30 day notice

[carman_liz]

@OverandOnward

Your BO is raising a ridiculous ruckus to get back at you for leaving.

I never get these kinds of conundrums. It is not a horse prison. You have more control than the BO, because you can move your horses when you are ready. Deal with the rest of it later.

What you really want out of this is avoiding a verbal confrontation with BO. That is about timing your leaving, planning it efficiently, as well as avoiding the BO and being matter-of-fact and distant when you can’t.

The board contracts were done separately, so they are separate, independent. As an example, you could have sold one horse and kept the other, without modifying the contract of the horse who stayed. The boarding and the monthly board payments happened concurrently, not consecutively. So the notice period is the same, concurrent, not consecutive. Hope that makes sense.

Not a lawyer, but have handled many business contracts in the course of doing business. This is a silly argument by the BO to cause trouble and maybe bully you into another month of board for both horses.

How exactly does this BO “stop” you from leaving? You don’t need the BO’s permission for any legal or other reason. They are your horses, put them in your trailer and go. If you manage this properly and the BO doesn’t know or anticipate the leaving moment, and especially if BO isn’t even there, then you. just. load. and. leave. Move it up a few days if you need to (or a week or two) to help you with the timing and avoid awkwardness.

As has been said on these boards many times, if you can manage it, just pay double-board for whatever period you can afford, so you can move the horses before the end date. Don’t notify the BO exactly when you are leaving to avoid an awkward and pointless confrontation.

The easiest for all parties is that you leave when the BO isn’t even there - easier for you, easier for the BO. Leaving early leaves the BO better off financially, because you paid for that month and aren’t using the feed. And the BO can go ahead and fill the stall (although this BO may not have many takers if the word is out).

Make sure that your actual leaving is a fast process. Quick load & go. Get as much of your personal stuff out early as you can, so that whatever is left is loaded fast when you take the horses. Start getting your odds & ends out now.

The legal aspects go with your state, as mentioned above, but keep in mind that anything legal begins with the BO and requires their time and money to initiate. The BO knows she/he has little chance of recovering much.

Do not make a bigger deal out of this than it is. You are moving your horses, do what you know is right (30 days notice per horse is a concurrent 30 days, not consecutive), don’t argue with the BO, just make a plan and move them.

Good luck on a smooth transition!

I had a word of mouth agreement at 16yrs old for my mare who I had bought when I was 7 yrs old, with the same man who trained me into 4ft jumpers at 10yrs old, beating adults, and helped my dad buy her for me before my dad passed away.

Cue 16yr old stupid teenager me, ya you can use her for lessons and I got free board for it. He ran her into the ground, her leg bowed up, he put her in a field because he could not use her, then the vet STILL charged me for the bill, when I did not even call the vet, nor was I apprised of the injury when it happened, I found out from other barn people! I wanted her out asap and at my friends moms place to rest and rehab. The rat bastard PUT HER IN A STALL, LOCK ON THE STALL DOOR, AND TOOK 16 YR OLD ME TO COURT FOR ABOUT 4MO BOARD OF $450/MO, even though he left her outdoors and bowed up for 2 or 3 months of it according to others at the barn that told me all this after I got her out of there, after paying a stupid amount of money with my less than one yr old son, (again yes, stupid 16yr old me) and getting stuck with the 350.00 vet bill that I had no say in calling and there was no real treatment or anything.

Saying all that to say, barn owners can be d!cks and do alot to keep a horse on their property. Looking back I prol shouldve cut the bolt on the lock and just left with her on foot and risked it, my friends moms was only a few miles down the road and they couldve met me w the trailer, ugh.

OP get your horses out!!! And take photos of them every time you are there to document god forbid one gets hurt or sick before you get them out of there!! All the best to you!

[S1969]

@carman_liz

The rat bastard PUT HER IN A STALL, LOCK ON THE STALL DOOR, AND TOOK 16 YR OLD ME TO COURT FOR ABOUT 4MO BOARD OF $450/MO, even though he left her outdoors and bowed up for 2 or 3 months of it according to others at the barn that told me all this after I got her out of there, after paying a stupid amount of money with my less than one yr old son, (again yes, stupid 16yr old me) and getting stuck with the 350.00 vet bill that I had no say in calling and there was no real treatment or anything.

How did an adult take a minor to court? And you got stuck with a bill despite no contract - you couldn’t have legally signed a contract anyway?

[carman_liz]

Good question, I think he technically took my mom to court since the original boarding contract, if there ever was one… was signed by my dad. Thinking about it…I moved her for a couple yrs after dad died!! So I dont think there ever was a contract again! My mom and I were in the court lobby and she said do you have a dollar Liz? I said ya…and handed it to her. She handed me a “bill of sale” for Katie ( my mare) and said “good, now this is your problem” and walked out.

