For the Boarding Barn Owners..

[Ponderosa Starr]

What makes a good boarder in the eyes of the stable owner? I will soon be looking for a boarding facility and know what I want in them, but I would like to know what 'they' would like in me, as a client..

I already know that I will be at the stable every free moment I get to work with my horse... But I want to know what other things, possibly things that we don't realize, would make us be good in their eyes...

[Lady_MCSE]

Well, I'm still on the client side of things, but I've given some thought to a boarding operation. And from almost 2 years of hanging out at 2 different barns, here are some things I'd say . .

Pay on time
Clean up after yourself
Follow the barn rules
Be courteous to other boarders

This goes hand-in-hand with courtesy, but my barn's owner gets real upset if one boarder starts trying to tell another boarder how to do things - he's real big on letting each person do his\her own thing.

[Jadesmygirl]

I am coming from the boarder perspective more as well-sorry, but I have to agree with Lady M that telling other boarders how to do things will definitely start problems (not saying that you would!) but we are having issues with that at my barn right now.
Also I bet they would appreciate if there are concerns, as a boarder you would first approach them as owners rather than telling others first.
Aside from paying on time, cleaning up, offering to help when reasonable and being kind to other boarders horses too, as well as respecting the rules (I should have just dittoed Lady M!) I think just plain old courtesy!
It is nice you are asking-the fact that you are probably means already that you will be the ideal boarder!
Hope you find a great place!

[princesskristin]

I agree with Lady_MCSE.

[beth55051]

I have some to add.

If you see something that needs fixing either fix it or tell someone who can right away.

If you see something unsafe do something about it.

Treat everything as if it were yours.

Clean up after yourself and your horse. Most indoor arenas will have a wheelbarrow and manure fork, use them.

Be respectful of the other boarders and the stable owners/managers. Don't gossip, it may seem fun at the time but it will always come back to bite you in the butt.

Leave your dog at home. You would never imagine how many problems dogs can cause even if they stay in the car.

[paso_lover]

When I leased my mare this stuck in my head and is a rule in my barn that doesnt seem to be followed...."come as is leave as found". Nothing drives me more crazy than having to go in and pick up after they leave. Put everything away neatly in it's designated areas, don't just throw stuff there. Don't use things that don't belong to you, had one that would take our treats for her horse and not replace it. My 8 year old daughter would buy things for her horse and would have to hide them. Absolutly pay ON TIME. We rely on that money to pay for the feed. Be courtious/respectful to others, we know that women are hard to get along with but it makes for an uncomfortable situation when certain people don't get along. Beth hit the nail on the head "treat everything as if it were your own", unless you are a slob (like one of my boarders was) then dont' .

[Sonseeahray's_girl]

DON'T Gossip.

DON'T Criticize.

DON'T Tell Others What to Do.

COMMUNICATE constructively and politely with the barn owners.

[Lopin]

Clean up after yourself.

Pay your board on time, we have bills to pay too!

Follow the rules-they're for everyone, this means obeying the hours of operation too.

Put your tack/brushes away neatly.

Leave your dog at home.

Don't bring small children and leave them unattended. The barn is not a daycare.

If you break something, be kind and replace it.

Don't use other peoples tack.

Don't gossip - even though people love to hear it!

If there is a problem, go to the BARN OWNER first, NOT the other boarders.

Leave the feeding up to the barn owner.

Be appreciative of the barn owner, it's not an easy job trying to keep everyone happy!

We have a very wonderful boarder who has been with us 4 years. We love her and wish we could have a barn full just like her! She does everything I wrote above, plus more! When she comes and if someone outside has dumped over their water and I haven't gotten to it, she'll fill it up. When she brings her horse in and if he poops in his stall, she'll clean it out before putting him back outside. She doesn't complain. She'll top of the water buckets inside before she leaves if that needs to be done, she brings us treats (yum!), heck, she even helps us put up hay in the summertime! We don't ask or expect it, but she'll make a special trip out just for that. If I'm gone to a show and that leaves one person at home to clean stalls/do chores, she'll come out and help the person at home. She's great and probably an almost one-in-a-million boarder.

Oooooooh and my pet peeve!!!!
DO NOT come into my barn and ask me everytime you come, if the horses were out! Of course they were outside! If you can't tell by looking in their clean stalls and not seeing any poop in there, , I bet they were outside!

It never failed, we had one boarder who would ask me every single day...
"we're the horses out?" She came at exactly 5:30 on the dot and the horses are brought in at 5pm in the summer. I have a life outside of the barn and I'd like the enjoy it. It took everything I had not to pull my hair out when she asked me that.

