The first place to begin looking for horse agistment services is on the internet. On the internet you will find many horse directories (which will include a section on horse agistment) or be totally dedicated to horse agistment. Many properties are now setting up their own websites so you will be able to have a look at the services they provide and possibly their rates too. If you don't have access to the internet then I recommend checking out your local business and telephone directory. Another great place to look is in the classified ads of your local newspaper or your favorite horse magazine.
The first consideration when finding an appropriate property is to consider how far you are prepared to travel to see your horse. Don't forget that you are going to need to make this trip regularly and often so if possible it may be better to consider something as close to home (or work/school) as possible. Will you need to catch public transport and is it well serviced.
Next you will need to consider what your requirements are. Agisting properties offer a huge range of options, whether you just want outdoor grazing right up to full care with blanket service & a regular hot wash! You will need to take into account how much time you have available and your budget. If you are able to spend plenty of time with your horse (as I know you will want to!) you will be able to provide much of his care like regular feeding. If your time is limited, then you will need more services to be provided for you. But of course, this is going to cost you more and you will need to take this into account.
Once you have figured out what your requirements are, find 2 or 3 properties that fit into your criteria and make an appointment to go out and see them. This will give you something to compare against as each site can be vastly different. You will want to look out for things like, how well maintained are the grounds and stables, do other horses look healthy and happy. Find out exactly what equipment you will need to provide yourself and if they have storage facilities. In particular, find out if there are any restrictions on the hours that you may visit, this will be especially important if you are doing a lot of the care yourself.
And finally, once you have decided on the provider you will use, make sure that a contract is signed by both parties. This should outline the services that are to be provided and the roles and responsibilities of both yourself and the horse agistment provider. They should be able to provide this as they will have one in place with all of the horse owners. This piece of paperwork is important for both parties and it will mitigate any problems arising in the future.
The first consideration when finding an appropriate property is to consider how far you are prepared to travel to see your horse. Don't forget that you are going to need to make this trip regularly and often so if possible it may be better to consider something as close to home (or work/school) as possible. Will you need to catch public transport and is it well serviced.
Next you will need to consider what your requirements are. Agisting properties offer a huge range of options, whether you just want outdoor grazing right up to full care with blanket service & a regular hot wash! You will need to take into account how much time you have available and your budget. If you are able to spend plenty of time with your horse (as I know you will want to!) you will be able to provide much of his care like regular feeding. If your time is limited, then you will need more services to be provided for you. But of course, this is going to cost you more and you will need to take this into account.
Once you have figured out what your requirements are, find 2 or 3 properties that fit into your criteria and make an appointment to go out and see them. This will give you something to compare against as each site can be vastly different. You will want to look out for things like, how well maintained are the grounds and stables, do other horses look healthy and happy. Find out exactly what equipment you will need to provide yourself and if they have storage facilities. In particular, find out if there are any restrictions on the hours that you may visit, this will be especially important if you are doing a lot of the care yourself.
And finally, once you have decided on the provider you will use, make sure that a contract is signed by both parties. This should outline the services that are to be provided and the roles and responsibilities of both yourself and the horse agistment provider. They should be able to provide this as they will have one in place with all of the horse owners. This piece of paperwork is important for both parties and it will mitigate any problems arising in the future.
About the Author:
From all around Australia horse lovers are on the look out for excellent horse agistment properties. Before making a decision on any property, check out our Horse Agistment site. We keep you up to date on properties from WA to NSW and everything in between.