The Top 10 Benefits of Boarding Your Horse at Middleton Equestrian Center!

To kick off this New Year, we are going to be talking about one of our most important services and attributes; boarding your horse at Middleton Equestrian Center! 

Hello trail friends, a very happy new year to all of you! We hope you had a wonderful holiday season with your loved ones, and we hope you had the opportunity to take advantage of our last two blogs. We hope you took those tips and suggestions to heart to prepare your horses, stables, and barns for the cold winter weather that has finally arrived. While we might not see snow this year as our friends in North Carolina or our friends farther up north will, it has still been cold and wet here in the Lowcountry. Speaking of the Lowcountry, did you give the gift of Middleton this past holiday season? Or did you receive the gift of a trail ride with us? We can't wait to see you soon to celebrate that gift together.

We are currently doing our Historic Trail Rides every day at 10 am, 12 pm, and 2 pm, with additional 4 pm rides on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. We do prefer that you book your rides online, but you can also call us at 843-556-0449. Are you looking for the best trail rides and horseback riding in Charleston, South Carolina? You've found it! We have beautiful trails that intertwine through age-old treas, inspiring views of Middleton Place, and a guide that will accompany you to describe the history and stories we've seen and learned over the years. Middleton Place Equestrian Center is guaranteed to please all of your friends and family! We also ended 2020 on a high note, and were awarded Travelers Choice in 2020 by TripAdvisor! 

One of our most important services and offerings at Middleton is our horse boarding! We want to share more about it with you and talk more about it this year, so please make sure to keep up with our blog and contact us with any questions or comments. We are Charleston's premier boarding and training facility. Our boarding barns feature 46 spacious and well ventilated 12' by 12' stalls, wood shavings, individual fans, and thick stall mats. Our boarding includes feeding your horse high-quality grains and timothy/orchard hay 2-3 times per day based on each horse's individual dietary needs, owner-supplied medications and/or supplements, heightened turnout in one of our numerous large grass paddocks, stall maintenance, and seasonal blanketing. Staff members can schedule vet and farrier services as needed and perform deworming and vaccinations.

For all of those new to Middleton Place Equestrian Center and to the idea of boarding your horse in South Carolina, we wanted to dedicate this blog to you and talk about some of the most important reasons and benefits of boarding your horse! 

• One of the first ideas that come to mind when you first begin to think about boarding your horse is all of the daily care your horse needs. We have been very honest in our blogs about this topic, having a horse means a lot of responsibility and care. When you decide to board your horse, you will no longer be in charge of this daily care. A professional will be doing it for you. 
• Are you new to the area or don't have a lot of riding friends or companions? When you board your horse, you have the opportunity to meet fellow boarders and new friends and companions to ride your horse with, learn from, and enjoy the world of horses with. 
• Boarding your horse is a money saver in more ways than one. Do you finally want to own a horse, but don't want or can't afford to buy more land or move to a larger property to build a barn, stable, and paddocks for your new horse? Boarding your horse means being able to own a horse without having to also buy matching land or real estate. You also know professional hands and eyes will be on them constantly, and their lodgings will always be clean, safe, and exactly what they need. 
• Another money-saving aspect of horse boarding is that you won't be responsible for the everyday expenses that go along with your horse's care like water, electricity, the cost to remove or dispose of manure, and much more. You also won't be responsible for the everyday wear and tear or upkeep of the barns, stables, and paddocks. 
• Boarding your horse is a huge time saver. You will be able to go about your personal and professional life as you please and visit and ride your horse when you want to. 
• When you travel, go on vacation, have an emergency, or your family's schedule gets crazy, you know your horse will be cared for at all times and you won't have to go out of your way to make special care plans. 
• When boarding your horse, you can also have the option to add on daily grooming, vet care, training, and even preparation for an upcoming show. 
• Boarding isn't just a time-saving tool or a tool to take advantage of when you don't have the proper housing for your horse. Boarding can also help those who have the perfect barns and stables for their horse, but they might be new to the idea of owning and caring for their horse. Boarding allows new owners to learn about how to properly care for their horses around the clock. It also allows them to create a relationship with the animal in a safe, protected, and professional environment. 
• Boarding your horse can provide a temporary home or temporary lodging while you are preparing or finishing up building new barns, stables, and paddocks.  
• One of the most popular reasons horse owners choose to board their horse is for social interaction. If you only own one horse, this can be difficult on their mental health, as many horses are social creatures. Having the option to be in both a private stall and being able to socialize with other horses can be very important to a horse's well being. 
• Boarding can give you the ability to give all of your time and attention to riding, training, and working with your horse, without splitting your time with all of the daily care your horse needs, too. 
• If you are planning on traveling to horse shows or other activities and events that are off-site, you might be able to save money and travel with other fellow boarders. Your boarding facility may also be willing to haul your horses to the venue or event for a fee. This way you don't have to invest in a truck or trailer for these events. 
• Boarding provides round the clock care. If your horse is sick or has an injury, professionals are there to make sure they are cared for properly, injuries are tended to, and medication is administered properly.
• One thing you might not think about when owning a horse is the insurance you might need to take out for a multitude of protection reasons! When boarding, you won't have to pay for liability or care and custody insurance. 
• You won't be responsible for owning, caring for, or repairing any tools or equipment found on a horse farm like tractors, wheelbarrows, manure forks, and much more. 
• You won't be responsible for the removal or disposal of the many pounds of manure your horse will produce every day! 

This list could go on and on trail friends, but these are the top benefits of boarding your horse and the many reasons why you should board with us at Middleton Equestrian Center. While boarding and its expenses might seem overwhelming to many new horse owners, think about all the time and money it will end up saving you overall. Also, consider the fact that you'll be able to spend more time with your horse doing exactly what you love. While you might not be able to hear or see them first thing in the morning, you also won't be getting up at the crack of dawn in the worst types of weather to care for them either. We would love to have you board with us! For more information or questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to us! Until next time, stay safe, and be well. We look forward to seeing you on our trails soon! 

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