# Frustrated with Boarding



## gunslinger (Sep 17, 2011)

Every time I read a post like this I'm reminded how lucky I am to have my horses here at home with me and DW. The drama would kill me.


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

Me pay a boarding barn because my horse ran through the fence???? Not likely. Seems like you have to kiss a lot of toads before you find a good boarding barn? I am with gunslinger on this, no boarding for me.


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## demonwolfmoon (Oct 31, 2011)

to be honest, I almost didnt end up getting into horses. another forum I tried out was downright nasty and discouraging, both of me, and my proposed buy. Not even just because she was a baby, but her looks. Some of it was conformation, but....looks?

I talked to one barn where they were predominantly English riders, and the barn manager seemed nice. When I went out to visit, she tore down my horse, said I paid "more than she'd get from a meat buyer", said my filly looked like a mule, and said she normally wouldnt do this, but directed me to the TBs.

I called one last place. The lady was just starting to board, and she was awesome. Sweet lady, always helpful, and triea to weed out drama queens. I've heard her flat out nicely discourage people from her facility. Honestly if it wasnt for her, I wouldnt hav3 horses at all. There seems to be a lot of drama and pig headedness in the horse community,
PS, I moved one of my horses across country to a boarding facility that sounded nice over the phone, but was a flat out nightmare in person....stayed 2 months and pulled my horse out of there. Lady fed them like crap, barbed wire everywhere, big holes in the fence with wires poking out towards my horse, crap everywherw, my horse3 beat the heck up.....cash only because she supposedly had no bank account?, Oh and she'd demand I come out to see my horse NOW because she had loose poo, then when I made the drive, told me it was the change in hay? Then that id have to pay more because my horse ate an extra flake? Oh funny we couldnt get her to answer the phone when we gave notice, so she charged us extra, claiming we never called....

Anyway, lots of drama, and good places can be a pain to find. So much better to keep em at home, even with the extra work involved.


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## Khoas (Jun 25, 2012)

When I use to own my two horses (Arab and Quarter horse) I never EVER paid for repairs...I have seen horses run through metal gates and rip poles out, kick in stall doors/walls, even rip cross ties out and were never bugged to pay for damages =/ so when I was told to pay for the fence I was kinda shocked. I mean I payed 320$ a month, outdoor board, no grain (which I think is insanly high...but I was willing to pay for all the stuff there was to do)

Even when I had horses on my property and friends/family boarded there horses for a few months (winter usually) I never asked for repair money...repairs come with horses xD - Only reason I do not keep my horse at my house is he would be all alone and hes always been around other horses, and my barn got destroyed by my brother -.-;;

I am moving next year to the states (Maryland then Missouri for a few months then BACK to Maryland xD I hope i can find a good barn for temporary boarding down there!)


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## MsLady (Apr 18, 2013)

gunslinger said:


> Every time I read a post like this I'm reminded how lucky I am to have my horses here at home with me and DW. The drama would kill me.


I completely agree! Isn't this the 4th or 5th thread on unhappy boarders? The only drama I have to put up with is getting my teenage boys to go out and work with the horses. 
Khoas, I am so sorry you are going through this. I can only imagine what it must be like to have to change barns so often not to mention on such short notice. 
I really do feel sorry for all of you that are having such a hard time at your barns, if you were close to me I would let you turn your horses out with mine.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Khoas (Jun 25, 2012)

Thank you MsLady  makes me feel better knowing there are awesome people out there! I am trying hard not to get discouraged, as I love riding more then anything. I get told by many people horse people are a crazy bunch xD 

I have met some really awesome people in the horse community and some not so nice people as well. I mean I have been taking lessons/coaching for over 15 years! I never had barn conflics or drama before now and when drama starts I lose confidence in everything. And question everything I do...and my coach, mom and barn owner point it out...even my horse acts differently (slow....VERY....slow....and lazy like hes babysitting a child XD hahaha)


