Crooked Creek Ranch Horse Retirement (coming 2025) is a new equine retirement home. Nestled in the picturesque Blue Ridge Mountains of Floyd, Virginia, it is being designed and built with one guiding principle: to think like the horse. Conveniently located along The Crooked Road Heritage Music Trail, it adds to the natural charm of this unique location.
Our horses
are everything
to us.
The bond we share with them is incredibly strong. For all they have given us, we are committed to providing them with the best care in return.
Our brand promise at Crooked Creek Ranch is to create an environment where horses feel safe, comfortable, and well-cared for, ensuring their quality of life. When these elements are in place, a mutual relationship of love and trust naturally forms.
Experienced Horsemanship
Experienced Boarding
Boarding rates and an Online Boarding Application will be available soon in 2025. Please check back.
About Us
33 Acres
Crooked Creek Ranch Horse Retirement sits on 33 acres and is owned and operated by Rob Huckabee.
“Horses don’t think like people, so we need to think like them, focusing on what truly matters to them and their forever people.”
Rob Huckabee
Rob's passion for horses began in childhood with his first horse, Blaze, who was blind in one eye. This early experience helped Rob develop a deep sensitivity toward horses as he took extra care to help Blaze navigate his vision challenges, especially when riding.
Taking care of senior horses requires special attention to their unique health challenges. As horses age, their bodies and systems undergo changes that can lead to various health issues. Some of the issues are; metabolic, dental, hoofs, arthritis, cushing’s disease, laminitis, muscle atrophy, eye problems, colic, weight loss, lameness, and respiratory problems.
Over the years, managing the care of both his own horses and those of others has given Rob extensive experience in proper horse care.
Safety • Comfort • Care
When safety, comfort, and a higher standard of care are consistently provided, horses develop a relationship with us built on love and trust.
As you know, horses are naturally inquisitive and love to play — even the seniors. We have paid attention to every detail to ensure the barn, pastures, and overall environment are as safe as possible.
SAFETY
We address the physical comfort of the horses by maintaining clean stalls, providing fresh bedding, offering plenty of forage, appropriate feed, and ensuring access to water, fly nets and blankets when needed. However, we also consider their social and emotional needs.
Horses are naturally herd animals, and they thrive in environments where they can engage with other horses. Yet, like humans, they also require solitude from time to time. Having their own space in a stall or paddock gives them the opportunity to relax and recharge.
By balancing social interaction with privacy, while ensuring their basic needs are met, we create an ideal living environment. This approach is key to keeping them happy, healthy, and stress-free.
COMFORT
The foundation of quality care is rooted in the fact that Rob, the owner and manager, resides on the property. He is supported by a team that includes part-time help and summer interns.
A structured daily routine is in place, which includes feeding, turnouts, turn-ins, and visual inspections of the horses. Regular tasks also involve cleaning, checking pastures for hazards, and patrolling fence lines to ensure the environment remains safe and secure.
Convenient access to trusted veterinarians and farriers is essential to maintaining the horses' health and well-being.
Providing top-level care means consistently and frequently paying attention to even the smallest details. Rob is also certified by Equi-First in Equine Health, Advanced Emergency First Aid, and Equine Emergency Preparedness, further ensuring the best possible care for the horses.
CARE
The Facilities
The Barn
The newly constructed home for our future residents is a 3,000-square-foot, 9-stall barn. It features double sliding doors at both ends, a cement center aisle, and a cement-floored feed/supplement and medicine room. Additional amenities include an office, a washroom with laundry facilities for washing blankets, and a wash area for grooming horses equipped with hot and cold water. The barn is designed with a full drainage system to ensure cleanliness and efficiency.
Each stall is outfitted with steel and wood door fronts with yokes, ¾-inch mats for comfort, fans, mounted hay racks, and built-in feed and water troughs.
The Pastures
The 33-acre property is divided into four large pastures, allowing us to separate horses when needed—whether for recovery from an ailment or simply to manage those who don’t play well together. This setup also enables us to rotate grazing, which helps maintain healthy, lush grass.
In the pasture, we use the Cobett waterer system, which leverages the warmth from below the surface to ensure water remains available in the event there are freezing temperatures.
The pastures and property are secured with steel gates that operate via access codes, providing added safety and security.
The Boarding
Our boarding facility is dedicated exclusively to retirement and senior horses. A senior horse is typically age-related, while a retired horse may be due to a permanent injury or ailment. This specific focus allows us to provide specialized care for horses with similar needs.
Once a boarding contract is agreed upon between the horse owner and Crooked Creek Ranch, a transition date will be set. Upon arrival, the new horse will be unloaded into a private corral for a visual examination and to allow the horse to acclimate to its new environment at a comfortable pace.
A 7-day quarantine period is standard protocol before the horse is introduced to others. During this time, the horse will be housed in a separate pasture and stall, away from direct contact with other horses.
While horses are naturally social herd animals, we carefully evaluate their compatibility and will form two to three smaller herds if necessary to ensure a harmonious living environment.
Features at a glance
Local Farrier for Shoes or Trimming
Customized Feeding/Supplements Schedule by Horse
Hay Soaking as Needed
Daily Turnout/Turn in Schedule
Blanketing, Fly Sheets & Masks as Needed
Daily Stall Cleaning with Fresh Bedding
Industrial Washing Machine for Blankets
Appropriate Compost Manure Management
Hot & Cold Horse Wash Area
Individualized Custom Care
Veterinarian Approved Practices
Certified Advanced Equine Health & Emergency First Aid
Certified Livestock Disaster Emergency Preparedness
Exercise/Therapy/New Arrival Orientation Corral
Local Veterinarian Practice (7 DVM’s)
Regular Dental & Hoof Care
AAEP Deworming Protocol
Gated Entrance with Access Code
12’ x 12’ Stalls
3/4” Stall Mats
Stall Fans
Yoke Stall Fronts
Security Cameras
Outside Motion Lights
33 Acres of Pasture
Four Separate Pastures
24/7 Access to Fresh Water
Owner/Manager Resides on Property