# Rant and advice needed



## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

Okay, so last week it rained for 3 days straight. My horse was stuck in his stall as a result. His back legs typically stock up when he's in for more than 8 hours or so. I get up there the day after the rain ends and find him standing with his head drooped near the ground, his back legs the size of tree stumps and his body feeling hot to the touch. I take his temperature and find it's 103.8. I call the vet out and he gives him Benamine to bring the fever down and says to monitor the horse for the next 24 hours to see if it returns. The barn owner and manager who are also mother and daughter, were present for the exam. So I head into work worried sick about my horse. Around 6:30 that evening, I call the daughter and ask her how my horse is doing. She says, "I've haven't been watching him". I remind her that he had a high fever earlier in the day and she says, "He's eating and drinking so it's fine." I ask her if his legs are still huge and she says, "I'm watching him eat right now" (which of course doesn't even answer my question) I try one more time and ask her to feel him to see if he's still hot and get the same blow off answer. Apparently if you're eating and drinking and you're a horse, you're not sick. His fever was still bad the next day, so I had the vet out again. We've now have him on doxy and he's responding beautifully, but with no uncertainty, I will be moving him. I am still absolutely confounded at how rude that _itch was to me. I work 75 miles from where he is, and was very worried about him. To tell me she's standing right in front of him, but won't check on him was about the meanest thing I can think of. She certainly has no place taking money to watch over other people's horses. If I had been away on vacation, I probably would have come home to a dead horse. 

So anyway, my choices are my trainer's barn. It's 36 miles away, slighty out of my price range, but it has an indoor and a nice level field to ride in which sounds nice. It would also give me the piece of mind that my trainer who loves him almost as much as I do would be the one looking after him and it would make getting to shows extremely easy since she does all the trailering. Downside is it's land locked. No trails which me and horsey love.

Option 2 is a friend of mine has a stall opening at her barn soon. Her board is much lower than my trainer's. The barn is only 12 miles from my house which would be really nice at $3.00 a gallon. She has access to trails with cross country jumps which is a huge plus for me, and she says everyone at her barn is nice. The downside to this place for me is the obvious one where I don't know the owners and now and ever vigilant about owners who promise the moon and the stars when you first see the place, but then turn passive-aggressive psycho after you sign the contract. 

thoughts? thanks for reading my rant.


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## eventerdrew (Mar 13, 2009)

I would try option 2 for a while. If you don't like it, then you can go to option 1. 

Sorry you and your horsey are having a rough time.

Hope it gets better!


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## Seahorseys (Nov 14, 2009)

I board in Harwinton, CT at a beautiful barn, and the people there genuinely care about the well-being of all the horses. It's a very laid back environment with an indoor, outdoor, round-pen, adequate turnout and miles of state trails. The board is reasonable too. Are you close by?


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

I'm in Milford, about 10 minutes south of New Haven. All the barns near me suck. My radius is about 30 miles, so it's probably too far. Where's Harwinton?


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## MIEventer (Feb 15, 2009)

I'm so sorry  I'd move asap for sure! I agree with Drew, I would try option 2, and if it doesn't work out, move to option 1.

If you can find something else, then look into it for sure!

All the best!


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## twh (Feb 1, 2010)

What's the name of this barn, if you don't mind my asking?

I would try option #2 first and see how that works out.


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

I would never say on an open internet forum. Not sure what the point would be to that anyway. It's not a good fit for me and my horse and that's all I need to know.


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## MIEventer (Feb 15, 2009)

Exactly Puck, wise choice!


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## Seahorseys (Nov 14, 2009)

Its 39 minutes from New Milford, 27 miles away. It's east of Litchfield. How much do you pay for board, if you don't mind me asking?


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

I'm in Milford, not New Milford. I don't know why they named those towns so similar since they're about 70 miles apart. I'm down on the coast by New Haven. I checked mapquest and Harwinton is about 65 miles from me. Oh well. Good board in my area is around $700. I go more no frills for about $450, but it doesn't buy me much. I may have found a place nearer to me. They'll have a stall open on May 1st. I'm going to take a look on Saturday, so hopeully it's a nice place.


