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| Feel like I've been had-I contact this couple that starts colts-ask their price and she tells me 500. I know they take good care of the horses and take extra time with them, sometimes too much cause they get bored with the repetition. This is a 2 y/o & I usually send them off for 30 days-turn them out till they are 3 then send them back for 60-90 days as 3 y/o's. I get to their place, unload and she comes up with a contract and it's 900.00, when I question it she says-Oh, we charge 350.00 board and 550.00 training, we went up 50.00 on the training...WHAT? Who does that? Am I just to old school that when I ask a price I expect the total price? I probably should have just taken my colt back home but this guy does my hay and trying to find a good hay man is hard around here so I didn't want to **** him off. Plus trying to find someone else trustworthy to start a colt on short notice is next to impossible. Needless to say my colt won't be going back there after this 30 days- |
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What Name?
Posts: 1994
 
| I would have said something. Politely, but I would have flat told them I budgeted for 500 and 900 without prior discussion agreement isn't what I'm willing to pay. |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | LOL I would have loaded my colt right back into my trailer. The 550.00 yes but not the extra 350.00 for board, the 550.00 around here is with feeding included, if you wanted the supplements you have been feeding you bring them. |
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A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | How long was it till you took your colt over there after you got the price of 500? |
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| Talked to them about a month before I took the colt-I'm still in awe of myself for just not loading back up and going home-but, I also needed my hay done:( how in the world I ever got myself in this position is beyond me...lol Won't happen again-I'll just eat this one and not go back for 2nds-gonna make sure what the 'actual' price is for hay baling:) They won't get me twice.... Guaranteed |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1119
| Wow! I would have been seriously upset that they didn't tell you the full price. You're getting charged almost twice as you were told! Unbelievable...I'm not sure what I would have done in your situation though, I'm not a big fan of confrontation either though. |
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 Take a Picture
Posts: 12841
| My barrel horse trainer does not eveñ charge that much. I have one being broke right now and he is $500
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 Expert
Posts: 4121
Location: SE Louisiana | After this, I fail to see what you find "trustworthy" about this person. |
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  Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
Location: Florida.. | it is bad they didnt tell you but..... when you asked did you ask how much to start a colt and does that include board etc... ? I realize most include but not all.. some start colts for a amount and then you pay board on top that.. Yes it sucks but maybe a misunderstanding.. |
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 My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
Location: Arkansas | Was this your first time using them as a trainer? |
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 Owner of a ratting catting machine
Posts: 2258
| Mostly I'm just shocked you can get somebody to start a colt for $550. That's a smoking deal. And it costs me less than $350, but just barely, to maintain one where I live. I probably would have been asking if I could get a discount on the board if I supply the feed, I'm all for negotiation. The $900 together for everything, along with someone I know that will actually take care of my colt and start him properly, is money I would consider well spent. |
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 Expert
Posts: 2128
| classicpotatochip - 2015-06-22 7:15 AM Mostly I'm just shocked you can get somebody to start a colt for $550. That's a smoking deal. And it costs me less than $350, but just barely, to maintain one where I live. I probably would have been asking if I could get a discount on the board if I supply the feed, I'm all for negotiation. The $900 together for everything, along with someone I know that will actually take care of my colt and start him properly, is money I would consider well spent.
Agree, you cant get someone to touch a colt around here for that price anymore. $750 is more the going rate. |
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Expert
Posts: 2128
| While I think $550 is a steal, I would have been caught off guard as well if I was expecting a certain price and then it was much different upon arrival. They should have been more clear. |
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 Veteran
Posts: 138
| Wow... I would have loaded up and gone home. I've never heard of ANY trainer charging board on top of training fee. Hubby trains reining horses professionally and we have several friends who are professional reining trainers as well... not only do they not charge a separate board fee ON TOP of the training fee, they're also less in cost than that. (Two of which are World Champion trainers with impeccable facilities)
I think that was a sign of dishonesty. There should have been a full disclosure of fees prior to your horse ever showing up on the property. |
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Veteran
Posts: 138
| Where are you located? I'm just curious what region you're in where the cost of breaking demands such a high fee. |
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Owner of a ratting catting machine
Posts: 2258
| scwebster - 2015-06-22 7:37 AM
While I think $550 is a steal, I would have been caught off guard as well if I was expecting a certain price and then it was much different upon arrival. They should have been more clear.
