# High expectations of the stables? (Long)



## Idlepastures (Sep 5, 2011)

So, the barn that I board at isnt....well....the best. Its an older (like 50 yrs) racing quarter ranch. The quality of maintenance is par, and simply to keep the place from falling over. (Although, half of the hay storage barn is falling over  ). Anywho...

I pay $150 a month for 'full care' pasture boarding, and share the pasture with one full time fresian, and at night a TWH is turned out with them. Its about a 5 acre or so pasture. They provide the feed and the hay, and feeding twice daily. One feeding at 8am, and again at 1:30-2 pm. 

They have been saying that they will no longer be providing hay in order to keep cost down. ($150 for pasture, $200 for paddock only, and $400 for barn stall and turn out into pasture or paddock.) Hay is getting very hard to come by in Texas due to the massive drought. But it is still out there. Also, if you have supplements, they won't feed them, and during the winter, unless its a barn horse, they won't unblanket your horses. If you ask for the mait guy to fix anything, not only does he not fix it, he makes the matter worse. 'Manager' of the barn is a hot head, and just blows a gasket about anything. 

So, since my horses are on supplements, I have to go out every evening for a 3rd feeding to provide the supplements. (I'm there anyways, but still....) Also, my best friends horse wears a fly sheet during the day, so we have to unblanket him at night so he doesn't destroy the sheet. 

I feel like I'm way over paying for the services provided. I provide my own hay, because they put a single round bale out in the pasture 1-2 times a month. The feed they feed is a good feed, but it is only $8 a bag. Am I over reacting? Is it wrong of me to feel this way? The boarding choices are slim, there are only 4 in the area, and they are all $400 a month, with no pastures to choose or ride in. I ride trails and do some arena work. I've gone to the actual barn owner with complaints, but he's elderly (late 80s) and has cancer, and really just doesn't do anything about the complaints. The rest of the boarders agree when we talk about these things, but no one will say anything, or do anything to make things better. 

Any suggestions?!


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

Since I'm not in TX, I'm in OK, and don't know your facility first hand I'm going to tell you what you would be paying here at my place. It might make you feel better.

Pasture board = $250/mo and includes:
Big Round Bales of Bermuda free choice, 2X/day feedings of Strategy (appx 5lbs/feeding), Strongid C2X daily Dewormer, Free choice clean fresh water, salt

I would cheerfully put your supplements into your horses feed for you at no extra charge, however, ONLY if you have Smart Paks delivered to the barn monthly. I have too many horses to try to remember who gets how much of what, when. With individual labeled Smart Paks then I pull the pak and put it in the bucket..not a time waster and no worry about wrong horse getting wrong supp. 

No blanketing, no sheeting, bathing or grooming at that price. THOUGH I will do any and all of it, but I will charge you for it. 

Maintenance around here is decent, I'm not a fancy show barn but I'm clean and safe for the horses. The only manager here is me and I'm not a hot head, nor would I tolerate any barn help who was. I'm also the maintenance guy(gal) so while it will get fixed, it may not get fixed quite as fast as you might like. Safety issues are another issue all together, show me a safety problem and I'll fix it while you watch, I'm not liking horses getting injured. 

Bottom line is (and I'm not meaning to sound snotty here but in writing it probably does) you are paying for your horses to stand out in the pasture, be fed 2X/day and have clean fresh water. For $150 the owner can't afford to feed any other hay or more expensive feed than he's providing. And remember, he's boarding your horses, not taking them to raise as his own. 

To give you some perspective on costs, 
Last year I paid:

1200 lb round bale - $25
50 lb small square - $4
Strategy - $11

Water, salt & Strongid are pretty close to the same. 

THIS year I'm paying, from the same suppliers:

1200 lb round bale - $125
50 lb small squares - $9 
Strategy - $16

I go through 12 big round bales per month, last year $300, this year $1500 
100 bales of small squares month last year: $400 this $900
Strategy 2 pallets/mo, last year: $880, this year $1280

So last year my feed bill was appx $1600/month, this year it's appx $3700, that's more than double. Guess where any profit I was making went? Your old guy's having the same problem. 

I will be raising my rates again the 1st of Jan and let's hope I guess right for the year or I'll be losing money again next year, which means I won't be boarding any horses the year after that. 

BTW, I do have stalled and mare motel (sort of paddock) rates, but since you are strictly pasture that's all I put up.


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## Idlepastures (Sep 5, 2011)

If I didn't have other horses that I provide for, I wouldn't know the exact cost of what it takes to feed them. My old pony is at my parents place, and is eating Equine Senior. His cost, with hay, is right at $100 a month. 

I'm not complaining about the price, more so as the service. I guess it came across that way. I use smartpaks, but they won't feed them. Even though they say they are, since they are in smartpaks, its easy to count. And the number is always the same. 

