Stuck between a rock and a hard place.

[Crookedblaze]

I am basically screwed.

I have tried everything that I can think of to try to save Mac. But I don't think that it is going to work out.

First, the boarder (and best friend of the house owners) complained to the owners of the house (we rent) that we were working Mac in our small grassy turnout/lounging pen. She complained and complained until the owners decided to ban any working of horses on the property. I cannot lounge or turnout my horses. If I turn them out to graze and they run, they have to be promptly removed (A rule the boarder strictly enforces.)

So I looked for a few weeks and found a roundpen to use. It is a 45 minute ride away, and i have to pony Mac there and back, but was a roundpen. My trainer and I checked the place out, but it is too far and not a very safe roundpen. The trainer asked if I could try to find another place.

I called the place where I used to board, but they said no one could use the roundpen if they are not boarders. There is a local riding club that has a rondpen, but it costs a fortune to become a member and the trainer had to pay a training fee and have 1 million dollar insurance.

I have looked at about 15 roundpens, most of them are too far away and the ones that are close are a 30' roundpen and a pasture with a round electric fence in it.

I think that this is becoming more trouble then it is worth. I love Mac to death and I really want to find something to work out, but I have looked at all of the paths that I could think of and nothing has worked out.

I could try to sell him unbroke and just take the damage (but then we'd have the room for a better horse for mom), put him in full training at the trainers place and pay board, or I could keep him and pray that I find someone that has an arena or roundpen to work in.

What else can I do?

[cameo05]

Oh goodness crookedblaze I am sorry that you are running into these problems. Sometimes it really is not fair at all and this is one of those cases. Maybe try to think out of the box a little. You sound like you really want to keep this horse. If at all possible try to keep him a little longer and find a place that has a roundpen. If that doesn't work, send him to that trainer if you can afford to until you find somewhere else to work with him. Let the selling of him be your last resort. I so hope that everything works out for you and Mac.

[tallyho]

I may be dense, but why can't you work horses at a place where they are turned out to graze? And running in the pasture is not allowed????

I don't get it. But I hope you can find a solution for Mac.

[redboy]

Crooked Blaze,
Have you talked to any local tack shops, feed stores, etc. to find out if someone would allow you to haul your horse onto, maybe, a private farm that had a roundpen, arena, whatever, for an hrly fee, and a signed waiver of liability??
Maybe if you could make some horsey friends in the area, you could benefit from their facilities. Or, maybe if the county, or city that you reside in has horse show grounds they might allow public use for a fee, or a yearly pass??
I guess otherwise you might have to negotiate with the/a trainer and see where Mac's training is going in 30 days, 45, or 60 days.
At least if you sold him, you could advertise that he's been started and has some training under his belt.
Wish I had a better answer for you,..., Good luck. Redboy

[DappleGrayMyWay]

Holy cow, are you kidding me?!?! You can't work your own horse at your own home?!? Honey, you need to find a new place for you ALL to live. A place where horses get to be horses and kick up their heels in the pasture, and where you can give them the attention and time they deserve to become the best versions of themselves.

Find a short term solution to keep Mac.

And then find a new place to live. Please.

[lbequ4002]

Your landlord seems ridiculous. I would move.

[BklynCwgrl]

What was the understanding when you moved there?

If I loved the horse the way you seem to, I'd pay to board him somewhere so I could keep him while I'm looking for a new home.

[breburtch]

You gotta be kidding me...you can't turn the horse out in there own pasture because they might run? and you can't work your own horse...thats just plain old down right no way in hell right...what does the landowner think horses don't move unless you make them?

I would search for new land to buy/lease asap that will let you and your horses live and work peacefully and tell the current ones to shove it up there you know whats.

Like seriously what nerve...You must be a better person then me cause I'd of bopped her/him one

[MorningGlory]

Hmm...can't work, play or let your horses be horses.....What does this boarder/landlords friend do with her horses?? Apparently, she thinks horses are large dogs....Sheesh....I feel so sorry for you I hope maybe you find a better living arrangement, who lets you use your property YOU ARE PAYING FOR....Good luck

[Raaslita]

Oh Wow that really sucks....I could not even imagine that....

And of course you cant tell the border to go pound sand because that would just cause more problems for you if they are good friends with the home owner....

I would try to find somewhere else to live... Obviously this is horse property, but did the owners have horses??? And if so what did they trun their horses out in???

