# Boarding gripe



## FaceTheMusic (Dec 28, 2012)

I know how frustrated you feel. It's awful when you aren't happy with where you are keeping your horse. I agree completely that the situation is unacceptable. I've been there. The last barn I was at the BM decided it was a good idea to put all 27 horses in one pasture together... it ended up getting my horses constantly injured and my gelding developed a terrible attitude from always having to defend himself. Since I moved he has done a complete 180 and is back to his old goofy self.

I wish I knew of some places in your area but unfortunately I don't. If you haven't already, maybe you should look on newhorse.com, there are always tons of boarding barns on there. 

I do hope you can find a nicer place for you and your horse!


----------



## themacpack (Jul 16, 2009)

> My husband is really mad and so am I. I'm bringing all of my concerns to the BM, but it's not making a difference. Unfortunately, there's nowhere comparable in size of the indoor arena and field sizes that is within my price range (those facilities are much nicer overall, but outside of what I can afford). I'm vibrantly on the lookout for a new place, but I'm stuck at the moment. I'm losing my mind!


My horse being properly fed and my belongings not being taken would take priority for me over the indoor arena - yes, it may mean not being able to ride for a while, but it will put you and your horse in a better situation while you find a barn that DOES have all you want and will provide the care you want.


----------



## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

I'd rather trailer to use an indoor or flat out not ride than put up with that.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## SEAmom (Jan 8, 2011)

I'd like to say I'm okay with just not riding until whenever, but I'm really not. Living in Ohio, I could go days or weeks without being able to ride outside, or months like in the winter. The weather here is ridiculous and to be honest, if I'm not comfortable I won't ride. If it's been raining and is mucky, there's ice on the ground, it's really windy, or below 20 degrees F, I won't ride outside. Having a younger, mischievous horse, being able to keep his mind working regularly is important. Where I live, the closest barns to me are at least 25 minutes away. I work an hour north of my house, so locations are very difficult to find that are convenient at all and a safe environment. This place is an hour from work and a half hour from my house. The other 3 places I'd been considering were the same, but one had very dangerous "pasture"area, one was $200/mo outside of my price range, and the third would not allow outside trainers and the woman running it has a bad trip with horses and an elitist attitude regarding dressage and everyone else. It was basically the lesser of the evils and I knew some of the people already at this place and they were familiar with my horse. 

Plus, I have truck our trailer so I can't be trailering anywhere.


----------



## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

I get that, I do. I also hate not riding, but the stress and worry and potential for illness that I'm seeing in your post is not worth it to me. Good luck finding a new place - hope you can find a place soon!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## SEAmom (Jan 8, 2011)

I'm actually considering sending him 1.5 hours away to a barn where a friend of mine can train him at someones place. He won't be able to go out, but he'll be with peophle who will listen to my friend when she says what to feed and how much. My friend will be able to work him and I could go up once a week or so and get a "lesson" from her. I hate the idea if him being so far away, though.

Part of me was really hoping that you guys would tell me I'm over-reacting about the situation. I just hate feeling like I have to go out there and check him every day when the point of being on full-care is that I can skip days. 

Oh, and sunday it was in the upper 40s here and he was turned out not just with stable blankets instead of turnout (i have the agreement worked out to have his blankets changed when he goes out since it isn't every day), but they left a modify blanket and the quilted liner on him. I know how much he runs and plays outside. Even though he's partially body-clipped, he was still hot underneath and steamed when I took them off. 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

I once had my horse 45 minutes away and hated it. I'm on mobile so I can't see your profile. Where are you at? Maybe someone on here knows a nice place.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## SEAmom (Jan 8, 2011)

I'm in the northern Cincinnati, OH area. When he was at the trainer's he was 35 minutes away and that was really tough.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

First off, I am sorry you are frustrated. Did you have a boarding contract? If so, that should deal with at least some of these issues. 

