You are thinking of Part-Boarding your horse? Maybe the reasons are financial, or maybe you just don't have the time to ride every day and feel that your horse needs more attention. Many women decide to forgo riding while they are pregnant but would still like to see their horse exercised frequently.

There are many things to think about before you put that ad up at the feed store or in the local paper.

First you must decide exactly how much money is involved in the upkeep of your horse and how much you are going to ask the part boarder to pay per month. Are you going to ask only half the board or are you going to include some of the other monthly expenses such as blacksmith and routine vet work? If your horse needs medication every month do you want to include that expense in the part boarders rate?

It is a good idea to speak to the person in charge at the barn and make sure that they don't mind your having a part boarder. They may even be able to suggest someone that they know who is looking for a part board.

When you do acquire a part boarder make sure to introduce them to the barn staff and make sure they are familiar with the barn rules and hours so that they will not unwittingly do something that they shouldn't do.

Make an honest assessment of your horse. Is he a beginners mount or does he need someone with more experience? If you can match your horse with someone who's skill level matches his personality and experience the relationship should turn out to be more satisfactory for all concerned. After all the safety of the rider and horse should be foremost in your mind. You don't want to set up a bad experience for your part boarder or your horse.

Another thing you should consider is a good liability policy so that should an accident occur you will have the coverage that you need for the situation. Many companies do Equine Insurance and you can get yourself insured for liability at a reasonable rate per year.

Next you have to think about what you are going to allow the part boarder to do. If your horse is capable of showing are you going to allow them to compete? Are lessons offered at your barn? If they are interested in lessons are they included in the board ,or are they paid for separately. What if any restrictions are you going to place on the part boarder? ie: they may not go for trail rides alone, no unsupervised jumping etc.

Now you must decide what kind of person you would like to share your horse with. Would you want to share with another rider of the same skill level as you or, do you mind having someone who is a better rider or, not as experienced as yourself riding your horse. Take the time to do some soul searching and decide how you would feel if you both went to the same show and your part boarder came home with the ribbons! If you are a novice and you would be glad to know that your horse is doing well, a more experienced rider may suit you fine.

You must decide what kind of relationship you are going to be comfortable with. If you intend to ride you must divide your riding time with the other person so make sure that you can accommodate their schedule so you both don't show up the same time planning to ride.

It can be of great benefit to have a written contract, this tells both parties what is expected of each person, and ,since it is on paper there can be no question of what has been agreed on.

It may also be useful to specify the period of time that the part board will be in effect and, if is an open ended contract how much notice each party must give the other in order to end the commitment.

Part boarding can be very beneficial for many people. It allows riders who maybe don't have the time or the finances to own a horse more riding than lessons would allow. Having your own horse is a big commitment on your time and money. Having a part boarder can lessen that commitment and maybe make your horse a more enjoyable pass time.