That question drives me nuts. I'm honest and when I say your horse will be turned out, they will be.

[harvest_moon]

PAY ON TIME lol
Fulfill the terms of your boarding contract - i.e., don't skip out without paying
Spend adequate time with your horse and help keep them healthy
Do not make unreasonable demands - I try to keep all of my boarders happy. If they ask for something, and it''s doable, I try to make it happen. But they have to understand that I am in school full-time and my husband works full-time, and things might not get done as quickly as you'd like it to!
Understand that horses are powerful animals, and when in a herd situation, can be prone to accidents. We can do everything in our power to keep them safe, but sometimes accidents happen.
Don't badmouth me to my staff or other boarders if you don't agree with my views - I will find out, and it will make for a stressful environment
Don't use my equipment (or anyone else's for that matter) without asking. And please put it back properly!
Control your kids! Don't let them run in the barn or get into boarder's stuff

[LPB]

I am so glad this question was posted. I just realized that I forgot to clean up after my horse after my lesson today.

I hope today's topic will remind me to be an angel!

I alwys forget to do SOMETHING or I leave something behind. Always.

[A J]

I come from the client end as well, I have thus far been a paying boarder at 3 different barns. So far, I haven't had any complaints...a few of the things I do:

I always clean up after my horses - that means poop, hair, any other messes we make while there.

If I am the last one there, turn off the lights, and make sure the barn is clean - even if someone else left a mess, clean it up if they are already gone.

Shut doors, make sure gates are locked, turn off radios, etc.

If you or your horses break something, offer to fix it, or at the very least help fix it (for example, my horse once ran through the fence so I helped restring the wire).

When the barn owner helps you out above and beyond normal care, show your appreciation. Example: my horse cut his leg when I was gone for my military drill weekend. My barn owner contacted me about it, held him while the vet came out, and basically took care of him for me until I could get home. I not only thanked her profusely, but bought her flowers and a card to show that it meant a lot to me to know my horses were safe even if I couldn't be there. It's not much, but it can mean a lot for them to know you really do appreciate it.

Make it out there when you can. Most barn owners understand that you may not be out there everyday, but I make an effort to at least brush and visit my horses at LEAST once a week (including my older, mostly retired horse). If you can make it out there almost daily, terrific!

Help out when they need it - whether it's unloading hay, doing chores in a pinch, just helping out because you're there.

Be respectful of lessons - talk to the trainer(s) about how they feel about sharing the arena (most I know will share if they are only having an individual or small group lesson, but some don't want to). If they are willing to share, stay out of their way, don't block their view of their students for more than just passing quickly, try to go the same speed as the lesson person, etc.

Of course, pay your bills. If you are going to be late, be curteous and let them know why, and when you will pay - I can't say that I have always had my board paid right up to the day, but if it was going to be late, I let them know the circumstances. Usually, at that point, I would try to make it up if I could by paying early for the next month(s) - mostly to show that it was NOT going to be a habit for me to pay late!

Communicate. Problems, praises, concerns, ideas - let the owner know!

Don't just complain about everything. Be sure to praise as well, and that's something you CAN do to more than just the owners! Praising your barn if you like it to anyone who wants to hear it is a good thing!

Pay your other bills on time. Keep your horse up to date with things whether they be vaccinations or trims.

[paso_lover]

AJ, for some strange reason you ever move to Northern Ontario, you are so welcome to keep your horses here. You sound like an outstanding boarder. And YES if your horse or you breaks something, please replace it. We had a leaser tear off the front door to the barn because the saddle wasnt put on properly. The other boarder just sat there and laughed like it was some big joke. We are litterally redoing this farm and it aint cheap. No help and no money was offered (it is now in the contract)....just an ooppssy. We had to wait tilll the end of spring to fix which meant we had feet of snow, ice and water in the barn. Talk about miserasble.

[EquineAlberta]

Wow, you openned a can of pet peeves!

Things that make boarders/students extra special: They bring me hot chocolate when it is really cold out and they know I will be doing barns or teaching when they get there, and occasionally cookies

Don't come and ride when I am about to feed the outside group horses. I don't like it when a horse misses a meal, but I can't change the feeding schedule for one horse's sake. And don't come out to ride right before closing time! You can't count on your horse being an angel, and I don't want to wait around while you school your horse so I can finish chores and go in for the night.