How big is this barn? I will say that to me, it sounds like you need a smaller place that can give you all the personalized attention you feel this horse needs because he is "different" than the "sea" of other horses at this farm. I can assure you, he is still a horse. I know of very few (except for those $1000 and up) who would do separate feed, all the blanket changes you ask for, etc. Many charge blanketing fees, actually, at about $5 a pop. Some also feed every horse the same feed-they buy in bulk as it saves $$ and everyone who has supplements has to do Smartpaks to simplify things for the feeding staff. That is also one way of the owners knowing their horse is getting it. It is an issue that your horse is losing weight, and perhaps he would be best off introduced to the herd and let out with the "sea" of them. Yes he may get some bumps and bruises, but it may be wonderful for him mentally as there is nothing that can teach a young horse quite like an older one.

As far as your stuff being missing-I would suggest you get a locked cabinet, and CLEARLY label everything that goes to the barn that is not to be locked up-like the everyday blankets, which can be monogrammed. The "special" coller would have been locked up, since I am guessing you only use it when you are there. I have my horses name on the right hip of every blanket we own. For both of them. It makes things really easy especially when he is at the trainers which is a large barn.

Good luck, but I am wondering why, if you knew folks who were happy there before you went there, your experience is so different? I doubt the whole place changed when you arrived.:wink:


----------



## AlexS (Aug 9, 2010)

I think that some of your complaints are valid, and others not so much. I don't really know what keeping the horse stalled for a few weeks would really achieve when getting him used to a new barn. 

I think it's possible that the horse was going stir crazy being in a barn alone, in a stall for so long. You said that you had concerns about him being a younger highly strung horse, so that's probably why they turned him out alone, as it was your concern about him being different from the other horses there. 

I agree with FnB and also think that some of your requirements are services that you would expect from a $1k a month barn. They will usually be happy to keep a horse in, if that's what you want. And do all the blanket changes etc. Other places not so much. 
If I want my horses blanket changed, I drive to the barn and change it. If a horse was in a stable blanket, it would be turned out in that, as I am at a $375 a month barn, rather than a $1k one, and that's what they do. 

Other things like the feed and hay, are reasonable. I personally would move barns because of those concerns. I would not put the desire for an indoor or your own personal comfort over the needs of your horse.


----------



## hemms (Apr 18, 2012)

I agree with above, sounds like a little more diligence on your part could possibly make this place bearable... The prepped and portioned meals, the monograms, the locking up or keeping of things in your car. Not ideal, but sounds like not many options you have are. 

Oh, and I most definitely second the idea of group turn out. If nothing else, those laid back plain old horses will rub off on your spirited youngster, provide him with some much needed mental and physical stimulation, and rid you of some other issues.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Tazzie (Nov 8, 2011)

Have you looked at Knollman Dressage? Not sure how far away her place is from where you live, but Rebecca (the owner) is a wonderful lady. Not sure her policy on outside trainers, but her barn looks wonderful. Might be worth a peek? Here is her website:

Knollman Dressage


----------



## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

why would you have them p/u alfalfa pellets for you , when you state they are not feeding ? I would go out daily and feed my own horse and stand there for a while why it ate. I would move , even if it cut down on your riding, what is more important, your horses health issues and the fact it is not being fed, or you being able to ride.


----------



## hemms (Apr 18, 2012)

I have no idea where you are or what your region is like, but where I am, you'd be lucky to only have a 30 min drive. ^shrug^. Guess it's all relative, but writing down your priorities in order might help you iron things out.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## SEAmom (Jan 8, 2011)

I think there was some confusion from my post. I will try to clarify some things.

1) My horse, Quest (it's easier to type), is on full care board. I understand that price ranges are different in different areas. In my area, it's very common for things like turnout, feeding, and blanketing to be included in the full care board price. The only time I've EVER seen board over $1k was for a VERY nice dressage training facility. It is absolutely top of the line in every way imaginable and that price included the training and weekly lessons. My horse was at a Class A Arabian trainer and my board was under $800 for show training. That's just how the pricing in my area works. So, for what I'm paying and budgeting, I can easily expect things like blanketing, especially when I speak to the BM herself and clear special requests with her. I offered to pay extra and she said no because I'm full care. In a barn of 26 horses, there are 5 full care horses and her 3 personal horses. That means that 14 horses are cared for solely by their owners, except that the BM feeds, waters, and turns out horses as part of her boarding agreement. Self-care people have to clean their own stalls, provide their own hay and grain, blanket their own horses, yada yada. Full care does not. Full care has hay and grain provided, stalls cleaned, blanketing, turnout, etc. all included with the board. 

