Retirement Boarding for Horses
- A gelding only boarding facility -
We currently have space for two horses in group pasture.
We currently have space for two horses in group pasture.
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We are a private residence in Newcastle, CA where horses free roam on 20 acres and are allowed to be horses. We only accept a few retirement horses because keeping a small herd allows us to get to know the horses and offer personalized attention. Most of our horses are from out of the area – we send regular video updates to owners and make sure you are included in their everyday lives.
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Location: The ranch is located in Newcastle, CA - about 30 minutes North of Sacramento, in the base of the foothills below the snow line. Most of our horses come from out of the area - we have a transporter we work with who offers a reasonable rate should you wish to compare shop the cost of transport.
The Property: The ranch is 20 acres with approximately 18 acres available to the horses. The front of the property is a relatively flat area then it runs up a hill to the rear of the property. It's a U-shape around the main house so we can observe the horses from almost any room in the house. We have irrigated pastures and water accordingly to keep the grass where it needs to be to avoid founder. There is a 24x36 run-in shed at the top of the hill and a 35x60 open pavillon at the end of the barn. Trees for shelter are abundant throughout. We use fly predators and drag as needed for pasture management.
We take a maximum of 10 retirement horses, so each gets very personalized attention.
The Property: The ranch is 20 acres with approximately 18 acres available to the horses. The front of the property is a relatively flat area then it runs up a hill to the rear of the property. It's a U-shape around the main house so we can observe the horses from almost any room in the house. We have irrigated pastures and water accordingly to keep the grass where it needs to be to avoid founder. There is a 24x36 run-in shed at the top of the hill and a 35x60 open pavillon at the end of the barn. Trees for shelter are abundant throughout. We use fly predators and drag as needed for pasture management.
We take a maximum of 10 retirement horses, so each gets very personalized attention.
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Fencing: Fencing is 3-strand electrobraid on house power and is quite hot. There is also a 6-foot wrought iron perimeter fence around the property.
Weather: Temperatures in Newcastle are quite moderate compared to areas just an hour North of us. We are below the snow line and our Winters average a high of 55 and low of 40. The hill allows the horses to seek high ground during winter rains so they are not standing in mud and, if needed, we will trim excess hair off legs to avoid mud fever. July is our warmest month with an average high of 91 and low of 60.
Weather: Temperatures in Newcastle are quite moderate compared to areas just an hour North of us. We are below the snow line and our Winters average a high of 55 and low of 40. The hill allows the horses to seek high ground during winter rains so they are not standing in mud and, if needed, we will trim excess hair off legs to avoid mud fever. July is our warmest month with an average high of 91 and low of 60.
The lower pasture
Farrier. We have a 12x24 farrier station with hitching rail and attached 12x12 covered shelter for shade. Our barefoot trimmer comes every 8 weeks and we will catch and hold for you. Farrier services are not included in the monthly board and are the responsibility of the owners.
*Note - the DG footing on our property often self-trims and our retirement horses with good feet rarely need trimming. Every horse is different - we've had horses who only needed trimmed 2-3x yearly, others who don't need trims at all. We are happy to send videos/photos and let you decide if you want them done.
*Note - the DG footing on our property often self-trims and our retirement horses with good feet rarely need trimming. Every horse is different - we've had horses who only needed trimmed 2-3x yearly, others who don't need trims at all. We are happy to send videos/photos and let you decide if you want them done.
The Valley Pasture allows protection from wind on both sides.
Services.
- We are quite low key and offer a no-frills boarding environment, where horses are allowed to run around and be horses. We provide free choice hay thrown in pasture if the grass is low (spring/summer/fall) or placed in slow feeders in the covered shelter (winter). Grain can be offered for an additional monthly fee.
- We have personal interaction with the horses every day; we check feet, tend to any minor wounds, and groom as needed.
- We send out video updates to owners when we go out to feed or catch the horses doing something entertaining.
- We have a dental / vaccine clinic every Spring and offer optional services. We understand the additional challenges older horses can have in processing vaccines and since our horses do not leave the property and have minimal risk, we do not require them. Desired services are not included in the monthly board and are the responsibility of the owner.
- We offer your horse personalized attention. Keeping a small herd allows us to get to know the horses, their patterns and preferences. If a horse seems grumpy, we notice. If a horse is not hanging out with his favorite buddy and getting left behind, we notice. If a horse is limping slightly or not coming in for yummies, we notice. We live on site and are able to see them from almost every room in the house. We get to know and love each one of them and truly do treat them like family.
- When the times comes, we offer end of life care. We coordinate all needed services and, if desired, can be there with them in their final moments. Those who desire a peaceful final resting place can opt to plant a tree at the property and spread cremated remains upon its roots.
- We are quite low key and offer a no-frills boarding environment, where horses are allowed to run around and be horses. We provide free choice hay thrown in pasture if the grass is low (spring/summer/fall) or placed in slow feeders in the covered shelter (winter). Grain can be offered for an additional monthly fee.
- We have personal interaction with the horses every day; we check feet, tend to any minor wounds, and groom as needed.
- We send out video updates to owners when we go out to feed or catch the horses doing something entertaining.
