One of the first things your buyers are going to want to know about are the amenities - aka horsey stuff. This list can be long and border on the ridiculous - tv for your horses, anyone? Maybe some XM radio....
First things first: can you get horses and trailers to the facility? Anyone who has slid backwards down a steep icy driveway in truck and trailer with screaming people drowned out by screaming horses will never, ever, again overlook this all important detail... I've been there and it wasn't pretty.
The basics of shelter - this can be anything from a rustic run-in shed to a heated and humidity controlled barn with specialized footing and so on, and all points in between. You need to know how many stalls are available, also good to know: how big they are, if they are heated, what the footing is, what they are built of, and if they open direct to the pasture. You may also want to double check the headroom - a pony farm may not have been built to provide ample room for draft horses (think Budweiser) and warmbloods (think big, and probably worth more than your commission). Are there enough stalls to meet your buyers needs? or is there room for expansion, especially for cool things like a bathroom (not everyone wants to track mud, hay and poo through the house) a laundry room (ever look closely at a saddle pad?? eewww....) tack room, grain room, and even a wash stall... yes a shower for the horses, with hot and cold, drain, shampoo rack, brush rack, towel rack, accessory organizer, special footing, cross ties, separate thermostat, extra lighting (OK, maybe just a cubicle with a hose and a drain...) .... oh, the possibilities are endless!
Next time: the anatomy of the barn and other exciting stuff....
Comments (3)Subscribe to CommentsComment