MOVING IN
The person entering into the boarding agreement must be the legal owner of the horse and must provide proof of ownership, such as registration papers, a bill of sale, or a coggins test.
Each horse owner will be required to complete a “Horse Profile” for each horse boarded. It is important that all information is filled out completely and accurately. The information collected about your horse’s registration, markings, brands or tattoos and coggins test accession number are used for identification purposes and to verify ownership. Upon completion of your horse’s profile, a stall card will be printed for your horse, with all of your horse’s basic information and emergency contacts listed. Outdoor boarded horses’ stall cards will be kept next to the barn message board.
Each owner is required to fill out a “Consent to Obtain Veterinary Services” form from either Millhouse Veterinary Service, or a local veterinarian of your choice, listing Spring Creek Farm, Inc. as “Stable Owner or Representative”.
Please do not install equipment such as toys, salt block holders, stall guards, decorations, etc. without prior approval from the stable management. Stall equipment or decorations that can be added without causing damage to the stall are welcome and do not require prior approval. Do not use staples or tape.
Every boarder has an assigned place to keep a saddle, several bridles, and a locker to keep other equipment. If you have more items that will not fit in your locker, you may keep your supplies upstairs, in a labeled bin. Each saddle and bridle rack will be labeled with the horse’s name, a description of the item, and the owner’s name. When you move in, you will be asked to describe your tack in detail (size, color, brand, etc.) so that the labels can be printed for you.
Children under the age of 13 are not permitted to ride unattended unless this has been approved in advance by the stable management. Stable management will not take responsibility for supervising the child. If the child poses a safety risk or is not following stable rules, the parents will be called to pick up their child.
VACCINATION REQUIREMENTS
All boarded horses must provide the stable with copy of their current negative Coggins (EIA) Test. Minnesota horses must be current within 12 months, Wisconsin horses must be current within the calendar year. Required vaccinations include Rhinopneumonitis and Equine Influenza vaccination current within 6 months and Eastern Encephalitis, Western Encephalitis, Tetanus and West Nile Virus vaccinations current within 12 months. Horses entering the property must provide proof of vaccination from the horse’s veterinarian. Other vaccines that are recommended but not required include Streptococcus Equi (Strangles) and Rabies.
REQUIRED AND RECOMMENDED EQUIPEMENT
All owners of boarded horses or horses in training are required to provide:
• A safe, well-fitting halter and lead rope in good condition
• Fly spray during summer months
All owners of boarded horses or horses in training are encouraged to provide:
• Fly masks and fly sheets during the summer months.
• A quality winter blanket in good condition in the winter months. If your horse is shivering or is otherwise too cold, we may require you to provide this.
STABLE PROCEDURES
Stable chores begin at 6:00am. The horses are given a small amount of hay and their AM grain ration and supplements. Horses are turned out in their designated pastures or paddocks and eat their AM hay ration outside. Stalls are cleaned and bedding is added when necessary. Horses come back into the barn at 4:00pm and are fed their PM grain and hay rations.
Bedding amount varies from 2-4 inches, based on the horse’s individual needs.
In the event that horses are unable to be turned out due to the weather, the horses will eat their AM hay rations inside. At 4:00, they will be fed their PM hay and grain rations and the stalls will be picked. If the horses need to come inside early, they will get a hay snack in their stalls.
FEEDING AND SUPPLEMENTS
Spring Creek Farm feeds excellent quality hay and Nutrena® Life Design® Compete grain. Hay is a mixture of grasses and includes a small amount of alfalfa and is stored indoors in the adjacent hay shed. Grain is a peak performance feed – a high fat, controlled starch formula with trace minerals and guaranteed amino acid and biotin levels. Hay and grain rations are based on the horse’s age, weight, and level of exercise. If you do not wish to have your horse on grain, or if you supply your own grain, you will receive a $25.00 credit on your boarding fee. If you provide your own grain, you must be responsible for restocking your grain. Your rations must be individually packaged and labeled, and must also be stored in a container labeled with the horse’s name.
Boarders may request feed supplements to be fed to their horse along with their grain rations in either the AM, PM or both. Boarders must provide the feed supplements and label the container with the horse’s name. Each individual dose/ration must be in a separate container, clearly labeled with the horse’s name. Zip Lock bags with a label area are recommended. Boarders are responsible for refilling containers and keeping their supplement in stock, the stable staff is not responsible for notifying you if your supplements are getting low. Liquid supplements are prohibited without management approval.
If you would like to make a change to your horse’s feeding rations, please leave a note on the feed room white board and the stable management will make the changes to the horse’s stall card. If the stable management would like to make a change to your horse’s feeding rations, we will either call you directly, or leave a note on your horse’s stall or on your locker.
PASTURE/PADDOCK TURNOUT
Spring Creek Farm offers individual paddocks, small group paddocks, and pastures. Individual paddocks are reserved for stallions or horses that are unable to be paired with other horses for other reasons. We encourage owners to provide their horses with as much social interaction with other horses as possible. Although occasional nips, bites and kicks are common, we will separate horses if fighting has become a safety issue. Spring Creek Farm takes great care to select a paddock or pasture for your horse where fighting or arguments between horses will be minimized. If you would like to make a change to your horse’s paddock or pasture arrangement, please make a note to the stable management on the white message board. If the stable management would like to make a change to your horse’s paddock or pasture arrangement, we will either call you directly, or leave a note on your horse’s stall or on your locker.
