Barn owner input - crazy boarder

[Second_Star_To_The_R]

Honestly, get names of all the barns she’s boarded at and check references. Maybe she’s just socially awkward or nervous about having to move her horses.

Its not realistic to modify for fences for one boarder. If there is room for her to put up her own paddock, maybe let her.

Your prices are your prices. Lots of barns around me have multi horse deals or discounts if your horse can be used x number of hours in their lessons programs etc. Only you know if you can afford that.

I boarded at a crazy magnet net barn for five years. The barn owner was a true horse trader and went through two crazy wives during my time there.

There was a boarder with a horse severely injured there. Lawsuit went nowhere because of the unpredictable nature of horses. BO had a well worded, signed contract.

I understand needing money. I was a single mom with a dead beat ex that didn’t help out. Any job you have, where you deal with the public you have some that are easy and others that aren’t. I never had the luxury of deciding how much I would put up with because if there was no income, there was no mortgage payment, car payment or groceries.

If her references check out, write the contract for the exact length of time she needs only, she releases you from liability, you may terminate the contract at any time, she must give 30 days and have a zero balance before she can remove horses. Protect yourself legally and take her money. You can put up with anything for six months if you really need income.

[dressagegirl123]

No contract can keep someone from sueing you. It might help you win the lawsuit, but you will spend a fortune doing it. I’m not saying that this woman would sue you (you never know until it happens), but a contract is no protection.

[Second_Star_To_The_R]

@dressagegirl123

No contract can keep someone from sueing you. It might help you win the lawsuit, but you will spend a fortune doing it. I’m not saying that this woman would sue you (you never know until it happens), but a contract is no protection.

No it can’t prevent them from suing. But it can make intelligent attorneys turn down the case. In this particular case, they found an attorney, brought the suit, had publicly bashed the barn owner. His attorney made one phone call and explained the suit would be countered for attorney’s fees and damages from libel. The case was dropped and his atty didn’t even charge him for making the one phone call. No, that’s not going to happen in every case.

But here where I live it’s tough to sue over anything to do with a horse but lord knows people try. Someone else tried to sue him and that one made it to court. I actually had to testify in that one. Judge threw it out and saddled her with court costs. ANOTHER person tried to suit saying her horse was exposed to strangles at his barn. Inspectors came out and found nothing and that one ended up the way the first one did. And still another time, someone tried to sue him over a shared lease between her daughter and the BO daughter. That got tossed out and the woman got saddled with a gag order. …holy cow he was sued a lot. Told you the barn was a crazy magnet. 5 years there and I swear everyday was like that.

[merrygoround]

Invoke the waiting list, or if you have empty stalls, the training horses coming in next month.

And try to look sorry whilst invoking.

[Cameraine]

Don’t do it. I’m sure there are plenty of non-crazy people looking for a place to board. Don’t be swayed by money now that will cost you mentally later. I once boarded at a co-op barn that was perfectly lovely until one boarder moved in who was so crazy and horrific that half the barn opted to move out, including me.

[LockeMeadows]

Take $750 and minus the expenses these horses will cost you (our field boarders get hay during the winter and grain all year round if needed). At $250 horse - grain at $45 a month, minus hay at $70 a month = $105/month is what each horse will COST you to keep. $250-$105 = $145 is the profit you make off each horse. $145 x 3 horses comes to $435 a month profit TOTAL for you to deal with this woman. Unless your farm is about to go under, I would not even speak with this woman anymore.

I believe I may be dealing with her sister. A week ago, she shot me a text asking about grazzing muzzles. I had no idea who she was. Then, she sent me an email with more questions. Not a big deal. Then she called while I was holding horses for the farrier and when I asked if I could call her back, kept going on, and on, and on, and on, and on, and on, and on. At that moment, I had already said in my brain “no way”. We were having a show that weekend and she said she would stop by. Sure. No problem. It is a public event. The show got cancelled and she comes out anyway…and pins one of our boarders in the barn for an hour and a half. Apparently she knew the latest and greatest treatments on horses with metabolic issues. The one horse has been quite difficult to get to eat - to the point I spent most of Easter speaking with a Veterinarian across the country who is doing research on exactly the issues we are having with this horse. We finally came up with a program that is working for that horse (including regular routine blood work that is coming back better than it ever has). This women was condescending with someone that was just trying groom her horse when this crazy person showed up. I don’t care if she offered double what we charge for board. There is no way I’m letting someone like that through our barn doors. I wasn’t particularly nice in my follow-up e-mail with her, so I doubt she has any inclination to board with us to begin with. She also let it slip while we were talking on the phone that she has been through other barns in our area over the past few months. She keeps leaving because “no one wants to ride with her”. I almost told her why people don’t want to ride with her - she is crazy - but I didn’t think that would go over well. We are a small barn with low drama and I work very hard to keep it that way. One boarder can up-set your entire situation. Please think very carefully if you want to dread going out to the barn every single day.

[ladymcts]

Holy Schmoly, why is this thread even still alive? The original poster hasn’t been back for more than two weeks, and glancing over 4 pages worth of comments, I didn’t really see anyone saying “yes, Crazy is awesome!”

So let the thread die already …

Oh yeah, we’ve all dealt with crazy and we all want to vent, that’s why.

[FraggleRock]

LOL yes every time I see this thread bumped I keep checking back for some sort of crazy update and am disappointed!!

[KBC]

Ah the joy of keeping posting on a thread that you want to die…if you want it to die, stop giving it CPR…

[PeteyPie]

Hey you naysayers, just don’t read it! I am enjoying the stories and opinions, like LockeMeadows’ post. It’s fun to read. (I know it wasn’t fun to experience it, LockeMeadows, but your account was entertaining.)

I do wish the OP would revisit this thread and let us know if she heard any more crazy from the prospective boarder.

[LockeMeadows]

@PeteyPie

Hey you naysayers, just don’t read it! I am enjoying the stories and opinions, like LockeMeadows’ post. It’s fun to read. (I know it wasn’t fun to experience it, LockeMeadows, but your account was entertaining.)

What was truly entertaining was our boarder having a meltdown telling me this story, quite concerned I was going to let this crazy, pushy, opinionated women into our peaceful farm. I told her after the woman refused to get off the phone while I was working with the farrier, that there was no way she was going to park her horse (or herself) here. I honestly does not pay enough to deal with crazy. I’m in a bit different situation than the OP though. I don’t actually need the money. I’m doing it so I have some people to ride and enjoy my horses with. I have a few ads out right now and about 90% of the people that have contacted me so far do not move past the email interview stage. Yes, I am that picky.

[walktrot]

I think we are stuck. The woman I posted about in #50 apparently hasn’t bought any hay, and the farrier says she thinks she doesn’t want to do the chores anymore. So she remains. I guess we will have to deal with her constant complaining for the time being. Fortunately I ride in the morning and she comes after work. But I feel for my friends who do have to put up with her. It will be interesting to see how this ends.