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

It is to bad there is so much drama boarding. When I boarded i moved because I was friends worked with the land owner.. not a good thing. She thought she had the right to boss me and my animals constantly. So I moved. Second place was good for a while, the manager was a drunk fences in bad shape, and I found booze Bottles in my pens. So I moved. Third place was great for a while, one or two small problems, i stayed there until I purchased my own place. 
I do 'board' for work for a relative , and I did board to 2 outside people. One gal paid full board on time was polite and great, she moved back to NJ. 2nd person was a Pain .. constantly broke rules, constantly complained .. Constant . she left in a month , Thank Goodness she said she was leaving so I did not have to tell her to get the h out !  She just liked drama .


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## maej23 (Jul 22, 2013)

I feel your pain. I have never liked boarding. It's been a long 11 years of it. The small private barns are best if you can find them. The large show/lesson barns are tough. If I had the land, I would keep my horse at home without question.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Well those are stupid reasons to kick you out.. better off not at those barns.

There are such wonderful people in the horse community but it seems the majority of people meet the jerks (as I have) before the lovely people (which I know now as well.)

OP I wish you the best and hope this new barn works out for you guys. 3 barns is nothing... I barn hopped 6 times here in New Zealand hahaha!


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## Fahntasia (Dec 19, 2011)

I'm heading off to barn #3 and was feeling a bit horrid, I don't feel so bad now lol.

For me its quality of care, my current barn is full of drama and the barn manager goes to party at night so isn't on the grounds on Thursday Friday and Saturday from 5:30 pm till 5am....(not all the time but most of the time.) so the horses are left to their own devices in their stalls. The barn owner is constantly complaining about him to the boarders, so I'm switching barns, again...hopefully 3rd time is the charm.


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## cowgirllinda1952 (Apr 15, 2013)

*One of the reasons I gave up horse ownership is having to board. I'm not a people person anyway, and it was always drama, drama, drama. When we were looking at one place to board, we saw two totally broken beyond use webbed lawn chairs, all the webbing was gone, nothing left but metal. We all laughed about why someone would leave them there. After we had been there a few months, the unofficial "boss" of the barn's 7 yr. old smarty pants daughter brought the chairs down to our stalls and said "My mom said to bring these chairs down here, since it was you who broke them." She was constantly telling my little 4 yr.old that she "stunk", which she didn't, and when I hired a trainer to give my kids lessons, the lady saddled up and took over our lessons!!! I've known a lot of people who board, and very rarely have any of them been happy. And, the complaints are almost always the same, drama, lies, and theft. My daughter has her own place, and I went last week and it was such a pleasure to groom and love on my mare without any nosiness or unwanted advice. I will never board again. There's aplace not too far from me, called Almost Heaven, and I once rode by there, and how they have the nerve to call it that, I'll never know, it was so dirty and trashy.*


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Your the kind of boarder I'd love to have. I always appreciated when a boarder would roll up their sleeves and pitch in because with horses something always needs fixing.


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## HorseMom1025 (Jul 17, 2012)

We've been at the same facility for 3 years. My daughter started with lessons, then we leased, and finally, we own.

After speaking to other boarders and people with their own land I've come to the conclusion that each has their own pros and cons. My DH and I have decided that boarding is best for us.

The bottom line, as a boarder, is to decide what is most important and what you can let go. Our barn is not perfect. It's not fancy and there are some parts that are bothersome. But, overall, my horse is well cared for and safe. We have two covered arenas to ride in and are allowed to do our own thing. It works for us. If I ever felt my horse was in danger or not receiving proper care, I would remove her without a second thought.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Shoebox (Apr 18, 2012)

This makes me feel lucky! Clementine is 17 something hands and she HAS to be head of the pasture (and thus has been seen chasing. kicking, picking on the lower horses). But I've never been asked to leave over it! I've been to a lot of barns, and had 4 different barn owners (because she moved to and from school with me) and all of them have said they'd invite us back with open arms. We're a prettty easy pair, though, and don't need anything beyond pasture, hay, and an arena. I've already told my BO where I came back this summer that I'm more than willing to help out if she ever needs it.

