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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 499
 
Location: ARKANSAS | I have a boarder now that has been with me now for about a year, She has this OTTB,and its a cribber, ( which i had her purchase a collar that stopped this).... I feed Bluebonnet feeds to my own horses and she wanted to feed this also..no problem. BUT She wants to SUPPLEMENT HIM for everything you can think of!!!!! Let me say this,i have 50 plus years experience with horses, and she has ONE, this is her first horse....i have tried to take this into consideration and TEACH her....But Now when i try to tell her anything she starts off by TELLING me that she has researched it....lol i just say ok, its her horse....She gives Biotin for Hooves, Alfafa cubes, B-Calm, aloe vera juice, probiotics, and u-guard....this horse DOES NOT HAVE ULCERS, believe me i have owned one that did and this one DONT!!! When i told her he didnt have them she said well he has ISSUES!!! I dont know how she can say that really cause she only rides about 2-3 times a month. IF THAT! I only charge 150 a month...plus reimbursh for feed and hay..he has free access to a 24x24 stall.and pasture and free choice hay...but honestly if she adds any more supplements to this poor guys diet I am fixing to tell her I am going up, i am tired of dipping up supplements!!!!! |
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Veteran
Posts: 242
| I have boarders. The ones I have now are nice low maintenance! You could tell her to have them all premixed for you all in 1 ziplock bag per feeding if you are having to give the supplements? Some barns also charge extra for having to add supplements-like $1 a day?
Just an idea, hope it works. |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
 
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Wow your nicer then I would be, I would be charging more for board or like donk said have her permix the supplements for you, that is extra time you're having to do all the supplements, she should have already offer to pay you more for board and the extras that you are doing. |
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 Reaching for the stars....
Posts: 12708
 