It is generally our policy to take halters off during turnout. If for any reason you would like a halter left on your horse, let the stable management know. Halters for turnout must be well fitted and made of entirely of leather or have a leather crownpiece.
The stable charges $30.00 per month for daily on/off of horse clothing such as blankets, fly masks, bell boots, etc. During the winter months, winter blankets are recommended, but may be required if your horse is unable to keep warm. Winter blankets are required for horses boarded outside. Heavy weight winter blankets cannot be worn in the barn – this may cause your horse to overheat and may lead to pneumonia. During the summer months, we recommend fly masks with ear covers for horses with clipped ears.
ROUTINE HEALTH CARE
The stable and training staff will assume responsibility for scheduling regular veterinary and farrier care. Pre-scheduled veterinary and farrier appointments will be posted on the barn message board in advance with the purpose of the appointment and approximate cost. You will be billed directly by the veterinarian or farrier and it is your responsibility to be sure that your credit card is on file with them, or you may leave an open check. Open checks are kept in the office cash box under lock and key.
If you have a specific farrier and veterinarian that you would like to use, you may assume responsibility for arranging your appointments, just let the stable staff know ahead of time and be sure to include a receipt for your services so that we can note the treatments in their medical history folder.
If your horse loses a shoe or needs farrier attention, please note it on the message board. Please try to find the lost shoe before another horse steps on it and becomes injured.
If your horse gets a farrier trim or shoeing, please pick up the hoof trimmings and check for nails that may have been dropped on the ground. After a veterinary visit, please make sure the area is clean of any veterinary supplies, fluids or debris.
Deworming is a service provided by the stable, and you may choose to have your horse on either a rotational deworming schedule or a daily deworming schedule.
Rotational deworming is done on the 14th of every odd-numbered month according to the following schedule:
• JANUARY 14 FENBENDAZOLE
• MARCH 14 IVERMECTIN/PRAZIQUANTEL
• MAY 14 PYRANTEL PAMOATE
• JULY 14 FENBENDAZOLE
• SEPTEMBER 14 PYRANTEL PAMOATE
• NOVEMBER 14 IVERMECTIN/PRAZIQUANTEL
Daily deworming is done according to the following schedule:
• DAILY PYRANTEL TARTRATE
• MARCH 14 IVERMECTIN/PRAZIQUANTEL
• NOVEMBER 14 IVERMECTIN/PRAZIQUANTEL
Deworming will be charged to your account and can be paid to Spring Creek Farm at the time your next board check is due. If you would like to deworm your horse yourself, you must provide the stable with the empty box from the dewormer with the horse’s name and the date given written on the box. You may place it in the boarding check drop box. If you choose to deworm your horse yourself, you must adhere to the deworming schedule strictly.
EMERGENCY HEATH CARE
If you have an insurance policy on your horse for death, loss of use, etc., it is best to give your insurance information to the stable staff in case of emergency or accident requiring pre-authorization.
On your horse’s profile, you will need to give the names and contact information for three emergency contacts. In the event you are unable to be contacted, your emergency contacts may make decisions as to the health care and well-being of your horse. These emergency contacts must not have the same contact information as you do.
In the event of a veterinary emergency, you will be contacted immediately. If you cannot be contacted, we will contact your emergency contacts in the order listed on your horse’s profile. We will advise the emergency contact of your restrictions listed on your horse’s profile, such as estimated cost limits or minimum chance of recovery. If none of your emergency contacts can be reached, the stable reserves the right to make decisions as to the health care and well-being of your horse, up to and including euthanasia.
If the stable must make a health care decision for you, the stable may only initiate courses of treatment that have been recommended by a licensed veterinarian, up to and including euthanasia.
The stable will make a prudent effort to contact the veterinarian or farrier that you prefer. However, if they are not able to be reached, the stable reserves the right to secure emergency veterinary treatment from the veterinarian of the stable’s choosing.
EXTREME WEATHER, NATURAL DISASTERS AND EVACUATION PLANS
In the event of severe weather such as hail, tornadoes, thunderstorms, flooding, etc., we will make every reasonable and safe attempt to put the horses in the barn without putting the stable staff at risk.
If a wildfire, flood, or other natural disaster requires an evacuation, all efforts will be made to place the horses in a safe place. If the horses cannot be moved from the property, the horses may be left inside or outside, depending on the situation, with enough food and water to last several days. Each horse will be labeled by either braiding a luggage tag with the stable manager’s phone number into the horse’s mane, or by writing the phone number on the horse’s hoof with a waterproof permanent marker.
MAKING PAYMENTS
Boarding Prices are as follows:
Indoor Board $500.00 per month
Outdoor Board $300.00 per month
Horse Clothing $30.00 per month
No Grain -$25.00 credit per month
Boarding fees are paid to Spring Creek Farm, Inc. Partial month’s board is calculated on a pro-rata basis if the horse arrives or departs mid-month. Changes in rates will be posted 30 days in advance on the stable message board.
LATE PAYMENTS
It is best to make your payments on or before the 1st of every month. If you will be late on a payment, it is important to notify the stable as soon as possible. Late payments are subject to a $20 late payment fee. After 30 days of non-payment, your Spring Creek Farm may exercise a right of lien to recover losses for any partial or non-payment of invoices.
MOVING OUT
If you would like to terminate your boarding agreement, you must give the stable a minimum 30 day notice before moving your horse. All invoices must be paid before the horse may leave the premises.
