# Barn maintenance with careless clients...



## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

I think you are over reacting. If that is all you are upset about you are lucky.
I would clean it off and then they may notice that you didn't like it and possibly refrain from doing it again.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Don't approach it that way, or you're going to lose clients. 

Yes, it's aggravating to you that they did it, but I'm sure they meant absolutely no harm. It's not like the kids painted the wall with permanent stain or destroyed property, which is the kind of angry you seem to be.

Take some time to calm down, then approach them and say something along the lines of, 'Hey, I noticed you were playing in the dust along the walls. I try to keep the arena walls clean, but they do tend to get dirty faster than I can clean them, so I'd appreciate it if you didn't do that any longer. I could really use the help if you'd like to pitch in and clean them, so feel free to pick up a broom and dust the walls if you get a chance. Thanks!'


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## kenda (Oct 10, 2008)

Honestly, I think a week later is to late to have them do something about it. I would be upset as well, as it does look tacky. But the time to say something about it was during or immediately after. At this point I would just suck it up, clean the walls, and then maybe put up some kind of sign to the effect of "Don't touch the walls" You could put some kind of reasoning on there along the lines of, "in an effort to reduce dust, for the health of the horses etc." At that point, if you see them or anyone else doing that kind of thing again, that would be the time to say something. People do stupid things occasionally, without considering the effect on others.


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## sillyhorses (Sep 2, 2011)

Haha - thanks guys! Yes... I know my vent is over-reacting and that I would lose clients that way  Which, again, is why I said "I'm venting here!!!" haha, it just drives me nuts. I guess I have a big hang-up with people doing things that (to me) seem pretty rude. I didn't expect that the kids would view it that way (since of course, it isn't like they wrote on my wall in permanent marker or something), but I just couldn't believe the adults in the situation didn't think to themselves "Gee, they work awfully hard around here and that is an extra job for them right now that they clearly don't need..."

Speed Racer - I LOVE your idea. I figured that I'd probably just clean the walls, and if it happens again, then say something. I am pretty sure that seeing the walls sans markings will get the point across, though.


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## sillyhorses (Sep 2, 2011)

How about clean the walls, then post a sign that says something to the effect of "We work hard to maintain a beautiful facility, which includes scheduled yearly arena dusting. We just had to take time away from another project to make our arena look swell again, and as such, find it necessary to remind our clients to please keep your hands off of our walls. Thank you!"


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## Chevaux (Jun 27, 2012)

That's a tricky one. It requires diplomacy and tact - something that if you're really good at you can then head off to the Middle East and help out there after the wall incident is in hand:lol:. A few things come to mind:

1. Direct confrontation - walking up to them the next time you see them in the barn and ask that they clean up and don't do that again. Pros: over and done with quickly; shows leadership and control of your barn. Cons: requires personal courage and emotional control to stay on topic and not get dragged into a slagging match.

2. Email/text to mother - saying same thing in electronic form. Pros: they've got the message; you are able to hone the wording of your requests and statements; you have the start of a documentation trail if things head south. Cons: hopefully she reads her emails; need to be prepared for fallout, if any.

3. Phone call to mother - Pros and cons are pretty much the same as direct confrontation but, depending upon your personality, might be easier than direct confrontation.

I think your statement/request should including something to the effect that you take pride in a clean facility that's a benefit to everyone who uses it; you've given them some time to do the work on their own and since they have not you are now offering a gentle request to make it right, etc. You might also need to be prepared for a refusal to do the work on their part - if that happens do you leave it go with a don't do it again request; hire someone to do the work and then tack it on to their board bill (let them know this beforehand) or increase their board to cover the extra maintenance costs, etc.

Hope this is of some help - let us know how it goes.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

sillyhorses said:


> Speed Racer - I LOVE your idea. I figured that I'd probably just clean the walls, and if it happens again, then say something. I am pretty sure that seeing the walls sans markings will get the point across, though.


I just figured it'd be easier on everyone to approach it and make them aware. I know people can be clueless, but most of them don't mean any harm.

I'm not a fan of the passive-aggressive notes/signs, because I think dealing with something face to face is much better.


