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Raising board as punishment?

4K views 42 replies 16 participants last post by  beauforever23 
#1 ·
I have ran into a problem and I really hate it.

Today I went to the barn to feed my horse and the minute I pulled up to the barn and got out of my car my barn owner said he needed to talk to me. I said sure and went up to him, he told me that if I keep my horse in his stall anymore than he is in his stall now he has to raise the board. He has been in his stall for the past 2 days because of the lump he has and I have no idea where it came from so, I don't feel comfortable putting him out until I can have the vet come out. Although I put him out in the pasture during the day and bring him in at night but, he does have a run-in stall so he can go in and out as he pleases during the night and he said that he's raising the board.

I asked him why he is raising the board and he said if i want to leave my horse in than that's the consequences. So she's pretty much raising it for punishment. So while I get to pay 400$ for rough board everyone else at the barn gets to pay 200$ for their rough board but, than again I can point out like 2 other girls there that leave their horses in all week sometimes, yet he doesn't raise their board. I pay for my hay, grain, shavings, etc... I pay board on time, even sometimes I pay the board a week in advance so, I'm never late. I'm really quiet, never complaining, I clean my stall every morning and night and everyday. I am a really good boarder.

Not the biggest deal until, he started that he wanted the other 200 immediately. My board is due the 1st of month it's only the 29th and I told him nicely and calmly that since I did not know he was going to raise the board so if he would can he give me a few days to give him the money I would gladly give him the extra 200. He said he wanted it today and if I didn't have it to him that the altermatum was to leave and find another barn I could go to. I wasn't being mean but, I told him that I don't get paid till Thursday and that he was going to have to wait till than, like I said I did not know this was going to happen. I just paid my rent for my apartment today too so my money is pretty much gone till Thursday and his response was "than take your horse and get out, you have till the end of the month to find another place."

Honestly, was that even fair? I was given no notice that the board was being raised or that he was going to be like that and say get out. I found a place to go already though so that's not the problem. What would you guys have done? How would you go about the situation? Also, I gave him a deposit before I moved to the barn so, do I get that back?
 
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#2 ·
I could understand your BO asking for a little extra if being inside means your horse is going to be getting more hay (that is, if your BO even provides hay?). Otherwise, I have no clue what is going through his mind.

Frankly, I'd be glad to be finding a new place to go to.

Do you have a contract?
 
#3 ·
I don't own a horse yet, so I don't board, but in my eyes that's wrong. If your horse was in stall rest due to a possible injury or illness, then it should be allowed. It certainly is at my stables. What if it was a contagious illness and him forcing you to put your horse out to pasture got the other horses sick? Then he would be partly liable. As well as the fact that this is a business relationship. If other boarders are having the same exact board, then it is his job to stay professional about things and avoid them from getting personal, which is what it sounds like es doing by letting other girls keep their horses an not raising their board, but raising yours.
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#5 ·
Carleen: Nope, I do all the feedings and I buy all the hay so, it's not his hay that's he's using. Even when my horse was in the pasture for that week my BO put out a round bale and I paid for the round bale and, there is NO contract in place. I just had to sign a reliability release to ride on his property. Which is normal for all barns but, yeah i am leaving god forbid he raises the board again?

RidingTowardsGrace: That's what ****** me off he leaves the others boarders pay 200$ but, I would have to pay 400$ because, I am keeping my horse in for a possible health issue.

as for spastic_dove i really don't understand what you wrote can you rewrite that? pweaseee :)
 
#6 ·
They meant that your using a stall that could possibly be boarded to someone else for the same money, though i don't understand the reasoning to that, as he wouldn't be getting any more money than now, even if he kicks you out. I think they're saying that it wouldn't be a loss to him as he could fill the stall and make the same money as before.
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#7 ·
If you normally board outside, and suddenly need a stall you should have to pay for that stall.

He, in theory, could be charging someone else to use that stall so you should not get to use it for free.

It's what every boarding barn I have ever been at has done. Normally I will just pay a per day price if it's a few days.
 
#8 ·
i get what your saying now thanks, for clearing that up. although when i moved in he stated the 200$ a month paid for the stall, turnout, pasture if i want to use it but, he wouldn't provide hay, grain, shavings. I have to pay for that. So pretty much 200$ for stall, turnout, pasture. Than I pay 8$ a bale and I get half a ton and than I get 3 bags of grain and my grain is 12.50$ a bag and my shavings are 6$ a bag and I need 3 bags of shavings. So i'm paying a decent amnt of money. So i'm technically not using the stall for free.
 
#9 ·
But he's not making any money off of you using the stall. That's what I'm trying to say. It would be nice if he let you use it if it was open, but my point is that it's within his rights not to.

He does sound like the way he has gone about things though has been very unprofessional and I wouldn't be happy with that (ie: Demanding an extra 200 that same day).
 
#12 ·
That's the thing I never signed any contract. I just signed a release form to ride on the property but, I never signed a boarding contract. I'm going to give him a week notice, my horse won't be moved till next week because, that's the soonest my trailer guy can do it. He never even said if I was going to get it back if and when I left so, that's why I am trying to figure out if I'm entitled to that money when I leave.
 
#16 ·
Thanks :] Either way I seriously hope in the future my BO won't do this to other boarders. Although as far as I've heard from one other boarder that other people have left because they weren't happy with some things. I can only wonder why.
 
