coaches are perfect for me, my barn offers loads on in house clinics and opportunities to show.
So at the end of the month i'd be looking to pay around 1000.
I currently only partboard, with two group lessons a week and one free ride it is 415.
I just moved my horse to a different barn because we had him at my friends barn and it didnt have an arena and I wanted to do stuff with him and show him in halter and plus my friends field flooded! It goes past your knees that's how much its flooded and Sherman has to get out everyday or he will go crazy! He has to ge out of his stall so now since its raining it helps a ton to have an indoor arena. I pay 175 and that includes a stall, they feed and water in the morning and turn out in the summer when its not raining. I have to clean his stall and feed at night and bring in if he is outside in the summer. Its a nice place and has a HUGE indoor arena, and its not bad for the price.