I'm finally in a position to buy property, and my fiance and I were looking at some backyard barns this weekend. I've had horses for years, but they've always been full boarded so I'm quite hesitant! Any words of advice from people who have done similarly?

You are going to love it! I board my horse and I so wish that I could just walk out my backdoor to feed him everyday. I don't have full board so I have to drive fifteen minutes to and from my barn twice a day. I have also boarded at other people's houses. One suggestion I have is you can keep your grass life prolonged by rotating your horses on and off of it. One problem I have seen is that the horse's eat all the grass up in the first year or so and then all you have is a dirt pasture. Round bales are great as well. If you keep them in a round bale corral, your horses won't waste as much hay. That will also prolong your grass. If you have mares, they will probably pick one place to use the bathroom, so if you drag your pasture occassionally you can fertilize your grass with the manure, it also keeps smell down and it just looks nicer.

Hope that helps,
Valerie