FAQs

Do you offer trail rides, birthday parties, day rental of horses, or riding lessons?

No, we never will, and there are no exceptions. The extraordinary cost to insure these activities, maintain mellow, older horses, and continuously provide retraining to those horses is not feasible at a small stable. Please contact Jester Park Equestrian Center in Grimes for local public horse riding activities.

Do you allow arena rental or day use of the property for those that have their own horses?

No. In the interest of maintaining a private community where boarders have access to the amenities that they pay for monthly, we’re unwilling to allow arena rental. If you’d like to arrange short-term boarding with access to all amenities, please contact us.

Why don’t you have an onsite instructor, trainer, or lesson program?

All boarders own or lease their horses and are permitted to invite any qualified instructor to teach or train. There’s no in-house instructor/trainer to avoid exclusive domain issues, including resentments regarding taking/not taking lessons, arena availability, and incompatibility regarding desired disciplines, showing, techniques, or progress. Instructors must be adults who have demonstrated success in their discipline and assume liability for the activities of their students during lesson times. Instructors may advertise opportunities or services to boarders. No arena/teaching fee is required, and there is no minimum or maximum charge for lessons. Petrichor Farm is well-connected in the community and can provide multiple references for instructors in the following disciplines: eventing, dressage, jumpers, hunters, racing, barrels, foxhunting, reining, ranch riding, trail riding, and general under-saddle starting and tune-up. Visiting instructors typically charge $50-100 per lesson.

Why should I board here?

Those who enjoy boarding here are typically independent riders who enjoy spending time with their horse alone or in small groups. They enjoy feeling like they have the barn to themselves, trusting the other members of the community, and getting a photo of their horse once in awhile. Our members appreciate a higher quality of feed, extra pasture space, and no crowded arenas. They tend to either enjoy the time alone, or to be friendly people who enjoy meeting new riding friends, swapping numbers, and asking to meet up. Our members are curious and ask questions, offer assertive feedback and suggestions to the owner and others, and take responsibility for their horses, equipment, and the spaces they use. We’re a community of sharing, kindness, trust, and cheering each other on and we try new things. We assume the best in each other and support each other’s goals, even if they’re different from our own discipline or when our horses and selves are at different places in training.

Okay, but tell me the real story: why shouldn’t I board here?

Boarders who prefer a highly social atmosphere will find themselves lacking stable buddies most days. While you may run into other boarders on occasion, it’s unlikely that you’ll have a steady riding or aisle buddy unless you bring a friend or make a friend.

If you (or your child) are still in the beginning stages of learning to ride with direct supervision, I’m happy to recommend stables with excellent lesson programs. We don’t have an on-site instructor.

The “staff” here consists of one human and boarders giving it their best. There are cobwebs. There’s dust. There’s hay in the aisle sometimes. We don’t offer grooming services (and your horse will get muddy!). If you’re looking for a place with more robust staff, I’m happy to provide references to other facilities for this, as well.

And lastly: there’s no climate control in the barns or arena. While you CAN ride or visit in all weather, you may not want to - which we think is pretty typical for Iowa horses, too.

This small community just isn’t the right fit for everyone, but we’d encourage you to visit as you’re looking for a new barn home to find out if it’s a great fit for you and your horse. I hope that when you join us, it will be the right fit and not just any place to keep your horse.