2) He goes out in 5 acres with 2/3 other horses and does great with his group. He has been getting turned out since the 2nd week of July. I wanted him kept in and away because it's my horse and my choice. He wasn't going stir crazy, he has zero bad habits indoors, was being worked regularly, and let out in the indoor arena. He's no less active out there than he ever was before. Being around the "laid back" horses has had zero impact on how much he loves to play. 

The horses at the barn only go outside when the pasture is mostly hard (whether frozen or dry) and as long as it's above freezing. These are by the BM herself. I have no issues with that. When the horses are inside, they take turns in groups of 1-3 for roughly an hour in the indoor arena. Quest has gone in the indoor with the 2 babies (weanlings, but they're just about his size) and they all had a blast running around and playing. The babies won't be going out with the other horses until next spring, so Quest is in the 5 acre field with the 2/3 other horses until the babies go out there. 

I have no issues with how often he's turned out, who he's turned out with, etc. or even if he doesn't go outside for a few days. He gets along great with the other horses in the field with him. It makes me very happy actually since he used to get beat up a LOT at a different boarding place a couple of years ago. 

I was upset because this past Sunday he was turned out with his stable blankets on. Heck, I'd rather him go out naked even though he's clipped than risk him injuring himself because he's being his usual goofy self in blankets that aren't meant for that kind of movement and play. 

The BM doesn't always do the turning out or bringing in. Often other boarders will help bring in horses or turn out - always the same 1 or 2 people so they know the horses and lead them out with leadropes around their necks (can't do that with Quest so they leave the halter and lead rope on the post by the gate). On the weekends it's the boarder she has working on the weekends for her. The girl on the weekends knows the deal with turning him out and that he needs a turnout on because he's clipped. I also have it written on his stall in case someone different has to do it. No halter, and turn out blanket (I have 2 depending on the weather). That's all I ask and it's been coordinated with the BM and other people who handle him. 

If I was on self-care he absolutely would get turned out in exactly what I last put on him. Unless there is some crazy temp swing and his health would be at risk (i.e. 20 degree F low and a 65 degree F high - kind of like today), he'd wear whatever outside. That's more because she cares about the horses and doesn't particularly want any of them dying or being seriously sick /injured because of something as small as taking off a blanket before turnout.

3) He gets fed. At no point was he not being fed. What I said (or tried to say) was that he isn't getting enough so I'm having to pay extra to make up for it. When he moved there last July I had brought a couple of bags of feed with me from the trainer's barn. He was on Tiz Whiz, but it's not available in this area. I knew what the BM fed and I didn't like it at all. Before even moving in, she agreed that I could provide whatever feed I wanted for about a month and she would have it added to what gets delivered to her after that. If there was a price difference, I was always more than happy to pay it. I never heard anything about a price difference and found out later when she was talking to another boarder that Quest was on her barn feed. She never said a word to me about him being on a different feed, never asked my thoughts, nothing. 

Also, she feeds by the number of flakes, not by the volume or weight. So, all the horses (98% of which are considerably larger than my small Arab) get 2 light, small flakes because that's what is being baled - admitted by the BM's husband who puts away the hay when it comes in. They're getting on average 40-50 lb bales. They're aren't feeding the horses by an appropriate weight of hay for their bodies. I know if mine isn't getting enough, than the rest on full care definitely aren't except for the one who is paying extra for a LOT more hay by vet's orders. 

All of the horses in the barn have their own feed "bins" (basically variations of the big trash cans) because that's how the BM wants it done. That includes the full care horses. If I want a different feed, all I'm supposed to do is provide a month of it and she'll order it from there and have it delivered. For whatever reason, she decided to put mine on what hers get. I'm still upset about that because it's my horse and without mentioning it to me, she could have easily put his health in danger if there had been a medical reason to have him on what I wanted or NOT on what she wanted. That, to me, makes sense.

