Horse Boarding Agreement Template

Horse Boarding Agreement

1. 1. 1. Parties and Horse

   This Horse Boarding Agreement (the "Agreement") is made effective as of [EFFECTIVE DATE] between [STABLE NAME], a [ENTITY TYPE] operating the facility at [FACILITY ADDRESS] (the "Stable"), and [OWNER NAME], located at [OWNER ADDRESS] (the "Owner"). The Stable will board the following horse (the "Horse"): name [HORSE NAME], breed [BREED], age [AGE], sex [SEX], color and markings [COLOR AND MARKINGS], registration or microchip number [REGISTRATION OR MICROCHIP], approximate value [HORSE VALUE]. The Owner represents that it is the lawful owner of the Horse or is authorized to place it in boarding, and that the Horse is not subject to any undisclosed lien. Owner contact is [OWNER PHONE AND EMAIL], and the emergency contact authorized to make decisions in the absence of the Owner is [EMERGENCY CONTACT NAME AND PHONE].

2. 2. 2. Boarding Services and Level of Care

   The Stable will provide [BOARD TYPE, e.g., full board / partial board / pasture board / self-care] beginning on [START DATE]. Full board includes a [STALL SIZE] stall or a designated pasture space, daily stall cleaning and fresh bedding of [BEDDING TYPE], feeding as described in Section 3, turnout as described in Section 4, clean water available at all times, access to shelter, blanketing and unblanketing on request, holding the Horse for scheduled farrier and veterinary appointments, and daily visual observation for signs of illness or injury. Services not included and available at additional cost are: [ADDITIONAL SERVICES AND RATES, e.g., blanket laundering, medication administration, wound care beyond first aid, stall rest management, hand walking, lunging, clipping, trailering, and holding for appointments beyond the included number]. The Stable will use reasonable care consistent with accepted stable management practice but does not guarantee against illness, injury, or death.

3. 3. 3. Feed, Hay, and Supplements

   The Stable will feed the Horse [HAY TYPE] hay at approximately [HAY QUANTITY, e.g., 20 pounds] per day divided into [FEEDINGS PER DAY] feedings, and [GRAIN TYPE] grain at [GRAIN QUANTITY] per feeding, adjusted seasonally and by body condition in consultation with the Owner. Fresh, clean water will be available at all times, with heated or de-iced sources in freezing weather. The Owner will supply, at its own expense, any special feed, ration balancer, or supplement not included above, delivered in labeled, pre-measured containers with written instructions; the Stable will administer supplements at [SUPPLEMENT FEE] per month or at no charge where they are given with normal feedings. The Stable will notify the Owner of any material change in the feeding program, of a horse going off feed, or of noticeable weight change. The Owner will disclose any allergy, metabolic condition, ulcer history, or dietary restriction of the Horse before arrival.

4. 4. 4. Turnout, Housing, and Herd Placement

   The Horse will receive turnout of approximately [TURNOUT HOURS] hours per day, [TURNOUT DAYS] days per week, weather and footing permitting, in [TURNOUT TYPE, e.g., an individual paddock / a group pasture with up to NUMBER horses / a dry lot]. The Stable will decide herd composition and may change the pasture group for the safety and welfare of the horses, and will notify the Owner of a change in group placement. The Owner acknowledges that turnout, particularly group turnout, carries an inherent risk of kicks, bites, chase injuries, fence contact, and lameness, and that the Stable is not liable for injuries arising from normal herd interaction absent negligence. Turnout may be reduced or suspended for extreme weather, dangerous footing, pasture rotation, or veterinary instruction. The Owner will provide [OWNER-SUPPLIED ITEMS, e.g., turnout blankets, fly masks, and boots] and accepts that these items may be damaged or lost during turnout.

5. 5. 5. Veterinary Care and Emergency Authorization

   The Owner will maintain the Horse on a routine health program including vaccinations, deworming, dental care, and a negative Coggins test, and will provide proof to the Stable before arrival and annually thereafter. The regular veterinarian of the Owner is [VETERINARIAN NAME AND PHONE]. If the Horse appears ill or injured, the Stable will attempt to contact the Owner and then the emergency contact. If neither can be reached within a reasonable time and the Stable believes in good faith that the Horse requires immediate attention, the Owner authorizes the Stable to obtain veterinary care from the regular veterinarian or from any available equine veterinarian, and to authorize treatment up to [EMERGENCY SPENDING CAP, e.g., $1,000] per incident without further approval. The Owner is responsible for all veterinary costs, whether arranged by the Owner or by the Stable, and will reimburse the Stable within [REIMBURSEMENT PERIOD, e.g., 15 days] of invoice for any amount it advances, plus a handling fee of [HANDLING FEE]. The Stable will not be liable for the outcome of any treatment obtained in good faith or for a delay caused by inability to reach the Owner.

