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a BO's perspective please UPDATE!; You're not going to believe this!
Topic Started: Jan 15 2009, 08:45 AM (1,031 Views)
A Bleeding Heart
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We're on a bridge, Chaaaaaaaaarlie!
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My goodness - please help me shed some light!
So, through no fault of the BO's own, my new boarding barn has an outbreak of stangles. 4 horses have come down with it so far - the last case was Sunday and so the quarantine began. However, the BO and one of the boarders who is also a vet nurse decided to quarantine in the barn. The barn is also where allof the horses are fed twice a day and are supposed to be kept in the winter overnight. So, no horses are allowed in the barn so as to prevent more from getting sick.
So far, Beauty is showing no signs - yay! However, the BO feels that she has no way to feed the horses (in the field all together would be too dangerous) so she's throwing more hay, but if the boarders want their horses fed, they have to come out and feed.
This is royally messing up my work schedule because I have to get down there (40 min. Away from work) before the sun sets so I can get Beauty out of the field, throw her into the ring, fed her and take her temp.
I understand that the BO now has 4 sick horses to care for, but I feel like I'm not getting what I'm paying for. And my work schedule can't really accommodate going down there everyday to fed before 5PM! And this is so Beauty's getting fed at least once.
This is the last straw - once the final horse is cleared, I'm leaving. I'm so frustrated!
So, I guess my real question is, how do I politely yet firmly let the BO know that this is unacceptable and that my horse needs to be fed twice a day in the winter like it's stated in the boarding contract without coming across like a selfish witch?
I don't want my board discounted (not that that has even been offered) I need the convenience of full care board that I expected to get when I signed the contract!
Thanks guys!!
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TarynJ
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Guiding your way to Candy Mountain, since 1873.
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Yikes. That's a tough one.

I can see both sides of it; the BO is probably overwhelmed with the extra care, and doing "what they can". But your horse also needs to get fed. Is there any way the borders can get together and share the feeding duties? I know it's not what you're paying for, but sometimes things happen. This way the BO is supported, but your horse still gets fed.

:jingles: for everyone...
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Delia
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Tough situation, but it seems totally unacceptable for the horses out in the field to get no grain unless you can get out there. Particularly with this dreadfully cold weather, I would think that really would mess with their gut. Why can't whoever feeds and/or cleans the stalls feed each horse that's turned out in the field individually? I assume that their stall cleaning time is dramatically reduced since all but 4 horses are out in the field. So why can't they do as you are --take each horse out of the field individually and feed them one by one?
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jn4jenny
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Is the meadow on fire?
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If I'm reading this correctly, the best case scenario would be to find a way for the BO to feed all of the horses easily, quickly, without endangering the horses, and without bringing them in. Sounds like an occasion for feed bags to me.

For me, it would be worth the expense of purchasing the BO a full set of feed bags rather than having to run out and feed my own horse 2x daily. Or you could take up a collection from the other boarders to offset the cost--I know I'd gladly chip in $20 or $30, or for that matter $100, if it meant my horse would eat 2x daily instead of just getting more hay.
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FlashGordon
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Sounds like a big PITA. Heck it is not your fault the barn got strangles, and the BO refusing to feed and keep horses out of the barn is IMO a bit ridiculous.

In college I worked at a barn that had a strangles outbreak... we had 23 of the 50 horses come down with it. (Crazily enough, ALL had been vaccinated.) Honestly there is very little you can do to stop the spread ON a property. If they are gonna get it, they are gonna get it. Even with "quarantining" and bleach and lysol it is near impossible.

I'm not saying mix the strangles ponies up with the healthy ponies, sure there are precautions you can take.... but people need to realize that life still needs to go on for the healthy ponies too!

Hope you guys find a solution, running out 2x a day to feed has to be a challenge if you are working, etc.!
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A Bleeding Heart
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We're on a bridge, Chaaaaaaaaarlie!
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deleted - repeat of previous post
Edited by A Bleeding Heart, Jan 16 2009, 08:01 PM.
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A Bleeding Heart
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We're on a bridge, Chaaaaaaaaarlie!
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Thanks for the support and suggestions guys! I'm not even able to run out twice, just once after wor, which is killing me, knowing how cold it is! I wrote a very nice email that I'm going to send to her tonight after I feed. And I just ordered and overnighted a feed bag, so hopefully that will work for Beauty.
Flash, I totally agree with you! Once it's infected one horse, if they're gonna get, they're gonna get it. I've been around it too and you just gotta let it run its course. And all I have to say is if Beauty comes down with it, I refuse to keep her locked in a stall for a month which looks like is their solution right now. No way, no how!
Any boarding barn suggestions for the Chadds Ford/Philadelphia area by any chance!?
And no, Beauty wasn't the carrier and as long as she doesn't come down with it, she's not going to be able to spread it.
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2bayboys
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Not as bad as you think I am.
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It's the BO's responsibility to take care of ALL the horses, not just the unfortunate sick ones. If that means PITA arrangements have to be made to get the horses fed, so be it. And if the horses are stressed by living outside, going hungry, etc, doesn't that make them more likely to be susceptible to getting strangles in the first place?

:pissed: :pissed: :pissed:

Feed my horse, that's what I pay you to do!! If you need help, we'll all get together and come up with a plan, but my horse MUST BE FED.
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DairyQueen2049
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DRAGON BREATH. DRAGGIN' BUTT
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Umm, this is this barns business livelyhood. ITs a barter - I pay you to feed and care for my horse, YOU feed and care for horse. YOU have this in writing. It probably states clearly what you get for what you pay.