- We have a dental / vaccine clinic every Spring and offer optional services. We understand the additional challenges older horses can have in processing vaccines and since our horses do not leave the property and have minimal risk, we do not require them. Desired services are not included in the monthly board and are the responsibility of the owner.
- We offer your horse personalized attention. Keeping a small herd allows us to get to know the horses, their patterns and preferences. If a horse seems grumpy, we notice. If a horse is not hanging out with his favorite buddy and getting left behind, we notice. If a horse is limping slightly or not coming in for yummies, we notice. We live on site and are able to see them from almost every room in the house. We get to know and love each one of them and truly do treat them like family.
- When the times comes, we offer end of life care. We coordinate all needed services and, if desired, can be there with them in their final moments. Those who desire a peaceful final resting place can opt to plant a tree at the property and spread cremated remains upon its roots.
We have 4 water stations on the property which are cleaned regularly. There are also two creeks running through the property, ensuring a fresh water supply at all times.
Desired Tenant Traits:
- Our goal is to have a small herd who develop life-long bonds. Consistency in the herd (horses not coming and going) is a huge factor in their emotional well-being. As such, we accept only horses who need a permanent retirement solution - not those who are taking a year off for injury or need a temporary home. We recognize this doesn't always work out - and you may opt to relocate your horse for a variety of reasons...but our goal is long-term care.
- We accept low-drama, non-dominant and non-aggressive geldings who do not exhibit guarding behaviors. No late-cut geldings please.
- Our apologies, but we do not accept mares. We do, however, have one mare on the property who does not go into heat and has a gelding-like vibe. As such, your gelding must not have a tendency to dominate mares. If you feel this is a concern, let's discuss further.
- Your horse must respect electric fencing.
- Your horse should be barefoot unless corrective shoeing is recommended to keep them sound (front only).
- Your horse must be okay with dogs, as we have one very well behaved dog who roams the property.
- Your horse must not have a tendency to eat manes or tails.
- The main nutrition for the horses is pasture grass. Therefore we cannot accommodate hard keepers who cannot maintain a healthy weight on pasture. We ask an additional monthly fee for any horse who needs to be caught daily for additional feed.
- Your horse must be able to eat alfalfa, orchard or combination hay. When pasture is low, we feed the herd as one unit and cannot accommodate speciality feeding.
- Our apologies but we do not offer storage. We ask that any personal items you have for your horse be kept at home.
- We are very quiet people and we do our best to keep a quiet environment. We prefer horse owners who are happy with the occasional monthly visit.
- Our goal is to have a small herd who develop life-long bonds. Consistency in the herd (horses not coming and going) is a huge factor in their emotional well-being. As such, we accept only horses who need a permanent retirement solution - not those who are taking a year off for injury or need a temporary home. We recognize this doesn't always work out - and you may opt to relocate your horse for a variety of reasons...but our goal is long-term care.
- We accept low-drama, non-dominant and non-aggressive geldings who do not exhibit guarding behaviors. No late-cut geldings please.
- Our apologies, but we do not accept mares. We do, however, have one mare on the property who does not go into heat and has a gelding-like vibe. As such, your gelding must not have a tendency to dominate mares. If you feel this is a concern, let's discuss further.
- Your horse must respect electric fencing.
- Your horse should be barefoot unless corrective shoeing is recommended to keep them sound (front only).
- Your horse must be okay with dogs, as we have one very well behaved dog who roams the property.
- Your horse must not have a tendency to eat manes or tails.
- The main nutrition for the horses is pasture grass. Therefore we cannot accommodate hard keepers who cannot maintain a healthy weight on pasture. We ask an additional monthly fee for any horse who needs to be caught daily for additional feed.
- Your horse must be able to eat alfalfa, orchard or combination hay. When pasture is low, we feed the herd as one unit and cannot accommodate speciality feeding.
- Our apologies but we do not offer storage. We ask that any personal items you have for your horse be kept at home.
- We are very quiet people and we do our best to keep a quiet environment. We prefer horse owners who are happy with the occasional monthly visit.
We have a dozen high powered 100-foot sprinklers on the property, each showering the horses with mist during hot days. Panels surround the irrigation stations to avoid injury.
We ask $500 monthly
Board includes:
Board includes:
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- 24/7 Access to shelter
- Electrolytes / salty mashes fed in extreme heat. - Free choice hay thrown in pasture if the grass is low (spring/summer/fall) or placed in slow feeders in the covered shelter (winter) - Administration of provided wormer, vaccines and/or other injections (Adequon, etc). - Treatment of minor wounds, scrapes, etc (no charge for supplies). - If needed, treatment of thrush and/or hoof hardener in winter. - Regular video updates - Hold for farrier or vet as needed. - Grooming and bathing when needed. - And the biggest thing.....FAMILY. The horses who stay here and the people in their lives are our family. We do this because we love them. |
- Please note that we do not blanket in the winter. Blanketed horses tend to rub up against the electric fencing and can get caught, thus it's safer to allow them to self-regulate. Our terrain is such that there are natural barriers to wind and rain. There are two man-made shelters, tons of trees and the valley pasture is a V-shaped descent which blocks wind on both sides.
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