Before you signed that horse boarding contract, did you ever stop to wonder what all that fine print really means? Reading the entire contract positions you as an informed consumer with a fuller understanding of your responsibilities. Below, we’ll discuss why you need to sign a contract, the important sections of a typical contract, and how you can best protect yourself as a potential guest.

Why do you need to sign a contract?
A horse boarding contract is a binding document that spells out the agreement you have with the stable owner. This usually includes your payment obligations each month and the boarding facility’s rights in the event of a breach of contract.

It is also most likely a requirement of the owner that you enter into a boarding contract with them, not their choice. The barn owner usually requires each guest to fill out a contract for legal and insurance reasons. It is a means for stable owners to protect themselves from liability and hold you accountable for all fees and charges you incur while your horse is on their property.

What are the important parts of a contract?
Rates and services are clearly specified in most contracts. The general pension includes the basic services for the daily care of your horse. The price will reflect the number of daily services you expect to receive. For example, you will pay more per month if your horse has a stall compared to someone who has their horse on the full pasture board.

Other additional services may include daily supplementation or deworming, regular exercise, horse training, and riding lessons. This section also includes information about the day of each month that pension with fees and late fees are due.

Most boarding facilities enforce health regulations on new horses entering the stable. You will usually need to provide proof of current negative results, and in some cases show that your horse is up to date on all vaccinations and deworming. Some facilities may enforce a routine care schedule for veterinary care and deworming. If the boarding facility has specific requirements, they must be specifically described in the horse boarding contract. Keeping your horse up to date on all veterinary care will help stop the spread of equine diseases.

Some contracts describe a procedure for emergency situations. As a horse owner, you need to be prepared for the unexpected. From minor injuries to potentially life-threatening situations, it’s a good idea to provide at least one emergency phone number. A release to provide veterinary care when the stable owner is unable to contact you can help ensure that your horse receives necessary veterinary care, especially in an emergency.

If you have an insurance policy on your horse for death, major medical or surgical coverage, you should always provide that information along with the insurance company’s emergency phone number in case your horse becomes sick or injured. Most insurance policies require immediate notification of illness or injury in order to honor the policy claim.

If your horse boarding contract does not have information about equine insurance policies, provide the stable owner with an emergency phone number, a copy of the insurance policy, and the insurance emergency phone number. It may also be a good idea to keep a card in your wallet with your horse’s emergency insurance phone number and policy number on it.

A liability waiver may also be included in the contract or written as a separate document for you to sign. Basically, you release the boarding facility from any liability that results from your voluntary participation in equine activities on their property. Some facilities will require a signed release of any additional parts you may bring onto their property, even if it is your horse they intend to interact with.

How can I protect myself?
Your best protection as a guest is to stay informed by thoroughly reading and understanding the horse boarding contract before signing it. By doing this, he has full understanding of all of his obligations as a tenant of the boarding facility.

It also includes the rights of the boarding center in case you do not pay. After a certain amount of back payments, a boarding stable may have ownership rights to your horse if so stated in the boarding contract.

Your best bet is to stay informed and continue to make your payments on time. Establish a good relationship with the stable owner and anyone who cares for your horse. Make sure the center has up-to-date insurance and health information along with an easy way to contact you in an emergency. Not all of the sections discussed above will appear in a contract, so if you have any concerns, be sure to check with the facility owner and keep copies of everything you sign for future reference.