# Should we post reviews and rate barns online?



## txgirl (Jul 9, 2010)

I don't see why not. But, to be an effective review it should be honest (which I don't doubt in your case) but it should also be tactful and not just a wild rant!


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## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

tinabeanad said:


> When I moved in, I was assured a stall would be available whenever needed for my mare who was prone to abscessing if it rained excessively. It was only provided a few times and when I did use it, I felt rushed by the barn owners to get her back outside, even though I paid extra for the stall when using it. This only happened a few times because after that, I was told that the stall was not available. The owner either had her show livestock in the stall and about a month prior to me moving, she had a duck in a big horse stall and my mare had to sit out in the rain with her abscess prone feet. There are numerous animal pens on the property and I felt a little accommodation would have been successful if one tried.


What did your boarding contract say?
If you didn't have one, well, then it's a "he said she said" situation. Sounds like she didn't have the duck when you had your first conversation about the stall, so sounds like the stall availability did change. 

(Not that I would be happy about it either, but it's less "factual" if you did not have specifics written in a contract.)




tinabeanad said:


> The paddocks where the horses are kept were hardly ever picked up of manure. When I moved in, I was told they were raked but in the 8 months I had been there, I only saw paddock manure raked maybe once or twice at most.


What do you mean by "raked"? Like someone is out there with a hand rake?

In my area, it is pretty standard for pens/paddocks to be cleaned out once a year in the late spring or summer, to clean up after the frozen winter mess. Of course, my horses have access to a paddock but can also go out on pasture so they are not in it 24/7. It would change things if your horse is in said paddock 365 days a year, so maybe you can offer more information on that.



tinabeanad said:


> The paddock water did have automatic waterers but they were constantly filled with leaves and algae. I think the water bucket in my paddock was cleaned maybe once or twice during my 8 month stay.


I would expect the waterers to be free of algae.

How do you know the bucket wasn't cleaned more often? If you didn't witness it, that's hard to be factual.




tinabeanad said:


> The barn owners had the barn farrier out and at the time, my horse had an abscess. The barn owner told me that while the farrier was there, the abscess just happened to bust open. However, upon my arrival, two other boarders who were preset when the farrier was there, both told me that the farrier in fact cut it open. Now, if I had been there, I probably would have asked him to do it anyway but the dishonesty on the barn owner's part really turned me off. This was the point that I knew I had to get her out of there.


This one is also hard to be factual on a Google review because it's heresay and you did not witness it yourself. 

How do you know the farrier DIDN'T TELL the BO that he opened it up? Maybe the BO really didn't know because the farrier didn't tell the BO. Again, this is where it's hard to be factual because you don't know for sure on what else happened. As you describe it, the BO wasn't present for this either.




tinabeanad said:


> The barn feeds coastal rolls but they do not pull off the baling twine nets that they come in. Colic and choke hazards.


Yes, nets should be pulled off the best of ability (for example, frozen winters may prevent getting some of the net off if it is frozen to the bale).



tinabeanad said:


> The coastal rolls are crappy more often than not, maybe cow hay? Not sure.


There's no such thing as "cow hay". Poor quality hay is simply poor quality hay.



tinabeanad said:


> About a month prior to me moving, my horse's pasture mate was put to sleep and at the time, my mare was not sound due to all the rain once again. So, instead of leaving her where she was, she proceeded to put my horse in with another horse. While she had been pastured with this horse before for a short period of time and they were okay, I thought it was very rushy to just throw my lame mare in with a horse she hadn't been pastured with in awhile.


How would you have preferred they put the two horses together? They had been pastured fine together before, so I guess I honestly don't see a problem with this scenario. And it was good of them not to leave your horse alone.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

As long as you are speaking ONLY of your personal experiences, no here-say. No gossip, no posting of links to Facebook, etc.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

If you "review" a barn online and put name to facility and add your name to it...anonymous to me means nothing credible.
You need to be real careful that all negative claims can be supported with facts and documentation or face a slander lawsuit..._be very careful_.