Why do some people have to make life so complicated....So sorry that you are going through this...Mac is such an awesome looking horse I know you love him a lot..If I could be of any help, feel free to pm me.. I am not that far from you (1 1/2 - 2 hours)...

If you need some where to keep him for a little while, I might be able to help..OR if you need help moving I could come and help you pack......

[Crookedblaze]

Thanks so much Raasalita, you have no idea how much I appriciate that. And thank you everyone else for the advice and comfort.

The owners had horses here, but they never rode. The boarder has been friends with them for 20 years. We (stupidly) stated in our contract that we would keep the boarder.

I've talked to all of my horsey friends, they offered to use their roundpen but a lot of them live 10+ miles away. I've put up posters at tack shops and have had a lot of people offer to help, but no one around here has a roundpen. I live in a very suburban area, we are lucky to even have room for the horses.

We are thinking about moving, but we JUST moved in a little over 2 months ago, and have moved atleast once a year for the last 13 years. We are just burnt out. We are starting to look for a place, but this house is a kind of once in a lifetime shindig - we can have 5 horses and can afford to rent it because we have a boarder and a roomate. My mom is a single mom and my job is just to pay for the horses, and even then we barely scrape by.

I talked the the boarder about it and she seemed happy that we either had to move Mac to the trainers house, or sell him. We are currently trying to negotiate with the owners, but so far all of our offers have been dead ends.

[reiningfan]

Your situation is ridiculous. How is your contract stated as per use of the property? I understand that you are required to keep your boarder, but why all the extra rules? They sound like a bunch of fruitcakes.
I would get Mac some training before even attempting to sell him. A 6 yr old with no training to speak of, does not have alot of saleability.
I agree with putting ads up at local tack shops and such. You never know what you might find.

[Crookedblaze]

Reiningfan, all of the extra rules are the boarders rules...she is very manipulative and has the owners wrapped around her finger. They were friends for a long time and the boarder basically got complete control of the place. But, since we have issued our concerns with the owners, they are coming down to inspect the situation and try to work something out in person.

The boarder is getting a gigantic discount on board, though - $200 for one horse in a barn and the other in a 24 x 48, including scooping, turnout, a tack room, grain storage and refilling and PM feeding (to her credit, she feeds in the AM). If Mac goes in full training we will have to raise the board to afford this place.

[short_kid]

How long is your lease for on the property? Does it say any of the boarders rules in your lease? If not, I would push hard with the owners to change things. I would also raise her board to what is reasonable in your area. I understand trying to keep the peace but the boarder seems to want to see how far she can push your. And what is the point in renting property where you can have 5 horses if you can't train them, work them or even turn them out?

[dreamcleaner]

I'm a little confused. You rent a property that has room for horses. You have someone elses horse there as part of the agreement. The other horse owner does not want horses ridden, worked or put out in pasture? What does she do with her horse?

[short_kid]

If I remember right, the other horses are older horses. And are just pasture ornaments.

[Crookedblaze]

Yep, the 2 boarded horses are old, 25 and 28. One of them still gets ridden in pony club, off of the property.

In our lease agreement, there are just rules about the horses like no more then 6 horses, no more then one horse per stall, etc. They have since added clauses for the pasture and little grazing area.

[Carri]

Did you sign the added clauses? They are being completely ridiculous.

[pasopony]

If you already have a signed contract, they CANNOT add clauses until the end of your lease is up. Like not riding on the property. If that was not in the original contract, then anything after that is null and void UNLESS you signed it in. So just keep what you're doing. Do you know how much trouble it is to evict someone??? Especially since you are paying your rent on time, etc. It's purely hell to evict someone who isn't paying, much less you all. But, all that would give you would be until the end of the lease to find somewhere else to go. Also, if it doesn't say how much you can charge the boarder, then up her board. And make your own set of rules like what time the property is open to "boarders" and that you're closed completely on sundays, etc. You can make her life hard too. I guess I'm just a witchy-poo at heart, I wouldn't put up with it.

[Crookedblaze]

We didn't sign the clauses, we just mutually agreed. We discussed them on the phone and the house owners basically said here are the rules. We didn't protest because I'm not sure that we understand our renter rights. Mom just got a book about renter rights in California to see if we can find something in there that could change the situation. It was not signed on, but agreed that if we kept this boarder we would keep her board low because she cannot afford to pay more.

Hopefully when they come down, we can present our case in person and make them realize how unfair the situation is. And if it comes down to it, I am not above crying.