Board v. Home Stabling

[Speed Racer]

Originally Posted by ponyboy    

The allergic reaction was caused by his rabies shot.

So how about not jumping to conclusions? If you knew all the other risks I've taken in my life, you wouldn't be saying that I live my life in fear, believe me.

You didn't say the allergic reaction was caused by his rabies shot. It would have taken very little to add that piece of information, but you didn't.

I could only extrapolate that your dog had an allergic reaction to something he ate or rolled in, and that's generally because people let their dogs run loose.

I don't know anything about you but your, "I would NEVER live alone and have horses!" post lead me to believe that you're a fearful person who never sees the glass as half full, only as half empty.

Responsibility to your animals does not mean you're tied to them with an unbreakable, permanent umbilicus. If you think the BO/BM never leaves or doesn't have a life outside of their clients' horses, you're sadly mistaken.

My horses and other animals are taken care of very well. Just because I'm not paying someone else to do it doesn't mean I'm not being responsible.

It also doesn't mean I'm a neglectful owner if I'm not there 24/7/365, watching over them and having heart palpitations every time they take a misstep.

They're animals, not delicate invalids who need to be bubble wrapped and monitored constantly.

[Snowkicker]

I very much enjoy having my three boys out my backdoor. Things I thought of to weigh upon your decision. The cost of board compared to cost of home care. It would cost more than the mortgage of my farm to board my three boys. It might not matter as much with one horse though. The cost of set up might be high too, depending on materials and if you have enough friends that can swing hammers, or have to hire someone. I feed three times a day, shovel poop for an hour, groom for an hour, then try to fit at least an hour of fun horse stuff like riding. If you ever want to sleep in again you might want to continue boarding. I have not slept in in years. I do love the feeding and yes even the shoveling. If you want to save more time for riding then boarding might be the way to go. If you want more overall horse time than you can't beat self care.

[ponyboy]

Originally Posted by Speed Racer    

I don't know anything about you but your, "I would NEVER live alone and have horses!" post lead me to believe that you're a fearful person who never sees the glass as half full, only as half empty.

I was going to join you in playing armchair psychologist but I decided I'm bigger than that. Suffice it to say that everybody's posts reveal things about them.

There's a big difference between your horse getting colic for some reason you can't control and getting it because of something you did (or didn't) do. The people who can't see that difference are the ones who buy horses and stick them in their backyard without knowing anything about them. Those people get heavily criticized around here, and I agree with that.

I've never owned a horse or worked at a barn. I bet you any money that if I posted I was going to buy my first horse and take care of it at home by myself people would tell me it's a bad idea. Might my opinion of living alone with horses be different if I had more experience? Maybe.

[maura]

I've never owned a horse or worked at a barn.

Then why on earth are you posting in a thread discussing the pros and cons of home stabling versus boarding?

[qtrhrsecrazy]

I am currently boarding, and hate it. I would much prefer to have mine out my back door again, but that won't be happening for a few more years now unfortunately.

@ponyboy - My mare had a mild bout of colic 2 weeks ago where I board (I board at a very nice place), and the BO totally missed it. I go check on my horse daily and was me that caught what was going on, so boarding does not mean that your horses are safer by any means.

Yes as SR has posted previously, there is alot of work that goes along with having your horses home with you... and I miss it. I'm 51, single, and am looking forward to the day I can stop boarding and bring my kids home... I've been boarding one year this month

[ponyboy]

Originally Posted by maura    

Then why on earth are you posting in a thread discussing the pros and cons of home stabling versus boarding?

This is the Internet. You don't have to have professional experience to participate. Besides the OP was looking for opinions, not facts. If she'd asked about what kind of hay feeder to buy or how high her feed bins should be off the ground, I wouldn't have commented.

[maura]

The OP was looking for informed opinions from people who had experience with both options, home care and boarding.

I may have an opinion about nuclear physics, but if I post it on a nuclear physics forum, I shouldn't expect it to be taken seriously by the actual nuclear physicists.

[.Delete.]

Originally Posted by ponyboy    

This is the Internet. You don't have to have professional experience to participate. Besides the OP was looking for opinions, not facts. If she'd asked about what kind of hay feeder to buy or how high her feed bins should be off the ground, I wouldn't have commented.

This is true but people who post on here are looking for experienced peoples' feedbacks. Not people who know nothing about horses and just have their own silly opinion about something they know nothing about. If you don't know what your talking about, don't speak. Or in this case "post"

[Speed Racer]

Originally Posted by ponyboy    

I was going to join you in playing armchair psychologist but I decided I'm bigger than that.

Apparently you're not, since you presumed to advise someone on something of which you have exactly zero experience.

Originally Posted by ponyboy    

I've never owned a horse or worked at a barn.

Then what, besides trolling for an argument, led you to this particular forum?

You don't have horses and have never worked at a barn, so what exactly are you doing on a horse BB?

I call troll, folks. Let's let this one trip-trap back under its bridge and ignore its bids for attention.

[ponyboy]

Originally Posted by .Delete.    

This is true but people who post on here are looking for experienced peoples' feedbacks.

Then why are they here? LOL. Everyone knows you can't trust everything you read on a message board. Unless you know them in real life, you have no proof the people here (or on any board) are what they say they are. Besides, when was the last time you read something here that was inaccurate? Yesterday, I'm guessing. That's also part of the nature of the Internet. It's inevitable.

I've read a lot of books on horses. It would be very easy for me to find a random picture of a horse on the Internet, say that it's mine and make up realistic stories about it. In fact I seem to remember a while back a teenager said one of her friends was doing just that on another board.

If you want to make sure you're getting an experienced opinion, you go to the web site of a professional organization .Or better yet read a book - you know, those things from before the 90's made of paper - or talk to a real live person whose history you know. But I'm sure you knew all that already.

Otherwise I agree, you should take everything you read here with a grain of salt... and realize you're going to get a lot of advice you think is out of left field. If you find what someone says to be suspicious, by all means ask what they're basing it on. If you'd asked me that I would have said "honestly nothing, it's just my opinion." I don't back down from an argument but I also don't lie.