_From me as a mod here...
__This forum has rules and policies for posting all posters are held to, no matter the subject matter shared._
_I don't mean that someone has broken them at this point, but when talking about sensitive topics such as giving public reviews or other kind of critical feedback, it's good to check the Rules and the Conscientious Etiquette Policy, for being aware of it what is allowed and what not / good online etiquette before posting._

_Now from me as a regular posting member..._
So, look at this from a different angle...
I read your post and see where you alluded to things promised but you did not hold the owners to, nor did you say you specifically paid for certain services, like a stall.
If you were guaranteed a stall, then my horse would of been occupying a stall nightly..
Automatic waterers on a water trough _{I live in Florida too}_...mine are cleaned weekly, often bi-weekly and yup the algae growth when hot weather and strong sun combine they get yucky in 3 days time if that...
_I have my horses home so know they *are* cleaned but also know they get gross easily._
Hay rolls vary from roll to roll...some nicer than others. I feed rounds and see differences myself.
Biggest difference in horse to cow hay is stored indoors and hopefully it was drier in moisture content when rolled so less chance of mold inside.
I also don't take off my netting till it loosens, then only remove it as needed...it does keep waste down. My horses just push the netting aside if in their way, they don't ever eat it by evidence of their poop expelled and no bad effects to mouth or teeth either from eating around it.
My field by the barn is cleaned 1x a week and dragged...I keep 2 horses together in that area and it can be nasty if you skip a week of dragging... 7 - 10 piles per day per animal adds up fast in icky looks.
My six acre pasture...when it gets bush-hogged it may also get dragged but my horses wander a lot so not huge build-up areas of poop do I get.
I'm wondering if the abscess had started to weep and the farrier opened it to give the horse relief and release the poisons trapped...
I find the barn owner when they purchase round rolls can not see but the outside so they don't know what is inside and must rely on their hay supplier for quality products.
If a moldy roll comes, then removal of course, for debris in it they have no control and to throw out and replace is very costly...that means your paying higher board.
Your horse was given a companion she had been out with in the past with no issues. When her pasture mate died the owners moved quickly so she would not pine, panic nor fret on her own....
These were your chief complaints just listed in no order...

_Do you see how every complaint you made is easily explained or turned around...:|_

The biggest thing I read is you listened to hearsay about many things...
Doesn't sound like you went to the barn owners yourself to ask, to confront or insist upon change...
_*Did you ever ask them face-to-face about any/all these things?*_
And yet you stayed here if you had such reservations about the care your horse has had till you came home...
Wow...
Do you see how easily all is explained...
Not saying right or wrong just stating a fact it can all be explained.


So, the fact you brought your horse home will give you control over everything now. :clap:
I can tell you that you will be fastidious at first, then slowly slide a bit in how everything has to be just so...
You will learn, when feeding hay, whether in square bales, rounds or big blocks they do vary bale to bale as the suppliers go through their stored supply.
If there is debris in the hay field the guy running the cutter doesn't see it often caught in high grasses and when hay is fluffed it is not often seen either.
You find all kinds of things in hay from snakes dead, whole or pieces... to all kinds of animals, garbage at times...the list is pretty extensive what I've found..

You strive for perfection keeping your horse at home, you honestly though will find you need to sway a bit or make yourself nuts with perfection-not...
Wait till it truly gets to rainy season and you deal with mud!! :icon_rolleyes:
Wait till you see how often water buckets get gross in summer heat...the learning curve is just beginning.
Horse-care 101 at home just beginning,_ enjoy the journey.
_
_The reward of seeing every day, interacting and just being in control of the situation is so worth it..._
_For me, *never* will I board again._
:runninghorse2:...
_jmo..._


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## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

I think everyone here, including OP, has made some good points. But to the OP, there are websites (e.g. Yelp) that let you post reviews online, and it seems like that would be a more appropriate and more useful forum (more people would probably see your review) for them.


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

I think that rather than leave an online review I would probably send an e-mail to the BO and thank them for caring for your horse and then notate certain things that they may consider. It may be beneficial for them to see the comments you have.

If you leave a review just make sure it's a fair and honest review and not an emotional one.



Some of your comments would go with high quality barns. I worked at a facility that cost about $1000 per month for board and we DID clean manure from paddocks daily. 

I call "bad hay" cow hay too... I think there is a difference between horse hay and cow hay. I think the bad hay though can sometimes be chalked up to the weather during the hay season. My hay last year was blah. It's been better this year...


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## tinabeanad (Dec 27, 2018)

Thanks everyone for the comments. Let me go ahead and elaborate here.

I have boarded at self care barns and I do know it is a lot of work caring for horses, especially when you have a large farm, plus your own numerous animals to care for. However, I think when you take on the responsibility of boarding someone else's animals, it is important that they receive the same care your own animals would.

This barn was not technically full board as they did not groom the horses, pick feet, etc. It was a barn that took care of all the farm chores, paid for the feed/hay, maintained their own property, fed your horse. It was up to you to come out to groom the horse, ride, etc.

