Looking for a barn near Golden, CO.

My boyfriend is in school in Colorado and I'm back where we both grew up in NC. We've been talking about me moving up there and at the beginning of the next school year I plan on moving up there with him. I need to find a barn for my mare though since leaving her behind is not an option!

She's an easy keeper during the summer but during the winter she doesn't hold weight (we have pretty mild winters in NC and she's blanketed well, she gets grain & had access to hay 24/7). I'm open to boarding her outside BUT with her issues during the winter it's obviously not going to be my first choice. I've had her around 2 and a half years now and both winters have been the same as far as her weight is concerned.

I'm driving 45 minutes now to see her.

I'd really like to find an eventing barn but if that's not an option I'm ok with that.

It seems like all the barns I can find online are a bit more expensive than what I'm used to ($450 for stall board at my last barn, and $350 where she is right now in the pastures). I also have to find a job so if there's any barn that is looking I've got experience and miss working on a farm!

Right now boarding options are rather tight in the front range due mostly to the hay situation. It's easier to just drop your number with boarders than to find hay. Most barns had to raise prices $50-100+ to cover the increased costs. In the past you could find postings for barns almost everyday on CL but now there are only a handful and there must be a reason...

The 2 eventing barns I know of are both in Boulder Co. My friend has her mare at one and pays $495 for an outside pen by herself. They have a nice indoor and two trainers. Great drama free and top care. They blanket and will grain (you supply) and have 1/2 day or more turnout. No pasture really to speak of. The other one is a hard core barn. Board just went up to $1k a month.

Table Mountain is the most recognized barn in the Golden area. It's more of a general little bit of everything English barn. There is a great Jefferson County Open Space trail right across the street from the barn that will almost get you to Golden Gate State Park. I've known people who had horses there but that was over 15 years ago. There are a few big barns still left on Indiana (E of 93) in Arvada that would be worth checking into. Their names elude me right now. Land prices are crazy in the metro area of you're unlikely to find a place with an outdoor course unless you get farther out. You will be limited to riding on the property which might only be 5 acres.

Contact the Jefferson County Horseman's Association and Buffalo Bill's (very large and inclusive trail riding club) for some places to check out and them come out for a visit. I"ll try to dig up some names and #s.

Awesome information! I wont be moving until the end of summer so the market has some time to change up on me. I found a few barns that I was looking at. Mainly, Cottonwood Stables, LLC and then another barn that seems like it's mostly a training/selling barn but if they will take an average boarder I wouldn't mind going there. Anything over $500/m is pushing it but my boyfriend's offered to get a part time job to try to help me out on covering the costs (he's a smart guy and realized that if I can't bring Bella, I'm not going anywhere).

Like I said, driving 45 minutes right now. I'd be willing to even drive an hour though I wont be doing that everyday. It doesn't necessarily have to be an eventing barn though I'd love to be at a barn where I could keep training. If anything just a Dressage barn is fine, though if they have jumps even better! If the move to CO doesn't work out I'm thinking about looking for working student positions at farms all over the US but I really want to try to get closer to my boyfriend, not father away!

Any information you have on barns/whatnot would be great! #'s and farm names too!

I'm not familiar with Cottonwood. Places move and change names all the time plus cottonwood is a rather common name around here. Kind of like Left Hand in Boulder county. Littleton, Arvada and the area around Standley Lake are good places to look. Indiana Equestrian Center is one (duh) on Indiana. Housing growth has really encroached on the farms on the W side of Denver and many have sold out to developers. Dressage barns are much more plentiful in the area. Check out Rocky Mountain Dressage Society. They've got a big long list of trainers and barns.

The problem with 45 min drives in good weather is they can turn into 3+ hour nightmares in about 10 minutes. You're better off finding something closer but more expensive than cheaper and farther away. Our gas has also jumped up 60 cents a gallon in the past 3 weeks. We're up to $3.39.

I was at Cottonwood... had a bad experience there. But some like it there. My friend used to ride at a barn near mine.. and she did jumping and dressage. I will ask her which one she was at.

Here may be another option: Legacy Valley Farm | Horse Boarding & Riding Lessons | Arvada, Colorado or http://www.swedegulchfarm.com/

No experience with it though as far as I know.

I board at Amen Acres off of Indiana (Arvada). Very low key and personal, I like it a lot. No indoor arena, but they have a great trainer there and participate in some showing and eventing Amen Acres . There is also the Standley Lake Stables, also on Indiana but I am not personally familiar with them Standley Lake Stables .

Gas here in NC was at $3.69 when I put some into my car tonight and it's been at $3.59 for the past week or so... my car also gets ok mileage! From talking to my boyfriend about the weather I could see how seemingly quick drives could end up taking much longer though I'm sure traffic can also get kinda out of hand. For a while I'm sure I'll only be able to go out on days off kinda deal so a long drive wont bother me too much but something closer would be better as far as saving money on gas would go!

I believe I did look a bit at Legacy Valley Farm, I couldn't find any prices though so I was going to give them a call closer to when I was moving. If you know what they charge I'd love to be able to write it down with all the other barns I've been checking out! I didn't see Indiana Equestrian Center so I'll look that up, and the Dressage Society!

Skyseternalangel, mind sending me a message with your story? I'm curious and picky. My baby is, well literally my baby! Really trying to be informed as possible before I go up there and start trying to visit barns. She probably wont ship up until a month after I leave if we can actually get the money and plans together to move me out there!

I'll also give Swede Gulch Farm a look and Amen Acres, and Standley Lake Stables! Thanks for all the help, keep it coming!

This was my friend's barn: Capricorn Farm Colorado

I'll check that one out too! Man I'm going to have a lot of homework next time I start looking at barns! Since I wont be moving until the end of summer I'm letting myself take my time on this! You guys have been super helpful though!

What I didn't like about her barn was they didn't have pasture space, only dry lot pens.... or stalls. But whatever works for you and your horse!