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Barn manager

4K views 10 replies 5 participants last post by  Dumas'_Grrrl 
#1 ·
Well my barn owner was complaining about the girls who take lessons doing stupid stuff and not helping

(to show you what we mean by "stupid stuff"....they put a Belgian/App in the roundpen...one of the girls stayed in the middle while the other two girls stayed on the railing. The one girl in the middle would lunge the horse around and when he was close to them, the girls would run infront of him and go by the girl in the middle.......yes, we yelled at them, told them that they were NOT allowed to do that, or use the roundpen again...so hopefully that won't happen again)

Anyways...I was telling the barn owner that she should be a little more stricter in the way she was running things. To put what I said in a short sentence...I simply stated that "if they don't help, or if they fool around and take a chance of getting hurt...they can NOT ride a horse that day" IMHO if those girls aren't mature enough to realize how dangerous the things that they are doing are..then I personally don't think they are mature enough to even be around horses.

So anyways...the BO liked that idea...but since she is hardly there during the day, she had really no one to make sure everyone was behaving, no one was getting hurt, and that they weren't over working the horses. Since I usually am always going up to ride with them, the BO elected ME as BARN MANAGER :D :D :D :D

I'm soooo thrilled. It's a HUGE responsibility, but I think I can handle it.

Mainly my job is to make sure everyone is putting away their things that they use, clean up after themselves (and not leave it all to one person like they usually do), get off the horses and put them away (once they are cooled down of course) once they get tired, and to make sure no one does stupid things.

So...just thought I'd share...I'm happy about it, mainly because electing me barn manager means the BO trusts me :D
 
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#4 ·
I told my mom that and the first thing she asks was "does that mean she is going to lower your price for board?" haha silly parents (though I don't see why she cares...she's not paying for Sonny's board :lol: )

I'm excited...all the other girls who ride with me thought I'd make a great barn manager. I'm up at the barn 3-4 times a week...so I'll be able to moniter things fairly well. I'll get a notebook and each time I come I'll comment on how the stables was looking, what I did (what horse's I rode, what I organized, etc) and leave it someplace where the BO will know about and she can read and see what's been going on. I'll also have to get keys to the tackroom, and hay loft (the hay loft only because the BO is going in for surgery tomorrow and I'm going to go up 2 days to feed the horses and give them water...and I don't particually want to carry each bale of hay down to the lower barn....not too fun haha)

But anyways...I'm also going to sit down with the BO and get her input on new barn rules...sadly some of the kids (wait...no I lied...ONE of the girls) will ride one horse (her favorite) for hours on end...and won't get off and switch to another horse, even if her favorite horse is sweating and panting....so I'm going to try to get a stop to that...I'm going to see if I can put that horse on a 1-2 week vacation...to gain a tad more weight and build up some energy.
 
#7 ·
Well if you are happy in that position then congrats. I have been in the position a few times over the last recent years and realised that I am much happier being a normal boarder. Being part of staff really changes how people view you in a stable not matter the position. I much prefer doing my own thing and not having to worry about anything.

Make sure that this is what you want.
 
#8 ·
well I'll see how it goes...if I don't like it I can always tell that to the BO.

Really I'm the only boarder that uses the facilities...there's two boarders..me and another lady but that lady is hardly ever there...she only comes maybe once a week to check to make sure her horse is alive. She doesn't make any messes at all haha.

Mainly I'm there to make sure the girls who do lessons clean up after themselves. And don't do something foolish that could hurt or kill them or someone else (or one of the horse's).

The BO got really upset because the girls wouldn't clean the stalls, sweep the aisle...would do stupid stuff like running infront of horse's while they were being lunged...over working the horse's to wear they can hardly walk...putting back grooming supplies, tack, and bridles when they are done with it.

Mainly I'm just there to make sure everything is clean by the end of the day (well...the days that I am there...I told the BO I can't be up every day and she said that was fine), that all the waters are filled, none of the horse's are overworked if someone is riding them, and that no one/nothing gets hurt.

It's not like I'm handling money or anything like that. I'm also upset, like the BO, that the girls use stuff they aren't allowed to use...they've used my bit and bridle, used my poop fork (or whatever's the right name for it), and my MTG...I guess I don't particually mind if they use it...but it's the part where they misplace it or don't put it away that annoys me

Again, I'll see how it goes
 
#10 ·
The girls do what? :shock: If I found out one of them was working one of my horses to death, can you say, 'I don't care how much you pay me, get the heck off my property and never come back.'? If they do it once, they'll do it again when your back is turned or when you least expect it. I'd work their butts off and see how they feel about it. That is just plain horrible! I'd make it so they could only ride when their being supervised by a responsible adult. If it was me, I'd banish them until they learned some sense of responsibility (which in some people, may be never :roll: ). Come down hard a swift, cut this behavior off :twisted: . Someone will get hurt, either a horse or human because of their recklessness. If they don't want to take responsibility for their actions. Kick. Them. Out. Money isn't worth anything if you end up paying the price.
 
#11 ·
I'd get with the BO and post some rules for everyone to see. Especially about letting you or whoever else is in charge get that brat off the horse before she kills it!

Maybe just a photo wall of poo-flinger of the month. Make the poo fun and seem like an honor to have done the best job or maybe most consistantly clean stall... Rewards could be as simple as a big candy bar or cupcake.
 
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