OklahomaHorses Magazine July 2021

28 OklahomaHorses • July/August 2021 Options from around the state By Lindsay Humphrey D ubbed “The Horse Show Capital of the World,” Oklahoma City is easily the heartbeat of an industry that essentially built and now sustains the red dirt state. Oklahoma residents are only as far removed from the horse industry as they want to be as rolling pastures and boarding facilities full of equine companions are easy to find. Equine-related businesses, degree programs and large equestrian events are some of the primary ways Oklahoma brings horses and revenue in from other states. According to an Oklahoma State Universi- ty Cooperative Extension Horse Industry Trend factsheet, six major equine associa- tions call Oklahoma home. And the same number of colleges and universities offer equine-related degree programs and hands- on learning experiences. The factsheet also reveals that, in 2017, all facets of the Oklahoma horse industry provided 39,000 jobs and have an estimat- ed $3.9 billion impact on the economy. One of those equine-related jobs is that of the boarding facility owner. Although acreages are plentiful in Oklahoma, not ev- eryone can own, or wants the responsibility of owning, a horse property. Luckily, Oklahoma residents have a plethora of choices when it comes to find- ing a boarding facility that fits their needs and budget. “One of the biggest changes I’ve noticed in owning a boarding facility is that I have a ton of partial boarders; that’s primarily what people are looking for,” said Allie Es- sary, who owns Rocking E Equine Facility in Stillwater. “People want to do the work themselves, and they want their horses out as much as possible. I used to have a lot of people wanting full care, but that’s not the case anymore.” At the Rocking E, partial care boarders provide grain and supplements for their horses while Essary brings Bermuda grass hay to the table. These boarders come out every day to prepare the grain and clean their stall. On the flip side, full care board- ers can be as hands on or off as they choose when it comes to the daily maintenance of their horse. “The hardest part about owning this facility is that I’m not just boarding horses; I’m boarding humans too,” Essary said. “You can take care of horses all day long very easily, but more than that, you want to make people feel happy about where their horse is staying.” As boarders’ needs change, facility own- ers are adapting as best as they can. One of those adaptations is offering more turnout and even full-time pasture board options. Essary has noticed even the boarders who show frequently want their horses outside as much as possible. This could be a derivative of the econo- my or just a shift in equine owner prefer- ences. Regardless, keeping horses outside helps Essary and other boarding facilities tremendously when it comes to time and energy savings. “Through the winter, we have heated buckets plugged in, and then in the sum- mer, we have fans on the horses,” Essary said. “I don’t believe most people really think about what it costs to have items plugged in full time. That’s not something a boarder needs to consider, but it’s definitely on my mind.” The trajectory of the equine industry could’ve easily been derailed through the COVID-19 global pandemic, but it seems to have remained steady. As an outdoor activity, caring for and riding horses was one of the safer options when it came to leaving the house. “Because of the pandemic, my summer started in April,” Essary said of the months where many of her stalls are empty as students head back home. “I was surprised though that I stayed full for August and then all year-round. And now I’m full this summer too. I did not expect that at all.” As the thriving equine industry continues moving forward at a steady pace, finding the perfect boarding option for your horse usually isn’t too far away. Check out some of our top picks in the major cities around the state: Boarding in Horse Country