# *Rant* Need new boarding!



## Cacowgirl (Feb 19, 2011)

Sorry, do not know anything about the Phoenix area-never plan on going there. Could you post a board wanted ad on Craig's list-I know there are some flakes there, but I have gotten my last 2 horses from the site & I'm picking up an appliance Monday in the Prescott area, so really nice people there, too.


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

I did, but I would rather network lol.


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

Can you look for board that costs $200-250 that includes hay?


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

Sadly not at the moment. Im still looking for a job so my FASFA is paying for my mare. There MAY be a place I could keep her for the same price, just need to talk to the lady. If I can pay $200+ I will move her to Vista Stables (where my bf works). 

I am now more irritated because the other boarder (who was throwing food out of my slow feeder because "Poor thing looks frustrated". She needs it because what a normal" horse would eat in an hour she eats in 10 min, causing her to be over fed because people think she was not fed/ they forgot to feed her) is cleaning my stall. I normally would not be miffed but no one said anything to me (seriously texting is not hard!), and she is giving her water. My mare HATES the hose. IDK what her issue is but if it comes into her stall she is done. Sence she (now has a chain) has a rope across the entrance of her stall its NOT ok for just anyone to give her water if she is in there. Bos husband went to give her water one day and did not give her time to exit the box stall into the run. She spooked, broke the rope and ran out the front gate, thankfully she stopped in the driveway (this will be time #2 that my horse has gotten out of the yard and has been "at large"). I do NOT need a repeat. I have been lucky so far but I don't feel like testing how long it will last. I love the Bo and i love the barn, but I need to do whats right by my mare, and staying there is not it.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Kiger... can you not text the girl who is at least seeing your horse has water {when the BO doesn't} about her hose quirk? She would then know and be able to water her safely...
As for the stall cleaning...let her know you will do it yourself later in the day, she at least is thinking about the comfort and health of your horse.

As for the barn....I would of been gone or looking for new accommodations after the first "escape" episode and gaining entry to a unsecured area with potential road dangers.
Many horses do fine behind true racetrack stall guards and chains... your horse suddenly now having a actual stall door missing...:?
What are you waiting for...get out before you have a vet bill or worse to deal with. The handwriting is on the wall that the place is no longer safe for the horse nor are her food needs being met...hay missing...that is garbage...someone fed/stole your food...that is stealing $$ from your pocket!!
If you figure out what you pay monthly for your hay...take your "stall" board and add them together...now search for a place in that price range and you might possibly have a better selection of barns with nice amenities. 
More importantly, you will not have to purchase the hay yourself but it will just be there for your horse, magical. No one to take what is not theirs...
Just a thought to consider....
Good luck.

_jmo..._


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## Whisper22 (Jan 2, 2011)

I only know the Mesa area, but if you were willing to board your horse that far, even until you could find some place better, I paid $220 for pasture board on Mesa Dr and Lehi. When I was there my horses had the pasture to themselves, so it's not an over crowded place, nice people, a couple arenas, trails. I really liked it.


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

Yikes this sounds like a mess... I hope you find something good ):


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

Im going to be talking to a lady today about moving her. I do not have the boarder's number and I don't pay HER to clean my stall, I pay BO. I would not have cared if someone said "hay care if she cleans Negra's stall?". I would have stated the water issue and been fine with it. But this lady cannot control her own horse (who has almost hurt bo by running her over and body slamming her) much less mine. Trust me i have been looking for board. And I was after the second escape (I was not informed of ANY of the escapes until after the second). I'm applying for jobs and hopefully can get one that will work with my school schedule.

As for the stall door, it was starting to lean and was impossible to close at one point. Yesterday they had screws next to the stalls (but not mine thankfully) to hand things on. Issue is that they stick out 2 inch and they are within horsie-impale-eye range. I Love BO but after their dog got shot because of their inability to secure the backyard, I started looking. I really hope this lady lets me board there. It will give me time to get a job and move my mare.


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

Mesa is over an hour from me sadly. Im in glendale and dont really drive (I CAN but i have panic attacks in the passenger seat... I don't need to be driving lol) So I bus or bribe my bf lol. anything over 160 and I can't really afford it. the job market in my area is non existent for entry level jobs, and at 160 (that is including the food I buy) I have 6 months of board. That gives me time to find a job, but if i pay more Im in trouble. (dont give me the "if you don't have the money" speech. She is well taken care of and was saved from going to slaughter, and I HAD a job)


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

FASFA as in your education money?

