There are many factors that go into picking out the right barn for you and your horse when it comes to boarding. Usually riders factor in location, cost, amenities, trainers, friends, and what will ultimately make their horse happy.
Lindsay from Paperchases & Petticoats is a english girl at a reining barn. She doesn’t mind being the only hunter and embraces doing her own thing. Lindsay has been boarding at her current barn for six years and has had a wonderful experience riding among different disciplines, she shares some of her insight with us.
“I came to Chaparral in 2012 with my heart horse. This barn was recommended by a friend because of the accessibility to my house as well as the exceptional care offered there. At the time I was boarding more than an hour away, having followed a trainer that I met while in college. Other local facilities I once loved in the area had since closed or were in the process of changing hands, so I was looking for a well-established barn where I could simply enjoy my horse. I no longer needed a place with an in-house trainer or lesson program.
The owners were a bit nervous bringing my 16.3h Dutch Warmblood in to their herd of Quarter Horses and small Thoroughbreds. But after they checked my references and met me during a tour of the facility, we decided it would be a great fit for everyone.
Six months after bringing Odie, he broke his front leg in a freak pasture accident and had to be put down. I was devastated. The owners were equally crushed and incredibly generous, paying the vet fees, burying Odie on site, and allowing me to keep all of my things on the property until I was ready to move on, as well as reassuring me that there would always be a stall there for me if I wanted one.
I took a few months off from riding and horses in general. When I felt the timing was right, I began looking for my next partner and knew that Chaparral was the perfect place to come back to. Dexter and I have been here ever since!”
This duo looks like a great western pair. Lindsay has taken the opportunity to try reining and has done some cross-training in western tack with Dexter in this relaxed environment. She has never felt like an outsider at her barn and even relates some of her riding goals well with some dressage boarders.
When it comes to sharing the arena, there is plenty of room for everyone Lindsay explains.
“With a 300’x150’ outdoor, there’s plenty of space for everyone to ride. I’m able to set up jumps at one end of the ring with enough room to spare for spins and sliding stops.
The indoor is a bit smaller and can fit 3 comfortably, but I tend to ride at night so I rarely encounter ring overcrowding.
I’ve boarded at facilities where I couldn’t set up jumps while others were riding, so it’s refreshing to have the freedom to do so at anytime without worry that I’m going to get in someone’s way or spook their horse.
I don’t jump often, but when I do I need to set up the course on my own and tear it down the same day. I’m not one to jump without anyone else on the grounds, either, so sometimes it’s a bit tricky to find someone to be a spotter. There also aren’t many jumps for me to use; luckily my friend Mary was kind enough to leave a few regulation size standards and poles behind when she moved out of the area, so there’s just enough for me to set up a small course. Since the jumps are quite plain, I find myself getting quite creative in building them up with tarps, blankets, straw, and evergreen branches.”
Lindsay has been lucky enough to have found a wonderful group of equestrians who cheer her on.
“Everyone at Chaparral is extremely supportive of one another, no matter the discipline or riding goals. The owners have even come to cheer me on at several rated hunter shows—quite possibly being the loudest ones in the crowd 😉 They’ve always encouraged me to follow my passions and supported me whole-heartedly along the way.”
To learn more about Lindsay’s style or see more photos from her barn, read Around the Barn with Lindsay from Paperchases & Petticoats.
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