BOs: advice for new self care boarder

[YellowMare94]

Hi all! I’m new here and not sure if I’m in the right place. Sorry this will be lengthy. I’m looking for feedback from both barn owners/managers and boarders. My husband and I bought 24 acres last year due mainly to location, existing buildings, acreage, and the price being right. The main barn is gorgeous, well insulated, has two wash racks, 7 foaling stalls (14x24), and 5 14x14 box stalls. Now… My husband is a dairy cow guy and I love him dearly, but he wanted to “offset some costs by boarding horses.” Let’s all take a moment and laugh here. I know, he’s crazy (remember, he’s a cow guy).

I work 2 jobs and decided to start out only offering self/partial care options. My first boarder has been an absolute peach. I grain and turnout in the morning and she picks stalls and feeds every night. Right now we’re doing night turnout due to heat, so she preps everything and all I have to do is bring her three in in the morning. She takes care of her pasture water and sweeps up every time she’s out. She’s amazing.

My second boarder is testing my sanity She’s only 17 and her parents are from the city. I can’t really tell how much she knows at this point. The contract requires minimum every other day stall cleaning. I reserve the right to charge extra per each day I decide that stall needs cleaned if you can’t get to it within 18 hours of me notifying you it needs done. I feel that’s reasonable. Now obviously it’s summer. The bugs are out in full force. A stall full of poop is not really a break from the bugs. I made her come out today to clean and asked her to check buckets and her horse’s pasture tub while she was out (knowing that they really needed emptied and scrubbed, as she filled the tub up two weeks ago and hasn’t touched it since). She said they were all good. There’s still water in it since it’s a 40 gallon tub, but it’s starting algae growth. His two stall buckets are consistently filled when I bring them in but one has lots of grain in it and she thought it didn’t even need emptied and refilled.

I guess how do you all handle these situations? In my opinion, if it’s not a shared space, it should be her responsibility as a self care boarder to take care of it. I thought that was clear in the contract. Obviously you guys don’t know what is or isn’t in my contract. I don’t know how much still really needs taught. She’s had him for two years, but maybe she truly doesn’t know the proper horse care basics? She’s not normally out here long enough to get much out of her. I’m not confrontational, but I also do not want to be giving way too much here. However, I want her horse properly cared for. Even my cow-loving husband said he wasn’t impressed when she left this morning. Have I just been spoiled by my first boarder?

Any tips from you seasoned pros on how to “train” her tactfully? I’ve been lucky to have always had my horse at home, so I’m new to the boarding thing. I want to make it work for everyone, and I also want to help her take care of her horse.

Thanks in advance!

[mmeqcenter]

IME, regardless of experience, people are either like your boarder #1 and wonderful (I have one right now, not self care - I no longer offer self care - but she’s the BEST boarder on the planet), or they’re like #2 and have no desire to change their ways. If she’s new to owning horses, she shouldn’t be boarding self-care anywhere, period. If she’s not new to owning, and she is that lax in her horse care, well, she’s simply the type of self-care boarder you don’t want. It isn’t your job to “train” her, and personally I wouldn’t use up my time trying to do so. She likely won’t listen. I’d tell her she needs to either switch to full board (if you’re willing to offer it), or find a new barn, giving her adequate notice.

Example of an “attempt” at training better horse husbandry to a partial boarder - I remind my partial boarders (they provide their hay and grain, I do the rest) when they have about a week of feed or hay left. Three times I informed boarder they had a week of hay left, boarder took 10-12 days to bring hay (used my own in the meantime). After third time, I informed boarder that they would now be required to replenish their hay when they still had one week left, so I would tell them when they had two weeks left of hay. First reminder comes around. Boarder still couldn’t be bothered to bring hay before horse was out. Boarder has since left, they happened to give notice the same day I was about to tell them they had to switch to full board or find a new place to board.

If people don’t care, they don’t care, and no amount of micro-managing will change it. Self-care boarders should only be people who don’t need micro-managing.

