I dealt with this when the BO closed the barn “100%” in April 2020 when the pandemic hit. She claimed the governor of Maine ordered it but she knew that was not true. So did a lot of other people. She lied. Lots of barns remained open. Businesses that take care of livestock, including horses, are “essential” and require adequate staff. Lessons and boarding are a product of the horse farming business, same idea as a farm that raises plants and sells corn and tomatoes. I’ve known her since 1999. I provided the state’s documents. I contacted the State Vet. She stated that they wanted to enable horse owners to provide daily care. BOs had the final say but the guidelines encouraged them work with owners to develop an agreement. This farm is so huge it was easy to keep social distances.
My horse was 26 on pasture board. He stood outside in a muddy field for a month. The BO told me in 2016 that he had 10 good years left. That was before she said he needed to eat more which he would have done given the opportunity. She was familiar with the knee. The lameness vet who has seen him several times said standing around with that degree of confinement enabled the knee joint to “harden up” because he wasn’t moving around. He lost a lot of flexion. We had some great riding through the end of March 2020. That is long gone. I’m working hard not to visit that BO to inflict great bodily harm. I’ve concluded she has developed early onset dementia from a stroke 10 years earlier. I didn’t believe her when she said “get out.” I guess I’ll leave her alone.
I had a discussion with the local PD about accessing my horse to move him in mid-April. The horse is my property. She cannot prohibit me from reclaiming my property to move it. She can say when but can’t lie to the PD. Same idea as the spouse walking out one day. You have to allow him to access his clothing because it is his property. Maine’s civil courts suspended operations which put you on a waiting list. My arrangements to move fell apart, but I could have had requested assistance from the PD if I needed it.
We didn’t make much progress getting him back in shape. He was sound through the 2020 summer with a long warmup. By October it was chronic. He continued to decline and was lame, depressed and malnourished. In November 2020 I moved him to a barn with a BO who was close to perfect. He gained back 150 lbs. He got a course of Adequan and a steroid joint injection. He was comfortable. I was able to ride from time to time. June 2021 kicked off our Century Ride year. Our ride was short but very sweet. We gave up trotting so I can’t ride a test for the Dressage Foundation’s club.
I retired him from riding last July. It’s hard to give that up. But now he is the happiest horse in the whole entire world. He is Mr Meet and Greet. He doesn’t look or act his age. He has a regular audience at his stall and runout. He meditates, observes and contemplates. Sometimes he invites you or maybe the UPS driver to chat. He dozes on a big pile of hay in the middle of his runout. He loves his grain very soupy. He tosses flakes of hay around to fluff it up. He makes a mound along the wall and kicks some out the back door. When I arrive he gives me a “yes or no” look if he is eating. Amazing.
When you move to a boarding facility and pay for care he is still your horse. In Maine and elsewhere it creates a bailment unless there is buy/sell transaction. BO has to return your property, the horse, in the same condition. You can sign a contract with limitations such as when the barn is open. There are statutes and regulations that spell this out. You should be able to google them.