I'm currently looking at an 8 acre property to possibly buy, as a home, not for the boarding aspect. Aside from the house, there is also a 15 stall barn, indoor riding arena, outdoor riding arena, round pen, and has 800+ acres accessible to ride on. At this point I've only talked to the owner on the phone and seen pictures via email. I've looked at the property layout on Google Earth and it is just everything I've dreamed of and I'm hoping that when I see it in person next week it's even better. The thing is, I only have 3 horses. I have no intentions of owning more than that, but if I were to get this property I would have all these extra stalls. I'm just thinking into future what-if scenarios, but thought if I let some people board not only could I benefit from being around horse people in this new area I'd be moving to, but it would also bring in a little extra income for maintenance that comes from owning horses in general.
Another thing that has crossed my mind, possibly leasing stall space to a trainer of some sort. That way instead of several different individuals, I would only have one person to deal with but could still charge a per stall fee.
So again, I'm clueless. The only thing that I know of is liability insurance. If things go the way I'd like them to, I absolutely want this place. It's within my reach; at this point I just have to see it in person, weigh pros and cons, and make the big decision of whether to move 5 hours away or not. No complaints about the big barn and all the amenities, but I hate to see the space not getting used. I mean, three horses in a 15 stall barn is going to seem really empty (and lonely).