When it comes down the maitenance, I'm fine with waiting for things. Great example of the biggest issue I have. The property has one pasture that belongs to the barn, and the other half belongs to the neighbor lady. There is no fence between the property. We ride it often, as well as is the access to my lease geldings pasture. Problem is : there is two gates into the geldings paddock. One is entered from the shared pasture, the other is chained and locked, and is accessable from my friends (the owner of the lease gelding) paddock. In the shared pasture, the neighbor lady lets her horses roam. Not a big deal, its her property, except they are MEAN! They will run up out of no where, and attack my lease gelding. Very, very dangerous.

After approaching both the owner and manager, they agreed we could unlock the shared gate between the two paddocks, so we could easily get the horses in and out. And safely. So, when we lefted a note for the mait guy to unlock and remove the chains, he added MORE chains, and more locks. Asked him about it, and he says 'Get a lunge whip, you're such a good trainer' (in reference to my friend.) After talking to the barn owner again, he said he'd ask him to unlock it, again. This was well over a month ago. The other day my friends boyfriend was in town, so she called the owner, and asked if they could cut the chains. He said that was fine. So they did. 

The mait guy throw a fit, proceded to tell everyone in the barn he is the only one that has the right to do anything around the place. And then went and rechained and relocked the gate. 

Service more so than price, I can understand $150 for food and hay, even though I'm providing my own hay. But having to put up with things like that? (And you're post didn't sound snotty, I agree with what you said, and would agree to that cost.)


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## maura (Nov 21, 2009)

I think that $150. is a fair price for you're getting, sorry. However, it doesn't sound like the place is a good fit for you and your horse. 

The fact that anyplace in the area that provides better services/closer to the service you desire cost signifigantly more bears that out.

Better solutions for you would be to find some place with, say, $250. pasture board that includes hay and will give supplements, if that's available or to find a place where they'll just rent you a paddock for $50 or $75 and you provide all supplies and care. 

Paying even that small, reasonable boarding fee but still having to go out every day and provide hay doesn't seem like a good compromise to me.


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## Idlepastures (Sep 5, 2011)

I've been looking for a self-care pasture, but can't find anything. The cost around here are either $400, because they are all stall barns, basically, or at my current barn. Like I said above, its more about the service, and the fact they claim 'full service' but yet don't provide it.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

OOOOO KKKKKKK! Yeah, that maintenance guy would have been fired immediately for talking to one of my boarders like that. Actually, probably a long time before this latest incident because it sounds like it's been an ongoing problem. I have a barn helper and have had others (I like to use the OSU college kids. They need the money and they've generally been brought up right, so I don't have the respect issues.) and NONE of them would talk to a client or even a friend of a client that way. 

That gelding issue would be a safety issue to me, so I'd have found a way for him to run near everyone so he'd still feel part of the herd without letting him jeopardize my clients and their horses. Lordy, my insurance is through the roof now, can't imagine what an incident like having that gelding bite or kick or run over a client would cost me. And I'd feel guilty as sin for letting something like that happen. 

I don't know what to say about the Smart Paks, but I know I'd skin somebody if I committed to putting those in the horses feed buckets and it wasn't getting done. I run a pretty tight ship and am kind of a dictator on the running of this place, so I know and my help knows right up front what's expected. What you're experiencing there just couldn't happen here, or not for very long. 

If you're really unhappy, you might look around for someone with a pasture that you could lease. It might save you money, but it would cost you more in labor because you'd have to do everything yourself. That might be a happier solution for you in the long run though. 

Is there one of the barn guys (not the manager or the maintenance guy) who you could maybe pay a little extra to slip your paks in your buckets at feeding time? I used to pay one of the guys to give my horse a bran mash once a week in the winter, just cos it made me feel better, and for $25/month that horse never missed a mash. That was in the days when I boarded rather than running a boarding barn.


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## Idlepastures (Sep 5, 2011)

Well, I'm out there every night anyways, so I feed my own supplements now. I just don't even bother with asking for things any more cause it just causes problems. I mow my own paddocks, feed my own stuff, etc, so doing more at another paddock isn't really more work, lol. 

I've been looking for a self care paddock, or at least a better pasture barn. (Mainly because my horses haven't even been stalled.) But haven't been able to find anything within a 30 min drive. I like to visit daily, I ride 3-4 days a week, so driving 30 mins really doesn't work. The others here in the area are $400-$500 for stalls, no pastures  

And yes, there is tons of issues, but that would make my post go from long to 'omg she wrote a novel'. *sigh*


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

"And yes, there is tons of issues, but that would make my post go from long to 'omg she wrote a novel'. *sigh*"

LOL, yeah, sounds like you need a new home for your horses! Well, keep looking and eventually you'll find something. Check with some of the cow folks who've recently sold off their herd due to lack of hay, they might be itching to lease out a few acres to someone while they wait for the drought to break. A little income beats no income at all, ya know? Farmers Almanac says we're going to be in the hurt box until next fall for rain, so they won't be getting new calves in the spring unless something changes drastically.


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## Idlepastures (Sep 5, 2011)

I'm def trying. I wouldn't mind so much paying the $150 and just be left alone. My husband and I are very handy, and can fix anything ourselves. But the barn owner won't let us do self care. 

