Questioning a board price increase - yes, I understand inflation

[OverandOnward]

@pn

I seriously think they don’t realize somebody magically makes the place look nice and fairies make the horses shiny and pretty.

The very fact that she can’t find an accommodation with your schedule tells us that she doesn’t have time to be a barn worker. As she is signing herself up to be, 24/7/365.

You are the one giving of your time out of generosity, and she can’t get your generosity worked into her schedule. That tells the tale.

With luck the whole idea starts to peter out as she has to schedule time to choose and meet with a barn-builder, choose a barn from several options, lay out changes to the design, plus list out and acquire all the needed extras and equipment, etc. etc. etc. & so on the million things that go into adding a horse facility to a property.

If she can’t get one free advisor scheduled, she’ll never get through all of that. Much less getting horses into it and caring for them.

[OverandOnward]

@pn

Response- could you come tomorrow after 6. Me-no, since it’s feeding time and have to be back for nightcheck by 9
Her
How about Tuesday afternoon?
Me-no, have a vet appt scheduled, again , how about Wednesday?
Her-no, I have a big job that day
Me- ok let me know.

Actually … maybe you could cut all this short by asking her just one question, IF you speak with her again …

"If you can’t make time to meet with me just once when I can do it, how will you make time to care for and meet the needs of the horses on your property? "

[Angela_Freda]

To many astute people, the limited time you can be off farm to visit her would be a lightbulb moment…

[candyappy]

@kirbydog

It’s not regional, it full service boarding vs basic boarding. Think white table cloth dining vs fast food. It’s everywhere there are show horses, in all 50 states

We have discussed in other boarding threads that the BO buying and feeding grain is a regional thing for full board. It was not something I experienced when boarding ( nor offered at other barns in my area). Horses in for training or lay up from the track were fed grain by BO.

It may be offered now as I haven’t boarded since the early 1990’s , but it was still full board even back then.

[candyappy]

@IPEsq

How is putting more back on the horse owner any different than raising board? If you reduce services offered, boarder is now paying more to supply their own feed and travel to the barn more often. The end is essentially the cost of boarding for the horse owner has gone up whether it’s paid to the BO or the gas station, feed store, child care, etc.

No different . Just another option to lower the out of pocket the BO is experiencing.

We seem to be able to somehow absorb the higher gas prices and the higher cable, internet and phone bills and other increases but don’t seem to be able to pay any more toward keeping our horses?

[cyanskies]

@candyappy

We seem to be able to somehow absorb the higher gas prices and the higher cable, internet and phone bills and other increases but don’t seem to be able to pay any more toward keeping our horses?

Who is “we”? I certainly can’t afford all of those things as the prices keep increasing. My SO and I both work from home and are very deliberate and frugal about driving. No more quick trips to the store to pick up one or two things; we try to batch all our outings into a single day to minimize back and forth. I’ve started being much more conservative about using the tractor to get around the farm as well, despite having recently broken my leg. I have never once paid for cable. I’ve cancelled my Netflix, Hulu, etc. subscriptions, though.

A lot of people are struggling to afford groceries right now. Thankfully, I am not quite that tightly budgeted at the moment, but I have had to put staples back at the store because the total went over my credit limit.

[OverandOnward]

What is Sea Lioning on social media?

Sealioning (also spelled sea-lioning and sea lioning) is a type of trolling that consists of pursuing people with persistent requests for evidence or repeated questions, while maintaining a pretense of civility and sincerity.

Beware the Sea Lion — Ethics and Culture

[quietann]

Thank you for the reminder. Got this going on in a couple of threads now, and I really need to disengage.

[findeight]

Full service is not just a regional thing, it is a boarders need based thing. Theres no choice for boarders with full time career jobs who physically cant get to the barn twice a day even if they wanted to. Who don’t want to depend on some casual arrangement with other boarders or some kid doing a labor swap to provide top level care for their competition horse. You know, the one the full time career job pays for.