[PeteyPie]

I wouldn’t train her tactfully. I would exhibit the opposite of tact and say something like, “Brianna, I’m going to go into my Aunt YellowMare mode here and give you a talking to. I am doing this for your good and for the good of the horses, and please do not be insulted. I want to go over some barn chores and expectations I have in a specific way so that I know the horses and well taken care of and so that I can be happy with you here. We are a small group, we three horse owners, and we rely on each other. So today, I want to show you how I expect you to clean a bucket and check water. We’ll go over other tasks another day.”

Then I would walk her out to the bucket and show her exactly what you expect, and explain what you are doing and the algae you see and why you are cleaning it.

This is not unkind and doesn’t need to be contentious. She undoubtedly sees you as an authority figure anyway and you might be surprised that she is grateful for some specific instruction.

If she were older I would not even consider doing this, but the way you describe her makes me suspect that she just doesn’t know things.

[merrygoround]

Make a written check list. Then get on your computer and type it up in large easily readable letters. Then print off several copies. Encase one in plastic, and hang in the barn where easily seen. Boarder #1 will not be offended.

Only then clip board in hand, with a copy of the checklist, have your pleasant but no nonsense talk with her. she my have boarded before or been a barn where that was the standard of care.which is doubtful but some horses survive anything.

I would also hold a conversation with her parents, and explain that what you are asking is a reasonable standard of care.

Having done that, I would also set a fee for doing water buckets, cleaning tubs, and/or cleaning stalls daily And I would charge. Pay Your other boarder if they are willing. With two jobs, even with one, this you don’t need.

If Little MIss and her horse departs, SMILE!

[merrygoround]

I think MGR covered it nicely.

You are dealing with all the reasons why I have turned down "self-care "boarders. They are too busy taking care of themselves to worry about the horse.

[Scribbler]

I would be very direct, write up a list, and give her a kind but firm talking to.

One of the things about an older teen, is that in some respects they project as a young adult. But in many respects, they may have some aspects that are closer to being 12 years old. In particular, not all teens know how to see a job and get it done. They can stand in a daze in the midst of jobs that need doing, and not see them (in this way they are bit like the stereotypical “clueless husband” that doesn’t “see” that the bathroom sink needs cleaning or that there are socks on the floor). . In general, I think all young people need to learn how to see a job and realize they can and should get it done (they aren’t born knowing this), but the “good barn kids” are the ones that happened to have learned this earlier, and not from you.

Children and teens are used to being ordered around, following explicit rules in school and team sports (everybody open their books to page 19!), etc., and they may assume that if they are not being told to do things, then it is OK that they don’t do them.

I would treat this kid like an employee, in the sense that I would write out all the jobs that need to be done. I would give her a kind but firm talking to. I would also put in some consequences. Basically, if you don’t step up your game by the end of the month, you should be moving your horse to a full board situation.

I am assuming that your goal is to get her to do the work, not to nickel and dime her for cleaning and watering. You can tell her that you only do the work in emergencies, that you will charge her mother every time, but that you have no intention of running this as a full board barn because you have way too much other work to do. You can also discuss the consequences of a horse standing in a dirty stall (thrush) and not having clean water (colic). And tell her that she is getting this one conversation but that you are going to monitor her work from now on, and decide if she can stay at the end of the month. You aren’t going to nag or remind her.

Then sit back and see if she steps up. If she does, you have provided a good life lesson that will be valuable when she enters the work force. If not, then you have established a reason to ask her to move on.

[Moon_River]

Do you actually want to spend the time training this boarder, even if she is willing? I would put money on boarder one being unhappy at the standard boarder two’s horse is being kept so bear in mind that losing her is a definite possibility. I also board at a place where any issues caused by one specific boarder are skirted around and only raised as a note on the white board saying “girls (hate that, we’re almost all middle aged) can you/remember to xyz…”. We all know who the problem is, deal with her, don’t bring me in to it! So, my rant over, if you don’t want the hassle of a 17 year old then just give her notice now and be done with it.