#17 ·
So you originally were paying for a stall, turnout and pasture, but because you are using the stall more often he is charging you more? Either way, he should have approached you about it and discussed it before immediately DOUBLING your board.

That isn't fair, but there isn't much you can do. Did you get a receipt for the deposit? Or for your weekly board? I'd get your horse out of there soon, he sounds spiteful and I wouldn't want him "impounding" your horse for excess fees, but don't pay him anymore if you can help it - he can take his losses out of your deposit.
 
#18 ·
I was originally paying for the in/out stall, turnout and pasture. The pasture is aside from the turnout but, since I had him in the stall for the past 2 days he decided to raise the board an extra 200. I was paying 200$ flat for the stall/turnout/pasture and he doesn't do supplements, blanketing if needed. I have to do everything but, that wasn't ever a problem with me.

I had him in the stall for the past 2 days because he has a lump and I don't know what it is and I just don't want to take the chance and possibly get the other horses sick but, when I put him in the pasture the other horses were in their turnouts.

I never got a receipt for the deposit, nor for my monthly board. My horse is being moved next week that's as soon as I can get my trailer guy out.
 
#19 ·
beau,

Are you doing your own mucking and providing bedding? If you were on pasture board previously, and 1.) are now using a stall 2.) therefore using more hay and more bedding and 3.) the BO is doing any of the work related to having him in the stall, yes, it's reasonable to the BO to charge you more while the horse is on stall rest.

Would have been nice if he handled it or addressed it in a more professional manner, but yes, it is reasonable for him to expect more money. Without more details on costs in your area, I don't know if $200. is reasonable or not.
 
#20 ·
Did you ask him before your horse came in?
I know every single yard around here charges by the night your horse spends in its only fair. Why should you get a free stable for however long your horse is injured and the perosn next door is paying double what you are for the same ammenities
 
#21 ·
guys shes already said she was paying 200 for a stable pasture and turnout...... and that she buys her own feed and does all the work. atleast thats what i have understood. no i dont think its fair that your bourd should have doubled! and less that he demanded it that same day! good luck in your new barn i hope they have a bit more manners than this guy...
 
#22 ·
I will start with, life is not fair. Which is what I tell everyone who asks "is this fair".

Maybe the barn owner does not want to deal with the liability risk of your horse that is one minute perfectly sane (that you are willing to sit in front of for photos) and then the next minute you need a $500/day trainer to fix how dangerous your horse is.



I personally see nothing wrong with a barn owner charging more for more stall use if the norm is less stall use for what the monies are for.

More stall time means more of lots of expenses. Wear on the barn. Manure pile management, etc.
 
#23 ·
I would have thought that any board raise would have to be made in writing at least 30 days in advance....but I guess some barn owners are more curteous than others.

But using the stall more is an extra charge...even if you provide everything. It seems like a lot, but if you were just going to use the stall for a few days, there could have been an agreement made for a per day charge.
 
#28 ·
I would have thought that any board raise would have to be made in writing at least 30 days in advance....but I guess some barn owners are more curteous than others.
Courteous - maybe. The OP states she doesn't have a contract. There fore no obligation on either side.

Sounds to me as though the BO wanted her out. Now.

We charge a 'stall rest' fee. $5 per day unless the horse is out at night. Worth so much more than the $5 in time, labor, shavings, etc. (we provide everything except the supplements)
 
#24 ·
I agree this is unfair since the barn owner told you that $200 INCLUDED use of a stall. And that he gave you no warning a all that the board would be raised.

But I have been in a slightly similar situation when I boarded two horses at a small farm. They were aware I was looking to sell my mare and had a couple people out to see her. Eventualy I brought one out who decided to buy her and the BO was furious that I wouldn't be paying the following moths board on her. Granted we sold her on the 12th of the month and I had paid the remainder of that month for her already. They threw a fit and said either I was boarding both horses or none. So I was force to have a friend who had her horse at our farm for the day to ride trailer my other horse back with her and stay there a month til I found a new place.
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#25 ·
"paying for a stall" usually means for whatever a normal turnout schedule is, for instance, out during the day and up at night. If that was what the BO was basing pricing on, and the horse owner now has the horse up 24/7, essentially on lay up, then the BO is perfectly entitled to charge more as his expense for hay, bedding and labor is going up.

Yes, it would have been better if that was in the schedule of fees somewhere, but undoubltably the BO was anticipating this.
 
#26 ·
Maura - the OP already said she pays for hay, bedding and does all the work herself. Although I do see your point, and AlwaysBehind made a good point as well about the wear of the barn, manure, etc.

At the end of the day it all comes down to the fact that you did not sign a boarding contract. Your BO could make huge changes and no one would really have a chance to dispute him.

Wherever you end up, make sure they have you sign a contract.
 
#27 ·
In my area if you want to use stall for the stall rest you'll have to pay extra per day (I believe in barn I take lessons in it's $10). Which makes sense since they feed the horse, clean, etc. When I used stall while boarding I never paid extra, BUT I used it for 2 weeks total in 1.5 years I kept my horses, I always cleaned it myself, and I did other work around the barn (for free of course). Frankly if you keep horse there for just several days I don't see why the BO raised your monthly payment. He/she could ask you to pay extra for those days, but not the whole month.
 
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