Another Overnight Stabling Guide

["Linda B. Merims" <lbm@ici.net>]

Just this past week I discovered to my chagrin that Bruce McAllister's
North American Horse Travel Guide has gone out of print.  Nobody I
called has it anymore (SportTack, Dover, Amazon.com, State Line,
Robin Bledsoe, Knight, Barnes and Noble, Borders, Book Stable, etc.)
Many of them have something called "Hawkins Guide" which lists regulations
and vets and emergency trailer service places nationwide, but which
does *not* list stabling accommodations.

The story I got from Teddy Lancaster at Running Bear Farm was that
McAllister is getting a bit on and decided it had just gotten to be
too much to revise and has let it go out of print.

So I've got 1000 miles to go with my horse over two days, in our first
long distance jaunt.  What am I supposed to do?

At a small local tack shop I discovered another overnight stabling
guide.  Evidently this book is one that is available through the
Automobile Association of America (AAA).  It is called:

  _U.S. Stabling Guide:  The Country's Comprehensive Guide for Horse
    Transportation in the United States and Canada_.  336 pages.
    By James Balzotti.  $24.95.  Balzotti Publications.  5 Barker
    Street, Pembroke, MA, 02359. 1-800-829-0715.

I've got the 3rd edition, for 1997.  Balzotti Publications says it is
updated annually.  As near as I can tell, the thing does not have an
ISBN number.  (There is an ISSN number on it:  ISSN:1083-4036.  But
I'm not sure if that's for this book or a different book from Balzotti's
called _Best Horseback Riding Vacations_.)

I never took a good look at McAllister's book, so I cannot tell you
whether this is as good, better, or worse than the North American Horse
Travel Guide.  The listings are compiled by five regional agents.
The listings are by state.  For each state there is a map that shows
fairly clearly where the towns are in which there is a listed stable
that will take overnighters, so you can look at your route and tell
pretty quickly who the candidate farms are.  Then, each farm is
listed. Here is a sample listing:

  Washington State...

   Deer Park
   Blue Haven Stables
   Randy & Pamela Heiman.  W. 8516 Staley Road [99006]  Phone:  509-276-7968.
   Directions:  Located 4 miles west of Hwy 395 at Staley Road Exit.  Call
   for directions.  Facilities:  19 indoor stalls, indoor arena, 40 acres of
   pastures and paddocks, 1/4 mile outdoor track, feed/hay & trailer parking
   available.  Has jogging machine for horses that goe sup to 18 mph for race
   horses.  Breeds, trains, & sells American Saddlebreds.  Farrier on premises.
   Call for reservation.  Rates:  $15 pernight; $75 per week.
   Accommodations:  Motels 6 miles from stable.

The number of farms listed per state varies from pretty dense coverage
with 37 listings for Tennessee, to rather middling coverage like 24
listings for New York state, down to pretty sparse coverage with
small numbers like 7 for Iowa.  Some of the listings are B&Bs that
can put you up for the night as well as your horse.  The book says
the listed farms are not guaranteed to be inspected in advance of
listing, but if they receive two complaints about any listing, it is
inspected by one of the regional agents before they will continue to
list it.

I was able to find a place right near where I want to make my overnight
using this guide, so it has served its purpose for me.  And at the moment
it seems to be the only game in town.

I have no association with these people whatsoever.  With McAllister's
Guide unavailable, I believe people will be keen to know that some
alternative exists.

Linda B. Merims
lbm@ici.net
Massachusetts, USA