If you have got slightly more patience, go through everything with the girl and her parents, say what standards MUST be maintained, have her parents sign a contract specifying what you expect. Anything not done incurs penalty fees for you doing it. Penalty fees are meant to hurt so make them maybe four times standard cost of whatever the job is. Give her a month probation, no compliance = notice to leave automatically starts. After month probation if she does better, still don’t chase up after her, just advise her that breach of contract = notice to leave. She’ll either turn herself around really quick and become useful, or she won’t be your problem.

[ReSomething]

I must be a horrific slob as I rarely dump and scrub buckets. Just never learned to do it. Partly because they don’t get algae when inside the stall. I do it about every fifth filling but I do dump small amounts, swipe out hay and fermentables, just no honest to God scrubbing. Troughs are a little different as they get nasty and mine are big so always had to weigh tipping out 20 gallons versus was it green enough I wouldn’t drink out of it myself.
The neighbors horses can drink out of ponds or troughs and use both, but I have never checked the “bloom” in the ponds when they are using the trough.

At 17 she probably just doesn’t know depending on the standard of care where she was and who did the work, but I had an exchange student that finally got the sharp edge of my tongue as she was a walking disaster. If you have a standard of care spell it out, have her show you what she thinks you mean (that’s from the exchange student), and give her six weeks so you can evict her to save your sanity.

[hillary_again]

Boarder #2 has no clue about what is standard in horse care. You do, and you have a clear standard that you expect in order for her to be able to keep her horse at your facility. You will have to lay all of this out, written, and show her. I bet money that things will then happen the way they should (ie, to your very reasonable standard). She may have boarded before at someplace where the definition of the water __ being clean is that it is full of algae. I think you just try to be matter of fact and see if this clears things up - might work, and might not! At any rate, you’d be ready for the next boarder - you will be able to state what “clean stall” and other stuff means. It’s good that you want horses to get the right level of care.

[JustTheTicket]

Honestly, if it’s a huge deal to you, put it in the contract- ie, you require boarders to scrub buckets and troughs x times per week/ month. Stalls must be cleaned x times per week, etc and then ask them to leave if they don’t keep up with it. Otherwise I think you’re going to end up nagging this girl who will continue to not do things the way you want them done and you’ll keep doing them for her in which case you should go ahead and charge full board.

[BeeHoney]

I don’t know what this person is paying you for her partial care board, but I can guarantee that it is NOT ever going to cover the cost of the time and effort of trying to parent her into being a better boarder. I can also tell you from experience that it is unlikely that this boarder is ever going to be able to meet your basic expectations. I would go ahead and politely let her know that it doesn’t seem to be a good fit and give her 30 day notice.

You were unreasonably lucky with your first boarder–a boarder like that is a rarity. Many partial care/self care boarders are decent people, but it’s a big commitment to go to someone else’s farm every day to do horse chores and a lot of people aren’t up for it. Partial care type situations can very easily/commonly degenerate into minimal care situations, or situations where the BO ends up providing way more care (for free) than what they were supposed to. In general, self care and partial care board situations are a bad deal for BOs.

[HungarianHippo]

Stating the obvious, but at 17 this boarder is not a legal party to the contract. Make sure at least one parent is copied in on any instructions/correspondence.

[horsenut_8700]

There’s a reason we ONLY offer full board. You can’t trust people and it’s not worth the hassle of baby-sitting

[Obsidian_Fire]

I am “boarder #1” and I grit my teeth every time I hear or see stories of “boarder #2”.
I also hate that people like that have caused so many barns to be full care only.
Be thankful for your good boarder and I hope she knows how much you appreciate her attentiveness.
Kick the other one to the curb. Lack of willingness to hold people to a standard - and actually administer consequences - is how barns get run down, threads like this get started, and BO’s close their doors.

