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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 407
| exactly that!!! for those of you that board horses... what is the craziest thing you have heard or seen done by your boarders? is it too early for a drink? ughhhh |
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 Warrior Mom
Posts: 4400
| Dont miss those days... but when I did board one place in particular was terrible... the resident "trainer " wasnt a very good one at all, pretty much brought mostly city kids to put on a bicycle helmet and walk around on a lead line while telling them how great a horseman she was ... one day she had a pretty big group of kids with her while she was tacking up a horse for them to ride, she had decided to let her yearling colt have free run of the barn and surrounded areas ... now another boarder had her farrier out trimming her horse over the farrier bay... something spooked the yearling and he ran right thru that group of kids, they barely got out of the way, the trainer couldn't get the yearling to quit running, even with a feed bucket, he was running and bucking all over the place, well, he ran smack into the horse in the farrier bay while the farrier was underneath the horse. It could have been so bad.. thankfully the horse being trimmed didnt completely panic and the farrier was unharmed. It took well over an hour for her to finally corral the yearling into the round pen where she could catch him. I complained to the BO and she got a pretty good talking to after that. And a new rule, which is should be common sense, no loose horses in barn or arena areas... turnout only allowed in designated fenced areas. |
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 Reaching for the stars....
Posts: 12703
 
| Refusing to give a gram (one, uno, one gram one time) of bute for an acute hock injury because the vet (her boyfriend) was being stupid and trying to get her riled and told her 'it will hurt her stomach.' Mixed with having a hissy fit and insisting we needed another farrier because her horse was sore after a trim, when for the previous two weeks the horse had been off from sore feet so bad that she scratched the 2nd round at our state finals. This farrier showed us why her horse was sore - he did not make the horse sore!
Boarder gone. Did not want to have the conversation of why I wasn't going to use her dude (also my vet) ever again after what he said about the bute, or her lack of common sense about the bute, and lack of common sense about the feet/farrier thing. |
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Warrior Mom
Posts: 4400
| Another time at a different facility my horse looked to have what appeared to be a case of strangles .. I had my vet out and she said he didnt have it, looked like he cut himself on something she cleaned it out and gave me some antibiotics.. the BO was a real tool... she threatened to make me leave because my horse had strangles and my vet wasnt allowed to set foot on her property again for misdiagnosis... she made me use her vet to come out and guess what... no strangles.... my horse cut himself on her cruddy fencing out there and it got infected. I still had to pay for her vets visit ... I left a few days after that debacle anyway! |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 407
| People are so hard to please  |
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Location: Not Where I Want to Be | I don't know how anyone boards. Barn owner or boardee
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 I hate cooking and cleaning
Posts: 3310
Location: Jersey Girl | I am a boardee. Land in NJ is too expensive to own a place big enough for horses. I don't want a humungus mortgage payment so I am stuck boarding. |
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Warrior Mom
Posts: 4400
| 1DSoon - 2019-01-08 1:31 PM
I don't know how anyone boards. Barn owner or boardee
From my past experiences, I think I'd rather not own horses if I had to board. But there are plenty of people that do and seem to enjoy it. I'm not one of them, on the same note I wouldn't want to have to take on boarders either. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 705
Location: Weatherford, TX | 1DSoon - 2019-01-08 1:31 PM I don't know how anyone boards. Barn owner or boardee
I have boarded since 1990. I have been mostly fortunate with barn owners. I boarded at a large facility for 18 years. We had every discipline under the sun! We all got along 90% of the time.
Then I moved states. I was at 3 boarding facilities in 6 years. The one I was in the longest (3 years) was a dressage barn. They were so very accommodating. The trainer had done so many disciplines before and was so nice (down to earth, so unlike dressage people normally) and just loved my barrel horses. I LOVED it there and it is still is my favorite facility. I would have stayed, but they had to sell the property and it went for development.
Then I went to one that was super close to my home and private. I was the only boarder. The barn owner was absolutely nuts. Only stayed about 3 months.
Then, I went to a hunter/jumper facility. That was ok. The trainer that leased the place was a little off. Great boarders to be friends with and very nice facility.
But, then we moved again to another state. I found another big facility in my new state. I was there for about 2-1/2 years. It was ok too. But not as professional as I would like. Facilities were great and super nice, but not run professional. The owner kept horses more as pets (or really more like big dogs).
I am at a private barn now. Very happy (and more so, my horses just love it). Not a lot of amenities, but we are all happy.
i could have easily had my own very nice place at any time during these years of boarding. However, my husband travelled 70-80% of the time and I had a job where I travelled. Plus, the boarding rates varied; but I always got great care. If I took everything into consideration to have the facilities I boarded at, I would have come out on the losing end to have my own place.
Over all these years of boarding, I have learned...it is the people and their knowledge (on both sides of the business) that make a boarding place happy for horses and people both.
