This checklist is for organizing a horse-boarding service list before preparing a price quote. Business structure, tax treatment, insurance, animal-care rules, zoning, contracts, and required licenses can vary by location. Review current business guidance from the U.S. Small Business Administration and tax guidance from the Internal Revenue Service, then confirm requirements with qualified local professionals and authorities.
A boarding quote is only as clear as the service list behind it. “Boarding” can mean a stall cleaned daily, a pasture space with limited oversight, or a highly managed package that includes feeding, turnout, medication, blanketing, grooming, exercise, and emergency coordination. Those are not interchangeable services, and they should not be priced as if they are.
The most important distinction is this: full-care boarding is not pasture board. Full care usually involves recurring labor, supplies, scheduling, facility use, and communication. Pasture board may provide access to a field, shelter, water, and a feeding routine, but it may not include the same level of individual care. The exact scope must be written rather than assumed.
Use the inspection questions below before quoting a new client, changing a package, or comparing another facility’s price. Mark each item as included, optional, excluded, or subject to an additional charge.
What type of boarding is the client actually requesting?
Start with the basic service category. Possible categories include full-care stall board, partial-care stall board, pasture board, self-care board, layover board, retirement board, training board, and rehabilitation or medical-support boarding. A client may use one label while expecting another.
Ask the client to describe a normal week, not just the desired package name. Do they expect the horse to be stalled overnight? Must the horse receive individual turnout? Will someone need to handle the horse for farrier or veterinary appointments? Does the horse require a special diet or daily medication?
- Record the requested boarding type.
- Identify whether the horse lives in a stall, paddock, pasture, or rotation of spaces.
- Note whether care is individual, group-based, or dependent on the client’s participation.
- List any services the client assumes are included.
What does “full care” include every day?
Define full care with observable tasks. A useful list might include feeding, watering, stall cleaning, bedding, turnout, bringing horses in, basic condition checks, and routine facility monitoring. Do not rely on the phrase “full care” by itself because different facilities use it differently.
For each task, specify frequency and timing. “Fed twice daily” is more useful than “regular feeding.” “Stalls picked each morning and rebedded as needed” is more useful than “stall service.” If the schedule can change because of weather, staffing, emergencies, or horse behavior, explain that in the service terms.
Also state what full care does not include. It may not include grooming, exercise, bathing, hand-walking, mane and tail care, blanket changes, medication, supplements, or holding a horse for appointments unless those services are separately listed.
How is pasture board different from full-care boarding?
Pasture board generally centers on housing in a pasture or similar outdoor area. The quote should identify the specific care provided at that location. This may include access to forage, water checks, shelter access, fencing, and a stated feeding schedule. It does not automatically mean the horse receives stall cleaning, individual turnout, daily grooming, or the same level of observation as a stall-board horse.
Explain whether pasture board includes hay, concentrate feed, mineral access, blanketing, fly protection, or special feeding. Group turnout can also create different management questions. Ask whether horses are grouped by compatibility, feeding needs, age, or other criteria. If individual feeding is unavailable or costs more, say so before quoting.
Use plain language in the written quote: “Pasture board includes…” followed by the exact list. Then add, “Pasture board does not include…” followed by the common points of confusion.
How many feedings, water checks, and forage servings are included?
Feeding is a major labor and supply category. Record the number of daily feedings, the type of feed supplied, the amount or measurement method, and whether the client or facility provides the feed. If feed amounts are based on written owner instructions, identify who confirms changes and how those instructions are recorded.
Clarify hay arrangements. Is hay included in the board price, charged separately, or supplied by the owner? Is it fed in a stall, feeder, slow-feed net, or pasture? Are special hay types available? If a horse requires individual forage management, calculate the added labor and storage needs rather than treating the request as a minor detail.
Water service should also be specific. State whether water is checked, refilled, cleaned, or heated when appropriate. Avoid promising a particular result in conditions that depend on weather, equipment, or utility service. Instead, describe the routine inspection and response process.
Who supplies bedding, feed, supplements, and medications?
Make a supply responsibility chart. For every recurring item, identify the purchaser, storage location, administration instructions, and charge method. This prevents a quote from hiding costs inside a vague care package.
| Item | Included? | Provided by | Special notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bedding | Yes, no, or allowance | Facility or owner | Type and expected use |
| Hay | Yes, no, or separate charge | Facility or owner | Quality, quantity, and feeding method |
| Concentrate feed | Included or separate | Facility or owner | Measurement and feeding times |
| Supplements | Usually separate unless stated | Owner or facility | Label, dosage, and storage |
| Medication | Basic service or additional service | Owner supplies medication | Written instructions and administration method |
What turnout, shelter, and stall access are included?
Describe the horse’s housing cycle. Include the usual stall hours, turnout frequency, approximate duration, pasture or paddock access, and whether turnout is individual or shared. If turnout depends on weather, footing, staffing, or horse compatibility, state that clearly.
For pasture board, identify the available shelter and how it is maintained. For stall board, identify whether the horse has access to a run, paddock, arena, or other exercise area. Do not imply unlimited access unless the facility truly offers it and can manage the resulting wear, safety, and scheduling issues.
Ask whether the client expects turnout changes for heat, cold, storms, muddy conditions, insects, or health concerns. A flexible management request can require more labor than a fixed schedule and may justify a different quote.
What handling and routine care does the package cover?
Handling often creates hidden work. List whether staff will halter, lead, tie, blanket, apply fly protection, pick hooves, groom, bathe, hand-walk, load, or hold the horse for a professional appointment. Each task should have a frequency or trigger.
