# Insuring personal grain stays personal!



## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

Talk to your BO. I immediately thought to buy a new, steel, trash can and put a bicycle-like chain and lock on it to give a copy of the key to your BO, but it's a problem for the BO, too. If you lock up your supply, the girl will steal from somebody else. TODAY, I would suggest storing in a new can and tying it up with some baling twine. I had someone stealing grain when I rented space, and That stopped it.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Lock it up and only give keys to the people who will be doing the feeding.


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

DressageIsToDance said:


> I discovered today that one of the girls who works off her lessons at the barn has been feeding my grain to the lesson horse she rides and using it to catch horses.
> 
> 
> I just feel paranoid now. I enjoy having to only get grain once every month and a half to two months - my grain has been going down FAST this month. I'm going to feel inclined to ask her to buy me another bag if it continues to disappear! :evil:


It's been going down fast this month, yet you just discovered today? Perhaps she is not the only one using your grain?

Either put it in baggies and provide only the amounts needed or lock it up.

Who does she report to? Did they tell her to use grain to catch horses?


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## DressageIsToDance (Jun 10, 2010)

I texted my BO and told her what I found out and to call me later. She's on the road right now taking a pony to a new home in the next state so she probably won't be using her phone until she stops. She's gone until Monday for a wedding back in her home state, so all she can do is make phone calls sadly.

Definitely think I'll be going to get a new bin and lock later. It just makes it all the worse that she lied about it - I don't know why it surprises me that she did. It shouldn't.


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## leapoffaithfarm (Jun 26, 2009)

I like the idea of locking it up so that only the people that are supposed to feed the horses have access to it


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## DressageIsToDance (Jun 10, 2010)

Well, I just caught her in the act today rather. At first I thought I was imagining things but today was the "aha!" moment.


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

DressageIsToDance said:


> Well, I just caught her in the act today rather. At first I thought I was imagining things but today was the "aha!" moment.


What did she say?


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## DressageIsToDance (Jun 10, 2010)

She claimed that there was already grain in the bucket she was carrying - which I know was not true, because I had emptied the grain from that bucket last night when I fed the horses, and I was also the feeder this morning. The girl was just assisting this morning, she isn't allowed to feed alone.

She only admitted to using it for the lesson horse she rides, because he too gets private grain, but his owner ran out and hasn't brought new grain. "What was I supposed to do" is all she said. I don't see how she worked out that the correct response was to use someone else's private grain!

Oh, and also said that our trainer told her to use mine. She was told NOT to. This is nothing new, she is all the time telling us the trainer said something that she didn't. She needs to be ousted, or else she is going to get my trainer in some serious crap.


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## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

True, get rid of her. I HATE a liar, and you can't trust them. LOTS of girls out there that would like her job.


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

tell the barn owner to get rid of the thief if they wont act your choices are to put up with it or find another barn.


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## HorseMom1025 (Jul 17, 2012)

Lock up your grain (a combo lock could work to avoid needing keys) and talk to your BO. A girl that has proven herself untrustworthy does not deserve the privilege of working off her lessons. She can either pay full price or leave.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

Notify the BO and the trainer that this girl is stealing and lying about it. She should also have to reimburse you for a full bag.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## fkcb1988 (Aug 16, 2012)

I would definitely lock it! This makes me mad and it doesnt even have to do with me lol. Its sad that your now going to have to lock it and make it less convenient for you and whoever else feeds your horses all because of one dishonest girl. Cant people just respect other peoples belongings? Its really not that hard of a concept to grasp. Hope it gets better


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## gunslinger (Sep 17, 2011)

Back when I was in the army, there were two people punished when a theft occurred.

The person who stole it and the person who didn't lock it up.

I wouldn't complain to the Barn Owner if you didn't try to secure your property.


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## verona1016 (Jul 3, 2011)

I keep my grain at home and prepare baggies for each week. It not only ensures that no one will steal my grain (which is not really a big concern at my barn), but it is easier for the feeders (they don't have to measure it and I don't have to put up a note when I want to make changes in the feed), and I know exactly what my horse is getting.

Of course, with this girl around, you might need to lock it up even if you prepare baggies!


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## maura (Nov 21, 2009)

I like the baggie method. I can't imagine having to go around at feeding time and unlock and feed from different grain stores; I think that's a pretty big hassle for the BM and whoever's feeding. I think if your horse's meals are in ziplock bags with the horse's name, date and feeding on it, it's way less convenient for the "thief" and still fairly convenient for the people who are supposed to have access. 

Is it possible that the grain thief is just lazy, and that your grain is just easier to get to than the stuff she's supposed to use? 

I do agree with the other posters though, this chick has got to go. Unreliable, dishonest and a bald faced liar.


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## NeuroticMare (Jan 8, 2012)

Lock it up! 

A friend of mine kept senior feed for her horse at our last barn. His horse ate the barn grain at AM and PM feedings, and he got an additional meal when they were there in the late evenings to help him keep on weight. Both husband and wife would feed and both thought the other was overfeeding until they spoke to each other. 

He drilled a hole in his feed bin and put a lock through it, and then turned it around so nobody could see the lock. Less than 3 hours later the barn owner (who, mind you, did not feed the senior to the horse, but he was on barn grain when she fed) called and asked why it was locked. He said he thought someone was taking some, and she said "nobody would do that". A few days later she euthanized her two elderly mares. You guessed it, the barn owner was feeding the grain to her own horses! She couldn't afford to buy them senior so when she wasn't getting it for free anymore, she euthanized the poor old girls.

So, it is not always who you think it is. Be double sure!

A few months ago, at my old barn, there was someone coming out to give riding lessons to someone get really upset with me, because the person liked my riding better and asked me to help her when the "trainer" couldn't come out, I was happy to help because the woman was new to horses, had two young horses and a young daughter. When the "trainer" found out she got mad at me. A few days later I found my gelding's mane cut off (I wish I were making this up, but he had a dressage show coming up and I could barely get braids in him!!). I was SURE it was the trainer.

Found out a couple weeks ago it was his former lessee (who was riding him at the time and said she loved him, I would have NEVER guessed it was her...). She was mad after a bad lesson and cut his mane off to get revenge on him (FORMER lessee for a reason). I did not find out about it until after she was gone. So, it is not always what it seems!!


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

actually it is like it seams, the girl was caught with the bucket of grain in her hand.....

Sorry I dont buy off on that blame the victim crap.


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## EnglishGirl144 (Nov 16, 2011)

i had somebody stealing my grain, ive also had a BO who didnt feed my horse or anybody elses. my grain stayed with me and me and my hubby fed him.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## poppy1356 (Jan 18, 2012)

Well I just finished my grain box, complete with doors with a good ol' combo lock. My supplements were disappearing quite fast. And since I measure everything exact I know how long everything should last. BM has the combo. 

I'm pretty sure I know who has been "borrowing" my stuff since it wouldn't be the first time she was caught "accidentally borrowing" other peoples stuff.


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## stephshark (Jun 19, 2012)

One thing you could do in addition to locking your grain tub would be to paint the back of the lock with food color or something that would stay wet and stain anyone's hands who try to get into it. Let the BO know your plan ahead of time and if the girl starts running around with purple/green/blue hands, she'll have been caught in the act. If she tried to lie about it both you and the BO would know the truth.


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## BarrelWannabe (Feb 8, 2011)

^^^^^
That is a very good idea! Harmless, yet effective!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Mochachino (Aug 14, 2012)

My thoughts are if she is stealing food, what else is she "borrowing" or stealing? Sure feed is expensive but so is all of the tack and equipment too. If your BO is reasonable she will get rid of this person.


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