Full-Care boarding barn with stalls and an arena

Horse owners who work full-time or want hands-off care, riders who want an arena, and families paying for lessons.

Higher monthly board fees per stall for full care, with extras like blanketing, training rides, lessons, hay sales and arena or trailer fees.

• Daily horse care and spotting health problems
• Managing staff or helpers
• Basic bookkeeping and contracts
• Customer service with horse owners

• Startup estimate assumes leasing an existing barn; buying property or building a barn and arena typically costs far more, often hundreds of thousands of dollars or more
• Zoning, building and manure management rules, which vary by county and state
• Commercial equine liability and care, custody and control insurance; ask an equine insurance agent
• Workers' compensation insurance once you hire help, and check your state's rules for part-time and family helpers
• Heavy daily work every day of the year, including holidays and bad weather, so plan cover for time off
• Any lesson program may need a signed liability waiver, and check your state's equine liability law for required signage and wording
• Empty stalls, rising feed and hay prices, and slow-paying boarders squeezing tight margins

Startup costs are typically around $20,000 to $90,000, assuming you lease an existing barn, and depend on the lease, equipment, feed and insurance. Buying property or building a barn would typically cost far more. These are estimates.

Monthly revenue is typically around $4,000 to $20,000, depending on how many stalls you fill, your board rates and any lessons you add. Empty stalls and rising feed costs can squeeze margins. These are estimates only.

Check zoning, building and manure management rules, which vary by county and state. Ask an equine insurance agent about commercial liability and care, custody and control cover, and check your state's equine liability law and workers' compensation rules.