They definitely should have been very clear about exactly what the charges are, so the OP could have made adjustments or not taken the horse out there at all. I would have been surprised too and needed to recalibrate.
I just don't feel that the board is unreasonable because: Colts need to eat a lot more when they're under stress from training, on top of still growing. The price per pound of feed/hay just isn't cheap anymore. Also, when you factor in the work of unloading hay, or the cost and work of putting up your own hay, feeding daily, then the trip the feedstore for grain, then unloading the grain, then feeding the grain, and the experience that requires the maintenance of a colt so he doesn't get underweight, etc, etc, those people deserve to be paid for their work on top of the money that they're putting into the horse. Honestly, until people have had a young horse come home untouched, and extremely thin from neglect, most don't realize how valuable the extra money paid to someone reliable really is!
I just don't mind paying for somebody that I know is going to take care of my valuable animal.
To the OP, if you have any doubts to what your money is going for, I'd definitely be requesting videos and pictures, if not just going out there once a week to check up on the situation. |
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 Own It and Move On
Location: The edge of no where | I can't think of anyone that will do it for less than $750.....I'd be very suspicious of anyone that will take a horse for a month at $550. You can't make any money that way. Feed is way to expensive. |
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 Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9992
Location: Kansas | I probably would have loaded up my horse and went home. One thing to always ask is if board/hay/feed is included in the price of training. Some will, some won't. I'm surprised nobody can find training cheaper.....I was quoted $500 once for my gelding, that was with board/hay/feed...and she was running futurities with most of the ones she had in for training. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 629
| I definitely think they were being shady.
The reason I think so, is because of this. Have you ever heard of a trainer that took a horse in for 30 days of training, that did not remain on their farm? The ONLY instance I can think of to break out the cost of training and board separately is if you are only offering one of those services. Yes, board can be offered independently of training, but typically training, especially colt starting type training, is not. What did the trainer expect, that they would haul the horse to him on the days she wanted him rode? In that instance, I'd expect to hear a per session type of dollar amount. $50/ session, etc.
The OP was right to assume that the dollar amount was the total for training. The guy or the wife or whatever was being sneaky. |
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 A Gopher's Worst Nightmare
Posts: 5094
Location: Southern Oregon | Unfortunately I have learned if I am sending one out to ask what the board price is as well. One the very slight occasion that I take on an outside horse or two in the winter I make sure I put in BOLD that the training is x amount a month, board is x amount a month for a TOTAL of...... I don't get how people can treat others like that. The other thing that would worry me is when someone quotes you that much for boarding around here, it is for FULL care. Which includes all feedings or their feed, turnout, blanketing ect. So what is the trainer actually doing just showing up working the horse and leaving? I prefer to do all of my own barn chores on horses in for training because I look at it as all part of their training. I get alot of PUSHY and ill behaved horses in and I dont want someone else messing with any of my clients horses, that is what they are paying me for. |
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| I've known these people for several years as passing friends - he rode as horse for me several years ago & did a good job. I would have had no problem with the 900 if she would have told me that from the get go. This colt has been saddled and messed with a bunch so it's not like she doesn't know any thing. And telling me 'our board has always been 350' doesn't cut it for me cause its been like 7 years since they rode one for me. I specifically asked what is your 30 day price for breaking a colt to ride. For 900 I could have sent that colt to some of the better known trainers cause we are in the middle of horse country usa....the more I think about it the more I could kick myself for not loading her right back up - I'm still tempted to go and get her anyway & screw the semi friendship. |
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 The Color Specialist
Posts: 7530
Location: Washington. (The DRY side.) | I haven't read all the replies, but around here, generally board is NOT included. You either pay board above and beyone the fee for starting/riding the horse, OR you being your own feed. |
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My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
Location: Arkansas | Dumb question maybe---is it different price for starting vs training a horse? |
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 Go For It!
