Leaving a barn

[gumshoe]

We don’t know anything except what the OP has told us. Which isn’t much. What we do know is that the horse WAS turned out, just not where the OP wanted the horse turned out. To me, that is not enough to warrant all this if the BO isn’t doing her job tough crap, crap.

Grass is hard to come by in the OP’s area? Why do we think it’s positively criminal that a horse that will tear up the grass isn’t turned out on the grass?

Was the OP looking for another barn when December 1st rolled around? From what has been posted, it seems that the only reason she didn’t give notice on the 1st is that she hadn’t found another barn on the 1st.

That’s not good enough reason not to give proper notice, contract or no contract.

[Koniucha]

[QUOTE=Atlas Shrugged;6730142]
From the barn’s standpoint, if a difficult customer wants to leave, let them.[/QUOTE]

So now I’m a difficult customer? Wow.

[Koniucha]

[QUOTE=gumshoe;6730252]
We don’t know anything except what the OP has told us. Which isn’t much. [/QUOTE]

I must have told enough since I am now considered by some people on here to be a horrible boarder.

[fredsaid2]

Sounds like you complied with the verbal ‘contract’. You have no obligation to do more. We’ve all had good and bad experiences. I appreciate the BOs that said good-bye with a smile and have no issue with the ones that were more difficult.

[Pennywell_Bay]

[QUOTE=Koniucha;6730271]
I must have told enough since I am now considered by some people on here to be a horrible boarder.[/QUOTE]

I don’t know enough to say you are horrible boarder. My opinion is that you did not act in the same professional courtesy manner as you would expect your clients to, seeing by your sig line you work in the horse industry as a professional. That is just one opinion. Clearly, there are many who approve.

[Horsegal984]

I’ve left two barns without giving 30 days notice.

One the BO refused to feed square bales to the pasture boarded horses even though she was out of round bales for over a week. Several horses had to be seen by a vet for oral ulcers, vets best guess was from trying to eat nonedible/thorny weeds in pasture. When the hay guy arrived he mentioned having to turn on the water again, the pasture tanks were bone dry. Told me(and the other boarder there) we needed to arrainge our co-op duties better. It’s not a co-op barn… Left there with no notice prior to the AM i showed up wt the trailer. That barn has since closed up shop. No suprise to those of us there.

Second time my horse unexpectedly came back from lease. BO knew I was actively looking for a new lease and would give as much notice as I could. She also knew I was barely affording board as it was, and didn’t fault me for not giving a full 30 days.

My point being, many of the places I boarded don’t have contracts but it is considered common practice to give 30 days notice. One of the ones where I didn’t te BO didnt fault me(and had a waiting list to fill my spot) the other actually called me about paying the rest of my 30 days notice. I know I burnt that bridge, and it one I don’t mind being gone. She will never be in control of another of y animals.

[gottagrey]

Giving 30 days notice doesn’t always mean boarders and trainers/BO will part ways amicably. Often one or both parties will talk smack about each other after they’ve parted ways; and depending on how the contract is written and what agreements are in that contract, could be very easy for a boarder to say - well - per my contract YOU have breeched it so I’m leaving. I was at a place where there were some financial issues which lead to poor care - when a person is scraping old hay from a horse trailer to feed horses you really want to really want to stay another 30 days? No way. A friend of mine boarded at a large event barn and signed a contract for training and all this - she turned up unannounced one day only to find that the “training” she was paying for was for an inexperienced WS to use her horse in a lesson. She left w/o 30 days notice (she was only there for a week though) While the OP should have given 30 days notices and it is an industry standard, is it a law? W/o a contract would be hard to enforce

[ActNatural]

This has gotten a bit out of hand, dont you think? There are two sides to every story and since we really dont have either side fully presented, none of us can really make judgements. Sounds like the OP learned to always have a contract and the BO (maybe) learned that she needs to CYA with a contract but who knows…or cares???

OP, it sucks leaving a barn. Dont let the fall out bother you too much. Just move on and good luck at your new barn!

[trubandloki]

[QUOTE=enjoytheride;6730181]
The only time I have EVER seen a horse run around crazily in a pasture is when it has been cooped up in a stall or very small paddock. [/QUOTE]

Laugh.

I will tell my group that they are not allowed to get the sillies and randomly start running laps in the middle of the day.