Oh, and she personally portions out each horse's feed into named ziploc style bags for evening and morning feedings so that anyone can feed if she can't. She doesn't want self-care people feeding at odd times compared to the rest of the horses, so she does all the horses at the same time. Grain first, then hay, then water. I don't like the order at all, but I can't do anything about that.

I moved on from the grain thing and dealt with it by adding a vit/min supplement to his SmartPaks (that I already was getting with other supps in it anyway). When the temps started dropping, I said that Quest will need extra grain because he drops weight in the winter. So, she agreed to bump him up (not exceeding the amount allowed by the boarding agreement), but it never got changed and he started dropping weight. Again, to compensate, I bought alfalfa pellets. I bought them for 1.5-2 months and he was getting them with his grain and he started maintaining his weight. Not happy about spending the extra money, but I dealt with it. 

4) I don't think my horse is "special" or needs special care or treatment. In fact, he's one of the lower maintenance of the 5 full care boarders at the barn. He is, however, completely different in personality than all the other horses (aside from the 2 babies, but I can't count them because they go in their own separate area and won't be introduced to the rest of the herd until the spring) and I hear that most often from the other boarders themselves. What I meant by my statement is that he has more energy than anyone there is used to and they tend to be intimidated by it. He's not bad, aggressive, or dangerous by any means. He's just more like an excited little kid. In fact, I compare him to my active 7 year old daughter a LOT. Once people get used to him, they're fine with him because he's completely harmless. 

6) My blankets, sheets, coolers, etc are ALL marked with my name, my horse's name, and my phone number. Every single one of them. All of my stuff is put away in my rolling box (that doesn't lock, nothing I can do about that) or in my upright tack. I'm not locking up a wet cooler. That's why I have a blanket rack on my stall door and all of my information on the the inside of my "horse clothing". The only person at the barn with permission to get into my stuff is the BM for when my horse injures himself outside, which is fairly often because he is who he is. I don't want her to worry about calling me over a cut or using any of her own stuff (because she probably would), so I just make sure I keep my stuff supplied and readily available to her in my rolling box. 

As for things like a sheet that went temporarily missing and was found stuffed into a corner of the tack room and my jolly ball. Those are things that should never have left his stall or his body in the first place. At the time, there had been no reason for his sheet to not be on his body. Even the BM had no idea how it had gotten there and, yes, his name was in the sheet along with my info. The jolly really has no reason to not be anywhere in the barn. I had 2 other people helping me look with no luck. With the missing cooler, I haven't seen if anyone else has been using one, but I can't imagine it would fit a single horse there in the slightest. No clue what happened to the stuff that has gone missing and not been found, but it's incredibly frustrating. I've done as much as I reasonably can. It's not practical by any stretch of the imagination for me to haul my stuff around in my car. I have a family. It just doesn't work like that. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------

I know he's a horse. I have always treated him like a horse. He's not a person. I don't presume to treat him as such. I've been working with and around horses for most of my life, and I don't have any intention of letting them think I'm anything other than the leader at any point.

I really hope that cleared some things up. That's what I get for typing a post on my phone. Stupid phone wouldn't let me even go back and make corrections for spelling if I missed it initially. Ugh!

Whew! That was a LOT!! My apologies for making it so long. I just wanted to be as clear as possible.


----------



## SEAmom (Jan 8, 2011)

Tazzie, I sent an email to her through her website. I doubt she'll have an open trainer policy since she's a trainer herself. I have zero interest in dressage training with my horse at this point, but I'm certainly willing to look into it. Her place is almost the same distance away as this one, but in opposite. It's almost an hour from my house and it's roughly 30 minutes from work. We'll see, though!


----------



## SEAmom (Jan 8, 2011)

Hemms, I'm near a major city, so getting out to the country takes a long time. Where I lived before I moved into my husband's house, I was only 12 minutes away from the barn where my horse was boarded. Most people I know with horses live within 15 minutes of a barn. I just am in a poor location. There's one place that's 20 minutes from my house, but it's 20 minutes south of my house so it's even further from work. I do almost all of my barn visits after work and I can't spend all night driving to the barn. Otherwise, I'll never see my daughter before bed.