Said often, have over 50 years experience as a boarder from backyard self care to fancy full service and everything in between. Done labor swaps, paid barn work and even helped part time in a variety of barn offices. Ended up in full program, full service facilities…because I could afford it at that point.

This thread has followed several paths, one being service levels and the other unrealistic expectations of what the desired level of service actually costs to provide and refusal to admit you cannot afford the service level you prefer. That should not be the BOs problem any more then buying a luxury SUV then going back to the dealer to complain about the mileage.

For pn, these people are disrespecting you and your time. Pointing out they don’t have time to manage their horses will fall on deaf ears, they dont care and you cant make them. Try telling them that you can make much more money, which you need, staying home teaching and training in the 3 hours you are giving to them free.

Honestly, would not do it for free anyway, they don’t value you or your time, maybe if you put a price on your services, they’d take you and the fact you are in business seriously. Right now they are treating you as a servant available at their convenience, don’t allow that treatment to continue.

[Angela_Freda]

People only value what they pay for. Free advice about these horses going to live in the backyard will be valued as much as it costs them, sadly.
I feel bad for these horses.

[endlessclimb]

And another, very large, boarding barn closes down. Everyone out by July. 60+ horses.

Where I board the phone is ringing off the hook. There were only three left in the area. Now, two…

[quietann]

The auctions this fall will be fire sales. What happens between now and then… /shudder. Just had another barn in the area kick all the boarders out with 2 weeks notice.

[candyappy]

@cyanskies

Who is “we”?

The many people who seem to find the money for things that really matter to them. I am not one of the " we" either. I just cut back where I can on people related costs so my animals have the food/ stuff they really need.

In my experience of the horse people I have known, I have seen that no matter what, when something is a real priority many people find a way.

[findeight]

Yes, people find a way but that might be admitting they really can not afford horse ownership. With so many barns closing, there are already fewer places to go and those will be raising prices…simple supply and demand.

[endlessclimb]

I’m already thinking of what I’ll do if my barn closes down and I have to move into a more expensive place. I think the young one will go up for sale, as I can’t responsibly afford to keep two at a board price higher than $450/mo, and the Old Man is pensioned/not going anywhere.

[candyappy]

@findeight

Yes, people find a way but that might be admitting they really can not afford horse ownership. With so many barns closing, there are already fewer places to go and those will be raising prices…simple supply and demand.

We can only hope things turn around. This huge economic issue is something most of us have never experienced. I remember ( many years ago) having to sell a 4 year old I had raised and trained because i could just not afford board on 2 anymore.

It was extremely hard and I feel for anyone who may have to contemplate doing the same or losing their boarding barn altogether.

We are in tough times.

[pn]

@findeight

For pn, these people are disrespecting you and your time. Pointing out they don’t have time to manage their horses will fall on deaf ears, they dont care and you cant make them. Try telling them that you can make much more money, which you need, staying home teaching and training in the 3 hours you are giving to them free.

Honestly, would not do it for free anyway, they don’t value you or your time, maybe if you put a price on your services, they’d take you and the fact you are in business seriously. Right now they are treating you as a servant available at their convenience, don’t allow that treatment to continue.

RIGHT ON! Yesterday I had a vet appt for one of their horses with an ongoing subtle lameness. I needed one of them there to decide on further more expensive diagnostics if needed. I contacted them to let them know the vet was held up and would be 30 min later. He then told me he wasn’t going to get there. Then I had to chase them down by phone for permission to do blocking and then X-rays. Horse has a chipped coffin bone and needs stall rest and bandages etc. they don’t even care to come and help…

[NaturallyHappy]

I’ve had boarders like this🤦‍♀️.

[vxf111]

Poor horse!

[OverandOnward]

@pn

Horse has a chipped coffin bone and needs stall rest and bandages etc. they don’t even care to come and help

Classic. They see the horse as an accessory, a toy. The horse is not supposed to have problems. Just wait for them to come play with it, and then have all the settings perfectly tuned.

I don’t get why people get into something as expensive a horse ownership without finding out about it first. Why they plunge in with total idealism, and then grind to a stupefied halt when reality kicks in.