When you’re running a boarding facility, a clear boarding contract can help prevent misunderstandings and establish expectations from the start. A well-written agreement should spell out each party’s responsibilities and cover everything from routine care and payments to veterinary emergencies and facility rules.

“An equine boarding contract is a contract like any other contract,” says Cindy Miller, a retired lawyer, in Sun City, Arizona, with inactive licenses in Idaho and Washington and retired status in Arizona. Miller specialized in business and estate planning after gaining experience in federal employment, criminal law, real estate, and family law. Miller is also a horse owner and previously owned and managed a 20-horse farm in Northern Idaho for 12 years.

She says the contract should be specific to the care of the horse, outlining responsibilities for both the horse owner and the facility. “Misunderstandings come from either a lack of communication or a lack of clarity in communication,” she explains.

Miller suggests including these core sections in your boarding contract:

1. Basic information, such as the legal names of those involved, contact details, addresses, horse identification (name, breed, age, height, brand inspection), and terms of the contract (when it starts and how long it will last)
2. Fees and payments, which include the base board rate and what it includes, deposit requirements, payment due dates and late fees, and any extra fees (turnout, blanketing, or other optional services provided at additional cost)
3. Care provisions and stable rules, including care provisions such as feed and water (and what food the barn will provide), supplement and medication administration, turnout schedules, stall cleaning and maintenance, and bedding use and replacement; and stable rules such as hours of operations, visitor and group policies, and guest liability waivers
4. Health and veterinary emergency protocols, which should cover vaccination requirements established by the facility or state law, deworming requirements, veterinary and farrier care, decision-making when owners can’t be reached, authorization for emergency care, isolation policies, and procedures for disease outbreaks
5. Liability and mismanagement policies, including whether horse owners assume the risks when riding on the property, how the facility handles injury or theft, whether the facility requires owners to insure their horses, and who pays for damages under various circumstances
6. Default and termination policies, including the notice period required to terminate an agreement (usually it’s 30 days), whether the facility can place a lien if a boarder fails to pay a bill, when all outstanding fees must be paid upon termination or before an owner or horse leaves”, and the conditions under which a stable can evict a horse or boarder

Take-Home Message

A clear, detailed boarding contract can help protect both the facility and horse owner by establishing expectations and responsibilities. Work with an attorney familiar with your state’s laws to make sure your contract covers topics such as payment terms, horse care, emergency procedures, liability, and termination.