Barn Rules Over Time

[Walk_N_Gal88]

Was clearing out my email earlier and came across the rough draft of the barn rules that we had to put up for our previous Problem Boarders. Looking through them, I cannot believe we had to put such common sense and common courtesy stuff on there.

So I want to know what is the most common sense/courtesy rule you never thought you would have to actually put out there (or have seen at a barn)? What is the most ridiculous rule you have ever seen or posted?

Inquiring minds want to know (it’s me. I’m the inquiring mind lol)

I’ll go first- “Nobody is to be riding in the pastures with loose horses, especially bareback.”

[trubandloki]

I did not put this up, but it was brought up at a place I boarded once, very similar to yours - Do not turn your horse loose in the indoor while someone is riding.

[endlessclimb]

Do not borrow other people’s things without permission
If you open the gate, close it.
Don’t ride down the 8’ high aisle.

[Foxglove]

When I was involved in 4-H as a board member, we were asked to supervise open ring nights where parents and kids brought their horses to practice at the 4-H Fair Grounds. We had rules --one of which was “No lunging while others are riding in the ring,” --there were 3 rings and horses could be lunged, but not if someone was riding in the same ring. Others were: “keep language and conversation appropriate for children,” “Shirts must be worn,” “Long pants and shoes or boots with heels,” "No riding in halters (horses wearing only halters, but halter tops were a concern too). “Helmets required if you are a member of the 4-H Club (some kiddos were 20 before they hit their 10 year limit).” and “Only 4-H members and their families allowed to ride,” --kids and parents wanted to bring neighbors . . .
Oh, and no unloads before a 4-H leader or board member is present --probably the most ignored rule . . .

[findeight]

Do not ride into tack or feed room. Do not tie horses to light poles, pipes, plumbing fixtures or unsecured objects, feed carts or wheelbarrows.

Do not leave without putting horse back.

[Renn_aissance]

My mother and my friend’s mother couldn’t believe they had to say this one out loud, but apparently they did. In our defense, we were about six years old.

“Do not ride the pony bareback down the side of the road. Do not do this with a halter and lead shank instead of a bridle. Do not do this without a helmet. Do not do all of these things with three children on the pony’s back.”

[Christa_P]

@Renn_aissance

My mother and my friend’s mother couldn’t believe they had to say this one out loud, but apparently they did. In our defense, we were about six years old.

“Do not ride the pony bareback down the side of the road. Do not do this with a halter and lead shank instead of a bridle. Do not do this without a helmet. Do not do all of these things with three children on the pony’s back.”

[mmeqcenter]

“Do not tie a horse to the post that has the water line running up it.”

Because the two empty ties in the grooming area apparently weren’t sufficient, and a boarder brilliantly tied her lead line around the barn post that had the main water line from the house running up it. And her horse proceeded to (almost immediately) sit back, freak out, and bust the water line.

[endlessclimb]

Along with that:

Don’t tie your horse to fence boards.
Don’t tie your horse to round pen panels.
Don’t tie your horse to the gate.

[prunebey]

Not so much a rule, but we had to relocate & lock up our muck carts and rakes to keep a specific boarder from using them. She would frequently come in and re-clean her two stalls. Since they were already cleaned by staff; all she was doing was throwing away good bedding to get whatever tiny manure pieces she could manage to find. And that wasn’t the only issue we had with her… Honestly a relief when she left because we could finally put everything back where it was intended to be lol.

[pony_grandma]

local 4H club had a sign up

NO DOGS
NO ALCOHOL
NO BICYCLES

One lady said I don’t see any alcoholic dogs riding bicycles here.

[firecracker]

Hmm… I must have been exceptionally feral as a youngster because I have done a few things listed here, back in the day when I was younger and dumber.

@Walk_N_Gal88

Nobody is to be riding in the pastures with loose horses, especially bareback.

Did this. I have boarded in situations where the horses were turned out in very large pastures, and if the herd was super far from the barn, I’d just hop on my mare bareback and ride her in with a halter. Much easier than walking out AND walking back.