I know this will probably come off as mean to you, but if you're out of a job and using state/gov allotted money for schooling as horse board money, maybe its time to reconsider your options. And by options I do mean possibly leasing out or selling your mare. Please, please, please don't think I'm telling you that you aren't caring for your horse. Obviously you do and are, or you wouldn't be wanting to move her- but if all you can afford is stables like this one (and this is provided that you can't move her to the other lady's place) it may be in your and your mare's best interest. Sometimes life gives us curve balls and we have to do hard things. 

I'm not speaking on something I have no experience with. Remember Kenzie? I sold her because of the exact situation you are in. I could not afford decent board ($250+ for even self care in my area) even with a job, and when I lost my job I had to make the decision of keeping her and taking away from MY education fund (not fasfa, but same idea...it was money I'd saved up though) or selling both her and my other mini, and making sure they went to a good place. I chose the latter, and I HATED it. But I don't regret it, even if I miss them like crazy- because I know they're in great places and I no longer have to pinch non existent pennies.

If you are absolutely 100% against selling/leasing your mare though, the other options I can think of are 1. Asking around at barns with board a bit over what you're paying now (think $200 or so) and asking if you can work some of it off mucking stalls, turning out, etc- or going to your current BO, asking if you can take over your horse's care completely (perhaps even for a, say, $10 discount), and start mucking the stall, watering her, feeding her, completely by yourself. In a boarding situation like this- the only way to guarantee that your horse gets the treatment you want is by doing it yourself. Honestly the fact that your horse does not like hoses is something needing to be dealt with, and I PERSONALLY don't think you should be angry with the other boarder for trying to help you out. She saw that your horse wasn't getting what it needed and tried to help. If you don't want her to do anything with your horse, absolutely talk to her and explain that your mare is sensitive and you think it best for her not to water her, but don't be unkind. She probably had no idea and thought she was doing a good deed. 

All of that being said, again, I hope you don't feel like i'm out to get you. I KNOW what a terrible situation it is to not be able to afford the care you want for your horse. But sometimes problems like this call for difficult answers. I hope things work out for you.


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

I am given 5k for the year and i spend half of it on school and the rest is for me to pay for whatever (so basically my board). I would lease her out but no one wants to ride a 20 year old horse with no brakes (as she liked to remind me tonight). She is only a trail horse and way too much horse for most trail riders so i wont be able to find someone to lease her, that is unless they want to put her in training lol. If it came to selling her i would just put her down. I have pulled her off the slaughter truck once, and sadly she would end up there again.

I talked to one barn today, but I would have to feed am and pm as well as build a stall. AND I can't move her there until after the mare foals (I understand that). So thats another place out. I have about 6 months of board after food, so I have some time to find a job (sadly I don't fit the demographic). I cant see my mare every day ether thanks to school. I don't get out until 4 and its a 2 hour bus ride and I don't have the $ for the bus (they raised the prices again). And honestly i cant get a discount. The other boarder pays $100 and she feeds and cleans herself. Ill fix the stall door myself so she has a door back. Ill have Bf lay down the law since no one will listen to me, And for the next week he will be riding her so he can get on them for me (No one wants to listen to the 21 year old, but they will listen to the 6'4" cowboy).


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

My choice of barns is either 3 crap barns that are not really safe for the horse (crappy fencing, or manure piles taller then me that smoke in the morning), 1 barn who's bo will use your horse (and she killed one boarders older horse. She also turns 15+ horses onto a half acre dry lot), or where bf works and here is no wiggle room for price (And might stir up the bitties who would LOVE an excuse to cause trouble). Then everything else is like $350-$600. If things get bad I can send her out to tonopah to stay with BF's sister. I may only see her once a month if i do that so I REALLY dont want to. 

If i could find someone to lease her though, I would be more than happy to let someone lease her. They better have health insurance though.


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## Chasin Ponies (Dec 25, 2013)

For a temporary fix, do you have any county fairgrounds near you? In our state people can rent a whole barn or a few stalls very, very cheaply. You'd do all the work but sounds like you've been doing that anyway. Sorry you're having these problems...I'm stuck in an awful boarding situation myself and have been looking for over a year to move-nothing's out there!!


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

We have fairgrounds but They are closed most of the year (I really cant do self care board that is 30 min away, and I have school from 8am till 4pm so I am stuck). I have got word out through the grapevine that Im looking for boarding so hopefully it will work.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Kiger....call your farrier and vet and ask them if they know of anything.
You might just get a place that meets your specific needs from a quiet source....worth a try and price of a phone call.
:wink:


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

Lol my bf and his dad is my farrier so hey know as much as I do. IDK if the vet will know, but ill ask him (he really does not pay attention/care about anything but getting his job done and going). Ill have bf call him since i know he will answer him (bro-mance anyone? lol). If things get REALLY bad i will either move her to the other crappy barn (and possibly pull her shoes so she doesn't get them stuck in the fence, along with a tetanus shot...) or she can go live with bfs sister for a while.