The one barn I had trouble with. I contacted them - it was primarily an English barn, and had a dressage trainer on site. Which wasn't my thing (I ride western) I would suck it up because it was a good price. Contacted the owner, she was really nice. Set up a time to come out and look at the facility, as she had a good number of pasture spots available. She asked if I would be taking lessons from the on site trainer or using a different one and if so who? And I told her I wouldn't be, as I ride Western.

That's where things went WAY downhill, FAST. She stopped contact with me. I sent numerous emails and called, and when she finally answered, the first paragraph was about how she can't board my horse because she's too big (even though that's the first thing I told her and she was okay with it) and the second paragraph was about how she can't have someone at the barn with "my kind of horse." Um. So I reminded her that she'd already okayed her size, and SUDDENLY the pasture board was FULL UP! No more spaces!

I look back and think I was lucky she turned me away, I don't think I could handle boarding somewhere where the BO is so atrocious.


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## iRide Ponies (Aug 10, 2012)

Skyseternalangel said:


> Well those are stupid reasons to kick you out.. better off not at those barns.
> 
> There are such wonderful people in the horse community but it seems the majority of people meet the jerks (as I have) before the lovely people (which I know now as well.)
> 
> OP I wish you the best and hope this new barn works out for you guys. 3 barns is nothing... I barn hopped 6 times here in New Zealand hahaha!



I'm in NZ too, can you recommend any barns in the Auckland area?


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

iRide Ponies said:


> I'm in NZ too, can you recommend any barns in the Auckland area?


Unfortunately I'm in Wellington, which is clear South of you. However you should call up a few trekking places in Rotorua and see if they know of lesson barns. I went there for a short vacation


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## SammysMom (Jul 20, 2013)

Yikes, I hope this barn continues to work for you. My barn (and my first in Oregon) is lovely — filled with kind people boarding and caring for my boy. If the barn you're in now isn't that for you, you'll find one that is! Don't get discouraged.


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## stephshark (Jun 19, 2012)

I live in DC and can help you find a barn in the Maryland area! Actually, I will be needing to find one myself in November. I also have a friend in Amissville, Va who is a vet and does pasture boarding on her property; depending on where in MD you end up moving to it might be a good place for you to try. If you want you are more than welcome to message me for contact info


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## iRide Ponies (Aug 10, 2012)

Skyseternalangel said:


> Unfortunately I'm in Wellington, which is clear South of you. However you should call up a few trekking places in Rotorua and see if they know of lesson barns. I went there for a short vacation


I'm thinking more the north shore area, wouldn't wan tot go all the way to rotoura to brush my pony! Thanks anyhow.


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## iRide Ponies (Aug 10, 2012)

iRide Ponies said:


> I'm thinking more the north shore area, wouldn't want to go all the way to Rotoura to brush my pony! Thanks anyhow.


Spelling mistakes are now fixed.


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## Caine (Sep 21, 2013)

I have been through 4 barns and now going onto my 5th. I have owned my horse since the day he was born and its been 5 years. I know your pain with boarding and how much corruption there can be. My horse has never been the issue. 1 barn I left at my owm will another had a fire and the barn burnt down the 3rd almost killed my horse they didnt feed them and the hay they fed was for cows and they never gave the horses water and my 4th barn well thats a long story. That includes a verbal agreement which is now neing renagged I am now looking for a 5th barn. It can be difficult finding the right place for your horse. I notoced the only barn I has success in and no issues was my first one and it was a big facility. Since then ive been at small private ones with at most 4 horses all owned by the owner of the establishmemt. My best advice go to a show barn or a large private barn. You may get sone snobby people but most stay out of your way and do their own thing. They also tend to keep horses in smaller herds
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## Caine (Sep 21, 2013)

_Posted via Mobile Device_


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