I have a young OTTB who means the world to me. I have had him for a year and have been training him on my own to compete in jumpers. I live in SE Georgia and was so unhappy with the barn I had him at. I have never met a trainer/ owner so disconnected with her boarders. I would ask her to make sure he didn’t go out on certain days, make sure he only got fed a certain hay, but I was consistently ignored despite the large sums of money she was being paid. We had a huge amounts of colics in the past three months. Of the six horses four are no longer with us. That was the final straw. So after a year there we left. I now have him at a new barn where he is out 24/7 in a heard of about 12 other geldings. So far I hate it, and so does he. He is picked on, dehydrated because he is scared to leave a stall that he can run into. He will then gorge himself with water which I know is not good for them. I spoke to my old trainer in Atlanta who offered for me to bring him there and half lease him out. I trust her whole heartedly, she is VERY well educated in horses and an amazing trainer. I want him there, but I worry I will miss him terribly. He is my world and I only want the best for him. I am so tired of worrying about him. Where I live barns are limited and care is very rudimentary. I want to know others truthful opinions about having your horse hours away from them? I would of course go visit him as much as a crazy work/ school schedule will. But please I need some unbiased advice about what to do for my boy!
Sorry you’re going through this. Nothing worse than wanting to get your horse out of a bad situation.
Since you train on your own why not search for a private farm, small, hands on, knowledgeable nice barn owner?
I’ve been in your shoes and just started driving around and knocking on doors.
Have you asked your vet and farrier to recommend places? They often know of private places that might take a boarder.
Is there a local horse club you can contact? Pony Club? Feed Store?
Start asking around and talking to people even fellow boarders talk. How about facebook?
Unfortunately it’s a small town I have exhausted all options. I have been looking for 6 months. It’s a small community. I hate to move him, but at this point I am feeling it is best to move him
It seems like there is no question here.
If you have tried everything in the area and nothing works for you and the only option is this facility hours away then you have to move him there.
It seems strange that there is not even a small private type facility in your part of the world that would work for your horse and you.
Truthfully if my horse was hours away I would worry more. Even here in my limited rural area there is boarding available for those who need it.
I would expand my way of looking if I were you. What general area are you looking at? There may be a lot of people here who know of someplace close to you.
Is there an option to move him to a “self-board” where you can be hands on every day?
It is strange, I thought of moving him to Savannah but I don’t know the people there so the extended trust I would to give is even more. I couldn’t be there everyday. I can’t do self board as my schedule will not allow it right now. I am graduating soon, but work added to school the attention he would need is too vast than what I can give. There are a few small barns around here, but all are just very basic and rough. There is a lot of sand in this area and grass growth isn’t vast so that has been another issue we have run into when looking for a place. There are other barns, but all are saddlebred and full too.
Where are you?
Call Robin Hughes in Rincon(Hi Ho Hills Stable), or Cypress Grove Stables in, is it in Bloomingdale now?
I have not boarded with either, but people who have boarded with them say they care about horses. I know both of them casually.
Beware of all others. Not many good barns or honest barn owners around Savannah area.
I’ve known Robin my whole life, and she takes good care of the horses. Her place is not far from I-95 if that might help your drive.
I tried her, I had a terrible time trying to get her to call me back unfortunately. She had great reviews online though! Thank you both
Sell him.
To get hold of Robin, go down Goshen Rd and turn left when you see her mailbox with Hi Ho Hills on it. Go all the way down the road to her barn. (It had a couple of houses on the way, I think, and split off later to the left, and I’ve not been down there in about 2 years.) Go up to the barn and whomever is her BM will probably be there, and you can get info from BM as to which show Robin is at that day.
Leave your information and Robin will call you. BM should tell you costs and if stall is available. Robin’s residence is to the left of the barn, out of sight.
