If disagreeing with you is antagonistic in your mind, thereās nothing anyone can do about that.
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Yes.
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I donāt think any of us who have advised OP to let dentist know they are not a collection agency also advised OP to keep the boarder.
Continuing to do business with the boarder would be a hard no from me. Theyāve shown their colours. It will happen again despite any number of precautions put into place by the OP.
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In reading the posts and the updates, I feel like this is a bit of a sticky wicket.
1- barn owner does not have in contract that she will pay for any services and bill horse owner
2- while the appointment was arranged by barn owner, it seems clear she told horse owner she was not paying an horse owner should find out cost prior to services if she is concerned
3- Barn owner does not seem in habit of paying for services (as evidenced by acknowledging horse owner leaves money for farrier) and presumably (evidenced by dentistās office calling saying they are having trouble getting payment from horse owner) is not expected to pay.
4- Dentist, like any professional, should have received at least verbal confirmation of willingness to pay from customer (horse owner), especially if it is well above the usual cost. (In car repair, if cost will be more than 10% of estimated, is it my experience that shop will call customer with new quote and either get all or partial payment at that time or at least verbal acknowledgement they will pay).
I think, as others mentioned, there were a number of assumptions and miscommunications but at the end of the day, I am not sure why barn owner is even involved as it seems clear it is not regular practice to pay for services and back bill, which means barn owner also cannot authorize services. Legally speaking, in my non-lawyer opinion, horse owner could claim they did not authorize services.
There are situations where a barn owner/manager would pay and back bill horse owner but all the ones I can think of revolve around horses being in full training of some sort. Whether that is full show or full race training. A friend ran a rehab facility for race horses and she billed by the day different rates depending on purpose of visit (vacation, minor injury, post-surgery, etc). She also itemized and billed for vet visits, medications paid, and any other necessary services, such as shipment to from race training track or vet hospital.
In other scenarios, the barn owner may schedule a āgroupā appointment but each individual is required to pay for their services. That means the service provider contacts the owner directly and deals with the owner directly regarding bills.
Where I come from it is a bit of bad form for a service provider to try to elicit assistance from the barn owner in these kinds of situations. I had a farrier complaining to me about the barn owner not paying for farrier services - not my problem and donāt like that kind of gossip from my professionals.
I had spring shots done on my horse at the same time as my friend had her vet out to do shots. She gave me the information and I reached out to the vet. My friend (property owner) is not involved after that.
Now, this situation may be different depending on the relationship between barn owner and service provider as well as how the conversation went, but I am not sure.
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OP aka Merlin seems not to be responding. Maybe they have the answer/suggestions they need.
Regardless, I find this to be an informative discussion with a lot to think about for board barn managers, and for boarders. Iām on the boarder side, myself.
I think the discussion about the relative relationship between the three parties - the service provider, the barn manager, and the owner/boarder - presents several valid alternative views, depending on the different standard operating practices of board barns. Who maintain different types of relationships with different types of clients and service providers.
The next question being discussed is: Where should it go from here. What does OP / Barn Manager do now. IMO several alternative suggestions presented in this thread also take into account the different operating practices, and differing relationships with service providers, that go with those different practices.
There is no one way to run a board barn. There are different practices for maintaining service relationships with providers. And barn managers take different positions in relation to their boarders, depending on the nature and extent of their boarding services.
And I think that we also realize that, almost lost in all of this, but at the center of it, is: The Horse. The 20 yo mare who has an owner who may or may not be able to meet her needs, going forward. Both from a knowledge standpoint , and financially. ($300 worth of dentistry makes me think it hasnāt been done on schedule for some time. If that is more than a usual charge in that area.)
This is the great struggle that we all have with a living animal in the mix. No one can take on responsibility for other peopleās horses, just because the owner is not up to the demands, financially and otherwise. But still the horse slides through the cracks.
I think that must be the hardest part of barn management and management decisions. One must decide based on business necessities. The barn wonāt last, otherwise.
This mare did get what was likely much-needed work done on her teeth. And now the owner needs to make good on that, on behalf of her mare. I hope for the best for the mare as this saga moves toward some conclusion, quite possibly in a new board barn.
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I will clarify my post. Iām not bothered that the vet asked the BO what was up with the Horse Owner (HO). If the HO was in jail, trapped under something heavy, or otherwise unavailable, that would be something the BO might know, and could share with the vet. Shrug.
As a BO, I donāt want a nonpaying HO like this one in my life. Assuming the HO would follow through and make the call and learn the possible costs of said dental was an unfortunate bobble - heck as soon as that sort of thing gets questioned itās a flag that this person has no idea about horses and expenses, not really, ya know what Iām saying? Itās unfortunate that she didnāt tell the HO to make that call and that the horse wouldnāt be added to the schedule until the HO asked for that to happen.
Do I think the BO should write a $300 check? No. But the BO should have a frank convo with HO about what sheās going to do to resolve the situation, ASAP. And another convo with vet about the efforts sheās made on their behalf, and THEN step back and get out of the middle. And yes Iād get that HO out of my barn post haste.
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Regardless of who is responsible for what - the owner canāt afford maintenance care for the horse, isnāt communicating and is absent. The older horse (any horse) will have issues at some point in time. The lack of payment means #1 that BO should evict. This wonāt be a one time occurrence. A written note to this concern and include progressing with small claims court. A judgment will show up on credit reports.