Edited by Gator Bug 2019-01-08 2:18 PM
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Veteran
Posts: 136
| I have no other option at the moment but to board. Yes, it's a pain. I will say this, I do self care. I have seen way to many horses that are boarded not being taken care of properly. To me, it is up to your barn manager to tell you if they need something for your horse and should be able to tell if something may be off. If they are getting skinny they should ask to increase grain/hay or you should tell them to before they ask. If you are a boarder that doesn't make it out to see your horse frequently, then why even have one? Everyone has their own rants, but some of us have no choice. It is still up to the owner to make sure their animals are taken care of. |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | I have boarded a few of close friends horses for them at one time or another, they were super good at paying and if I thought any thing was off with their horses I just treated them as they were my own, one was a school teacher and she would come out on the weekends and another friend worked over seas so they were the perfect boarders I thought, lol.. |
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Location: Not Where I Want to Be | Gator Bug - 2019-01-08 3:02 PM
1DSoon - 2019-01-08 1:31 PM I don't know how anyone boards. Barn owner or boardee
I have boarded since 1990. I have been mostly fortunate with barn owners. I boarded at a large facility for 18 years. We had every discipline under the sun! We all got along 90% of the time. Then I moved states. I was at 3 boarding facilities in 6 years. The one I was in the longest (3 years ) was a dressage barn. They were so very accommodating. The trainer had done so many disciplines before and was so nice (down to earth, so unlike dressage people normally ) and just loved my barrel horses. I LOVED it there and it is still is my favorite facility. I would have stayed, but they had to sell the property and it went for development. Then I went to one that was super close to my home and private. I was the only boarder. The barn owner was absolutely nuts. Only stayed about 3 months. Then, I went to a hunter/jumper facility. That was ok. The trainer that leased the place was a little off. Great boarders to be friends with and very nice facility. But, then we moved again to another state. I found another big facility in my new state. I was there for about 2-1/2 years. It was ok too. But not as professional as I would like. Facilities were great and super nice, but not run professional. The owner kept horses more as pets (or really more like big dogs ). I am at a private barn now. Very happy (and more so, my horses just love it ). Not a lot of amenities, but we are all happy. i could have easily had my own very nice place at any time during these years of boarding. However, my husband travelled 70-80% of the time and I had a job where I travelled. Plus, the boarding rates varied; but I always got great care. If I took everything into consideration to have the facilities I boarded at, I would have come out on the losing end to have my own place. Over all these years of boarding, I have learned...it is the people and their knowledge (on both sides of the business ) that make a boarding place happy for horses and people both.
I hear ya
I'm sure there are success stories like yours but you seem to be the anomaly.
I just don't think I could personally do it. Either way.
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Reaching for the stars....
Posts: 12703
| 1DSoon - 2019-01-08 2:31 PM I don't know how anyone boards. Barn owner or boardee
My situation ended up fitting the saying: "No good deed goes unpunished." I could hash and rehash all the BS, especially in the past 3 years, but suffice it to say that obligation only goes so far. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 897
| I love the barn I currently board at. My trainer is absolutely amazing, provides great care to all the horses. It's a smaller facility of around 13 horses and she lives on site also. 27/7 hay, 24/7 turnout, beautiful indoor/outdoor and miles of trails, weekly jackpots in the summer. She's wonderful, and I feel lucky to be there. |
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 Strong Willed Woman
Posts: 6577
Location: Prosser, WA | 1DSoon - 2019-01-08 11:31 AM
I don't know how anyone boards. Barn owner or boardee
I can't imagine why. You are so nice to people. ???????? |
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"Heck's Coming With Me"
Posts: 10793
Location: Kansas | I boarded some horses for racehorse people. It was miserable and they didn't like to pay their bills. One even scolded me for not grooming her broodmares everyday. I was done. Never again.
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 595
Location: North Dakota | I grew up in the middle of town and my parents aren't horse people. We have had to board ever since I talked my parents into getting me a horse of my own after years of riding lessons. I have been at the same place now for almost 15 years. We boarded a few places before that. They weren't terrible but I was too young at the time to really know what was wrong and what was right. My current BO is more of a second mom to me than anything else. I grew up around her. I am 27 now and have been the barn manager for about 5 years now. I am sure I irritate the BOs now and again and their thinking doesn't always line up with mine but we have a good relationship and nothing ever gets out of hand. The other boarders irritate me now and again. Usually when they don't come out and take care of their horses during bad bug days in summer or our -25 degree days in winter. We require each boarder to do one time of chores per week per horse they have boarded so they have to come out weekly. If we didn't have that rule then we probably wouldn't see some of them hardly ever. The BOs like the boarders because they help pay the bills. They irritate me but that is because I actually have to deal with them haha.
When I get my own place one day... I will not be boarding... anyone. Not even a good friend. No thank you. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 495
Location: Washington | Currently have an older lady with two horses, a Belgin cross mare and her 9 month old filly. We ran a special for smaller (10x10) stalls w/limited/no turn out. Perfect for people who'd come often and take advantage of the indoor arena during winter months. Well she sang a good song and brought these two in, a filly barely halter broke and mom drug friend who brought them down barn alley way.
Fast forward a month ahead..... She is now 8 days late on board and horses have only been out of their stalls 3 time, THREE times in a month! Last time she was out she admitted to being scared of them. The mare got away from her with a chain on. It does not help she goes so long between trips out they are rather fresh when they get out. She has a terminally ill husband and it has been holiday season so I was kind and sent her a reminder text board was late. Have not seen or heard from her in over a week. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 407
| I am on the other side of the fence. We are boarding horses for a lady. No matter how hard we try to make things they way she likes it is just not good enough.  |
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 Expert
Posts: 2097
Location: Deep South | I provide board for 8 horses, all fully self-care. We started about 2 years ago shortly after we bought our farm. It was more land than we really needed at the moment, but was a good deal and we plan to grow into it eventually. So for the short term this is a great option for us. I have the most amazing boarders. Zero complaints. |
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