# Cleaning Poll Revised



## starlinestables (Nov 24, 2008)

I wanted to add.. if you choose option b.. yes you could clean the stall yourself.


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

In your other posts you were talking about lowering the number of options you had to make book keeping easier. How will this help that?


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

There is not an option I would vote on.

So do you skip feeding the horses on the days you don't clean stalls?


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## starlinestables (Nov 24, 2008)

We NEVER skip feeding... We would either feed them with feed bags or bring half them in to feed and then turn back out and then we still throw out piles of hay.

Book keeping... the stall cleaning debate isn't going to effect that. If majority of people say they'd rather pay the extra $20, I'll just raise board $20. Pretty simple. However yes, book keeping does get worse the more horses you have. I am looking into adding a shopping cart system to make it a little easier.

I don't know why people are offended by the $20 cost... its not like that's an extra $20 in my pocket, that's just what it cost in materials and labor.


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## jyuukai (Apr 19, 2011)

I would pay the extra $20. It's just $20. However, I would be more than happy to leave my horse out any number of nights a week as long as they were in if bad weather was expected. When I had a stall for my horse she was out 24/7 much of spring and fall. She came in during the day in summer when temps were above 90F and she came in at night when temps were to fall below 50F.
I worked at that barn, and so it helped to not have to clean stalls on some of those days for some of those horses. I don't know how much it saved the barn owner in the long run, though.


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## beauforever23 (May 6, 2010)

I would pay the extra $20. Again i'd rather have my horses' stall cleaned 7 days a week and yeah the not cleaning just 1 day, would turn me away from a barn


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

If you are going to charge extra for 7 day per week cleaning are you going to give the boarders a credit on those occasions that you do leave the horses out over night (when you are trying to make up turn out time for example) and you do not have to clean their stalls?

Do you not clean stalls 7 days per week now?


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## gypsygirl (Oct 15, 2009)

if i were you i would give the boarders no option. just start cleaning the stalls everyday and raise board $20.


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## starlinestables (Nov 24, 2008)

Yes, generally speaking we clean stalls 7 days a week. However, they've been couped up the last 3 days because of storms and muddy pastures. If it drys up today, we will clean stalls and they'll go out all weekend. Right now I check with the boarders before I do that.. and they love it. 

By saying we won't clean stalls 1 day a week means the stall stays clean. Not we leave them filled with poo for a day. Actually we bed back the stalls on the day they stay out so the barn smells like fresh pine and is spotless. )


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

I am not sure why you need a policy change then.


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## Spastic_Dove (Oct 4, 2007)

I chose letting them stay out a day a week. My horse is currently out 24/7 and seems to do very well for it. I prefer turn out to stalls unless I need them in for vet care/don't want them looking like a yetti for a show in the morning.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

I don't think an additional $20 month for stall cleaning is realistic. Have you timed yourself to see how long it takes? That means you will clean a stall for about 80 cents a day. I could see charging an extra $20 week. Most barns charge either inside care and or outside care. Inside includes stall cleaning. Don't sell yourself short by devalueing your time.


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## starlinestables (Nov 24, 2008)

Saddlebag said:


> I don't think an additional $20 month for stall cleaning is realistic. Have you timed yourself to see how long it takes? That means you will clean a stall for about 80 cents a day. I could see charging an extra $20 week. Most barns charge either inside care and or outside care. Inside includes stall cleaning. Don't sell yourself short by devalueing your time.



This is $20 for 4 days of stall cleaning. 1 day a week off essentially... not the whole month!


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## AlexS (Aug 9, 2010)

starlinestables said:


> I don't know why people are offended by the $20 cost... its not like that's an extra $20 in my pocket, that's just what it cost in materials and labor.


I just don't understand this concept at all. If you need an extra $20 per boarder to cover your costs, then increase the board by $20. It is certainly not an answer for me to reduce the basic care for horses by not mucking out. 

I imagine that those paying for stalls rather than the cheaper field board, are doing this for a reason, they want their horses stalled over night. So the extra night out option just does not make sense. 

I would be really peeved and would start looking for another barn if the BO was trying to cut corners and not mucking out every day.


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## codacalico (Apr 4, 2011)

Having followed both the threads about stall cleaning and a few others from the OP, I would say that as a consumer (i.e., the boarder) I would prefer to have a business owner who is definitive in their decisions. I would not want to be frequently asked to weigh several different options (6 days/week stall cleaning, 7, or turn out, or this...) and compare this to some potential price change. I would expect the price to be set and not changed except at my yearly contract renewal. 

Starline, you have mentioned several times that your prices are very low for your area. Perhaps it would be better to determine what you think are essential needs for the horse (like daily stall cleaning if inside, or 2ce daily feeding if outside, or whatever) and then set a price based on the costs associated with care, *plus a profit for you. *

It is fine for you to take a profit! It sounds like you have a very nice barn. I think your boarders will thank you in the long run if you simply make a decision and stick with it.


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

AlexS said:


> I just don't understand this concept at all. If you need an extra $20 per boarder to cover your costs, then increase the board by $20. It is certainly not an answer for me to reduce the basic care for horses by not mucking out.
> 
> I would be really peeved and would start looking for another barn if the BO was trying to cut corners and not mucking out every day.


I agree.

My point about not feeding on that day you don't clean stalls - seriously - how long does it take? You do not work a full time job off the farm and have an exact schedule. So maybe you don't clean them all at once, but they still should be cleaned.

Cleaning stalls is a great indicator of normal for a horse. The first clue something is up can be lack - or change of manure.

Not an option in my book.


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