Boarding rules???

[Fancy's Mom]

Ok i found a boarding stable which offers full board for 200 a month but if i supply grain its 175 month..they also have pasture board at 100 a month but DO NOT grain, if you want pasture board horses grained then its 150 a month.

I like to be in charge of feeding my own horse because that was always bonding time with us.She would eat and i would brush her BUT they DO NOT ALLOW boarders to feed there own horses...I dont really trust that because they DO NOT know the horse and its everyday actions..So when do the owners get to bond with the horse?I cant ride my horse because she is in foal and i am too(lol)

This person is young, maybe even my own age (25) and they only have one boarder and they keep saying they cant afford to feed there own horses when i ask for more info about the place...

IS that common to not allow boarders to feed there own horses..They said they used to but something bad happend and now they dont, so i have no idea...Sounds too weird for me!

[recklesshoundog]

I don't think it sounds weird at all. In a barn if the owner comes and feeds at the same time as I did, every day ever feeding...I guess it wouldn't bother me. But if the owner showed up before my horses feeding time, it would upset them and visa versa...your horse would be upset to be left out of feeding time if you were later.

It's the only way for the barn owner to know that a very important part of a horses care is being done. Not to say that you wouldn't do it but many horse owners start off with great gusto and then fade.

Can't you just find out when feeding time is and do your ritual then???

[Fancy's Mom]

I could but i like to be able to be the one to scoop the feed..Ive never boarded before, all my horses were at home with me...but divorce is harsh and i have no land.

[shayla]

FM-not to be negative here, but, you can't afford a car right now to get around in.

What's your backup plan if Fancy has issues foaling out? Does this boarding facility know she's pregnant? Are they okay with taking are of a pregnant mare? Would she be turned out with other horses, and would she be safe in that environment? I mean, herd dynamics when it all settles out can be rough and brutal.

Look, I love my horses, but I've also looked into my soul and realized if I can't afford the basic necessities for my life, they're gone.

Do you and your baby have medical and health insurance? Does your baby's father have life insurance? Do ~you~ have life insurance?

You're right, divorce IS harsh. And sometimes we have to go through painful sacrifices. I just wonder if you're doing the right thing by Fancy and yourself and your baby.

[Texas Paints N Arabs]

How close are you to Dreamer1, she is looking for a few boarders.

[Crookedblaze]

As hard as it is, I agree with Shayla. When my mom got divorced I had to stop taking lessons and leasing a horse because of the divorce, it was nasty. Mom ended up just taking my sister and I and our 15 year old Volvo, and that was it.

If you can't afford her and are comfortable with leasing, that is a good option. We leased Rocket for 2 years and never had a problem, we just screened a lot of people.

Best of luck. Hope that the times get better for you.

[Fancy's Mom]

Im fairly close to dreamer1 but it would still be a drive to see her

This one im looking at is 15 min away and yes they know she is in foal and said i can do the full board till she foals out and then i can pasture board but there not responsible if an animal kills the foal on the acres...I have the email

I have a credit card in case something happens to Fancy during foaling out..


here emaili never mentioned anything about doing barn work either)
We offer only 2 types of boarding at our facility. We have full board at $200 per month per horse which includes a designated stall, twice daily feedings of hay and grain, daily turnout and daily stall cleaning. If you choose full board but provide your own feed,you receive a $25 discount so the board feed is $175 her month per horse that you are providing feed for. You are responsible for providing the feed and we are responsible for feeding the horse.

Pasture board at $100 per month per horse is strictly pasture with hay provided in the winter months. If you would like your horse to be fed grain, there will be an additional fee of $50 per month per horse receiving grain. Once again, if you provide your own grain, you receive a $25 discount, so if you choose pasture board with grain and provide your own feed, the total monthly due would be $125. You provide the feed and we feed the horse.

I don't have any dry pasture lots and we no longer offer any kind off arrangement where the owner cares for their own horse. We used to, but we've already had one person to mess that up fer everyone and I'm not willing to risk the health of another animal on my property.

How soon is she due? You could always full board her until she foals and then switch them over to pasture board afterwards. Keep in mind though that they will be out in a 20 acre pasture across the creek by themselves unless we get another pasture boarder in. We will not be responsible if an animal gets a hold of the baby.

I understand you are in a tough position, but I'm not in a good financial position to do any better than the prices that I've listed above. I cannot exchange work for board. It's just not feasible for us at this time. I truly am sorry that your horse is not being cared for properly and I wish I could help, but this is the best I can do. If none of these options are something you can do, there are other barns in the area that might be able to more customize their board options for you. I really hate to turn down business because we really need it, but there's only so much I can and am willing to do.

Let me know if any of this works for you.

Thanks,
Rachel

[Mav2007]

You might find that not having to go feed your horse is really beneficial especially after having your baby. That's the point of boarding, you have someone else to do the work for you and in your case, that might be a good thing. There are lots of other ways to bond with your horse when you can't ride. Groundwork, grooming, bathing, just being with them while they graze, etc.

The email from the BO clearly states their policies. If you don't like any of them, then you should find a different place more suited to your needs.

[Fancy's Mom]

well i guess your right about that....im just so frusterated with how she is being treated now that i want to be there to see her....