Keep your feed/treats in a mouse proof container so you don't invite mice into the barn/locker area.

Particularly if you board at a lesson barn, always be a good role model for the kids. Don't do something unsafe in front of them just because you trust your horse.

That's all I can think of for now. Most of our boarders are GREAT, sometimes though I don't think some of them appreciate all the work and money that goes in to providing an affordable barn.

Karen2

[Kemstar]

As a boarder, I try to exceed everyone's expectations on all levels. Of course everything already mentioned should be expected of great boarders. I've been lucky enough to always be at small places where the owners basically let me have the run of the place. As a result, I treated their property like it was my own (when they went out of town, I watched after their animals and their home; offered to mow the fields, repair fencing, haul away brush, etc.).

Only had one bad experience -- the onwers didn't know squat about horses and leased their barn only to get the money. When horsey things went wrong, they didn't have the first clue as to how to "fix" the problem or resolve any issues, so they called in an arbitrator who knew even less than they did!

Just a word of warning -- even if you're a great boarder, other boarders may not have the same standards as you do and think nothing of using your tack, brushes, or feed for their horses. If this happens, document everything and report it to the barn manager.

Good luck. I hope you find a great place.

[Ponderosa Starr]

Originally Posted by Lopin

We have a very wonderful boarder who has been with us 4 years. We love her and wish we could have a barn full just like her! She does everything I wrote above, plus more! When she comes and if someone outside has dumped over their water and I haven't gotten to it, she'll fill it up. When she brings her horse in and if he poops in his stall, she'll clean it out before putting him back outside. She doesn't complain. She'll top of the water buckets inside before she leaves if that needs to be done, she brings us treats (yum!), heck, she even helps us put up hay in the summertime! We don't ask or expect it, but she'll make a special trip out just for that. If I'm gone to a show and that leaves one person at home to clean stalls/do chores, she'll come out and help the person at home. She's great and probably an almost one-in-a-million boarder.

This is definately the kind of boarder I intend to be.. I love being around the barns, I love doing anything and everything that I can around the horses... I was looking for tips on things like this from the stable owners..

All of the other ideas that everyone has posted are great and they are very important - but I want to be that one in a million you discribe here..

[Lopin]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa Starr

This is definately the kind of boarder I intend to be..

All of the other ideas that everyone has posted are great and they are very important - but I want to be that one in a million you discribe here..

Any chance you want to move to Wisconsin?

[Ponderosa Starr]

Thanks Lopin..

Wisconsin, just a bit too cold for me.. I am a high desert southern California gal ....


Since it will be a while before I do get my own horse, would the stable/barn owner mind if I were to come over and help with the feeding, raking, cleaning, ect - once in a while, like once a week or so.. This would be for free, just to get back around horses again.. I have about 5 more years until I can retire, but I don't want to wait that long.. I just have the need in my spirit to work around horses - I used to - worked every summer when I was growing up at a stable, until I was 18 - had my own horse at that time. This was the most wonderful thing. I loved every job there was there.. The feeding, catching, brushing, hoof picking, saddling, raking - cleaning the tack - all of it.. I couldn't get enough. I still have it in me.. even though I am approaching 51..

Thank you all for your posts.. I have a couple of stables/barns that I have in mind that are close to home -After some things with family health issues get settled - then I can get back to 'horsein' around...

[Lopin]

But the barn is heated and I'll even pay for your plane ticket!

I don't think they would mind if you'd want to come and help to get back around the horses again until you're able to buy your own. The work around the farm is never done!

[horses19201]

Yep I agree with everyone else. But I have to add one thing don't mess with another boarders horse while they are working the horse. Another boarder at my barn did that one time. I was standing behind Lacey braiding her tail, (my mom was holding her) and this other lady asks if she can pet her b/c she always walks up to her with ears pinned in the pasture (Lacey is the dominate mare & she thinks your taking away "her" herd). Anyways she starts rubbing her muzzle and Lacey moves her lips to try and feel her and the other lady starts making her back up ( I was still behing Lacey and she almost pushed me into the wall) Lacey is also NOT supposed to be backed up for any reason. I told her to not back her up & se walked off and was po'd at me. Sorry to get off topic but that was my mini-vent for the day.

[littlebit]

Very good answers! I would like to add that a good boarder gives a thirty (30) day notice before they move their horse. My pet peeve is people who don't pay on time and you have to chase them down to get the board. But.....they still expect you to CARE for and FEED their horse regardless. Wonder where they think the money comes from that is used to buy the hay their horse eats!