When I went to initially go look at the place, I was told the pastures were always dragged once a week. (Honestly, they need to be because it was three horses to every paddock that was 2-3 acres and then two horses on every paddock 1-2 acres.) As well, as there would be a stall available for any sick/injured horses. There were no other sick/injured horses at the time I needed the stall, just her own personal duck or show animal that was inside the stall. When the vet came out to do xrays on my horse's feet, he did recommend euthanasia so this wasn't just a small problem of a horse possibly getting an abscess because of the rain but a serious problem that involved keeping her feet cleaned and dry as possible. I know if I owned a barn and a boarder had a horse like mine, I think I would make some adjustments on my 40 plus acres of land and large barn so that the horse had their best chance at a recovery. 

I think that is what upsets me the most, there wasn't even an attempt to shuffle things around to satisfy my horse's very serious needs. Even when I was paying for a private paddock, I had asked in the event it rained, if I could throw shavings in the outside stall and lock her in. I was denied. Apparently, that was too much of an inconvenience as well and they didn't want to have to deal with shavings in the outside stalls.

The farrier possibly cutting open her hoof did bother me only in that there was dishonesty. The barn owner is actually present when the farrier is there and holds the horses. I was not going to include this in my review though as you guys have said, it is hearsay and could be inaccurate.

The other thing that really bothered me was the plastic in the hay. As I stated before, I did inform them and even came up to the house with the handful of plastic. They saw it, said they would take care of it. Later that evening, I did text her and asked if they were able to take care of the hay situation and she just responded with a "yes." The next day when I went out, the same hay bale was there and I asked the husband about it who told me he went out there to inspect it but didn't see anymore of the plastic. I went out there, was able to find plastic in the hay right away and told them again but alas, the hay bale was never changed out.

As a previous self care boarder, I do understand that random things do get baled up in the hay but when a horse owner sees something and that it is throughout the whole hay bale, one would expect that it would be replaced so that a horse doesn't accidentally swallow it. This could cause serious colic or even choke.


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

Obviously there are some boarding places that are better than others. I long for a place of my own where I can do things the way that I feel is right. But, when working with and around other people there pretty much going to be things done in a way that you wouldn't. Where I board, I have a list of things that drive me crazy. There is also a list of things that I like too.
So until I get my own place, I just deal with things to the best of my ability. 

If it were me, I would just let it go and stay thrilled about having the horse at home.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

This is just an aside, but is it typical to have grooming and picking of hooves included in full care? I mean, where I am, it is not a normal part of "full care". One would have to pay extra for that feature. Just curious.


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

@tinyliny In my area, full care would be a stalled horse that gets turned out whether it be by day or night, sheets or blankets on/off, feed, hay and shaving provided by barn. They may or may not hold for farrier and/or vet at no extra charge. Extras (paid for separately) would be grooming (which, in my opinion, hoof picking would be part of that), worming, and vaccinations. The holdings could be extra too. In my neck of the woods, full care on average is around 500. to 700. a month but could be more depending on the place and what amenities that they have and are including.

On the other hand, you can easily find pasture board for 200. (if owner provides food) to 400. a month (barn provides food). Of course there is everything else in between.


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## Finalcanter (Apr 15, 2013)

I personally would-- boarding barns and lesson stables are a business and as such is at the mercy of the public. Reviews should be available for everything. You can go home and ignore it as was suggested, sure...or you can inform the next person who may about to be boarding there. Reviews can enforce change. Not reviewing to me is a passive act that cannot enforce such change.


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## tinabeanad (Dec 27, 2018)

Finalcanter said:


> I personally would-- boarding barns and lesson stables are a business and as such is at the mercy of the public. Reviews should be available for everything. You can go home and ignore it as was suggested, sure...or you can inform the next person who may about to be boarding there. Reviews can enforce change. Not reviewing to me is a passive act that cannot enforce such change.


I do believe that as well. 

I want to thank you all for your advice, I did in fact leave a review. I feel that I was short and sweet and to the point.

I had thought about writing an email to the barn owner but I am unsure of how she would take that.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

I would put your thoughts down in a polite email to the owner - as long as you're factual and impersonal then its up to her whether or not she likes it or uses it to improve things.
I've managed one medium sized Livery (Boarding barn) yard and owned a small one and over the years kept horses on them. 
We always appreciated constructive criticism because its better to be able to do something about a problem than it is to lose a client.
As far as I'm concerned, the things like water in the field, fencing and pasture and barn/stable maintenance should be done by the owner unless there's some financial compensation to horse owners who agree to chip in and help
I wouldn't have been at all happy with a 2 or 3 acre paddock for 3 horses that I was paying to use that didn't get regular manure removal - and I mean removal, not raking. 
Raking while the horses are still using it is worse than leaving the piles. Raking just spreads the problem around.


