Small boarding stables in the Davis, CA, area?

[dottoressa]

Hello 🙂,
I will be moving to Sacramento this summer and will need a place to board my quiet, semi-retired horse. I am looking for a smaller boarding facility with great people and personalized, quality care.
We would like an in/out stall with small attached paddock (no/minimal grass), some trails, maybe a ring or a round-pen. We don't need fancy, just safe & clean. Most importantly, I need to find kind & trustworthy manager/caretakers who will take good care of my little old lady while I'm so busy (i.e. I don't want to *have to* check on her every day to make sure everything's ok and that her hay was soaked, etc.)
Within a 30-minute commute from Sacramento would be ideal as I'll be working at the UCD Medical Center and hopefully living near there.
We are both friendly and good boarders (pay on time, clean up after ourselves, etc)
*Any* suggestions appreciated!! Thanks 🙂

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[Tobysgirl81]

I'm sorry, I mean this in the nicest way possible..I just have to chuckle a little 🙂 Not sure where you are from originally but while Sacramento IS only a 30 minute drive from Davis, that rule only applies if you're driving at or before 4 am or at or after 9 pm 😉 Sacramento has a TERRIBLE interstate system and most of the day is spent cussing at traffic. Not as bad as LA, but close 🙂

There are a few decent boarding stables in Davis. Russell Ranch, Woodland Stallion Station and Pine Trails Ranch are three I can think of off the top of my head. However, you would probably be better served by finding someplace in Sacramento.

www.bayequest.com is an excellent tool for anything horse related in northern California.

A couple things to keep in mind however. Most pastures in CA have ZERO grass because it takes water to maintain them 🙂 They grow a little during the spring, but by the time early summer rolls around you're looking at dry lot pastures. I've boarded at some top end stables, mid range stables and low end stables and found that to be the case throughout. I know of ONE place that kept their pastures green, but it cost somewhere in the $800/month + range to board there.

So far as attached pastures...I can think of indoor/outdoor stalls (have like a 12x12 indoor stall and 12x24 outdoor stall) but not a lot of barns that have actual paddocks attached to the stalls. You may be looking at paying extra for a barn that actually HAS a boarding situation like that. Or you can always pay a little extra for turnout privileges during the day.

You CAN find some smaller boarding arrangements, but unlike a lot of the US, CA doesn't have a ton of land for keeping your own personal horses. So many barns you board at will have 50 + horses housed at the same facility for boarding purposes and will have vaccine protocols you need to meet. On the other hand, I can't recall ever pulling a coggins on any of my horses in CA!

Anyhow, hope that answers some questions? I lived in/around Davis for a while and communted to Sac for work as well. For work, it made sense. For a horse? Eh...I'd probably look for something closer to wherever you'll be living!

 

[dottoressa]

Hi Tobysgirl,

Thanks for the info. I am coming from a bit over 3,000 miles away. Thus far I've spent 2 days there total. So, I really have no idea about the city or the commute to Davis. I appreciate your warnings 😉 I didn't know that there would be any stables in Sacramento proper...?

In my experience with boarding, the smaller the better. So, I was hoping that maybe a poster or two here might know of a small, low-key type place that would be looking for a low-key type horse to board. I am happy to pay for extras so that my horsie gets the proper care and attention.

I am not interested in a 50-horse facility (...not even a 25-horse facility), as I think she will get lost in the shuffle. I like knowing that the caretakers know my horse personally. I guess I'm going to have to look a bit longer, but that's fine as I am in no rush to move her.

Glad to hear there is little grass, as she is allergic. Small paddocks are fine with us, too. Any bit of individual turnout with an attached stall is ultimately what we seek. Vaccine protocols won't work for her...she is quite anergic and reacts to components. She is really quite healthy and thriving with our current protocols. I will just have to find the right place and people who can work with us 🙂 I will look through BayQuest; a couple ads have already caught my eye.

Further suggestions and info will be much appreciated!!

 

[dottoressa]

Bump.
Anyone...?
I would *love* some personal recommendations.😍
Thank you!

 

[dgm]

You might have better luck posting this on the pre-vet board (higher traffic), or on the Chronicle of the Horse forums.

 

[PsyDGrrrl]

There's some other places just out past Pine Trails too, down road 96. One used to be called Happy Horse Riding School...I don't know the name now but they board and it's a nice place. Also a place right next door to it....Horse Quarters.