[DressageFancy]

I board a horse or two now and then. No contract. But this is really low key boarding. Just a nice stall over night with day turnout and a nice outdoor riding ring. I live here and built this facility for my use. I am NOT dependent on the income from a boarder, so, If the boarder decides to move to a facility with more (trainer, indoor,ect) it is fine with me. We all part on happy terms and many of these people end up bringing a horse back at some future time.
If, on the other hand, you know that your leaving will cause a minor $ hardship then by all means at least offer a 30 day check.

[TrakHack]

My barn owner’s philosophy is if you aren’t happy there, she isn’t happy, and unhappy boarders are welcome to leave at any time. The farm is paid off and there’s a waiting list to board there, which probably makes things easier.

I have few regrets in life, but one I do have is waiting to move from my old barn to give them the chance to improve. I gave notice, they asked me to stay, saying things would improve. They didn’t improve, and my horse deteriorated further - it took a year to get him back in good weight.

My “lesson learned” out of this is move the horse as soon as possible, even if it means paying board on two places. I did give my old barn 30 days notice, but they thought I was going to stay. I gave no further notice the day I moved.

[Linny]

If you take in boarders on a no contract basis, you have to assume that boarders will come and go as they please. If the 30 standard is something you expect met, then put it in writing.

The bigger picture issue is why so many clients feel the need to give 30 days and pay for 30 days while removing the horse immediately and paying at the new place. Unless improper care is the reason for leaving (in which case the BO has breached the contract already) then why should care fall off? If I am paying for board at the agreed rate until the 30th, then I want that level of care until the day my horse leaves. If the care doesn’t meet the contracted standard, I should have every right to leave and NOT pay for the remaining time because the BO wasn’t providing the agreed upon service.
Friend moved horse last year after instructor moved away from her town. Friend was not fond of other instructors/trainers at farm and wanted find one she liked. She found a nice place with a trainer she liked, gave notice and watched as her horse’s feed was cut, he buckets went un-scrubbed, his blankets not changed etc. Why? She was paying plenty for board for that last 30 days. BO was being vindictive because she was leaving. It’s sad really that BO’s demand to be paid for that last 30 days yet in many cases refuse to provide the contracted service.

[FineAlready]

[QUOTE=enjoytheride;6726402]
I think a few of the posters are being a bit dramatic about it. If there is no contract then it’s really up to you how much of a notice you give. 30 days is standard but you were not obligated to do so. Sure you could do so if you wanted to. You have done nothing wrong. I would leave under those circumstances as well.[/QUOTE]

Agreed. Although I will say that I did leave a place with a contract that did not include a 30 day notice provision, but I paid a 30 day notice anyway…just because I genuinely liked the barn owner and did not have hard feelings. Other places that did have a 30 day notice provision but where the contract had been VERY MATERIALLY breached…nope, I just left and didn’t pay. If they had brought it up with me, I would have invited them to sue me.

[Horseymama]

@enjoytheride;6730181

The only time I have EVER seen a horse run around crazily in a pasture is when it has been cooped up in a stall or very small paddock.

Ha, that’s funny! My experience is that horses can run. Maybe not as often if they are turned out more, but they can definitely run!

I own a barn and the horses here get turned out every day for 7 hours/day rain, snow or shine. I have 28 separate turn-outs all of them are large and most are grassy. Some live out with loafing sheds in huge pastures (1-2 acre parcels) 24/7, some come into the barn at night. I observe at least one or two horses running for whatever reason EVERY DAY. We watch, if we have to go stop them by catching them, throwing them hay or whatever, we do, but they do, on occasion, run. I’d say it’s pretty natural.

But maybe because my horses are used to being out and having the ability to run around a little if they want, they are a little more sure-footed and smart about it.

[enjoytheride]

That is exactly what I mean. I have never seen a horse run around with no regard to its safety unless it spends little time outside. Horses that don’t get to go out often do not know how to run on varied footing and they run stupidly. Horses that go out every day may play and run but they have more sense about them.

[Pennywell_Bay]

For arguments sake- I have seen horses run and hurt themselves. One was on a regular turn out, at a very nice training barn. Horse proceeded to jump out of her field, ended up breaking her pelvis. It may not be common, but it happens.