@Renn_aissance

Do not ride the pony bareback down the side of the road. Do not do this with a halter and lead shank instead of a bridle. Do not do this without a helmet. Do not do all of these things with three children on the pony’s back.

Did all of this too wayyy back in the day when I was a young teenager and didn’t know better. Exception would be putting three people on one horse… although we did ride double sometimes with two people on one horse.

Not entirely sure how I survived to adulthood.

[LilDunFilly]

I’ve been at barns where people lunge in the same ring as riders. Not “SpicyRedHeadHeathen has to get all the demons out before his jump lesson on a windy day” type lunging though. The rings were large so this wasn’t an issue.

Yet we did have someone try to ground drive their horse while people were riding (not a driving barn at all). It was during a jump lesson in a tiny arena. We were all left scratching our heads about that one.

[avjudge]

@firecracker

@Walk_N_Gal88

Nobody is to be riding in the pastures with loose horses, especially bareback.

Did this. I have boarded in situations where the horses were turned out in very large pastures, and if the herd was super far from the barn, I’d just hop on my mare bareback and ride her in with a halter.

We learned this one the hard way. The first time my horse broke my mother’s leg was when my mother rode her horse into the pasture and my horse (boss mare) kicked her.

She may have been kicking my mother’s horse, or it might just have been because Mom was above her, because my horse also kicked at me once when I climbed over a board fence, when I was at the top and therefore “too tall.” (My memory is she hit the fence, but she might have just kicked in the general direction. This was about 45 years ago.)

[Displaced_Yankee]

I was at one barn where it had the standard “Clean up after your horse in grooming areas” “Make sure all tack room/bathroom doors are pulled shut” “Leave gates as you found them” “Don’t leave water running” etc.

Then, at the last rule “Never ever lunge [horse name redacted]”

Apparently [horse name redacted] was a douche on the lunge line and would bolt and drag the lunger. He was a saint in the round pen however, so I would use that to help excercise him for his owner. He was a former driving horse…so I wonder if that played a part…

[Walk_N_Gal88]

We had to put #1 on our list after bridles went missing. Still can’t find them btw

[Walk_N_Gal88]

@findeight

Do not ride into tack or feed room.

Y’all actually had to specify that?!?! OMG I’d have gotten my hide tanned

[Walk_N_Gal88]

@firecracker

Hmm… I must have been exceptionally feral as a youngster because I have done a few things listed here, back in the day when I was younger and dumber.

@Walk_N_Gal88

Nobody is to be riding in the pastures with loose horses, especially bareback.

Did this. I have boarded in situations where the horses were turned out in very large pastures, and if the herd was super far from the barn, I’d just hop on my mare bareback and ride her in with a halter. Much easier than walking out AND walking back.

Had the rider in question 1-been more experienced, 2- been willing to listen on how to do it safely, AND 3- not been on a cryptochord “gelding” that already had gone after the other horses in that and adjoining pastures I wouldn’t have cared. Heck, we ride in the pastures with loose horses ourselves but we all had been riding literally all our lives. We also know our horses very well and can avoid most shenanigans.

[RedHorses]

@Walk_N_Gal88

I’ll go first- “Nobody is to be riding in the pastures with loose horses, especially bareback.”

How are you supposed to find the missing shoe, fly mask or halter? You see a lot more from horseback.

Though yes, I suppose the person doing it needs to be aware that they shouldn’t be getting into close quarters with the loose horses.

[KayGee]

That happened to me! I was on my 3 year old who I had 40ish rides on at the time. A couple (said they were experienced, proved they were not) brought in their horses and promptly took the leads off saying, ‘Don’t worry KayGee! They were liberty trained by Very Famous NH Trainer!’ Horses promptly took off, and I calmly halted and dismounted. Young horse didn’t bat an eye, and we were none the worse for wear.

Those horses had been in training with Very Famous NH Trainer who lived in a different state. Owners just shipped them out and back without getting trained themselves. It was…an interesting time period.