I checked out yet another stable and found a jewel...well if jewels are indoor areas, paddocks with happy ponies, manure piles and run in sheds! Vantage Point Farm is not too far from my house and borders the Black Forest. Apparently it is adjacent to a trail system through the black forest and some of the parks in the region. Sweet!
The stable part is fairly small I would say about 10-12 stalls? I didn't pay attention since I have no intention of doing stall board. The rest of the property had paddocks with run in sheds and then one larger paddock with 5 acres...the gelding paddock. I really don't understand the aversion facilities have to boarding geldings and mares together (NOW I DO!!! Please read this
post on geldings and mares thank you Lytha for this informative information. I had no idea!). I know introduction into a herd has to be a process but...I have no idea
why geldings can't be with mares, I've seen it before and it seems to work fine. If I end up with a mare she'll be in a single paddock with another mare or two and next to other paddocks with mares. The paddocks were pretty nice at least. Geldings get the best deal though!
The outdoor arena did not have a fence which is fine it's just going to be a mental change for me since there isn't that security! It's a full size dressage arena with the letters. I'm not familiar with the lettering of arenas so that might not do much for me to begin with.
The indoor arena was beautiful. Nice and big and airy feeling! I think there were some mirrors on the wall which are great for checking your position as you ride. I think if I ever have property with my own indoor I will mount many mirrors. They are great when riding alone. Also by the stable was a porta potty. Sweet, I love not having a hassle to go to the bathroom!
One stable I still do like I would have to go into the persons home to use the restroom and that just makes me feel uncomfortable. Sometimes I just want to go ride my horse and not have other people aware of my bathroom needs, especially if it's in their house. I like the stables that have a bathroom or at least a porta potty so I can just run and go without feeling like I have to ask permission like a little kid.
Kevin, the manager, took me around the farm and answered all of my questions. The boarding fee is $385 a month for the paddocks which includes feed, hay and any supplements you provide. Of course the location is great and the facilities are great too so the price is reasonable to me. A lot of facilities are that price and don't offer as much! For a tack locker I can pay $15 a month which I might think about. Parking of a trailer near the indoor arena is free. I probably won't have a trailer right away but I like to have the option of trailer parking at no additional cost. Plus there are no restrictions on time of day to come to the stable. If I come at 9pm that's fine or 5am that's cool. With my work schedule I love that I can not worry and be able to come to the facility when ever to see my horse.
I certainly prefer a gelding to a mare and especially since this facility offers a nice huge paddock for geldings. What a nice life! All the fencing was nice horse safe, no barbed wire or even smooth wire. The gelding paddock is about 5 acres and has little hills, trees and a nice view of the front range.
Unfortunately the odds of me finding a mare is pretty high. The rescues I'll start my search at seem to have mostly mares right now. As long as she's not overly reactive and sensitive I'm fine with that. Rescues for the most part are so upfront about their horses since they don't want to see them coming back that if a mare is "mareish" I'm pretty sure they will be upfront about that. But anyways, it just bums me out that if I get a mare she can't be in this nice big paddock!
Still I really liked this facility. Indoor arena, close to trails off the property and no time limitations. It's made it to the top of my list for sure!
