Awful Conditions

Wow. I just bought a property with a six stall barn and riding ring. You could tell that the people that owned it before took on way too many horses and were caring for them in conditions very similar to the pictures you posted. It's going to take me at least 15K to get the barn, arena, and pasture back into a liveable, safe, happy environment for the horses. There are nails sticking out everywhere with chunks of mane and tail caught in them, old manure everywhere, rickety boards and old fencing. It takes alot to manage a property, but people tend to think they can take a whole bunch of horses in and make a profit just because they have a barn and some acreage.

Do you rough board? The first barn I boarded at had a BO that could care less about the maintainance of the property and we had to do everything ourselves. So I would grab my hammer or buy an occasional new board and all of the boarders chipped in when the water pump broke. If you buy the shavings why the heck can't you keep your stall as you would like? But If you are on full board than I believe you would have a right to ask for a clean stall and a suitable turnout situation.

While I plan on taking on the venture of owning a small boarding facility myself, I have thought alot about the conditions I am responsible for providing for other people's horses too. It doesn't have to be a fancy la ti da place, but it should offer sanitary, safe conditions that a horse is noticeable happy in. I pass so many barns where the horses are standing in small paddocks filled with six inches of mud and manure, covered in flies and surrounded by broken boards and they look positively miserable. Yeah, they may get water and food, and technically you wouldn't be able to catergorize their conditions as "abuse" but it is - to me it's psychological abuse - something the SPCA doesn't really focus on.

I know that if I do take on the responsibility of becoming a BO - I would feel responsible for every scratch, rash or mishap that would happen to anyone's horse while on my property. And you bet if one of those horses were sick I would monitor it as if it was my own mare. The barn I board at now often tells me about scratches that I hadn't even noticed on my girl yet. They also give me updates on how whether Fri seems "off" today, if she's in season, or anything funny or cute she did for the week. I like these updates because it tells me they really care and are watching, which is really one of the most important things I pay them for.

Just be careful.

I feel you. We've dished out $3000 so far getting the new house ready for the horses. We've still got loads of work to do on it.

I am having the same problems with my boarder...i go almost every day and everyday I find a scrap or cut on my horse and it makes me cry every night because I can't find a place that I can afford enough to move him yet and the ones that I do find run out of space before I can get there...do you have any tips on how to find a better place or what to look for when looking at other places...i have gone and it has been 98 degree weather and there is no water in the pasture of like 10 horses which I pay for him to be in a stall and be truned out not in a pasture of a million horses.,.my horse was placed in one of those areas and another male horse chased my off and mine ran into a fence and had to get two layers of stiches and when the vet told me to put cerain types of stuff on there the lady wouldnt let me so I had to go behinnd her back and put it on anyways which was not easy and stressfull...and to this day she still puts him in the pasture with that horse...and I get scared that somethings going to happen but she doesnt listen to me...plz help me...and im glad that you got yours out!!!!

I would post ads where ever you can. That is how I found my house. I posted ads on craigslist and put several in several newspapers.

Im afraid to post ads on craigslist because that's where I found the boarder im with and I know she still post her own ads.. :/ .....its so stressful :(...sorry and I really appreciate everything!

Have a friend post ads for you.

Go to the feed store and look for signs on the bulletin board. That is how I found the best place I have ever boarded (it was the least expensive too).

Ask people. Ask you farrier when they are there. Call your vets office and see if they know any place. Do you work with anyone who has horses or rides?

Drive around and look.

Finding a new place to board might take some work but heck, it seems like it would be worth it.

It is very easy to create a second account with gmail, or yahoo, and use that address as your contact for craigslist.....

I had the same issue. I was afraid this boarder would kick me out before I found a new place. I used a very non-descript ad and a different craigslist account. I made sure that I had my horse's board paid in full so that if she did find out she couldn't kick my horses out.

BTW Things have been a little better. The stalls are being kept cleaner. She finally has the fence working. There are still a few things that disgust me though. I have definitely have learned how to not keep my horses.

I assume when you guys are saying boarder you really mean barn owner?

Yea, I meant BO.

I forgot to add that she got a new horse in for training. The horse reared up in the trailer and busted her head. The owner said she was fine to put some furazone on it. The mare had blood dripping down her face and won't let anyone touch her. Ugh