Okay this is a little bit of venting but I also want your opinion. We just opened up our 3 acre barn and pastures to two horses (owned by the same family) under a co op contract. They have two young/growing draft breeds. We told them before they moved their horses here that they would outgrow our property and they would have to move their horses. They agreed and still moved their horses to our farm. I have a 26 year old 15.3h QH. Both of them were smaller than my horse in October (when we started) and now they are either his height or way taller. Also my horse is underweight right now so I have adde molasses, corn oil, beet pulp, MSM, and a vitamin supplement to his senior feed. All I pre mix his feed and supplement in ziplock bags. I wrote specific instructions on our dry erase board on how much molasses, beet pulp, and corn oil into his feed and to put MSM in it at night. I also ask them to have one feeding ready to go, soaked with water, for the next person. So we don't have to wait for the mixture (lol) to soak due to the beet pulp. Twice they have forgotten (that I know of) to put water in it to soak. I confronted them the first time (the 2nd was this afternoon.) They were ****** when we went from feeding once a day to twice a day. They were feeding their young draft breeds 1 scoop once a day (now twice).
My Godfather (owns the property) and I are both tired of them and their horses (very pushy and follow your every move all the time). Also we have repeatedly told them to park on the driveway when the side of it is too muddy and they still park on the side of the driveway. I even put a cone there and still they do it. We warned them people get stuck and we don't appreciate the ruts. What would you do ? Posted via Mobile Device
I totally agree, but I think that I may document it in a written letter. You never know and you never want a "he said, she said" situation.
Memories of a conversation can easily fade or become distorted.
That is more than likely what we are going to do, but I still wanted someone else's opinion on the matter. We will probably give them 2 months to find a place since I'm sure finding a place for draft breeds is hard. / it just threw me over the top when they don't follow directions on feeding my horse. I even explained to them I need them to soak it bcuz it expands and that I don't want it to expand in his stomach. Posted via Mobile Device
first welcome to the forum I would ask them to leave I am a barn manager and the rule are there for all to enjoy the place and there horses . They have no regard for the place or how the place is set up to work as for the beet pulp soaking is need to soak up water other wise it will do it in the horse and course colic
I would write them a letter and hand it to them tomorrow, since today is March 1, and I would give 30 days notice to move. It's not your problem if they have trouble finding a new place, 60 days is too long and will not make them feel any urgency.
I would enumerate the reasons they are being asked to move, basically they broke their contract with you, and that would be that.
The next time they left a rut in my driveway or on the side, I would make them move their car and hand them a shovel to fill in the ruts.
As for them preparing your feed for your horse......eh, that's touchy. I would mix up enough beet pulp and put it to soak in the morning, so that there was enough for the night feeding and the next morning's feeding. That way all they would have to do is serve it up. Remember, if you want it done right, do it yourself.
I do not live there (15-30 mins away depending on time of day/rush hour). That is why I have to ask them to mix in the liquids and MSM. They want me to treat their horses as if they were my own when it comes to this stuff so I expect the same for my horse from them. They have asked me to soak one of their horses feed bcuz they believe he chokes on his food, so I do. Otherwise I would gladly do it myself all the time. Thank you all for your advice/opinions Posted via Mobile Device
I agree with Dreamcatcher in that it has to be in a written format rather than verbal. It may sound a bit heavy, but I would consider a registered letter as proof that they did receive it. Hopefully you will never need the documentation, but without it they could simply say that they never received it.
Keep your writing on a professional level and as purely a matter of business.
I also might use this experience to create a nice set of rules/requirements for the next individual to sign.
I agree with Dreamcatcher in that it has to be in a written format rather than verbal. It may sound a bit heavy, but I would consider a registered letter as proof that they did receive it. Hopefully you will never need the documentation, but without it they could simply say that they never received it.
Keep your writing on a professional level and as purely a matter of business.
I also might use this experience to create a nice set of rules/requirements for the next individual to sign.
This is tough as it seems to have started out a casual, verbal agreement. Unfortunately these things start this way but often end badly. I agree, do everything in writing when you ask them to leave but I think "a couple of months" will make them think you aren't serious. I'd write a formal letter and give them an exact date to move their horses and if you ever decided to do this in the future I'd suggest using a true boarding contract.
Here's a place for free equine contracts: Horse Legal Forms
You can download them and modify to your own needs. After you tell them to leave keep a very sharp eye on what's going on. They may resent being kicked out and damage thing or do something to your horse!