Routine care should be distinguished from professional services. Facility staff may coordinate access for a farrier or veterinarian, but that does not mean the facility provides veterinary, farrier, dental, or training services. If staff hold a horse during an appointment, identify whether that time is included or billed separately.
Ask about behavior and handling limits. A horse that requires multiple staff members, specialized equipment, or extended preparation may need an individualized management plan. The quote should not promise a service that the facility is not equipped or staffed to perform safely.
Are medications, supplements, and special diets included?
Medication administration can range from placing a labeled product in feed to handling a difficult horse several times each day. Ask for the medication name, route, frequency, storage requirements, expiration concerns, and written instructions. Clarify whether injections, wound care, bandaging, and other medical tasks are accepted, excluded, or referred to a qualified professional.
Supplements and special diets should be priced separately when they create extra measuring, storage, preparation, or administration work. State whether the owner must provide original containers and adequate supply. Include a process for updating instructions and documenting changes.
Do not promise medical outcomes. The service list should describe the care routine, communication process, and escalation steps, not guarantee that a condition will improve or that an emergency will be prevented.
What happens during emergencies and after-hours events?
Before quoting, explain the emergency communication process. Ask for primary and secondary contacts, the horse’s veterinarian, preferred clinic, medication information, and any known restrictions. Record who may authorize transportation or treatment under the written agreement, and advise the client to confirm those arrangements locally with appropriate professionals.
Identify what the facility will do when a horse is injured, becomes ill, escapes, loses access to water, or is affected by a facility outage. A reasonable service list can include observation, contacting the owner, contacting the designated professional, and following written instructions. It should not suggest that boarding staff replace veterinary care.
After-hours response may require a separate charge or a different service tier. Use a typical-range estimate only after reviewing the actual staffing and travel requirements. Confirm the amount, billing method, and local expectations before publishing it.
How often will staff inspect the horse and facility?
“Daily care” and “daily inspection” are not always the same. State when staff are normally present and what they inspect. Items may include appetite, water access, visible injury, fencing, gates, shelter, stall condition, and obvious changes in behavior.
Do not describe an inspection as continuous monitoring unless staff truly provide continuous monitoring. If the facility is unattended for periods, say so. A clear schedule helps the client choose an appropriate service and prevents a pasture-board arrangement from being mistaken for constant individual supervision.
What client responsibilities remain after the horse moves in?
A quote should identify the owner’s responsibilities. These may include providing accurate feeding and medical instructions, supplying approved medications or supplements, maintaining current emergency contacts, arranging professional appointments, removing personal equipment, and paying for approved additional services.
For self-care or partial-care arrangements, specify which chores the client must complete and by what time. State what happens if the client misses an assigned chore. A backup-care charge may be appropriate, but use a typical range only after calculating local labor, supplies, and administrative costs. Confirm the final amount locally and put it in the agreement.
Which services are optional, and how will they be billed?
Separate recurring board from optional services. Common add-ons may include extra feedings, blanketing, grooming, bathing, hand-walking, holding for appointments, stall sitting, trailer loading assistance, special turnout, and short-term layover care.
For each add-on, record the unit of billing. It may be per visit, per day, per feeding, per appointment, or per horse. Avoid a broad phrase such as “extra care as needed” without a rate or approval process.
Use a written authorization method for services outside the base package. The method could be a signed form, email, client portal, or text process, subject to the facility’s recordkeeping policy. The goal is to create a reliable record of what was requested, when it was performed, and how it will be billed.
What supplies, labor, and capacity support the quoted price?
Inspect the quote from the facility’s side. List labor time, feed, hay, bedding, water, waste removal, pasture maintenance, equipment use, utilities, administrative work, insurance costs, repairs, and reserve needs. A low quote may be incomplete if it ignores recurring supplies or unpaid labor.
Calculate the service by horse and by facility. One horse receiving a standard routine may be efficient. Several horses needing different feeding times, turnout schedules, or medication routines may require more coordination. Capacity also matters. A package that works for a few horses may become unprofitable or unsafe when occupancy rises.
Do not copy a competitor’s price without comparing service scope. Two prices can differ because one includes hay, bedding, medication, individual turnout, or appointment handling while the other does not.
Does the written quote match the agreement and records?
Before sending the quote, compare it with the proposed boarding agreement, intake form, care sheet, invoice categories, and staff instructions. The same service should have the same name and meaning across each document.
Keep a dated version of the service list and record client approvals. Business recordkeeping and tax questions should be reviewed using current information from the SBA and IRS, as well as guidance from qualified professionals familiar with the facility’s location and business structure.
Inspect the final quote for ambiguous words such as “usual,” “basic,” “reasonable,” “as needed,” and “full care.” Replace them with measurable descriptions. If a service cannot be measured precisely, explain the decision rule, approval process, or limitation.
Is the final service list ready for a client conversation?
Use the finished list as a conversation tool, not just a price sheet. Ask the client to confirm the horse’s routine, special needs, handling requirements, and expected level of oversight. Invite questions about what is excluded. This is especially important when a client compares pasture board with full-care boarding.
Before accepting the horse, confirm the service category, included care, excluded care, optional rates, supply responsibilities, emergency contacts, payment terms, and start date. Confirm local legal, licensing, zoning, tax, insurance, and animal-care requirements before operating or revising the program.
A strong quote makes the service visible. It tells the client what the horse receives, tells staff what to perform, and tells the business what it must provide at the stated price. When full care and pasture board are separated clearly, the quote becomes easier to inspect, explain, update, and honor.