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## kevinshorses (Aug 15, 2009)

First, a horses normal temperature is about 101 degrees so he didn't have much of a fever at 103. Second, if you know your horse gets stocked up when he doesn't get out of his stall why didn't you put on a raincoat and get him out? What part of him will melt in the rain? If a horse is eating and drinking it isn't usually very sick either. I don't see what was so very wrong about what the BO did. She may have been doing other things and saw that your horse was acting okay and didn't want to take his temperature again. He was not about to die or anything.


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

kevinshorses said:


> First, a horses normal temperature is about 101 degrees so he didn't have much of a fever at 103. Second, if you know your horse gets stocked up when he doesn't get out of his stall why didn't you put on a raincoat and get him out? What part of him will melt in the rain? If a horse is eating and drinking it isn't usually very sick either. I don't see what was so very wrong about what the BO did. She may have been doing other things and saw that your horse was acting okay and didn't want to take his temperature again. He was not about to die or anything.


Figures this would come from you Kevin. I board my horse because I cannot get there everyday. I work for a living. The barn is 40 minutes from my house. We got 6" of rain in the span of 48 hours, so there horses were staying in. I am not the BO, so it was not my call. I wouldn't want my horse out anyway in those conditions. The normal stocking up is not the issue. As I explained to the BO, it works itself out within the first hour or so once he's turned out. Tree stump sized legs don't qualify as normal stocking up in my book.

Maybe some horse's normal temp is 101, but for my horse, normal is 99.1, so 103.8 is a big stretch. ANY idiot with an ounce of common sense would at least take a second look at a horse who's legs were twice there normal size and it's body was hot to the touch. Regardless, my rant is geared more toward how the BO handled the situation after the illness had been discovered. Her smug, condescending, bitter attitude resembled your own, which is the last thing I needed while being sitting 75 miles away at work feeling very helpless to assist my horse. I did not ask for comment on the rant. That's why we label them rants. They are the ranter's opportunity to fire off steam without judegment, so keep you smug opinions to yourself or go pick on somebody who will put up with it.


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## MIEventer (Feb 15, 2009)

Really Kevin? A 103 degree temperature isn't that much? When Nelson came down with Patomac *sp* fever, his temp was in the 103.'s and my Vet said that is very bad.

103 is definately serious, 101 is not good, but not bad either - anything 100 to 99 is normal. *I believe it is 99 is the lowest?*


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## Red (Apr 4, 2010)

How rude! I would be TICKED. 

I would try option 2. My barn has trials too, and I much prefer them...


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## starlinestables (Nov 24, 2008)

You had every right to be concerned.. however, you have to remember that barn owners have other horses to care for and chores to do. To you, the horse is your baby... they naturally won't be as concerned. You called the vet, they were there to hear your vet's instructions... meds were administered and the horse was in his stall eating and drinking which is a good sign. I'm not sure what you were expecting from them? Maybe you misunderstood their relaxed assuring tone as nonchalance? I wasn't there so I don't know but I know in situations like this emotions are running high. Just something to think about.

I hope your horse is feeling better... keep us updated!


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## travlingypsy (Apr 5, 2008)

I would try option 2 first, like the others have said. Plus if you own a boarding stable it should be your number one priority about the well fare of a boarders horse(s). Its better to have a good business reputation then a large graveyard. If the lady was on the phone looking at the horse! Why couldnt she of just went in there and did a once over? 
I hope you find a happy new barn, good luck.


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## starlinestables (Nov 24, 2008)

I just wish boarders would calm down. If something upsets you, instead of stomping off like a child (I'm not saying you did this exactly) but try to communicate your feelings about the situation in a calm fashion and try to understand their point of view. It is may be a misunderstanding... how are they suppose to improve with out any feedback?


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## sandy2u1 (May 7, 2008)

If your barn is a good one and this is the only incident you have had, I would stay put. You could find yourself in a worse situation, especially if you need full board.


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