| I just gave the boot to the gal who has kept her horse/s at my place since 2011. The reasons are numerous, but all with the same theme you are talking about. 'My horse needs this/my horse needs that/this is wrong/etc etc.' I was losing about 25 to 50 per month on her horses and just couldn't take the frustration any more. The last straw was when one of her horses had an acute hock injury and she wouldn't give it bute because her vet (also her dude - and I think messing with her big time on this) told her it would hurt the horses stomach. So many things wrong there. I also have a new vet (he was my vet also) because any vet who would tell a client not to give bute for a few days on a swollen hock injury is not a vet for me!
Good luck - no amount of money makes up for the frustration of watching stupid. Or watching a horse feel bad because of too many supplements. |
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 The One
Posts: 7998
Location: South Georgia | I have been on both sides. Growing up, we boarded for others. Now, I board. First, I would say that I believe your rates are too low to properly compensate yourself. Now, I have a horse with some gastric issues and the vets really can't figure it out yet. He's on 1 liquid supplement, 1 powder, and 2 pelleted ones at each feeding. I have had horses my whole life and, likewise, this horse has been to every specialist around now, so it's not just rubbish. The barn workers gladly provide whatever he needs at each feeding, and bless their hearts, they also put up with my texts explaining new procedures, etc. But I do pay $350/month for his board.
Just a thought, but perhaps if you charged a more realistic amount, it would make you feel better. Sometimes you just can't teach people who think they've got it figured out. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1520
Location: Illinois | I haven't owned a boarding barn, but I have managed one and I also board my horses. I'm on the side of if they want to give their horses 25 different things, that's not your business. But they do need to make it as easy on the feeder as possible. I pre-make leftover containers with mine, so all they have to do is open the lid & dump & then stack the empty ones up. I do 2 weeks at a time at the barn & keep 2 weeks at home ready to go. This way I only have to do it once a month. It's your job to do the chores, not to tell her what she should/shouldn't do with her horse. I have a cribber, he started cribbing from ulcers and occasionally gets them from cribbing, cribbing is a huge cause of ulcers. I don't know he's got them unless I scope him, there are no signs. He stays on an ulcer preventative. My black horse, he gets ulcers at home from me looking at him the wrong way. It takes next to nothing to get his to flare and if he's ever injured, one gram of bute becomes his & my worst nightmare. Three days of previcox creates an ulcer massacre, but he won't show signs unless he's in an alleyway to make a run. I moved my 4 year old to my barn when I bought her & guess what, ulcers, no symptoms. She just kept colicing. I've never had one show the classic ulcer signs, 99% of people would have said none of them had them. My vet even doubted. If I were in your shoes I'd just tell her to put the supplements in containers & let it go. |
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 Expert
Posts: 3782
Location: Gainesville, TX | I am with everyone else; charge enough to make the trouble worth your while. Honestly most boarding barns and trainers charge a certain fee for adding supplements. Or have her mix it herself. But it is her horse. I also agree that many horses have ulcers without obvious symptoms. They did a scope on racehorses and something like over 80 percent of them had ulcers but otherwise looked healthy and in good weight, even behaved themselves for the most part. But it is certainly reasonable to charge a supplements fee or have her mix it herself. If she cares that much about him having the separate supplements, then she should care enough to mix it up. If she wants to argue and decides to research around, she will quickly find out that other boarding places charge way more and a supplement fee is not that unusual. I bet she will pipe down pretty quick. You can also point her towards some supplements that do all that at once. Both MVP and Platinum and THE have supplements that cover all those bases. |
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Veteran
Posts: 185
| I currently board my horse at a place with an indoor arena and
I have to say IMO it is not your place or business what she decides to feed her horse (unless you believe the animals life is in danger). It honestly is just your opinion she is feeding him incorrectly. She has researched and made HER decision on how SHE wants to feed HER horse.
I differ on opinions on how horses should be fed. A lot of people I believe keep them and feed them using old outdated practices......but its not my place to say. NOT MY CIRCUS NOT MY MONKEYS. I just make the choices for my horse based on what I believe.
Now if I was the barn owner I would want supplements ready to dump in on feed. I would not be scooping 25 different supplements every time. I do my supplements up in bowls with lids so all the barn owner has to do is dump it on his grain.
and/or do like others say and charge for it as an extra
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 678
Location: Canada | I have clients and I have to say for first time owners most of the time they try to buy everything under the sun for their horses because they want to be good/responsible owners. This is nice but often I sit them down and explain that less is more and have them incorporate good supplements to benefit their horse. Now if they decide they want everything and feel it's helping their horse then that is their business.
If the boarder insists on multiple supplements have her send you a list of what she wants fed to her horse and when and then ask her to make individual packages containing it so her horse gets exactly what she wants. Then you are not responsible for the dosage, care of the supplements etc and it's one easy package for you as the barn owner.
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 Cute Little Imp
Posts: 2747
Location: N Texas | CowgirlLindz - 2018-11-02 11:28 AM
I currently board my horse at a place with an indoor arena and
I have to say IMO it is not your place or business what she decides to feed her horse (unless you believe the animals life is in danger). It honestly is just your opinion she is feeding him incorrectly. She has researched and made HER decision on how SHE wants to feed HER horse.
I differ on opinions on how horses should be fed. A lot of people I believe keep them and feed them using old outdated practices......but its not my place to say. NOT MY CIRCUS NOT MY MONKEYS. I just make the choices for my horse based on what I believe.
Now if I was the barn owner I would want supplements ready to dump in on feed. I would not be scooping 25 different supplements every time. I do my supplements up in bowls with lids so all the barn owner has to do is dump it on his grain.
and/or do like others say and charge for it as an extra
Agree 100% with everything you said! |
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Reaching for the stars....
Posts: 12708
| oija - 2018-11-02 10:30 AM I am with everyone else; charge enough to make the trouble worth your while. Honestly most boarding barns and trainers charge a certain fee for adding supplements. Or have her mix it herself. But it is her horse. I also agree that many horses have ulcers without obvious symptoms. They did a scope on racehorses and something like over 80 percent of them had ulcers but otherwise looked healthy and in good weight, even behaved themselves for the most part. But it is certainly reasonable to charge a supplements fee or have her mix it herself. If she cares that much about him having the separate supplements, then she should care enough to mix it up. If she wants to argue and decides to research around, she will quickly find out that other boarding places charge way more and a supplement fee is not that unusual. I bet she will pipe down pretty quick. You can also point her towards some supplements that do all that at once. Both MVP and Platinum and THE have supplements that cover all those bases.
In my particular situation this is my home and farm and not a boarding farm. I took in these horses as a favor to keep the gal from having to sell out under duress when her dude at that time died unexpectedly.
At a boarding facility I would expect reasonable accommodation, or adding anything that I was willing to prepare that the feeder could easily incorporate. Not every boarding facility is going to be able to accommodate every request, but most requests/additions should be made available, some with added fees. |
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 Expert
Posts: 2097
Location: Deep South | I have boarders. The only time I offer my advice is when they ask for it. I could care less if they actually implement it or not. As long as the horse is not being neglected/harmed, it's their horse to feed however they choose.
"....She gives Biotin for Hooves, Alfafa cubes, B-Calm, aloe vera juice, probiotics, and u-guard...."
While some are a bit redundant, none of the supplements you mentioned will harm that horse even if he doesn't need them.
You mentioned going up on price for her. Charge what your time is worth to you, or have her pre-mix them like others have suggested.
But it sounds like from your post that you're most peeved that she's not following your almighty advice. Or maybe it's just your excessive use of CAPS and !!!! that make you seem so upset. |
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 ...Dot Dot Dot...
Posts: 2062
Location: SW New Mexico | I've boarded for 26 years, been feeding horses for 44...
Boarding can really .."not be fun"... lol
I've had more than my share of non horsey people who go out and buy a horse they can't ride...can't load...they don't have a trailer... they drive a Prius... and not in any kind physical condition .
;)
They're just livin' their dream.. buy a large animal, treat it like a pet dog..
I provide a nice mix of grass and alfalfa , fed 2 x daily .
That said..... these well meaning people see all the clever advertising for a miracle product.. supplement or grain as advertising is supposed to do.. lol.
But ....If they insist Jughead HAS to have a gallon of sweet feed...and 20 kinds of supplements... they must buy it themselves , then individually bag it and I'll feed it.. with the *disclaimer* that this may make their horse hot, walk the fence, more spring in their steps, and generally become a snort.
When that happens ( and it does, for these horses don't work, at all)
and they look to me for advice.. it'll be my suggestion to remove the grain from ol' Jughead's diet.
I guess it's a learning thing for them...
;)  
Edited by jettster 2018-11-02 1:19 PM
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 595
Location: North Dakota | I have boarded at the same place for 14 years. I started managing it about 5-6 years ago. I have learned that when it comes to dealing with boarders you have to learn not to care so much. I used to get so worked up about every thing boarders did or did not do with their horses. At the end of the day they own the horse and they get to decide what they do and do not do with it. It is our job to make sure the horse has hay, water and shelter and is healthy on a daily basis.. past that it is not worth your time to worry about every little thing they do or don't do. It will get old in no time.
We require all boarders to make up bags of any supplements for their horses. I will not scoop a single supplement of out of the container because the first time you do it they expect you to do it all the time.
Edited by MidWest1452 2018-11-02 1:44 PM
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