We have been using email for this kinda stuff that way there is a paper trail and we can say we sent it. Most of the time we get a reply back. Now we are probably going to email it to them and post it on their stalls (it's a 3 stall barn, so it's just me and them.) I will also click the " sender recipt button" and keep it professional. Believe it or not lol we have a laminated set of rules posted in the tack room and the barn isle lol. But it will be something to add to the rules. Always a learning experience. Posted via Mobile Device
In case anyone is wondering about an update, these boarders got their notices to leave (which I wrote professionally, basically stating their draft horses have outgrown our farm faster than we thought). They are being rude about everything. We have been getting round bales around the 1st of every month. We got 6 round bales (I bought 2, my Godfather, the owner of the property bought 2 extra) plus the 2 the boarders pay for (6 total). Thinking 3 would last one month and we would have 3 the next month. They went through 6 round bales in 1 month. It's been too muddy here to get a truck and trailer of round bales to our farm and the farmer we get it from said he's not selling any right now due to his farm being muddy. We told the boarders we would get some for this month as soon as the weather clears up. I get a text message from them "the horses need hay today. There is none left. What time is it coming?" There are enough scraps to last a few more days for the weather to clear up. I told them what I just stated about the farmer and weather. Then they got an attitude with me and my Godfather. They are costing us money (the two extra bales my Godfather bought). So he told them "I will give you your hay money back and your on your own about getting hay." The cost of round bales here was originally $40 when we started but went up to $50 feb 1st. So feb 1st I emailed them (so it would be in writing) that the price of hay went up $10 so the price of board is going up $10 and if they weren't okay with that they are more than welcome to move their horses anytime. They paid $175 per horse instead of $185 (what we had to raise it to). Posted via Mobile Device
We have been including the round bales in board and we originally told them we would get it around the 1st of every month give or take weather. They never had an issue with that until now. /We gave them 30 days from today. Our contract doesn't say we have to give them notice at all. Yes I'm about to lock everything except like grooming supplies in my trailer. Thank you, I will. Posted via Mobile Device
This is getting ridiculous. My Godfather just told me the boarders left the hose on when they fed the horses this evening. They know better than that. My Godfather put a lock on the hose and said he will be taking care of the water trough from now on. he suggested that he and I feed my horse because he doesn't think they will during their shifts anymore.
Take a breath, relax. I've left the hose on a few times at the barn on accident before. It's a pain but it happens, I wouldn't stress over that one - it will give you more of a headache then anything else.
That was the original plan but my horse started to seem depressed being alone with no horsey companions so my Godfather agreed to open the other two stalls to boarders. Posted via Mobile Device
Having owned and found boarding for two draft crosses I haven't had an issue finding a facility. The place we are at now was under the impression our horses ate MORE than your average horse... However, they in fact act LESS. She didn't have to grain or hay them during the summer and they were fat enough to be forced to muzzle them one day on and one off. They were on 3 acres of nice grass though.
So if pasture is good in the area, they should be able to debunk people hesitating to take on drafts.
Make on the subject though, I would follow what others have advised. Written notice that they have X amount of days to leave your facility. You've been more than generous with them and it is clear they don't appreciate what has been granted to them for a small favor in return. In the meantime, if you are willing to take new boarders, start listing again.
Lol too bad im not by you. Id do anything for pasture boarding that low! they should have been nice! Seriously, Im having major issues where im at but i don't **** out because of it! Whats with people? Hope they are gone soon!
My horse alone goes through 5 square bales per month during the winter. Last night their owner brought them a round bale and put it right next to the barn. My horse gets left in at night (i got him his own square bales.) I fed them in the morning and 1/4 of the round bale was already gone from just overnight. There is hardly any grass here due to cold, mud, rain, snow, etc lol. Posted via Mobile Device
We did use a boarding contract . It says they have to give us 30 days notice if they choose to move their horses but nothing about how much notice we have to give them to move their horses. The only thing we verbally agreed on was their horses would outgrow our property. Everything else was in writing. We gave them a formal notice/letter stating they have 30 days from March 5th to move their horses. That's when they got all angry Posted via Mobile Device
I have heard stories of precious boarders of other places taking anger out on a horse. That is really sad. / I have already locked all my saddles and most of my supplies in my horse trailer. Only one of the boarders (the 22 year old daughter) signed the contracts for both horses. It wasn't until a month ago that it clicked in our minds that one horse belongs to her mother. She has been paying board for one horse, her daughter the other. Her husband must have no idea about this bcuz when we gave them back their hay money (it was included in board) he was all confused as to why he had to get hay for what he thought was his daughter's horses. Posted via Mobile Device
Status
Not open for further replies.
You have insufficient privileges to reply here.
Related Threads
?
?
?
?
?
The Horse Forum
3.4M posts
92.6K members
Since 2006
A forum community dedicated to horse owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about breeding, grooming, reviews, health, behavior, housing, adopting, care, classifieds, and more!