----------



## SEAmom (Jan 8, 2011)

FranknBeans, things were going smoothly for a while. There have been other issues with other boarders as well. I'm not the only having problems with quality of care and boarding agreements. I was irritated about some of the things that happened early on, but things were great for months. The BM and her husband just started leasing the facility early last summer, so they weren't at it for long when I moved in. Many of us have noticed the changes over the past few months. So my experience isn't all that much different from many of theirs - particularly the full care boarders. 

I was excited when I first moved there to get things worked out, find a BM who spent years showing Arabs class A and didn't have that annoying breed prejudice that I often find in the area, and even know some of the people and horses. I have no issues at all with any of the boarders, everyone is nice to me and I to them. 

The BM and her husband are nice people and they care about the horses, but they also have the attitude that they know better than all of us and that just isn't the case for all of us boarders. Some of us have spent just as much time in horses and they have. I know the BM will ask for my opinion when she's talking to other people because she knows I know what I'm talking about. By no means do I think I'm the "bomb diggity", but I know enough that I'm not just another ignorant horse owner. Those are all too often the case around here, sadly. 

I can honestly say that when it comes to things like feeding and basic care of my horse, I know at least as much as the BM does. So, when I ask her for feeding changes, we discuss them, and an agreement is reached, I do expect it to be honored.


----------



## hemms (Apr 18, 2012)

Whew. Reads like it's time to move. Just too much drama and chaos. Some deal breakers for me in there, anyhow. I will again suggest your own personal priority list. Logical formulas make decisions like this a lot clearer for myself.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

I think you need a place where you can take care of your own horse yourself. From all the drama over details that is the only way I see you being happy. Sorry, but that is how I see it. You expect a LOT. Period. If I was the BO/BM-I would be praying you would leave. JMHO. Or-move him back to the trainers. Seems like you were happy there. I get the impression that if problem A is fixed, we will move on to another issue and the list (as illustrated above) is endless.......

No matter how many times you give it lip service, I don't think you think your horse can just "be a horse". 

I also believe that possibly-just possibly-the BM/BO MAY know something you don't and have something to offer. I doubt very much that you, or the other boarders know everything. That attitude alone would certainly turn ME off from trying to help you.


----------



## Tazzie (Nov 8, 2011)

SEAmom said:


> Tazzie, I sent an email to her through her website. I doubt she'll have an open trainer policy since she's a trainer herself. I have zero interest in dressage training with my horse at this point, but I'm certainly willing to look into it. Her place is almost the same distance away as this one, but in opposite. It's almost an hour from my house and it's roughly 30 minutes from work. We'll see, though!


I hope it works out! There is a place near where I keep my horse, but I'm afraid it'd be quite the drive to you (I'm in Northern Kentucky). It also looks like a great barn, but probably more than you'd want to drive. The price is reasonable though. Here's the link, but I think the drive might get you. Sounds quite a bit cheaper than others you've seen though! StoneRidge Stables. They are building an indoor as well. Least there is a very large building that went up that appears to be an indoor! And I *think* in their craigslist ads I've seen they stated they had an indoor.


----------



## SEAmom (Jan 8, 2011)

I've seen them advertised on craigslist, too, Tazzie. Unfortunately, that's just too far away. I've looked at their site before. If I worked in downtown Cincy, it would be worth checking out, but it's probably take me 2 hours just to get there from Dayton after work, esp. with all the downtown traffic, construction and bridge work they're doing.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## ~*~anebel~*~ (Aug 21, 2008)

IMO, you aren't asking too much at all. I'd be PO'd if my horse wasn't getting outside every day as well, but I'm a stickler for that.
Keep in mind also that I've paid $800+ per month for worse boarding services, the price does not always determine quality.