Were it my business ALL the regular care would happen, plus the sick horses care. Sick ones fed LAST and then an immediate scrub for me.

ALL items seperate - grain scoops, grain, bedding, etc.


No change to MY business but that.

I find it strange the BO would think there should be any change.

YOU pay for a service, S/HE agreed to be paid to provide service.
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vxf111
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Oh joy. Another barn in the greater Philadelphia area has strangles :(

I boarded at a place that had strangles sweep through and it did not cause a reduction in services. I think the barn manager is being ridiculous. Yes, it's probably way way more work. But them's the breaks in the boarding business. You pay for board and that includes certain ammenities, she doesn't get to decide not to provide some of them because certain horses have strangles.

When I was at the barn with strangles, they were obsessive compulsive about the buckets of bleach etc. and keeping sick horses separated-- but it didn't really matter. The strangles came through and all the young horses/non exposed horses got it and then finally, after a while, they all recovered (mine was, of course, the very LAST to recover. Lucky me). They were all vaccinated properly. Strangles is a b*tch. I feel for you.
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OpticalIllusion
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All the BO has to do is put feed pans on the ground far enough apart that they horses dont fight, and dump grain in every feeder. The horses will straighten themselves out. We have a pony 'herd' with one horse (dont ask) and we feed them all outside. Sure the first few times they act stupid figuring out the pecking order, but then they learn to just go where their supposed to. Very rarely will horses fight and not back down.
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Reynard Ridge
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Drivin' The Short Bus
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What an unfortunately situation.

I can easily imagine that the BO is so "overwhelmed" by it all that she fails to see that she needs to fulfill her boarding contract. :no:

Good luck explaining this to her as you try to leave gracefully.
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A Bleeding Heart
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We're on a bridge, Chaaaaaaaaarlie!
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Oh you guys! You're not going to believe this!! :censored: :shoot:

I don't know if its the couple of glasses of wine that I've had since I received this or what, but I had to share it with ya'll. I was really upset...now I'm just pis*ed! :argh: :censored:

This is the email I received to an email that I sent this morning confirming that Beauty would go back to her twice a day feeding and that there were no hard feelings. I believe that I was more then nice and I honestly don't know what to do about this twist of events. Before this I thought that I would move her after the strangles was cleared, but now I think I need to get her out now! The problem is...who the heck is going to take a horse who has been exposed to strangles, even if she doesn't have it (knock on wood).

I would like to clarify this with the fact that in the email that he/she was responding to, I was reconfirming that Beauty was going to be fed twice today (Friday) because in my original email I said I was going to be down, but then a work commitment got in the way and that I wouldn't be down....well....and this is what transpired....I think it came from her/his SO, but honestly, I don't know anymore. :argh: :argh:

"Hello, [BO] is going out of [his/her] mind trying to deal with the blow [he/she] has received from [his/her] family, and under the circumstances [he/she] is doing the absolute best [he/she] can in caring for all of the animals on the farm, [he/she] is doing [his/her] best to keep those that are NOT SICK from BECOMING SICK... YOUR HORSE WILL BE FED 2 Xs a DAY JUST AS [HE/SHE] TOLD YOU... [He/She] did not deserve any of this belive me THIS HAS RUINED [HIS/HER] & ME & OUR CHILDREN, [HE/SHE] FEELS LIKE A BIG PILE OF HORSE CRAP...Noone could possably understand what [he/she] is going thru, we have lost everything it's just not appairent yet, But it will be soon... "

Sweet peas!! What does the last line mean?! Are they going out of business....I am so frustrated...how soon can I move her and who the heck will take us in!?
Edited by A Bleeding Heart, Jan 16 2009, 08:06 PM.
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Fish Cheeks
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Wow, that sounds like a really odd situation and I can't even decide what to make of it.

I boarded at a barn that had a strangles outbreak. The infected horses were confined to their stalls and quarantined within the barn. Everyone was extra careful about disinfecting, but we did go about our regular turnout business, and horses that were usually in the barn continued to live there as usual. The outbreak came and went and in a barn of about 80-100 horses, it was contained well, with maybe only four getting sick.

Sounds like there may be some underlying issue that you're not privy to, but which may be a very big situation that they're dealing with right now.

I hope you are able to get a resolution and that your pony remains healthy! :luck:
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onthebit
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I'm sorry for all of the struggles that your BO is apparently having in addition to the strangles outbreak. However, as a BO myself my opinion is it doesn't really matter what in the world is happening it is her responsibility to fulfill the obligations stated in the board contract. If she can't do it herself then she needs to hire help and make sure ALL of the horses are cared for as they are supposed to be. I know I've had to make sure all was taken care of during illness, family emergencies, etc. It is simply part of the job that we signed up for as barn owners.

Feeding horses in a group in the field is easy, I do it twice a day everyday in multiple pastures. I even feed soaked feed, supplements, medications, etc. I use feedbags. This is really a no-brainer to me and I don't understand why anyone would find it so complicated. I totally agree that buckets in a field are both dangerous and innefective as they encourage food bolting, stealing, etc. The horses learn within one or two feedings with the feedbags that they can't steal and no one can steal from them and feeding time around here is quite peaceful.
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