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Boarder driving me nuts!

3K views 13 replies 9 participants last post by  starlinestables 
#1 ·
I wrote about this boarder a few weeks ago and she is again being ignorant!

Through this whole CANTER deal, I found out that my boarder paid $2500 + shipping for a emaciated 12 yo TB with bench knees, parrot mouth and pins in fetlock. She bought this horse sight unseen, how dumb is that? What is even more dumb is that she wants to sell this horse because "he's too much trouble" for $2500

My farrier trimmed up his horrible feet on the 11/18 and all the guys are due on the 30th. She said she would have to wait till next time (12 weeks!!!). Crappy TB feet going 12 weeks because she doesn't want to pay $30?

What am I going to do with this horse? This lady is nice and pays her board on time but I really want to give her an ear full on how if she can't afford to take proper care of her horse than she doesn't need to have horses.
 
#2 ·
tell her like it is. be nice but honest. Tell her you really suggest she get the feet done or it could end up costing her more. be honest too about the likelihood of recouping her money out of the horse. let her know the market is really bad and the horse was not really a $2500 horse to start with, at least then she will know what to expect. If she doesn't listen and refuses to get the horse's feet done I would seriously think about asking her to find a new place.

poor horse!
 
#3 ·
So how stubborn/teachable is this woman? Is she willing to follow advice? As lovemyponies said I would have a long serious discussion with her about the importance of proper footcare and sellability. They go together, no one wants a lame horse! Did she adopt the horse through CANTER? Can she return him back and say it wasn't a match? Lots of adoption programs will let you do that. Unfortunately the problem with being in the horse business is that you can't fix everyone. There are always going to be people who don't care for their horses properly and won't listen to anyone. At least she's paying her bills! We have some that don't...
 
#4 · (Edited)
I didn't think thur CANTER they could resell the horse??

Off of the approval application http://www.canterusa.org/illinois/approval.htm
A Lifetime Conditional Bill of Sale will be required to be signed. The horse may never race again. Follow up farm visits may be performed. Although you are allowed to sell, lease or transfer a CANTER Owned Horse, the Lifetime Conditional Bill of Sale is for the lifetime of the horse and new owners are bound by the conditions of this bill of sale. The Lifetime Conditional Bill of Sale requires, among other things, that CANTER be provided with a right of first refusal in the event of transfer of this horse and approval and notification in writing of the new owner.
 
#5 ·
Am I being to micromanaging? I think a horse should get done every 6-8 weeks. I've let one of my horses go 12 weeks but she has impeccable feet.. this is a TB with bad feet.

Should I require this in my contracts from now on or should I just go ahead and include trimming in my board (increasing the price of course)?
 
#6 ·
I don't know. I would not call the women dumb. She just sounds ignorant to me. I have a few friends that bought horses sight unseen before. I think it's a pretty risky thing to do but sometimes you get lucky. I have one friend that bought a warmblood for 8500. It turned out... OK, but she ended up selling it because it wasnt right for her. I have a friend that paid 4500 for a warmblood, it jumped on her and shattered her leg, but she actually still has it and it turned out to be a really nice horse. She's been offered 12k for it. But then I have another friend that bought one for 20k and I won't even discuss that one... bad bad bad.

As for the feet... I've known people that don't even use the farrier through the winter months. Is it adviseable? No, but did it hurt the horse to go 4 months... no... it was a full grown. I don't know what to tell you on this one. The lady made a mistake and bought something she can't handle, it happens. To skip a trimming, is the horse lame? I don't know...
 
#7 ·
I dont think that you should include it in the contract. I know your in a tough situation with this women and her horse. But some people dont trust other farriers with there horses. I know that i would never sign a contract that said i had to use there farrier. I rather have my own... But i do think that this women needs to be talked to. Hell....maybe tell her that you are going to get them trimmed and then add it to her next months worth of board. NO horse should be go without getting there feet done...
 
#8 ·
I think at this point I would have the Farrier explain the importance of proper hoof care to her and go from there

Honestly ... I would try to stay out of it ...

or SUGGEST having the farrier look at the hooves and go with what he says!!
 
#9 ·
Right, especially if this women is not real horse savvy. She may very well think that a trim is purely cosmetic. But to hear it from you, she may not listen, let her talk to an expert.....
 
#10 ·
I agree including it in the board probably won't work. I would explain to her the importance of timely trims. I do have to say this, the horse I have right now has not had a trim since June. Okay before you jump on me, I have had the farrier look at her feet every time he is out and he is at our barn every two weeks or so since we have 18 horses done in different rotations. I will start a new thread because I have some questions about that.

Anyway if the horse needs his feet done they should be done. Maybe you could include a clause in your board contract about proper vet and farrier care of horses being required. But really try to educate this lady she may just not really understand.... but if she doesn't listen do have the farrier speak to her.

good luck!
 
#11 ·
I guess it matters in your boarding contract...every barn I have boarded at or worked at we had a clause where farrier and annual vet exams were mandatory and were automatically charged to your board that month:?

As far as price I feel you. I have a friend that insists on selling a 17 hh Appaloosa that knows nothing...has a butt 6 inches higher than his withers...a nasty little rat tail...and still has his wolf teeth which need surgery...oh yeah he wants $3000! Yeah right. He'll have that horse forever:?:lol:
 
#12 ·
I guess I'd just see if your farrier could talk to her, try to get her to see why they have to be done every 6-8 weeks rather than 12...
 
#13 ·
She may not have adopted from CANTER itself. She may have bought from a trainer advertising on their web site. I have 4 horses and none of them ever get their feet trimmed by a farrier. My 33 year old used to when I first got her but has not had a trim in 17 years. My 2 older TB's did before I owned them. It dawned on me that I was just wasting my money and time. The farrier was not reliable and I did the trimming she should have done(she only took a little off) on a long hooved calf I bought whose hooves were so long she could not walk right. My 3 Thoroughbreds have not been getting any trimming. My yearling has never had a trim and she will be considered 2 on January 1st. A horse will wear their hooves down naturally if they get enough exercise and if they do not then a little rasping once a week should be all they will need. Farrier's have caused hoof and foot problems. If she exercises him enough he will not need a trim. I only knew 1 horse belonging to a neighbor that really needed a trim because her hooves had something wrong with them and turned up at the ends and she had foundered and had greenish black in her hooves. Wild mustangs never get their hooves trimmed and they stay 100% sound unless the BLM gets them and pens them up. Horses did fine before farriers existed and they still can if they get enough exercise and a good diet... What is wrong with the horses feet?
 
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