I was 16, terrified of losing the horse and only thing I had left from dad, and knew nothing of laws or how that all worked. I just knew my horse was locked up and I needed to play nice to get her out and safe, so I paid every dime he wanted just to get her out of that farm. I would handle it much differently now. Mom always hated the horses and how much time dad n I spent out there around “those women”… so it was a messed up bitter situation to begin with. Anyways, so ya, that guy screwed me over royally and mom didnt help, and I was young and dumb and my only thought was get him paid and get Katie out n safe.

[Guilherme]

@S1969

How did an adult take a minor to court? And you got stuck with a bill despite no contract - you couldn’t have legally signed a contract anyway?

Depending on the jurisdiction, minors CAN make valid contracts. They will held to the same standard as an adult. In some places a consent of parent or guardian is required. Some places will contract with a minor but require an adult to co-sign. In most places the contract will remain viable until the minor takes a specific step to withdraw their participation in the contract. In short, a minor’s contract is voidable at the discretion of the minor; it is not void on it’s face.

G.

[Horsegirl98]

@trubandloki

To clarify one thing, people keep saying ‘leave a check and take your horses’. I believe the OP has already paid for May, when they gave notice. So leaving a check would be paying for June which is what the OP is trying not to do (reasonably).

OP, do you ever take your horses off property for any activities? If so you can use that front as a way to remove them, hopefully limiting the barn owner drama. You are just taking Dobbin and Sparkles out for a trail ride at the park - and then leave a note in the feed room for the feeders so they do not panic.

Sadly I do not because one is partially retired and not great loading plus I don’t have a truck or trailer and the other I literally just got the end of March whom is too crazy right now for any of those things so the BM would automatically know what’s up… I’ve thought about just parking the trailer at the campground that’s next to the farm and leading them back there to pack up but it’s all such a mess. the BM has since me posting this sent me an invoice to only pay for one horses board for June which is her cheap way out still trying to get the money even though I’ve done my duty and given the 30 days per horse yet she still thinks since I have 2 boarded horses even though they’re on separate contracts that I have to give 60 days notice as in (take both horses in 2 months) or (take one horse one month and the 2nd the month following) which is stupid…
I honestly don’t even have the extra money to spare either due to my unemployment not having been sent to me yet and I’ve been laid off for over a month on top of other bills i’ve had to pay along with board since the BM was refusing to help out or even let me work off the board by doing feed shifts so her and her family could stay home and not risk themselves… But she’s used to just getting the money from every boarder who’s also left that she’s gone after even with them following the rules and contract terms because they just don’t wanna deal with it and want out…

[BayBondGirl]

I don’t say this unkindly OP, but you have to make a choice. You either bite the bullet and submit to your BO’s demands, or you do what it takes to get your horses out. You’ve received some great advice and suggestions, so now you either find a way to get your horses out (walk them off property at the absolute one end of the spectrum which was anecdoted by another poster) or you pay your BO. “Reasons why” only go so far before they become excuses.

Make up your mind, follow through with it and you’ll find some modicum of peace either way just from having made a concrete decision.

[OverandOnward]

@BayBondGirl

I don’t say this unkindly OP, but you have to make a choice. You either bite the bullet and submit to your BO’s demands, or you do what it takes to get your horses out. You’ve received some great advice and suggestions, so now you either find a way to get your horses out (walk them off property at the absolute one end of the spectrum which was anecdoted by another poster) or you pay your BO. “Reasons why” only go so far before they become excuses.

Make up your mind, follow through with it and you’ll find some modicum of peace either way just from having made a concrete decision.

^^^ This.

[candyappy]

@Horsegirl98

So with what you’re saying I’d owe for both horses for the month of June? Because both Lawyers I’ve talked to have said “it’s 30 days per horse” I gave my notice that both (one name) and (one name) will be leaving on May 30th to be proper with the 30 days notice. And she came back saying I can leave whenever I pay board for both horses for June (or take one horse May 30th and the next June 30th) but until then she’s going to hold my other horse there till I pay. I do not have $710 extra dollars to pay for board that I legally don’t have to pay for so I’m not paying it. I was told to call the cops and move yet I can’t move till the 16th cause again money being an issue since I’ve been laid off and unemployment hasn’t kicked in.

She doesn’t understand her own contract ?? When you give 30 days notice ( you gave on May 1st) you are paying board for the next 30 days only. She has no power to keep you from taking any of your horses off property if you are current on your May board.

I would leaven the 16th with both horses and I hope you have receipts showing your board has been paid monthly through May.