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Current situation is that I spoke to the Vet/dentist and his wife who keeps the books. The wife had been away for several weeks and when she returned, she realized there was no payment by the HO, they contacted me and we agreed that they would try one last time to contact her by text and, this time, by email. They have received no reply in 5 days.
So I will check with HO and ask her if she is coming out this weekend so I can talk to her face to face. Maybe the warmer weather will encourage her to come out to see her horse. I will tell her she has to pay the vet/dentist immediately or I will give her 30 days notice that she must leave. The boarding contract that she signed says she is responsible for paying for the vet and farrier. She is also ruining the relationship I have had with the vet and his wife. They have always been very nice.
Not sure what to do if she doesnāt come out other than email, call and text her.
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I think that then it will be time for the vet to go to next steps.
As unfortunate as this situation continues to be, youāve done what you can.
Especially telling HO that she pays in full, or leaves your barn. That takes you out of the situation of having her string out partial payments, but never paying the total bill, or not for a long time. Thatās a tactic by some people to keep the benefits while defusing the pressure to pay up what they owe.
Her continuing lack of responsiveness is not a good sign, imo. If she were just having financial difficulties, and not trying to get out of paying altogether, I think her responses would have been different. She would offer the monthly payments, or get the money from elsewhere, to repair her relationships with the vet and with you.
Sounds like you also are ready to go to next steps. For now, thatās all you can do.
Be ready with a fallback plan if she tries to pay a partial amount to get everyone off her back. And then ā later ā doesnāt come forward to pay the rest. Whatever plan seems best to you.
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Some BOs have an arrangement with their regular service providers that the BO will cover a nopay client so said provider will get paid and keep servicing BOs clients which, these days, is an issue. It is not āout thereā for assuming BO should be involved at all, many are these days. How they deal with delinquent boarder varies but provider gets paid and BOs reputation for financially responsible boarders stays intact.
In other barns, boarders are required to set up billing with the service providers before any service is provided.
And some barns handle everything and add it to the board bill, hopefully providing and itemized accounting of all extras. Been in all those, always clearly spelled out in the boarding contract that was reviewed and signed by both parties every December.
Also been in barns with slip shod practices and without a doubt, those barns had more trouble with just about everything, the sloppy management was but the tip of the iceberg. Never stayed long in them. Never recommended them to anybody either so OP here needs to protect the barns reputation.
In this case, IMO, there was miscommunication on all sides, not sure there was clear understanding on boarders part that she was authorizing any and all treatments and the dentist assumed the owner had authorized any and all treatment despite never speaking with the owner. They are equally at fault.
BO is stuck in the middle but it is a lesson in protecting the business from a repeat by clearly covering boarder responsibility for service providers in the contract and reviewing it with all the boarders, be it 2 or 20, annually.
Up to OP how to handle this. People who owe money tend to disappear and the fact she is ghosting BO suggests that a 30 day notice to vacate via certified mail is in order, IMO. In my experience these situations never, ever get better. Stop it before it gets deeper.
Far as OP paying the provider? Few questions
Do you like the provider?
Are they reliable?
Do they do good work?
Can you replace them easily with another of similar quality and reliability?
OPs choice but would definitely redo that contract so this does not happen again.
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Send her a certified letter with signature required and proof of delivery so you can prove you gave her 30 days notice to leave.
Grey
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I agree with @Grey623 OP. Going forward, I would add some language in your contract about care standards and also make it the boarders responsibility to schedule appointments.
When I was a boarder my BOs let me know that they were going to do shots or dental or whatever, but it was my responsibility to call the vet or dentist or whoever and schedule for that day. Iām also the person that doesnāt want my BO scheduling things for my horse.
Take yourself out of the mix.
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OP, I know few like to spend time with āoffice workā but look how much extra work and worry this is causing. It is the down side of boarding but it must be done to avoid a repeat of such āmisunderstandingsā.
What happens if this borders old mare colics? Does she have a billing account with the vet? Do you have a release specifically, if she cannot be reached, authorizing emergency treatment ādeemed in the best interest off he horseā? Better think about that one. This could be worse then just the dentist bill.
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This is what I would do. Perhaps also send a text that the certified letter was in the mail, since you hadnāt been able to contact her.
Before sending this though I would text and email AND call/leave a voicemail with the same script informing the owner that they have an outstanding bill that needs to be paid in full before X date or they will be given notice to vacate.
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Send her a certified letter return receipt requested and give a copy to the vet.
And then after the days notice give her notice to move. Sheās not worth the hassle and this will happen again, and eventually youāll get a horse dumped on you
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I have that included in my boarding contract that I can authorize emergency vet care up to and including euth in the owners absence. I had to use it once and was grateful I had included it in order to relieve the horses suffering.
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I would just advise the part about the bill and not the notice to vacate just yet. Then once itās paid give her notice to vacate. Either way get rid of her
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I donāt think she is just going to suddenly pay him. I think I am giving her notice because she violated the boarding contract by not paying him. I will explain to her that because of her behavior, I may lose this very nice vet/dentist that I have used for close to 10 years. This lady is in her 50ās and she should know better. Something is off with her.
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I hate to say it, but if push comes to shove and the boarder does not pay the bill, it might be worth paying it yourself just to be able to keep the very nice vet/dentist. A good vet can be hard to find. Ditto for a good dentist.
(But still kick out the boarder, who is displaying all sorts of very obvious red flags.)
Either way, it sounds like it would be a good time to take a close look at your boarding contract and your communication/scheduling practices to make sure this never happens again.
Good luck.
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