So I board my gelding at a large barn with 35 stalls. He is on indoor board, so out from about 8 AM to 4 PM and in his stall all night. The barn breeds, shows, and trains AQHAs, they have two studs, multiple broodmares, and show horses. There are also about 10 indoor boarders in including me. I love the barn, the people they have there for daily chores are knowledgable and efficient, and the barn manager and owner live on site. The barn manager is awesome, really approachable, nice, and knowledgable. However, as with all barns they have some things that they like to do their way.
My gelding, Xander, is bodyclipped so it's important, especially during our freezing and snowy Maine winter, for him to be blanketed. I have a stable blanket, turnout sheet, mid weight, and heavyweight. So I wanted him to wear the stable blanket inside at night and the appropriate weight turnout blanket for outside. A week ago, barn manager texts me and tells me that they are going to leave the stable blanket on 24/7 and just layer on the requisite weight turnout blanket/sheet. So I said well I would rather do it my way as I don't want the stable blanket getting all muddy and yucky as its a PITA to wash. She responds with "well it's easier for us to just put something in top instead of changing them, so we would like to do it that way. If you prefer not then we will charge you extra for the blanket change. I doubt it will get that dirty anyway." At this point I was getting sick (a nasty head cold) so i said whatever, as long as he's warm I don't care that much. Although I was frustrated that she was more interested in what was easiest for them, but whatever.
So a week later, today, I go out to ride after not being able to get out for a few days and Xander in his his stall with his stable blanket on. It's filthy, muddy all along the bottom and the back right butt from him rolling. Plus two leg straps are ripped off. So now I'm frustrated, I knew this was going to happen, stable blankets weren't really meant to be worn out in a big field all day.
So here's my problem: I'm aggravated that she wouldn't listen to me in the first place, that even though I pay 650 dollars a moth they won't do the blanket changes I ask for. At the same time though, I know that they have a lot of horses to look after and that its a lot if work to keep track of them all.
This is my first horse and first boarding barn so I'm not sure if I have grounds to be frustrated or not, I mean I'm sure she wasn't purposely doing anything, she is just trying to make everything move more smoothly. But now I'm not sure what to do, I'm going to have to buy a new stable blanket, and I only had it two weeks. If that continues to happen then I'm going to be borek by the end of winter.
So am I just being over reactive? Would you be frustrated? Should I just ask what she wants to charge for the extra blanket change?
*sigh* sorry for the novel/rant haha I'm just confused, first time horse owner over here.
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My gelding, Xander, is bodyclipped so it's important, especially during our freezing and snowy Maine winter, for him to be blanketed. I have a stable blanket, turnout sheet, mid weight, and heavyweight. So I wanted him to wear the stable blanket inside at night and the appropriate weight turnout blanket for outside. A week ago, barn manager texts me and tells me that they are going to leave the stable blanket on 24/7 and just layer on the requisite weight turnout blanket/sheet. So I said well I would rather do it my way as I don't want the stable blanket getting all muddy and yucky as its a PITA to wash. She responds with "well it's easier for us to just put something in top instead of changing them, so we would like to do it that way. If you prefer not then we will charge you extra for the blanket change. I doubt it will get that dirty anyway." At this point I was getting sick (a nasty head cold) so i said whatever, as long as he's warm I don't care that much. Although I was frustrated that she was more interested in what was easiest for them, but whatever.
So a week later, today, I go out to ride after not being able to get out for a few days and Xander in his his stall with his stable blanket on. It's filthy, muddy all along the bottom and the back right butt from him rolling. Plus two leg straps are ripped off. So now I'm frustrated, I knew this was going to happen, stable blankets weren't really meant to be worn out in a big field all day.
So here's my problem: I'm aggravated that she wouldn't listen to me in the first place, that even though I pay 650 dollars a moth they won't do the blanket changes I ask for. At the same time though, I know that they have a lot of horses to look after and that its a lot if work to keep track of them all.
This is my first horse and first boarding barn so I'm not sure if I have grounds to be frustrated or not, I mean I'm sure she wasn't purposely doing anything, she is just trying to make everything move more smoothly. But now I'm not sure what to do, I'm going to have to buy a new stable blanket, and I only had it two weeks. If that continues to happen then I'm going to be borek by the end of winter.
So am I just being over reactive? Would you be frustrated? Should I just ask what she wants to charge for the extra blanket change?
*sigh* sorry for the novel/rant haha I'm just confused, first time horse owner over here.
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