6. 6. 6. Farrier, Dental, and Routine Care

   The Owner is responsible for arranging and paying for farrier care at intervals of no more than [FARRIER INTERVAL, e.g., eight weeks], and the farrier of the Owner is [FARRIER NAME AND PHONE]. The Stable will hold the Horse for scheduled farrier and veterinary appointments at no charge up to [INCLUDED HOLDING VISITS] visits per month and at [HOLDING FEE] per visit thereafter. If the Owner allows farrier care to lapse beyond the stated interval and the feet of the Horse are at risk, the Stable may, after written notice to the Owner, arrange farrier service at the expense of the Owner. The Owner will keep vaccinations, deworming, and dental care current on the schedule required by the Stable, which is [HEALTH PROGRAM DESCRIPTION], and the Stable may exclude or isolate a horse whose records are not current. New arrivals may be required to complete a quarantine period of [QUARANTINE PERIOD] at [QUARANTINE FEE].

7. 7. 7. Board Fees, Payment, and Late Charges

   The Owner will pay board of [MONTHLY BOARD RATE] per month, due in advance on the [DUE DAY, e.g., first] day of each month, prorated for a partial first month. Additional services, supplies, farrier or veterinary amounts advanced by the Stable, and any other charges are invoiced [ADDITIONAL BILLING FREQUENCY] and are due within [PAYMENT TERM, e.g., 15 days]. Payments more than [GRACE PERIOD, e.g., five days] late incur a late fee of [LATE FEE] plus interest of [LATE INTEREST RATE] per month or the maximum permitted by applicable law, whichever is less, and returned payments incur a fee of [RETURNED PAYMENT FEE]. The Stable may increase the board rate on at least [RATE CHANGE NOTICE, e.g., 30 days] written notice, and the Owner may terminate under Section 12 before the increase takes effect if the increase is not acceptable. Board continues to accrue while the Horse remains on the property, including during any dispute or notice period.

8. 8. 8. Stable Lien and Unpaid Board

   The Owner acknowledges that, to the extent provided by the law of [GOVERNING STATE], the Stable has a lien on the Horse and on any tack, blankets, and equipment of the Owner kept at the facility for unpaid board, care, feed, veterinary costs advanced, and related charges. If board remains unpaid for more than [LIEN TRIGGER PERIOD, e.g., 30 days] after written notice, the Stable may exercise its lien rights in accordance with applicable state law, which may include retaining possession of the Horse and, after any required notice, publication, and waiting period, selling the Horse and applying the proceeds to the amounts owed, with any surplus returned to the Owner. The Stable will follow the statutory procedure required in its state and will give written notice to the Owner at the address in Section 1 and to any lienholder of record known to the Stable. The Owner remains liable for any deficiency, including the costs of enforcing the lien.

9. 9. 9. Facility Rules, Access, and Trainers

   The Owner and its guests will observe the facility rules attached as Exhibit A, including barn hours of [BARN HOURS], arena hours and reservation procedures, helmet requirements for riders under [HELMET AGE], no smoking anywhere on the property, no dogs off leash, speed limits, parking areas, cleanup of the aisle and wash rack, and no riding alone after dark without notifying the Stable. Outside trainers and instructors may use the facility only if approved by the Stable in advance and only if they provide proof of liability insurance of at least [TRAINER INSURANCE AMOUNT] naming the Stable as additional insured. The Owner is responsible for the conduct of its family members, guests, trainers, and service providers while on the property, and will ensure that every visitor signs the facility release before entering the barn or riding areas. The Stable may restrict access to any person who violates the rules or creates a safety hazard.

10. 10. 10. Insurance and Risk of Loss

    The Owner is solely responsible for insuring the Horse and its own equipment, and is encouraged to carry equine mortality, major medical, and personal liability coverage. The Stable does not insure the Horse, does not insure the tack, blankets, trailers, or personal property of the Owner kept on the premises, and is not responsible for their theft, loss, or damage. The Owner will maintain personal liability coverage of at least [OWNER LIABILITY COVERAGE] covering acts of the Horse and will provide a certificate on request. The Stable maintains commercial general liability and care, custody, and control coverage as described in [STABLE POLICY DESCRIPTION], which does not extend to the value of the Horse. The Owner acknowledges that the boarding fee reflects the allocation of risk in this Agreement and does not include the cost of insuring the Horse.