If you are willing to move (sounds like you are) then if you need to move to a more expensive place, ask if there's chores or things you can do to reduce your board. I ride late, I'm usually the last boarder there, so I do night feed once a week to bring my board bill down, for example. Lots of places will be willing to work with you on that. But if they aren't then maybe you do need to find a way to make the extra cash to pay for the extra $100 a month, which is only $25 a week. I have friends who do sell Arbonne or Fifth Avenue and make decent revenue doing that. The ones who put a lot of time into it, actually live off the income!

Good luck!!


----------



## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

What makes the other pasture dangerous? I've seen horses pastured with machinery of every description and not got hurt. Horses aren't that stupid and arabs are a little smarter. How does your contract read?


----------



## SEAmom (Jan 8, 2011)

I completely agree that horses are smart. The one I was referring to was at a different place. The woman there had just taken over the property from the previous owner and she had been a former boarder and told me about horses that had fallen and gotten stuck in water run off ditches that ran the entire length of the hills. She was talking about how she wanted to put in a drainage system and fill in the ditches. That, to me, was legitimately dangerous.

How does my contact read as far as what?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

SEAmom said:


> I completely agree that horses are smart. The one I was referring to was at a different place. The woman there had just taken over the property from the previous owner and she had been a former boarder and told me about horses that had fallen and gotten stuck in water run off ditches that ran the entire length of the hills. She was talking about how she wanted to put in a drainage system and fill in the ditches. That, to me, was legitimately dangerous.
> *How does my contact read as far as what?*
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


 Anything regarding ANY of the issues you are having. That would be a start.


----------



## SEAmom (Jan 8, 2011)

Theoretically, I'll be being an updated contract soon since board was increased starting February 1.

It states that my board amount, +$10/month for fan in the summer. "up to 1 scoop of grain", 2 flakes of hay fed twice daily. Stall cleaned daily. Turnout daily, weather permitting. Blanketing, change up to twice daily. Hold for vet and farrier. 1 saddle rack and cubby per horse. (They never cleared a cubby, but I don't care about that) Full use of indoor and outdoor arenas and round pen. 

I can't think of the rest. I'm at work posting on my phone and it's not something I carry with me.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## ~*~anebel~*~ (Aug 21, 2008)

I would so not ever sign a boarding contract stating that. A piece of paper should not dictate what a horse is fed IMO.
The blanketing is nice, around here its one blanket on in the AM and off in the PM, no blanket changes.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Tazzie (Nov 8, 2011)

I was thinking it'd be too far away :/ I'll keep my eyes peeled for anything further north!


----------



## SEAmom (Jan 8, 2011)

Thanks, Tazzie. I'm not familiar with the barns and people on this area because I came from north of Dayton and I'm not into contesting, dressage, hunter/jumper, combined, eventing stuff. That's what's very prevalent down here. Up north, it's your basic open shows.

Anabel, I didn't like that part either because it's a 2 quart scoop so it's limited a lot. The self care people don't have that restriction, though because they provide their own hay and grain. If I want him to get up to 1.5 scoops and 3 flakes if hay per feeding, it'll be an extra $50/mo. It wouldn't so bad if the hay weren't so inconsistent. The stuff they got recently is terrible quality! Unfortunately, the hay situation around here isn't that great for cheap hay, which is what they buy.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Thunderspark (Oct 17, 2012)

Luckily I have never had to board my horses.......I've had a few boarders here, I have one that's been here for about 7yrs. now (he's had two different horses here), the other one I had a problem with, she was forever moving things, using our's and the other boarders stuff without permission, last spring I finally told her she had to move her horse. The boarder I do have is great to get along with, we both feed the same feed/hay/minerals/etc....his horse had an accident a couple years ago and degloved his leg. When the accident happened I spent months cleaning his wound/hauling his horse to the vet for him and never asked for extra $ to do it, I do this because I love his horse like he is my own. I put some stuff on the scar every second day in the winter here becuase the owner asked me to and I don't charge him extra to do that, it only takes a minute of my time. I would love to have an indoor arena LOL but probably won't happen in the near future.
You shouldn't have to put up with stuff going missing/misplaced or used that is your's! As for blanketing, none of our horses have blankets......they are out 24/7 with a shelter/bush they can go into when it's windy/rainy/or freezing cold wind chills like now.


----------

