Horse info

[jenn16929]

If you build it nice enough and the people see no hazard potentials they will board from you. slow at first and then getting better. advertize all alove too. I had a hard time boarding because they never had any available space.

[YOU-CANT-EAT-SCENERY]

Thanks for the info jenn

[mbreshears]

Generally there is not a maximum number of horses per land area, unless you are moving into a subdivision with covenants, and then it is possible but variable. Though I am not entirely confident on the current demand for boarding, I do know that it is VERY difficult to locate a rental property with room for horses. The college has an equine program, which should bring in more of a demand for a place to board them, but I am unaware as to if the college provides facilities for any student owned horses. As far as feed goes, no problem. . . Tack, however, depends on whether you ride english or western. English is a little more difficult to come by, though still available especially in the nearby cities. Most horses live outside in the winter, they actually prefer to be outdoors more than most people would think. A windbreak is often provided, though not always, and most horses get along great with enough food and water heated to keep it from freezing or someone to break ice often (not recommended... ). Carhartts, Silk Scarves, Gloves, Wool, and Poly long underwear do amazing things for exercising horses in the winter... It just depends on what you use your horses for, and how die hard you are. We do have plenty of sunny days that are cold, but not too cold to get out and ride or work the horses, it just takes a little more motivation. There are plenty of pleasure riders that only ride in the summer, and some peoples horses never really get into shape. Indoor riding arenas are great, if you have one or access to one, though I don't think that is the rule for Dillon or Montana in general. Advertisement, affordability and facilities are obviously incredibly important to make a horse business work around here, and I wouldn't plan on getting rich with it. You are probably doing well if you are breaking even, hopefully paying for the costs associated with your own horses. Hope this was helpful.

[Montanaford]

My wife ahs a couple of horses and we live in the Billins area (actually 40 w of Billings.
I am not a horse person but,our experience is that many people just pasture their horse out in the winter in some areas. We have a semi enclosed barn and most of the time, the horses are outside in the paddock area.
The owner of our place be fore us said that his horses spent most of the winter down in the draw eventhough the gate was open to the barn.
You will need heated water troughs and buckets.
Most people aroun our area have acreage,so they don't have to board their horses.
Some of thepeople in our area ride almost everyday year round-eastern Montana gets the chinook winds and it can be a plesant 50 or 60 deg in Feb.
Billings has something like 300 days of sunshine-If you move to Columbus,MT. in our subdivision my wife will have someone elso to ride with!
We have 20 acres but don't grow our own feed and there are plenty of places that sell hay,so feed isn't a problem.

[orygun]

I don't know of any minimum land for horses. In the Bitterroot Valley people often have a couple horses in a small lot. Not something I would do but it seems to work ok.

I haven't seen tons of boarding places around so it might be something to make a go of it, especially where there isn't a lot of little patches of ground for people to have their own horses.

Yes, there do seem to be a fair amount of feed stores. Haven't seen a lot of tack stores but I haven't been looking either.

Winter for horses could be a lean-to or more often nothing at all. We are moving to the Polson area and have just some trees. One winter when it got to -24 in the same valley my mare and foal were out with no shelter and did just fine. Rainy winters in Oregon without shelter were much harder on them than standing in the cold. It seems as long as they can put their butts to the wind and maybe have on a coat when it rains it works out fine. My horses never used their shelter all that much when we did have one.

[YOU-CANT-EAT-SCENERY]

Thanks for the info.
My wife and I spent the last week in northern ID around Bonners Ferry, and found a beautiful 10 acre parcel. Now all we need to do is find $$$.
We did drive home through Western MT going home, but I gotta tell you, I found Northern ID to be a little prettier, although northwestern MT around Troy was nice, but what to do for work Darby seemed like another neat area...but again that work thing.

[orygun]

North Idaho is beautiful. Just a different state with a different feel to it. More trees and more precipitation I think. Montana has a lot more wide-open spaces though like you said Troy and Darby are beautiful. Finding work is always a dilemma in beautiful small towns.

[rickers]

There's a guy in Dayton who keeps a few bison in his front yard. Just a tiny yard with a short chain link fence !

[Morganpony]

Besides covenants- you may want to consider the grazing rate of horses for the area you want to purchase pasture in. Some places it is horses/acres and in others Acres/horse. In my area west of Butte the stocking rate is 20 acres per horse. While just over the rockies in Whitehall it is more like 10 horses per acres. However Hay is currently going for about $85 ton many do deliver for a small fee. If you feed hay, you have to figure about 1/2 a ton/horse per month (depending on size). Boarding can cost between $50 (pasture, own feed and own care) to over $250 ( full board with all the goodies)

[A Neighbor]

As for a minimum, as long as your land doesn't have any covenants or city rules to abide by I am not aware of any minimums in MT. As long as the horse is healthy, fed and rode or attended to people usually stay out of the horse owners business. As for places that board horses, there are a few ranchers that are willing to board someone else's horses for a fee, but it isn't a money maker. For the fee, they usually get feed, water, salt blocks, fences checked, a call to the vet when needed and sometimes rode if that is what is requested. My parents board 4 or 6 horses for the same person and have around 6 of their own now, although it can vary from 4 to 12 of their own. In winter time, the horses grow their own coats as long as they have been left outside normally. You wouldn't want to bring one that has lived in a controlled environment out in 32 degree weather without an extra layer for them. Most of MT's horses that live on ranches with cows are rode throughout the year whatever the weather. Remember that horses have been around a lot longer than heated and cooled barns, coats, saddles, etc. Unless it is hailing a horse can handle most weather better than their rider. As far as feed goes, you can buy hay from area farmers/ranchers. Some is better than others, you have to inspect it well. You can usually by Corn Oats and Barley (COB) with molasses or without from your local feed store to supplement the hay. So the moral to the story is, if in the right location where there are a lot of people who want horses, can afford the cost of a horse plus their room and board and a large enough chunk of land for some to run on I'm sure that you could do well. But most MT's who own horses, own land for them or have a friend who keeps them.