[Mav2007]

Fancy, when you are checking out these places do you know what to look for in a boarding stable? Are you checking out the property, the fencing, the water tanks, the quality of the hay, the physical appearance of the other horses, etc. You don't want to move your horse into an even crappier situation. I think somewhere on horsetopia there's a list of questions you should ask any potential boarding stable. If not, there's lists all over the internet of pertinent questions.

[Fancy's Mom]

i havent been to the place..I know the property and barn because i knew the guy who used to own the place before these people bought it...But i dont know how it is with them..I know they have that white electric fence but i went by there one day and one of the horses had its foot through the fence..The lady is always saying stuff how she cant feed or care for her horses though that is why i want to be in charge of my own feeding because i dont want her "stealing" my horses feed to feed her own horses ...Im going through that right now as why i want my horse out of there along with her being mistreated too...

there is one other place but they have no prices on there boarding though..

[Mav2007]

Originally Posted by Fancy's Mom

i havent been to the place..I know the property and barn because i knew the guy who used to own the place before these people bought it...But i dont know how it is with them..I know they have that white electric fence but i went by there one day and one of the horses had its foot through the fence..The lady is always saying stuff how she cant feed or care for her horses though that is why i want to be in charge of my own feeding because i dont want her "stealing" my horses feed to feed her own horses ...Im going through that right now as why i want my horse out of there along with her being mistreated too...

there is one other place but they have no prices on there boarding though..

sounds like another problem waiting to happen. I'd keep looking around for boarding places.

[Fancy's Mom]

there is only 3 boarding places here...this one and one that i have no idea what the prices are..I got there number though and have been to there place but the woman is kinda of one of those cranky women.she is cranky all the time...

the other one i have no idea where it is..its in jackson.

[Seanachie]

Consider selling the horse.

I know it's not the answer you want but it's the course of action that makes the most sense.

[shayla]

I'm still going to agree with myself, Crookedblaze and Sean here.

Who's going to handle the foal when it's born? Train it, and all the other care a foal needs? And, you have a CC to pay for emergency vet care for Fancy, but...you'll pay the CC off...how? You also didn't say if you or the father have life insurance in case the worst happens so your child is provided for. It's time to put your baby first.

I hate to sound brutal, but as I'm currently facing doing a herd dispersal myself due to personal reasons, I KNOW how hard it is to let them go. I've got a 2 year old I've had since he was 4 months old in my possession, and I've owned him since he was, literally, a few weeks old. Tears me up to know I might not get to see him grown, nor get to swing a leg over him EVER.

But I also have to do what's right for him.

And you should do what's right for your animals too. Are you being fair to Fancy and her unborn foal by keeping them? What're your plans for the foal? Is it a keeper baby? Then you've got to pay for 2 horses. Double your board. And the time to get out to work the foal AND Fancy? There's only 24 hours in a day, and your baby's fixing to take up most of that time. As is your schooling.

Or, as has been suggested, if you just refuse to sell, you could try leasing, though who'll lease a pregnant mare elludes me. Perhaps a lease if they can keep the foal. I don't know. But it's a thought.

[knpaints]

I am REALLY shocked by some of the things people have said..when all she is asked is a simple" is this normal" question..
wow...

[cameo05]

I have a border. I prefer to feed his horses at the same times that mine are fed in the a.m. and p.m. The reasoning behind this, is so my fences do not get torn down, we or he are trying to ride ours/his and feeding the rest could cause serious complications and all that. There are a lot of thing to consider as to why a barn requires that they feed at specific times.

It has been mentioned about you selling your horse.. Ok if you do not want to go that route, what about leasing her out until you are in better shape not only financially but physically(mom to be). That is just another option. I hope everything works out for you. I really do. You deserve a break.

[SirenAlecto]

To answer your original question: this is pretty standard at a boarding facility.
However, the BO saying that she can't afford to feed her horses is not normal. It would scare me to keep my horse with her because how would she be able to afford any other upkeep? Like fixing broken fences, shots for her own horses, bedding, water bills, electric bills, HAY. I'd consider how serious this is and find a different facility.

[Drafty]

Yes that is normal. From a liability standpoint, as has been mentioned by other posters, it is not something that your ordinary boarding barn would be comfortable with. What if you did not feed your mare and a worried neighbor turned the BO in for neglect? Not saying that you would let your mare starve, but the BO does not know you and has their reputation, among other things, that they must protect.

As far as the e-mail that you posted from the BO, it sounded great and VERY reasonable! The rates she quoted are actually cheap for most areas. Nowhere did she say that she cannot afford to feed her own horses -- or did I miss something? All I saw was that she is not in a good financial position to do any better than the prices listed and cannot exchange work for board. That is a HUGE difference between not being able to feed her horses, and to me is totally understandable! We used to board and give lessons in exchange for work, but not anymore with gas prices and feed prices and all other prices skyrocketing, and yet we have no trouble taking care of our own animals.

Whatever you decide to do, good luck.

[Fancy's Mom]

yes its a keeper foal...I have decided to board her there..where she is now im being taken advantage of and my money is missing/feed missing and i talked to a boarder at this place and he is very pleased with them and how they treat the horses and they are knowledgable in gaited horses..


everything is working out..BF is paying for board and is getting a better paying job where he will make 600-800 a week.....Despite my current situation he is a great person to me and is trying his hardest to find a place for my horse and us...

Ive decided to start school in the spring after my baby is born..I got this covered...Thanks for your concerns but im doing alright nothing can be done with a snap of a finger, its all coming into play..ive been blessed the last week and half with things..