What to look for in a barn?
When looking for a horse program to sign up to participate in, or for your kids, take a close look at how things are run. Often parents sign their kids up without really knowing what a healthy horse program is supposed to look like, so they don't always recognize the red flags that pop up. So check this list and see if it adds up.
First, is the environment clean and safe. Within reason, horse barns are going to be muddy and dusty and have clutter. But the areas the horses live should be mucked DAILY, clean and free from anything a horse could get hurt on. There shouldn't be wires, sharp edges, broken objects, or filthy layers of muck the animals have to try to exist in. Where the students work with the horses should be spacious and clear of clutter, so the person is able to move safely around the horse. The food and water for the horses should be clean and free of mold, algae, muck, or any grossness. Shelter should be appropriate for the climate, shade, protection from the elements, safe, nothing that will fall down, collapse, break, or potentially injure anyone. There should be enough shelter for all the animals to comfortably have a space to escape the elements, no one should be bullied out of the safety of shelter.
Look around the farm and check if all the equines are in good physical shape? Even old horses should keep their weight on with modified diets, there's no excuse for a bag of bones on the property (unless newly rescued). No horse should have sores on their mouth or back from tack. No horse should have injuries that haven't been attended to. If injuries are very common, maybe something is wrong with the environment or care?
Are the professionals responsible for the animal's care able to recognize when a horse has pain? If a horse is lethargic, slow moving, depressed, sore, showing pain facial expressions, or even lame in any way, the people on property should recognize this right away and be addressing this with a vet. Any horse experiencing pain should no be used in work.
Do the equines on property look comfortable and happy? Do they greet the humans happily or avoid them and try not to be caught? Do they look depressed/exhausted, or fearful and shy? Do they try to avoid work? Do they look nervous around the humans? Are they anxious, pacing, weaving back and forth, tossing their head around, dancing in place, circling, biting the fences, cribbing, or otherwise displaying stress? If the horses are distressed, there is a reason, you may not see it during public times, but something is wrong, trust the horses.
Take a look at the schedule, are the horses being used multiple times a day without adequate time off throughout the week? Even athletes need time to recover. Being forced to work many hours a day, especially carrying new riders who can be hard to support, cantering, jumping, and doing hard work, is a lot for a horse. Work should be kept in moderation.
Each horse should have an appropriate weight limit, a healthy, fit horse can carry 20% of their body weight. The average horse is 1,000lb, so 200lb rider. But horses who are smaller, older, out of shape, or have any sort of health problem can be much less. Remember the weight limit isn't JUST the rider, if the tack is already 50lbs, that counts! A shetland pony carrying 15lbs of tack and 50lbs of rider is already over their weight limit!
Are harsh tools being used to control or restrain the animals? Are their chains? Twisted bits? Are your kids being taught to kick the animals really hard or hit them with sticks? Is this a life lesson you want your child to learn? Horses can and are ridden with gentle aids, kindly and well at all ages. If harsh tools are required - something is wrong with their handling, training, or health. At no point should you see a trainer chasing a horse with a whip, hitting a horse, yanking on or "shanking" on a horse. This sort of aggressive behavior has been normalized in the horse world, but rest assured, it's not normal. There are effective ways to handle horses without violence, and this is not a lesson you want your child taking home.
Each equine should have their OWN tack that has been fitted to them by a professional. They shouldn't switch tack horse to horse or for cosmetic reasons. Saddles require careful fitting a few times a year to adjust to the horse's changing body condition. If saddles are being switched between horses, even if they look similar, their back shape may be dramatically different. Each horse should have a list of saddles and bridles approved for them, based on fitting. It's not based on what fits the student, and students should definitely not bring their own saddle, unless it's been fitted to the horse they're riding. Even treeless and soft saddles need to be fitted correctly to each horse with special padding.
Among the students or even the professionals, there shouldn't be bullying, yelling, fighting, or excessive drama. Ok, we all know if you stick a group of kids and teens together you're GOING to get drama, but it should be managed appropriately by the professionals in charge. The adults shouldn't be adding to the drama or bullying. Students shouldn't be being yelled at, gossiped about, or feel uncomfortable at their barn. Our barns are our safe havens, we all need to feel safe, even if we don't have the most up to date riding clothes or can't afford all the new swag.
Finally, are the professionals making choices based on what's best for their equine's needs? For their students safety, mental health, and growth? Or are they making decisions based on what brings in the most income?
There is always more to consider. If you see a red flag at a barn, don't be afraid to keep looking. There are a lot of horse programs out there, some are horrifying, some are good at hiding the horrors, but there are SO many really nice ones. Don't let your child suffer, their love of their favorite horse will allow them to tolerate far more than they ever should have to. No child should tolerate abuse from professionals, peers, or watch their beloved animal suffer, because they're desperate for horse time.