We invite all horses including layups and retirees, and we welcome those with debilitating hoof issues such as navicular, laminitis, founder, etc. This website represents our philosophy of horse management, and reflects our standard of care. We invite you to read it thoroughly when considering boarding with us.
A Slice of Country in the City Situated on1.1 acres in the Phoenix/Paradise Valley/Scottsdale area, we are conveniently located around the Tatum and Shea Rd area.Monthly boarding rate is $425 which includes farrier care. We are currently full, so please contact us by email to be placed on our waiting list.
With our unique focus on barefoot hoof conditioning, maintenance, and rehab, all horses accepted for boarding are required to be barefoot upon, or soon after, arrival. For horses that come in shod, we work with a highly skilled holistic hoof trimmer Ivan Neel, who has seen many horses with chronic hoof issues to soundness through regular trimmings. He will remove the shoes and set up a custom maintenance schedule. Hoof care by Ivan is included in board.
• Non-grass pasture ideal for laminitic and IR horses
• Your horse's feet will be under the watchful care of skilled barefoot farrier Ivan Neel. Once per month farrier fees are included in board • Nearly continual movement. Recent studies have shown that horses turned out on one acre using NON-incentivized strategies move an average of 3 miles per day. We us an incentivized movement method that undoubtedly increases that number. • No extra charge to feed any grain or supplements you provide
• Supportive environment for alternative and holistic therapies. We work closely with a Holistic Vet well versed in alternative modalities.
• Trailer storage (please inquire regarding space)
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Unlike traditional boarding stables where horses typically receive only two to three flakes of hay per day fed in two large meals, here we do not limit the amount of hay the horses choose to eat in a day.
Horses are genetically hardwired to be "trickle feeders", not the "fasters and gorgers" that traditional horse management styles treat them as. There is a vast mountain of research validating free-choice forage as the only option in maintaining healthy horses, and not one study or sliver of research endorsing large infrequent meals as an appropriate way to feed horses. So why, then, has it become "traditional" to feed our horses incorrectly? We feed our dogs twice a day, we feed our cats twice a day, even we can remain healthy eating twice a day. But then we're predators, so are dogs, and so are cats; all perfectly equipped to handle large, infrequent meals and fasts between feasts. Horses are prey animals with millions of years of genetics inside a body designed perfectly for eating small meals while constantly "on the run". For such a huge body, horses have comparatively tiny little stomachs that don't hold a whole lot. The food only stays in the stomach for about an hour before moving on. What that means to your horse is that roughly one hour after he eats, he's famished, his tummy's growling, and his metabolism slows down to conserve energy. Not only is your horse then uncomfortably hungry for 18-20 hours out of the day, but then 4-6 hours after he has eaten, caustic stomach acids begin to creep up and flood his stomach. That spells ulcers and colic, and a whole host of digestive disorders. Constant grazing buffers the stomach acids. Which in turn promotes the healthy growth of "good bacteria" in the intestines and hindgut, leading to a more thorough utilization of nutrients, and ultimately, increased health and vitality. The constant chewing of forage also allows the horse to better grind down his own teeth (though teeth should still always be checked by your vet at least once yearly). We hold the belief that providing for this basic biological need for the continuous uptake of forage is our absolute obligation as good equine stewards. "Anything that is worth doing, is worth doing well" - Source Unknown So exactly how much hay can a horse on free-choice hay eat in a day? It varies, but generally it's about 35-40 pounds each. As most horse owners know, hay is the single most costly upkeep expense of horse ownership, especially in the Southwest US where 90 pound bales currently run between $12 and $15 a piece. But caring for horses is a privilege, and caring for them properly is a pure joy. And we believe that no matter the cost, there is no substitute for excellence! Have more questions about free-choice hay? We know you do!
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• Full turnout 24 hours
a day, every day, with
no stalls
or confinement of any kind 