Would you do Natural Boarding?

When I've heard the term natural boarding, it was in reference to a set up based on the book Paddock Paradise. You divide your pasture into "tracks" and keep the horses moving along by moving the hay several times a day. I think it's a good idea if you've got very limited space.

Heh, I was just about to comment how I wish I could find a good pasture board place near me. What part of Oregon are you in? Every place I asked about pasture board kind of stuck their noses up in the air like the only reason someone would get pasture board is if they were a cheapskate...

And so I'm not just hijacking the thread without adding to it :

Having a stall available when required, a secure tack storage area, covered tacking-up area, and a dressage setup in the arena are all definite musts for me. And I'd agree with the comments not to call it "natural" horse boarding as this is bound to bring up negative connotations in a sizeable portion of horsepeople's minds and there's no need to scare off any of your potential clientele unnecessarily

Interesting..... I am getting the feeling that a lot of people would like a place that is specialized just for a pasture boarders needs. I plan on having a tack locker area, covered area for tacking up, shower area, a few stalls, office, round pen(or 2), outdoor arena, obstacle area, and hopefully an indoor arena.
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Ok, you just lost a TON of clients with the T-post thing. I will not allow my horses to be anywhere near a T-post. Have you ever seen what one will do to a horse when it's run through the chest? Not pretty!

Okay, then what kind of fencing do you like? Is there a kind that can be easily moved, other tan t posts?
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GS, I board horses and currently (because of the drought) charge $350/mo for pasture board. Back in April before all the prices went up, I was charging $150. Sad isn't it? I do whatever they need, blanket, fly mask (I made their owner buy them all fly masks), groom daily etc etc. They are fed free choice bermuda hay in big round bales, $125/bale and I go through 3/week, and they each get about 3 lbs of Strategy twice per day and salt of course.

I don't have an indoor arena, wish I did! And I will bring them in during T-storms, ice storms and snow if it's really heavy and for a long time like several days worth of storm. I want them in for T-storms because of lightning, not the rain. Because OK is so flat, they are frequently the tallest thing in the pasture, so the likelihood of them getting hit by lightning goes up exponentially.

5-10 acre paddocks SOUNDS ideal but the reality is this. An owner doesn't want to chase their horse all over H*ll and half of Georgia to catch him. I would want my horse in no more than a 1/2 acre paddock with a shelter and if the other horses he was pastured with were mine there could be another one in there so he wasn't alone. If I'm only boarding 1 horse, then he needs to be in his own paddock for safety and liability reasons. Also, I've seen dominant horses run the least horse on the pecking order out of a shelter and make them stand in the rain, just because they can, so you need to have considerations for that.

I'm with the others on the "natural" thing and here in OK you probably will get laughed out of town if you advertise that way. Naked fairies with flower garlands around their heads, playing pan pipes and chasing horses across the rolling green landscape belongs in a water color, not a boarding stable. Sorry!

I also have 14 stalls and offer full stabling, but if I'm not full, I will bring pasture boarders in for T-storms or if the weather takes a real ugly cold snap. If I'm full, pasture horses stay out no matter what, but they do have shelters available to them. If one needs nursing or isolation, then the owner gets bumped up in board status (and pays the extra charges) until the horse can be re-integrated in the herd or they can have the horse hospitalized at OSU (I'm just down the street).

My horses are pasture boarded. My two geldings are in a 3-4 acre pasture by themselves. Two sided shed and 100 gallon automatic water tank. They are fed Safe Choice twice a day. Right now they have some grass to nibble on but not much! It has been dry here for most of the year...very little rain. Annnyywhooo.....in the winter they will be given hay to munch on.

There is a small covered arena, a large outdoor arena, a double cold water wash rack to tack up, groom, etc and there is also a warm wash rack in the main barn. We have a "hoof spa" for soaking our horses hooves, a rest room, large tack room with cabinets. Gaited facility with staff and owners on site. About a 40 acre pasture in back to ride in and probably about 150 acres across the street to ride (never rode over there!)

Stalls/arena are available for sick/injured horses. They do offer full board and training if needed.

Pasture board is $250
Full board is $400

I would love to have a pasture paradise one day and if I ever get a little place of my own, I will do that instead of one big pasture. Right now it is cheaper having them boarded!!

No, not really, unless you use pipe panels to divide the lots, then those can be taken apart and moved faily easily. Just buy bull quality panels and they're practically indestructible.

I have board and V-mesh, no climb fencing dividing up my pastures. Horse Fencing Systems - Flex-Fence, PVC and Electric - RAMM, there's a picture there entitled Mesh Fencing and it shows pretty much how it looks. I also use a hotwire around the top and bottom of the fence to keep the horses off of it. But the 4X4 posts that anchor it are set in concrete so you can't move it. At least, not without a TON of work.

It's safe, it stays looking nice if you use treated lumber when you build it, and it lasts.

Maybe 5-10 acres is too much, but I think they need more than 1/2 acre or it will all be dirt, mud, and wormy. Also, the horses should be in a pasture with other horses. If there is too much aggression I will relocate the perpetrator. Otherwise my boarders will sign a liability waiver. That is what I have always experienced, and I think it makes for happier, healthier horses. I'm willing to lose a little business in order to provide what I think is better care.

Just forget I ever said natural. Full service pasture care is what I mean and how it will be labeled.
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One thing that I find absolutely critical is that the place be kept IMMACULATE and the horses cared for like they are your own. Since I don't charge for the grooming, bathing, routine clipping, holding for vet or farrier, blanketing, all the little things you routinely do for your own horse, I can charge a bit more than a place that does just Pasture board. By "just pasture board" I mean the horses are tossed out to pasture, given a round bale, water and then anything else is up to the owner. No grooming, no bathing, no blanketing etc, etc, etc. I treat all the horses like they are the next national champion something, whether they're just a grade or not. Most owners that can't be at the facility as often as they might like really love that kind of care.