For me, quality of care is most important.  My horse is at a small facility with the owners on property.  My board is $350 a month.  My horse spends all day in turnout and the night in his stall, which has a small run.  The amount of turnout was important, there are many facilities in the area that have very limited turnout, ie 2 hours a day, or none, or turnout only with a large mixed group. So that was probably my #1 priority.  He is fed 2x day, stall is cleaned daily.  One BIG plus of the stable is a covered riding arena, so that I can ride in any weather.  The owners are very nice people and this was important as well...it is nice to NOT have to deal with the "drama".  I live about 11 miles from the stable.  I have great peace of mind being at this facility as well because the owners are EXTREMELY knowledgable...there are a lot of people running facilities that think they know more than they actually do.  Having managed a training/boarding/lessons facility myself, I am very picky.  Lately, I have not been riding (planning a wedding is extremely time consuming!!!) and it is great not having to worry about Gus.  Are you thinking of opening a boarding stable?

This may sound simple, but good quality feed and enough hay, adequate ample bedding, clean water (not finding decomposing rat in automatic waterer...). When the owner says turn out alone, not with others, it is unpleasant to drive up and find multiple turnouts in a pen that includes yours.  It is nice if your barn help speak English.  Stalls that are cleaned, and not just shavings thrown on top of manure and wet places. Knowing enough to grasp that a 17h TB needs more feed, hay, and bedding than a 14.3 Haflinger.  Someone that can be contacted in an emergency, after 5 pm on Friday.  Some form of dust management and fly control.  Entrances and drives that are adequate for large large rigs, should a semi be hired to ship horses or deliver hay, not to mention just large LQ horse trailers.  Adequate parking.  No tolerance on unattended dogs (and children).  A good management policy for wheeled traffic.

Riding areas that are maintained, access to trails is a nice plus.

Covered parking for trailers would be outstanding, but is not often encountered.  Covered areas including wash racks and stocks are nice, as are round pens and hot walkers.

We have always had a farm and kept our own animals, but these are issues I have personally had to deal with when on the road for several months with some of them.  A reasonable friendly professional demeanor, with an ability to not gossip or otherwise agitate your customers etc, just being able to maintain a good business relationship with a minimum of conflict. (For your own sanity as the business owner/manager!!)

You want to get her books...Lisa Derby Oden & Blue Ribbon Consulting http://www.horseconsulting.com/

And subscribe to her newsletter...though it has been a little hit and miss lately...

A place to ride during bad weather.  People who know about horses.  A place to put your hay/feed/tack if you are self-board.  A decent contract that ensures fairness for both parties.  Pastures that can take one or more horses.  Right now I board where there is only one electrical fence pasture the other pastures are not.  I have to share which means my horse does not go out every day (he is a stallion).  Boarders that are willing to share the arena and people who help you out.  Owners of barns that actually call you when there are problems with your horse.   Different places to work horses like - Outside places like round pens, and trails are nice.  A write up board where people can put up items like when vets, equine dentist, farriers are arriving, and  where hay, feed, is available.  If you are new you can find hay and feed at a decent price.  I am at a stable where they bought hay from the same person I did and then jacked up the price.  Hay was $3.50 a bale the barn is selling it for $6.00 a bale.  It would be nice have been if they charged only $4.00 (.50 profit). A birthing stall with video is also nice.  We travel a great distance since all the close facilities are very expensive - $300 and up.  This is my list but everyone has great advice.  Good Luck

Frankie,  I understand them jacking up the price.  After all they had to spend money on fuel to go pick it up, load it, then haul it back home and unload and stack it as well.  Time is money.   If the boarders want to pay less then they should go get it themselves.  Spend their own fuel, and their own time to go get it.  I am sorry but I don't think that is overkill on the hay.  Especially with diesel over $4 a gallon, insurance costs up, as well as everything else.  Labor is going up too.  I pay my barn help $10 an hr and probably will have to pay more this summer with fuel costs skyrocketing. 

$3.50/bale?? Wow, I just spent $16.95/bale for alfalfa and $19.50 for grass hay. $6.00 sounds cheap to me!

Gemm.....

What size bales?  The small bales(2 string) I've been getting are going for $6-7 a bale but the big (3 string) bales are going for $15-17.

Hay here in Michigan at the hay auction is averaging $2.30-$4.50 a bale.  Good Alfalfa/Timothy is going for around $3.60 a bale at the sale, sometimes up to $4.10.   The goat people will drive the pure Alfalfa up to $4.50. It is nuts, but small rounds are going for $40-65 each!  Big 4x4 squares are going for around $100 a piece.

Sounds like we have nothing to complain about up here!!!