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## tinabeanad (Dec 27, 2018)

Also! When I initially moved her to this boarding barn, my mare developed an eye twitch.

I just thought maybe she was missing a vitamin or something but upon researching more into it, it could mean neurological issue OR a toxicity in the environment somewhere.

Well, about a week and a half into moving her here, the eye twitch has completely stopped!

Unsure if I should let barn owner know or not. I mean, I don't know exactly what it was and I am sure the barn owner isn't going to jump through hoops to try and figure out what it was either.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

I would leave it alone...
I would just take the now lack of a twitch as good news for your horse.
Maybe the move to a different barn is less stressful an environment for your horse, the emphasis is on_ your horse._
Either way, you and your horse benefit and that is good enough to hear for me.
:runninghorse2:


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## AnitaAnne (Oct 31, 2010)

IME it is not helpful to tell the person After you leave, the things you were unhappy about. 

Let it go. If the owner was going to make changes, she would have done it while you were to make sure her boarders were as happy as could be. 

IMO your requests were not unreasonable, and putting an honest review is appropriate. 

There is a way to state things so that other people can understand the situation without resorting to comments like "she lied" 

As an example, you could state that you were unable to use the optional "injury stall" for all of your horse's injuries. That statement is factual, and yet lets others know that your horse had several injuries there and you had no where to treat her. Space issues? Frequent injuries? That is a red flag to many


Another factual statement "Two to three horses per 2-3 acre paddock" can let people know there is an overcrowding issue.


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## tinabeanad (Dec 27, 2018)

So, I left a review. And once she saw the review, she called animal control on me and then had a bunch of her family and friends go on her Google review and give her 5 Stars, including her own daughter and husband who live and work there, LOL! It looks like she also made up some fake Google profiles just so that she could go in and give herself some additional 5 Star ratings. 

I did report them since it is a violation to drive up your own Star reviews but my goodness. Glad I no longer board with such dishonest people!


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Did you honestly expect a different response?


You "bashed" her business...
You gave your opinion as entitled.
Did you leave your real name or anonymously?
To those who use those critiques...well to me if you not give your name it is just sour grapes.
The fact you posted, then suddenly a bunch more appeared in refute would tell a savvy reader it is exactly what you described.....pushing her rating from mediocre to fantastic...
Both false bravado's...
:runninghorse2:...


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## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

I'm not surprised someone would post fake reviews after getting a bad review. I work with online reviews and I see this All.The.Time. I *am* surprised she called animal control on you. That really shows her character. Glad you're not boarding there any more!


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## tinabeanad (Dec 27, 2018)

It just keeps getting better by the minute, let me tell you.

I looked on there and one of her friends posted a 5 Star review - said that I (he used my first and last name) was nothing but a troll and that I stole their cat.

About a month before I left, one of their outside barn cats came up missing and I did post their flyer for them on some FB groups because I wanted to help. He still has not been found but I guess the barn owners think I stole their cat now, what the heck?

I mean I love animals but I have my own animals to contend with and if I wanted another cat that bad, I would go down to the pound and save a life! Not to mention all the free kittens being given away. My goodness.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

That is slander!!!
Bordering defamation of character...

*Know a lawyer?*
That deserves a letter of cease and desist and if "said friend" not remove and stop maligning your character you will see them in a court of law and let a judge decide how much their childish behavior is going to cost them.
This is exactly how death threats come about...oh yes, they snowball from nothings to being attacked and harassed to far worse...
Sadly, you don't know who else will see your name and potentially go after you...

Be very careful...obviously the place you thought you knew well, you did not.
You might want to consider alerting your new barn that your old barn is spreading rumor and threat {?} and you thought they, new barn, deserved a heads up so extra care and caution for the animals is ensured.
Watch yourself very carefully and places you frequent...people do stupid stuff over this kind of stuff. :neutral:
:runninghorse2:...


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## tinabeanad (Dec 27, 2018)

Thank you for the heads up. 

Honestly, you really never know about people! The fronts they put on, some people are just really great actors.

I was thinking about the legal route. If she leaves me alone, I probably won't do anything but if she continues to harass me, calls animal control, etc. I do believe I will be taking her butt to small claims court!


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