Horse boarding issues-How to handle?

Well since this is the first time I have ever had to board my horse I am figuring out I don't like it very much LOL..It's very hard for me to entrust in other people to make sure things are done properly! I have always been the one to do everything and I liked it because I know it was getting done!

Here is my dilemma! Me and another boarder (whos horses share the same lot) don't like the fact that our horses are only being fed hay twice a day and maybe 2 flakes at the most each feeding! And they are not turned out to pasture. The horses are in the paddock from like 4pm until the next morning with nothing to eat or do they just stand around and look bored and hungry! I have been out eveyr night to let her hand graze for about a half hr which is nothing I know but atleast its something..so anyways me and the other boarder are trying to figure a way to go about this. We would actually like to buy some extra hay for the two of us so we can give them hay whenever we are out there which is atleast 4-6 times a week.

Is this something that most BO are ok with? I'm not asking for the board to be dropped or them to do anything we will do it but I don't want the BO to feel like they aren't taking care of the horses because I think they do a pretty good job and all the horses look healthy..its more of a preferance thing for me...Any advice?

Not quite sure I understand so just trying to get a bit more info to be helpful :) Are you saying that they are in a paddock that has no grass and get 2 flakes of hay twice a day? Is there a pasture with grass that they could be in? At our barn the soil is super sandy and its really hard to keep any grass in the pastures unless there is a lot of rain, which thankfully we have this year. Even with a lot of rain they don't get much grass anyway, they eat it down too fast. Our barn feeds t&a twice day with the horses getting 1 1/2 to 2 flakes per feeding. They also get grain (how much depends on the horse) Yes most of our horses are not eating all day because of the lack of grass which I know is not ideal but they are all very well fed and happy. Many of the boarders come out and let their horses graze in the unfenced areas (which have grass since there is not constant grazing to eat it down)

I have boarded at this place for years and though it would be nice to have more grass the horses have always been well fed and cared for.

The hay we get is from up north and is pretty expensive and no way the horses would need more than 4 flakes a day of it. Plus it would cost a fortune to give them more.

I don't know if there is anything you can do, except pay extra for more hay.

If you are saying they are turned out during the day with pasture grass, can they just be turned out on the grass 24/7? Why are they in the paddock 4pm til morning? Is it because they alternate the horses? If so then I think that much time on grass and 4 flakes of hay a day are fine, but I understand its not what you are used to, but what you signed up for when you decided to board there.

Hope that helps, just not 100% of the situation from your description.

Sorry that it was a bit confusing! Hehe

No the horses do not get turned out in pasture. They have I think 4 or five grass fields that horses get turned out in but its not the boarders horses its their horses. They just started turning a few horses out on grass but only theirs. The rest of the horses are on dry lots with the regular feedings twice a day and hay.

My mare is used to having pasture/hay whenever she wanted and I just don't want any issues to come up from them not getting enough forage. I think she might be developing ulcers and I read that not getting enough forage can cause that.

Like I said all the horses are in good shape and don't look underweight except for a few older ones that are hard keepers. Classy is still a bit fat so I actually didn't want her turned out on grass but would like her to have more hay. They rotate the horses during the day there are 2 different horses in her lot while she is stall kept then after their evening feedings she gets put out until morning in a dry lot. I just don't want her to develop any behavioral issues from being so bored. I noticed her picking through poop the other evenign when I was there.

I guess I'm really just a paranoid owner/boarder. Its not easy for me to depend or rely on others to do things the way I would LOL

Wow. I have that exact same problem. The only difference is that my BO won't listen to anyone when we try to tell her that 4 flakes a day isn't enough. This winter, each horse is only going to get two flakes twice a day, which is insane. If a horse doesn't have pasture, he needs at least three quarters of a bale every day. So I'm going to be going out there seven days a week this winter to feed my horses myself. A few of the other boarders are mad about the situation, too.

The BO should be okay with you getting your own hay. You're not asking to lower the board or anything, so she shouldn't have a problem with that. After all, you have every right to feed your horse as much as you think he needs. No one can tell you not to feed your horse. :)

Sorry you are in the same situation! I agree once winter comes around they will need even more. Im not sure if they give more hay int he winter at my barn or not? Something I need to find out! Anyways, me and the other boarder will probably be brining the subject up to the BO to see what she says..like I said I don't want her to take it as an insult or anything but its just a personal preference I have :)

LOL I'm SO lost. We feed our horses very differently here. I wouldn't be very much help. But I DO know how it feels to go from a ranch you've worked at and managed to a ranch where someone else is in charge. I'm having second thoughts myself. But I trust the owner and I know her well so I guess I'll just have to get over it.

Bah, that angers me so much - horses are grazers, they have to have food in their tummy's all the time. They have to beable to graze - if they don't get to, then colic can occur and other gut, stomache issues as well...not forgetting weight loss.

When my guy was at the Fox Hunting/ Eventing Facility - they were all on dry lots as well, no pasture.....but the BM ensured that round bales were out there constantly for the horses to have continuous access too.

I would definitely stress your concern to the BO/BM and if they don't want to accomodate your wishes, then find somewhere else. Your horses health is important and this is unhealthy.

Forage is important for a horses health.

^^^^ Agreed

I don't know but our horses do very well with little grass, 4 flakes of hay a day of really good hay and premium feed, no big issues at all. But they have lots of room to roam, but the soil is just too sand for good grass growth w/o a ton of watering/fertilizer

Ours do okay but they are used to it.... JMO

and I agree! I would much rather pay some extra money out of my pocket and buy our own hay to give to them when WE wanted to! I'm not saying the BO don't take care of the horses but its not somethign they are that worried about! Yesterday when I talked to her she commented on the other boarder and how she wants her horse to have extra hay and how she thought it wasn't as healthy because it can cause more impaction???? I didnt say anything because I wasn't going to go around about it but I never heard of having too much hay and by to much she was refering to 3-4 flakes for the morning feeding. The hrose is big and young he is only 3 years old and probably 16.3hh so I don't see a problem at all feeding more hay especially with not getting any grass.

we have sandy soil to but I don't think its as bad as yours??? They ahve a couple nice grass fields that they started turning horses out on but ours aern't the ones being turned out??