[Chief2]

Your contract is way too loose. We have been good self care boarders for several decades in a barn that offers both self and full care board. The rules in our contract are as follows: Each self care stall must be cleaned at least once per every 24 hour cycle. Cleaning includes full cleaning of the stall, buckets emptied, scrubbed if needed and refilled with fresh water daily. Each stall is provided with two bucket hooks. Horses are to be provided with fresh hay and grained daily if needed. If the stall is not cleaned and kept up to standards the horse is automatically put on full care board at the current full day rate and the owner is charged accordingly. The current day rate is $25 per day. Additionally, if the management feels the horse is not being cared for they reserve the right to take over the care of said horse and charge the owner accordingly, including vet and farrier bills. And the key to this is that the barn owners follow through with their contract requirements every time.

We have a full care aisle and a self care aisle. If someone is going to be out for a while in the self care aisle, they either get someone in the barn to take over their chores for them and care for their horse on a daily basis, or they arrange for full care. That’s it. Plain and simple. And it works. The horses are all in good weight, good condition and the stalls are clean. We have a very low turnover rate is both aisles. Tighten your contract and enforce your rules.

This boarder would be immediately placed on full care in our barn, or given 2 weeks (required by state law) to find another barn while the owners oversaw the daily care of her horse and stall, intervening if needed and charging her accordingly.
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[ChocoMare]

As Hungarian Hippo said: She’s too young to be doing self care under contract. I’d do a polite eviction with notice.

If you like a GOOD self-care contract with GOOD rules, PM me and I’ll be glad to share. I did self-care for 10 years and helped manage the barn when other boarders came in. Without that contract and rules list, it would have gone to crap.

[Palm_Beach]

See if your state has published standards of care, since everyone obviously has different standards of care. And are you going to count how many days it’s been since the buckets or tubs have been scrubbed? What will you do, keep a spreadsheet noting what day the girl scrubbed stuff? Is she in school during the school year, and working a summer job now? I know I’ve not swept up the barn aisle and storage area many times, ususally because I need to get on the road for work at an early hour, and whether or not the barn aisle was swept has no impact on my horse’s health. I dump and scrub buckets and water troughs on an “as needed” basis, not every certain number of days.

I’d include photos with to demonstrate how you expect your property to be kept up on a daily basis. What if she sweeps up her section of the barn aisle, and another boarder drags hay through?

[js]

Are you making enough off two boarders to justify even having boarders? Are they offsetting your costs enough to make it worth the cost of additional insurance to cover boarders, liability, taxes, assuming you are paying taxes as a business.

[Guilherme]

I’m a guy, so he’s my view: tell your hubby he’s flat, dead wrong. Or, if you wish, “he’s so full of s**t that his eyes are brown; and if they’re not it’s 'cause he’s a quart low.” You may quote me if you wish!

Boarding is ALWAYS a near break-even business in horses. The “near” can be either plus or minus, but often the latter. Not only do you have the expenses of care, the risks of care (emotional and legal), you have the DUTY of care under the laws of most states. Just how far this duty goes will differ between, say MA and MS. But it’s there and must be accommodated.

Boarding is a business. Either treat it like one or don’t do it. “Half-way” measures will invariably lead to “half-assed” results. Indeed, you have proven that proposition with your current circumstance (one gem + one dud = average boarder).

Dump number two, don’t take anymore, and let number one stay as long as they like. Just make sure your insurance is up to snuff.

G.

[Sansena]

Soon as you said boarder #2 was a 17y.o., I knew where this was going.
You need to evict.

Your parameters are way too generous: Give a mouse a cookie and he’s going to want some milk. For future boarders, muck daily. That means once each 24 hours. Or they hire you or other boarder to muck for them.

There are plenty of your #1 type boarders out there who take pride in how they keep their horse. Some prefer partial self care (like myself) so we can keep a close eye on what happens to horse; monitor food/ water intake daily, manure and urine production, weight, attitude, bumps & scrapes, etc. We’re out there and we’d absolutely cherish the opportunity to board in a situation such as yours.

Your #2 boarder is only going to get worse. I’ve never seen any significant long term improvement with these types. They either get it off the bat or they don’t. When will you say ‘enough’? I certainly would’ve crossed that bridge when I saw pasture horses with slimy, algae -fied water troughs. Empty troughs? Bye Felicia.