And I wouldnt mind the situation if they would follow their word. I can handle the hot headed manager, she just blows steam. She's still nice.


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## maura (Nov 21, 2009)

Idle, 

I'm sorry, I just went back and re-read your second post. While I think $150. is fair for what they're providing, the personnel issues would put it completely over the line for me. 

Good luck finding a saner, more suitable place.


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## Idlepastures (Sep 5, 2011)

I agree with the price, sort of. I'm ok with $150 for pasture care, but they still boast it as full service. Even with the paddocks at $200, they still don't provide full service. The paddock where my lease gelding is at the back of the place, and because of the accessibility, I don't think he gets fed twice a day. They feed using a lawn mower with a trailer, and you either have to drive through 3 gates to get to the fence where their feeders are, or you have to walk through about a foot of loose sand and fight off the crazy horses in the neighbors pasture. On more than one occasion I've gone to get my gelding and he's acted like he's been starving. While not unusual for horses to act hungry, he's very obvious when its late feeding time.


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## Lonestar22 (May 22, 2009)

What area of texas are you in?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Idlepastures (Sep 5, 2011)

Corpus Christi, Lonestar


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## Lonestar22 (May 22, 2009)

Hmm. If you were in the south houston area I could help, but you're to far south. Sorry, I don't know any stables down there.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Idlepastures (Sep 5, 2011)

Thanks, anyways  There is one other barn down here that appears on the same level looks wise as the current one I'm in, but I can not get them to return my call. And I haven't had a chance to show up yet.


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## zurmdahl (Feb 25, 2009)

I don't have much to add other than good luck finding a new barn! I'm having a terrible time finding a barn for my older gelding, I just want somewhere he can have 24/7 turn out and be well cared for which doesn't seem like much to ask. At the moment we're paying $500 a month for him to be outside all the time :/ which seems a little ridiculous to me, and they don't even clean his paddock for us or offer us any sort of discount for doing it. It's a very frustrating situation at the moment, I hope you can find a place you two both enjoy!


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

Idlepastures said:


> half of the hay storage barn is falling over
> 
> I pay $150 a month for 'full care' pasture boarding, and share the pasture with one full time fresian, and at night a TWH is turned out with them. Its about a 5 acre or so pasture. They provide the feed and the hay, and feeding twice daily. One feeding at 8am, and again at 1:30-2 pm.
> 
> ...


 
Except for the change in hay - were all of the other things in place before you boarded there?

As far as not fixing things or the 'hothead' manager - it can be approach. If someone tells me there is a board down, I'm on it without a second thought. If they start snitting at me because there is a board down, yes I will get a bit defensive or maybe in your eyes 'hot headed'.


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

Time to scrounge the bulletin boards at the local feed stores. That is where you find all the smaller boarding facilities. 

Keep your options open though. It will be hard to find anything for that price.


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

your choices are put up with it, or leave, simple as that. You are gonna have to leave anyways , whats gonna happen when the owner dies?


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## Idlepastures (Sep 5, 2011)

@ MLS - this has been on going since May when I started leasing my gelding out there. Theres a ton of back story, just alot of type. Including the neighbors pasture horses kicking my friends ankle out, and that is why we asked for the locks and chains to be removed so we can get to our horses without being hurt. Basically they say they will feed supplements and unblanket, but they don't. And unless you're stalling in the barn, they refuse to do anything to help. I refuse to nickpick or micro manage anyone, because i hate it being done to myself. But when you say you'll do something, do it. 

@alwaysbehind - that is what we've been doing. There is another self care facility just down the road, and we actually moved the horses over there today. 

@joe - when the owner dies, the kids plan to sell the facility. Which probably will be soon. And as of now, the price that is rumored to be the asking price is about $500k over the properties value. 

We actually moved the horses today. Last night was the final straw. The barn owner got into my friends face, proceded to cuss her out, and tell her she owed him $1800 for back board. She's paid in cash (her mistake) until last two months, because they said stop paying in cash. So I wrote a check for the cash, and have the proof she'd paid. And then another boarded almost ran over my dog, another boarders horse was colicing, and she was self treating. Just way to much drama and issues for me. There are about 3/4 of the horses out there boarding who's owners don't even come see them, and these particular horses are skinny, need feet trimmed, and general care. 

The new place is much more low key. Being self care I don't have to worry about rather or not they are feeding my horses. Everyone has their own pen, so I can really monitor the two new horses weight gain/feed rations.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

Good JOB!


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## outnabout (Jul 23, 2010)

Wow, so glad you are out of there! Don't know how you lasted as long as you did! Congratulations.


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## Idlepastures (Sep 5, 2011)

Only lasted because of lack of anything else. There is a total of 5 barns within 30 mins. 3 of those are all right there together, including the one I was at. I've been calling one of the other ones for the last few weeks, but could never get ahold of anyone. So I just went out there last night finally.


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## zurmdahl (Feb 25, 2009)

congrats! I hope it works out well


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