How important is a boarding stable's "atmosphere" to you?

I know exactly what you mean. And the atmosphere is a huge thing for me. I prefer a show/training facility. I like it when there are lots of riders, we're all working on goals, encouraging each other and practicing and training all the time.

I currently board at a ranch with just a bunch of trail riders. And they're all really good people, don't get me wrong. But I'm always alone in the arena, except when I tag along on trails for the sake of my horse's mind.

I'd say, hang in there for a little while. Just be friendly and helpful and maybe people will warm up to you.

If you really can't stand it after 6 more months, then look at other places. You may find that you enjoy always having access to the arena and not sharing it with 10 riders in the dust.

That's an interesting question. I have to admit I've never really thought about it. Maybe I've just been lucky, but at all three stables where I have boarded horses over the years, most of the people I encountered were friendly and helpful. And it's not as though I encountered the same kinds of people at these establishments because they have been very different from each other: a rental horse barn (yes, 25 years ago, one could rent a horse and ride independently), a hunter lesson barn, and a small, private facility that used to be a Paint Horse breeding farm. I do know that I don't like drama, so if I found myself at a facility where it was impossible not to get drawn into it, I would probably move. Other than that, if people are distant and businesslike but not actually rude, I don't really mind.

It's actually a little hard for me to answer this question, because I've never been in the position of having to board any horse I owned anywhere. When I was a teenager, we kept our horses at home, and that's still true now. I live on a relative's farm, and we keep our horses at home. We used to BOARD horses for other people, however, and we got out of that because we got tired of having to cater to the whims of others. It also wasn't financially feasble to continue doing it any more.

I personally HATE barn drama of any kind, period. I've worked in a lot of different barns over the years too, and with some of them it was like living on the set of a soap opera every day. I don't understand what it is with people and their horses. It's as if many people take on different personalities when they become horse owners. All of a sudden, they expect you to cater to their every whim, no matter how inconvenient or expensive it may be for you. And they get pissed off when you don't do things exactly the way they want, even if your method is better and doesn't harm the horse. The group of people I've found which are most resistant to change are horse owners who board, especially those who happen to be clients of high end show and lesson barns.

Then there are the "horse show" moms and dads, who in many respects are even worse than the adult boarders at a lot of places. Everyone who's ever spent any length of time in the performance horse industry knows exactly what I am talking about here. These are the adults who typically have more money than they do brains or common sense, and who more often than not are trying to relive their own misspent youth over again through their kids. It's these people who put enormous pressure on their teenage daughters ( occasionally it's sons, but more commonly it's girls who bear the brunt of such pressure) to win big prizes no matter what the cost to the kids or their horses. And the kids, many of whom weren't all that into riding or horses in the first place, often respond by quitting the sport as soon as they turn 18- and never coming back. And this kind of behavior has other effects on kids, too. I've worked at barns where there were teenage girls who changed trainers or changed horses about as often as the rest of us change our socks. The reason these kids do this is because they don't want to make their parents or grandparents mad because they aren't winning. This win at any cost mentality is very, very damaging to everyone- and it is the source of a lot of barn drama at some of the bigger places.

So I would have to say that if I were boarding anywhere, the atmosphere of the place is very important. I don't want to spend a lot of time around people I don't like or who are know it alls. Life is too short for that.

The atmosphere is very important to me. I am a silent sue...and balk when people invade my space and start blabbing my ears off. It takes me a while to warm up to new people. I am always friendly to new people at the barn, but not too the point where I let them slow me down, or distract me from the main reason I am there...which is to spend time with my horse. We have a chatty Cathy at our barn...who has really made an effort to take it down a notch and now we are both much more comfortable around each other. She is a very cheerful person. On the other hand , in the past there have been little nasty cliques. All they did was complain about everything at the barn, and try to recruit anyone and everyone to listen to their trash talk. I have been at this barn for 7 years now. Its not perfect...but pretty darn close! I won't stand around listening to a bunch of back biters speak ill of the farms owners or really anyone who keeps their horse there. All us boarders get along great. Just ease into your new barn, and let people come to you:)

When I first got to the barn I'm at, people were a little stand off-ish because we were new. But now it's totally different. Be polite say hello, ask how they are then just move on. When new people move in now I'm always stand off-ish, I'm still polite just a little more reserved

Well if you're a "social butterfly" you won't be happy at your barn if no one talks to you. It might even get depressing and you won't wanna go, which is not good. I say you stay for at least 3 months, if nothing changes then change barns.

And guurl, 10 min is nothing! My horse is nearly 40 min away lol.

Best of luck! xox :)

I have no interest in socializing at a barn. I'm there for time with my horse, period. I find most other horse people to be stuck up, elitist, drama-generating people that I'd rather not associate with. I don't like small talk, and don't wish to engage in other conversations with them. I'll politely answer direct questions, but otherwise focus on what I'm there for- my horse.