Picking the right boarding stable. Feeding and Care for Pasture board

The last few posts I have talked about what to look when accessing the facility today I want to touch upon the care that will be provided. 
It is pretty simple, you can be boarding at the nicest well cared for boarding facility but if the staff doesn't take proper care of your horse it's all for not. 
So you finally found a place that looks good; safe pastures good barn and a  nice arena, now it is time to talk to the staff and see what care thay will provide for your pasture boarded horse.
The first thing would be to ask how many horses will be on the pasture, You don't want more then the pasture can handle and overcrowding may cause fighting.  A safe number is no more then 1/acre here in Southern Ontario. 
Another consideration is the horses they will be turned out with.  Is your horse low man on the totem poll or herd boss?  Will geldings and mares be mixed and what ages are the horses.  If you have a very old horse consider his safety when turned out with much younger feisty horses. 
Ask if the pasture and run in shelter is picked of manure on a regular basis, proper cleaning keeps insect infestation and worms down.
Ask about a herd health vaccination program, horses sharing the same pasture should be wormed on the same program.
Another consideration is water, Do they have access to clean water, are troughs automated and heated or are they filled daily. How often are they cleaned?
Another consideration is feeding when pasture is gone.  Ideally they will have access to hay constantly, if not  are bales thrown out to them and how is it distributed.  You would hate for your horse to not get his share because another horse won't let him near the pile.  Horses need to eat throughout the day particularly in the winter as the  processing of their food provides them with body heat.
Ask to see how often the herd is checked on. I new someone who's horse was severely injured they were not informed for days because the person managing the stable couldn't bother to take a look out in the pasture. This is very important because we all like to take holidays and we can't get out to ride every day so we want to know and trust that the people we are paying to look after our horses are doing just that. 
Next I'll talk about the things to ask about boarding your horse in a barn.