11. 11. 11. Equine Activity Liability and Assumption of Risk

    The Owner acknowledges that equine activities are inherently dangerous and that risks include the propensity of a horse to behave in ways that may result in injury or death to persons on or around it, unpredictable reactions to sound, movement, unfamiliar objects, persons, or other animals, hazards of surface and subsurface conditions, collisions, and the potential of a participant or another person to act negligently. The Owner voluntarily assumes those risks for itself, its family, its guests, and its trainers, and releases the Stable and its personnel from liability for injury, death, illness, or loss arising from the inherent risks of equine activities, except to the extent caused by the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the Stable or by a condition the Stable knew of and failed to address. The Owner will defend and indemnify the Stable against claims arising from the conduct of the Horse or of any person the Owner brings to the facility. The Owner acknowledges seeing the equine activity warning sign posted at the facility as required by the law of [GOVERNING STATE].

12. 12. 12. Term, Termination, and Move-Out

    This Agreement begins on [START DATE] and continues month to month until terminated. Either Party may terminate for convenience by giving [TERMINATION NOTICE, e.g., 30 days] written notice, and board is payable through the end of the notice period whether or not the Horse remains on the property. The Stable may terminate immediately and require removal of the Horse within [IMMEDIATE REMOVAL PERIOD, e.g., 72 hours] if the Horse is dangerous to persons or other horses, if the Owner fails to pay board, if health records are not current, or if the Owner or its guests materially violate the facility rules. On termination the Owner will remove the Horse and all personal property and leave the stall and storage areas clean. Any amounts owed become due on move-out, and any prepaid board for a period after removal will be refunded within [REFUND PERIOD, e.g., 15 days], subject to any lien or offset.

13. 13. 13. Abandonment and Unclaimed Horses

    The Horse is considered abandoned if board remains unpaid for more than [ABANDONMENT PERIOD, e.g., 60 days] and the Owner has not responded to written notice, or if the Owner fails to remove the Horse within [POST-TERMINATION REMOVAL, e.g., 15 days] after the end of a notice period, or if the Owner cannot be reached at the contact information provided for more than [UNREACHABLE PERIOD, e.g., 45 days] while charges accrue. On abandonment the Stable may pursue its lien rights under Section 8 and any remedy available under the abandoned animal or estray laws of [GOVERNING STATE], including transfer, sale, or surrender to an appropriate equine rescue organization after the statutory notice period. The Owner remains responsible for all board, care, veterinary, and disposition costs incurred through the date the Horse is removed or lawfully transferred. Personal property left more than [PROPERTY HOLD PERIOD, e.g., 30 days] after move-out may be sold or disposed of and applied to the amounts owed.

14. 14. 14. Governing Law, General Provisions, and Signatures

    This Agreement is governed by the laws of the State of [GOVERNING STATE], and any dispute will be brought exclusively in the courts located in [VENUE COUNTY AND STATE], with the prevailing Party entitled to reasonable attorney fees and collection costs. This Agreement, with the facility rules and the health records provided, is the entire agreement of the Parties and replaces all prior discussions; amendments must be in writing and signed by both Parties. Neither Party may assign this Agreement without written consent, and if any provision is unenforceable the remainder stays in effect. STABLE: [STABLE NAME]. Signature: ______________________. Printed Name: [STABLE SIGNER NAME]. Title: [TITLE]. Date: [DATE]. OWNER: [OWNER NAME]. Signature: ______________________. Printed Name: [OWNER SIGNER NAME]. Date: [DATE]. The Owner separately initials the emergency veterinary authorization in Section 5 ______ and the assumption of risk in Section 11 ______. Electronic signatures have the same effect as originals.

15. 15. Disclaimer

    This template is provided for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Horse boarding is governed by state-specific equine activity statutes with mandatory warning language and signage, by agister or stablemen lien statutes with strict notice and sale procedures, and by abandoned animal laws that differ substantially between states. Using the wrong statutory language, or selling a horse without following the required lien process, can create serious liability. Review and adapt this document for your state, and consult a licensed attorney experienced in equine law before relying on it. Use of this template does not create an attorney-client relationship with ScanContract.