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## Chasin Ponies (Dec 25, 2013)

KigerQueen said:


> We have fairgrounds but They are closed most of the year (I really cant do self care board that is 30 min away, and I have school from 8am till 4pm so I am stuck). I have got word out through the grapevine that Im looking for boarding so hopefully it will work.


 That's a shame, here in the Midwest the fairgrounds are open for renting all year around except for fair time in the fall. That's where the harness racers go so that they can use the track. Good luck! I know how hard it is to find a good place!


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

Update. Still cant find board AND there will be TWO new horses in. That means there will be a horse next to mine (she gets fed up with horses next to her and kicks, then I have to deal with locking stifle for weeks). The person with these horses (she has like 14 all over the place) is an arena hog as well as the other boarder... SOOO glad I'm not having issues with my mare right now, and NEED to do arena work *insert sarcasm here*. Also I was out of hay today... That hay should have lasted me 2 weeks... Soooo either they suddenly are over feeding my mare or they are using my hay. (Bf said Bo's husband was not pleased when he found out I am no longer buying alfalfa. Good things his horses wont eat grass). I am going to lose my mind...


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Do you get out to see your horse daily???

With the amount of hay that is gone missing I would be leaving enough hay for 2 days and not more.
You know what the horse consumes in a day, set her feed up in haynets, or use old grain bags and label them so there can be no misunderstanding of amounts fed _(and puts a halt to or should of thievery)._
If your horse should suddenly not look her best, as in thin, after leaving her daily allotment of hay...then you know absolutely that she is not being fed what she should and someone else is benefiting from your hay.

Sounds like you need to maybe settle for something other than what you want.
Those manure piles, they _should_ smoke as they produce heat as breakdown and "composting" occurs...
As long as that manure pile is away from the actual barn area...it may not be pretty, but if the horses are fed and safely fenced... fly spray works wonders and that pile of poop will also attract the flies to it and away from your horse...

somethings to think about or try 
:wink:


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

Lol the manure pile are NOT away from the horses (used to board there). i am also not paying 180 for my horse be be fed 1 flake of alfalfa a day. My mare is fine. I know exactly what they are doing. They have upped her grass and are taking the alfalfa (their gelding will only eat alfalfa. he went 3 days without eating because he refused to eat the grass). So I got rid of the alfalfa. This is the first time in almost 7 months that i had a feed related issue like this with them. Im looking for anywhere to keep her right now that feeds.


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## JulieG (Jun 25, 2013)

There are a few listing on Craigslist for that area that are within your price range... 
This one was the cheapest: HORSE BOARDING 
Sounds like its closer than where you're currently boarding too..


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

I boarded there. The fencing is dangerous. Id have to pull her shoes because she will get stuck in the fencing again. The kids throw fire crackers at the horses (found some in my cut up mare's stall) and there is at least 1 stud on the property (the horses are NOT well contained if the gelding next to my mare can take the fence down between them). That is my worst case scenario. (also someone was stealing my hay from there too). The Bo is also a little nuts. He started yelling at me like a was a child because i was no longer going to have him feed my hay in the morning (because I was tired of paying $25 extra a month for him to forget to feed my mare at a good time once a day). To be honest im better off where im at now than there.
There is some good news though. I know the horses that moved in. Both are old (almost 40!) and non-troublemakers so my mare won't get in a fight with them. She remembers the gelding from another place I boarded at. I have emailed some boarding places not far from me that are within my price range as well.

(I was the only person on the property at the time under 60 and not broken so i was roped into dealing with the "Brat" V)
I also had to catch the spoiled mare. Bo was bringing her and and she tried to kick Bo in the head. Took off and ran into another horse's stall. Little mare realized that was not a good idea. She tried to kick me, i put a rope halter on her and we practiced backing up. Im NOT going to lead a horse that is going to run me over. Less than 5 min i had the brat in HER stall and locked up. Normally i would not bother but my mare was hyped as it was and there there two old horses being walked into the barn. Bo could not handle it so that left me. If i had her owners number i would have called her to get her horse but I dont. And BO did not want to bother her... UGH!

Hopefully I hear back from the two barns soon.


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

A old friend of mine will be spending a lot of time at the barn thanks to the older horses. She is a vet tech, trainer (broke her own horses gently for years), and most of all, a go getter who will not put up with stupidity. She has been known to "whip barns into shape". Since her word is like god to most people (including BO) i MAY not have to move. That doesn't mean I'm going to stop looking, but Things might get better. Lol she may drive out Brat and her owner (I will NOT be sad to see them go.)


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