Location: Texas |
I would not train a horse for anyone for less than $1250.00 a month. I can not understand how these folks can do it for less than that with the cost of hay and feed in addition to all the time it takes to get it done correctly. I suppose there's profit in high numbers, but I don't know how anyone can effectively ride and train 10 or more horses a day.
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Expert
Posts: 2128
| Chandler's Mom - 2015-06-22 11:40 PM Dumb question maybe---is it different price for starting vs training a horse?
In the case of our training facility-yes. The charge to start a colt is higher because of the inherit risk to the rider that come with it. Also the fact that most just do not enjoy colt starting, so the money has to make it worth their while. |
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Expert
Posts: 2128
| classicpotatochip - 2015-06-22 8:16 AM scwebster - 2015-06-22 7:37 AM While I think $550 is a steal, I would have been caught off guard as well if I was expecting a certain price and then it was much different upon arrival. They should have been more clear. They definitely should have been very clear about exactly what the charges are, so the OP could have made adjustments or not taken the horse out there at all. I would have been surprised too and needed to recalibrate. I just don't feel that the board is unreasonable because: Colts need to eat a lot more when they're under stress from training, on top of still growing. The price per pound of feed/hay just isn't cheap anymore. Also, when you factor in the work of unloading hay, or the cost and work of putting up your own hay, feeding daily, then the trip the feedstore for grain, then unloading the grain, then feeding the grain, and the experience that requires the maintenance of a colt so he doesn't get underweight, etc, etc, those people deserve to be paid for their work on top of the money that they're putting into the horse. Honestly, until people have had a young horse come home untouched, and extremely thin from neglect, most don't realize how valuable the extra money paid to someone reliable really is! I just don't mind paying for somebody that I know is going to take care of my valuable animal. To the OP, if you have any doubts to what your money is going for, I'd definitely be requesting videos and pictures, if not just going out there once a week to check up on the situation.  You are so right!! Hit the nail on the head! My husband charges by the ride (rides 5 or 6 days per week), and 5$ a day for the feed and care of the horse. If the weather is bad the horses dont get ridden but the owner isnt charged for those days either. Lots of people do not realize the time, care, and other details that go into making a good horse.
Edited by scwebster 2015-06-23 9:58 AM
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 Member
Posts: 31
Location: East TN | Geez... Y'all pay a lot for training. I'm doing good getting people to pay $400/month for training and that includes feed/hay and board. I must live in an area filled with some cheap individuals. I've even had people tell me I charge too much for training. |
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Expert
Posts: 2128
| tennesseecowgirl - 2015-06-23 11:34 AM Geez... Y'all pay a lot for training. I'm doing good getting people to pay $400/month for training and that includes feed/hay and board. I must live in an area filled with some cheap individuals. I've even had people tell me I charge too much for training.
Get them to call around! lol. Your price is CHEAP CHEAP. I dont know how you do it for that :) |
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Member
Posts: 31
Location: East TN | scwebster - 2015-06-23 12:42 PM
tennesseecowgirl - 2015-06-23 11:34 AM Geez... Y'all pay a lot for training. I'm doing good getting people to pay $400/month for training and that includes feed/hay and board. I must live in an area filled with some cheap individuals. I've even had people tell me I charge too much for training.
Get them to call around! lol. Your price is CHEAP CHEAP. I dont know how you do it for that :)
My hay guy cuts me a deal on round bales (horse quality that we fork off of into the stalls) and we do all the work around the barn ourselves. Even charging as little as I do, I still make more money than when I had a part time job. I make more money off of just 2 horses than I did at my last job. It amazes me that some people claim I still charge too much. They obviously haven't looked into what some tother trainers charge. |
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 Not Afraid to Work
Posts: 4717
| I charged (when I did it) $400-$500 to break colts plus board was $200.
I would say its common that board is additional but I agree she should have expressed this clearly before it was a done deal. |
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Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
Location: Florida.. | grinandbareit - 2015-06-23 1:11 AM I would not train a horse for anyone for less than $1250.00 a month. I can not understand how these folks can do it for less than that with the cost of hay and feed in addition to all the time it takes to get it done correctly. I suppose there's profit in high numbers, but I don't know how anyone can effectively ride and train 10 or more horses a day.
Ditto.. we are 450.00 board and 800.00 training as well... |
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What would you do