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## sillyhorses (Sep 2, 2011)

Chevaux said:


> That's a tricky one. It requires diplomacy and tact - something that if you're really good at you can then head off to the Middle East and help out there after the wall incident is in hand:lol:. A few things come to mind: Haha  I appreciate the way you've spelled out the options, with pros and cons, below. That is BRILLIANT!
> 
> 1. Direct confrontation - walking up to them the next time you see them in the barn and ask that they clean up and don't do that again. Pros: over and done with quickly; shows leadership and control of your barn. Cons: requires personal courage and emotional control to stay on topic and not get dragged into a slagging match. Yeah... I am more a fan of directly talking to people... that way you can gauge reactions and proceed appropriately. To post letters/notes (unless fairly benign) seems passive aggressive, as Speed Racer said. I like to think of myself as having a bit of a backbone, but I want to choose my confrontations wisely. While this is personally big deal to me, I honestly don't think it is worth a confrontation. Like, I can't talk about it without sounding/being somewhat condescending, you know?
> 
> ...


I'll definitely let you know what I end up doing. We really like all the people involved here, so I'm just mostly baffled by the fact that this happened and they, apparently, see nothing wrong with it!  It is definitely one of those things where it happened, and no-one really thought of how it affects others. 


Well... now, to go clean it instead of wasting more time on the computer  Haha


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## Shropshirerosie (Jan 24, 2012)

. I am pretty sure that seeing the walls sans markings will get the point across said:


> - no, they won't notice. People don't notice things that have changed unless it affects them. They will come in, ride, leave, and not notice the walls. And if they did notice - because they were looking for the line or message for some reason, then they wouldn't necessarily realise that cleaning up was a hard job. So you do still need to have that friendly word
> 
> Ps as an illustration of how people really don't notice things........
> 
> Yesterday I got back from school collection. To get in the house son and I had to come in garage door and squeeze past my husbands car that was parked there. But he wasn't meant to be home - and so I didn't actually "see" the car and I didn't realise that husband was home until I walked in to the office and saw him there :shock:


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## loveduffy (Dec 22, 2011)

what barns in my area do is have a clean the barn day so every body feels like they are part of a community and they see what it takes to keep a barn nice looking


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## sillyhorses (Sep 2, 2011)

loveduffy said:


> what barns in my area do is have a clean the barn day so every body feels like they are part of a community and they see what it takes to keep a barn nice looking


What a great idea! I've had a few friends mention this... Hmmm...


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## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

I guess I'm alone. I would talk to the trainer and have the trainer bring it up with the clients and deal with it should it happen again. The trainer really should have interrupted the or cleaned it off.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

While it was pretty juvenile, and that's the key JUVENILE, to do that I kind of feel like it goes with the territory. I think if you're going to run a facility, then you're going to have stuff like this occasionally. I'd be grateful it wasn't permanent damage. 

I WOULD do my dusting during their next lesson, to just sort of let them see who is having to clean up after them. I'd also schedule 2 or 3 barn days at the barn and have a potluck BBQ afterwards with some entertainment as a "Thanks for your help" kind of thing. If you don't have good local entertainment, then cater the BBQ instead of potluck-ing it. 

I would not be shy about telling the instructor the next time her clients do something like that, that I would expect her to clean it up herself.


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

sillyhorses said:


> Anybody have any suggestions on how to let people know that this type of "temporary" defacing of our property is UNACCEPTABLE without sounding like a complete tyrant? I'm feeling like one right now... literally, I want to interrupt their lesson, hand them a broom and say "Don't worry about paying for your lesson this evening - tonight is going to be a lesson in barn management. My arena walls looks terrible, please spend the next hour completing the dust job you started."


Add calcium chloride to the footing. It will GREATLY reduce the dust. Problem solved on more than one front.


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## tim62988 (Aug 30, 2012)

i mgiht be looking at this from the wrong side.

but if dust on the walls being disturbed ruffles your feathers the wrong way, clean them off a bit more often.

defacing property is one thing but kids playing in the dust on a wall is anotehr in my eyes.


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## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

I like the clean the barn party idea......I think that is great! WE do that for trail maintenance too! Personally, with respect to this incident-I would not clean during their lesson-that is really passive aggressive, IMO. I would say something to the instructor for sure, not the clients. To them, I might just suggest that they ride with brooms or towels. That way they can do their designs, clean and "bombproof" all at once. Multitasking. ;-)


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