Boarding

Nottingham Amenities:

  • 12 x 12 Box Stalls
  • Indoor and Outdoor Riding Arenas
  • Heated Observation Room with Bathrooms
  • Tack Lockers
  • Daily Turnout
  • Two grain feedings and four hay feedings each day
  • Stalls cleaned daily
  • Routine, rotated worming schedule
  • Routine vet care, chiropractic, acupuncture, dental and farrier appointments available

Care

Nottingham Equestrian Center is an holistic equine boarding and training facility. The daily care of horses at Nottingham focuses on preventative health care practices with regularly scheduled visits by a chiropractor and acupuncturist veterinarian and yearly exams by an equine dentist.

Nottingham students and boarders are also taught the Tteam Touch, which is a type of muscle massage and nerve release technique developed by Linda Tellington Jones. This technique can be incorporated into the riders’ daily grooming routine and not only can identify sore points in the horse but can also relieve soreness. Many of our boarders have also received Reiki energy healing training. These individuals will happily work on any of the horses that need energy work for veterinary problems, such as colic and various lameness issues.

With an emphasis on homeopathic care, many of the supplements our horses are fed include various Chinese and English herbs, Aloe Vera, Pro-biotic and Apple Cider Vinegar. During periods of stress our horses are given Rescue remedy and Bach flowers to improve the horses’ mental and emotional well-being, as well as their physical health.

Facilities

The main barn provides 20 stalls for boarders and horses in training. There is also a school barn, which is a loving home to 14 school horses and ponies. Both field and paddock turn-outs are an option at the facility.

Horses are always comfortable in their stalls, as a strict daily cleaning schedule is maintained. The entire sawdust footing is changed every other day. We feed hay four times a day, which is closer to a horse’s natural eating habit, unlike the “normal” morning and evening feedings in most other barns. In colder weather, each horse receives warm water, also, to help prevent the possibility of colic from dehydration. Basic services such as administering supplements, worming, and blanketing are included in the cost of board.

All services begun in the middle of a month will be pro-rated. Checks are accepted, payable to Nottingham or NEC. If paying by cash, please be sure to place it in an envelope with your name, date, and what the amount is for on the outside. At this time, we do not accept credit cards. Various work performed around the barn can offset the cost of lessons, leasing, and board. Jobs that you may inquire about are morning and afternoon feedings and becoming a working student.

Nottingham Boarding Contract:

Boarding Contract – front page – PDF

Boarding Contract – back page – PDF

Tack Areas

Both the school barn and the boarder barn have tack areas. The school barn maintains a common tack area, with names designating to whom brush buckets, bridles, and saddles and belong. The boarder area has lockers in which to store your tack. Some lockers are used by individuals, while some are shared between two boarders. Extra storage space for blankets and such is available in a storage room adjacent to our observation room.

Supplements

Nottingham will administer any purchased supplements for no additional fee. You may bring your own supplements to the barn or you may purchase them directly from NEC. Please include payment for supplements in your board check.

Blanketing and Fans

All boarder horses will generally need both a rainsheet and a winter blanket. Both rainsheets and blankets will be put on and taken off when needed at no additional charge. Fans for the stalls are also recommended during the summer months. Blankets and fans can be stored upstairs in our storage area when not in use.

Worming

A rotating eight-week schedule of worming is strictly maintained at the barn. Wormers are rotated between Ivermectin, Strongid and Panacure in order to provide a broader range of coverage. (This schedule was recommended by the Michigan State University Veterinary Clinic.)

Veterinarian

Nottingham is serviced by Kern Road Vet Clinic, at 517.223.9618. Kern Road Vet is located on Kern Road in Fowlerville and has an excellent veterinarian reputation for both horse and small animals. Veterinarian care is not included in the cost of monthly board.

Besides routine and emergengy visits, Kern Road comes out every April for vaccinations and to pull a Coggins for each horse. If you need a Coggins test, please go to Kern Road’s web site and download and fill out the Coggins worksheet. You can access the worksheet directly from here.

Kern Road has also prepared a paper on worming, dental care, vaccinations and coggins tests, which can be seen here.

Farrier

Nottingham has two farriers that take care of the boarders and schoolies. Farrier services are not included in the cost of monthly board.

Acupuncture and Chiropractic

Dr. Loren Weaver, DVM, attends to any of the horses that need chiropractic and/or acupuncture care. He comes to Nottingham every six to eight weeks. Dr. Weaver’s services are not included in the cost of monthly board. Dr. Weaver can be reached at 269-435-8754.

Dental

Dr. Tom Johnson comes once a month from April to October and attends to all the horses’ dental care at Nottingham. Dr. Johnson’s services are not included in the cost of board. Dr. Johnson is owner of Advanced Equine Dentistry in Grass Lake, Mich. He graduated from Michigan State University in 1991 and has limited his practice to equine dentistry since 1994. Dr. Johnson is an adjunct associate professor at Michigan State University, and he lectures and teaches advanced dentistry courses internationally. He can be reached at 888-372-1069 or via e-mail johns910@msu.edu

Barn Etiquette

  • No smoking is allowed anywhere in the barn.
  • Please respect barn hours. Currently, they are 9am to 9:30pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. Wednesday the barn is open from 9am to 10:30pm. The hours on Saturdays, Sundays, and all holidays are 8:30am to 8:30pm.
  • Abusive behavior or language to either horses or other riders is not acceptable at Nottingham.
  • No running is allowed in the barn aisles.
  • Speak to horses when approaching from the rear to let them know you are there. Surprised horses can make for painful people.
  • Always ask the rider before petting or feeding treats to a horse.
  • Keep the barn schedule (feeding time, turn out time, stall-cleaning time, group pony lessons, shows, etc.) in mind when planning your own schedule.
  • No outside dogs or other pets allowed, please.
  • Clean up after yourself. Return gates to their original position. Sweep the floor when done. If you appear to be the last one out, turn off the lights!
  • Do not leave your horse unattended in the cross-ties. This is an accident waiting to happen.

Ring Etiquette

  • Please check the lesson schedule for open riding times.
  • If you need to ride when a lesson is scheduled, always ask the instructor’s permission. When riding with a lesson, you will be expected to follow the direction of the lesson and give all riders in the lesson the right of way during special exercises.
  • If you would like to lunge your horse when lessons are in progress or when several riders are in the ring, please ask permission to lunge.
  • When lessons with 3 or more riders are scheduled (group lessons), please do not ride or lunge during these times.
  • Horses walking are expected to keep to the inside of the track, horses cantering should also stay to the inside if other horses are trotting in the ring.
  • Horses being hand walked should also stay to the inside of the track.
  • When passing riders going in opposite direction, you should pass left shoulder to left shoulder (just like driving).
  • If you are jumping your horse while others are riding, please let them know what your course will be. DON’T assume you have the right of way when you are jumping.
  • Please do not talk to other riders while riding during a lesson.
  • Always watch out for other riders to avoid crashes!! (Use your soft eyes!)
  • If you have questions about these rules please feel free to talk to Cheryl.