OP, you sound like a wonderful horse person and like someone who tried to help out other horse folks. I thank you for that, so much! I hope that your story continues to “give to others,” in that I hope that others who do offer boarding are extremely clear about what they will and will not do. It is best to be extremely businesslike and not be so “nice” that you become taken advantage of. There is nothing “nice” about a responsible horse owner not being able to find a boarding situation because no one good is willing to board horses anymore due to having been taken advantage of in the past. Barn owners have every right to, and should, be clear, be firm, charge what you need to charge, and stick to the stated rules in the written contract.
I opened my home to a colleague who wanted to relocate out to CA, and although they were gracious guests, the free rent room was getting too comfortable and job hunting stalled. So I said that I would begin charging rent in 2 months and it would increase $100 a month until they relocated. It made it easier if they couldn’t get out by a set date, and it was motivation for them to get on it. It worked.
OP, your boarders are going to realize how good they’ve had it with you when they move. Your setup sounds like the perfect situation for a significant segment of the amateur, horse-owning population. It’s a shame they’ve taken advantage of you.
I have have only one boarder, and I’m grateful for the horse’s owners (college girl whose parents foot the bills). They always respond to texts, provide Dobbin with whatever he needs, and are willing to lend a hand if I need it…say, do chores on an evening when I have a meeting or meet the hay delivery man if I’m at work. The horse himself is a pain in my rear, but his owners are very attentive, and that makes it worth it. I know from friends of mine who board that my boarder is not the norm, sadly. I’m grateful.
You’re obviously a good person, OP. It’s amazing how many B.O.s themselves don’t care to dump dirty waters, much less concern themselves with someone else’s horse’s cut legs or worry about cellulitis. I also think you’re being more than generous with 90 days.
Personally, IIWY, I’d give 45 days. That’s plenty of time to find a new place, even if it’s not perfect. If boarders are looking for perfect, they should’ve treated your place with more respect. I fear 90 days is too long and complacency will set in, they’ll think they can bargain to stay on, and you’re smack where you started again.
Just my 2cents.
No problem. Announce that after such and such a date, anyone still at the barn will be required to sign a new contract: double the cost of board they had been paying and specify that certain things YOU have to do that THEY were responsible for (blanketing, etc.) will be billed individually (at an exorbitant cost). That should help move them out.
Sounds like it is time for you to close shop.
Maybe some years in the future you decide to board again, now wiser and will handle things differently.
As it is now, I think you need to give boarding a rest.
The less you fret and compromise and set this or that time etc. the easier the transition should be and no one should feel left out or grumble.
Just tell them the truth as they need, you are too busy with life, you are closing the barn by that date.
Please move the horses as soon as you can.
Don’t need to give reasons or excuses.
Do it and be professional and polite and firm.
Don’t let anyone cajole you into saying more or asking for special this or that beyond your closing.
Keep repeating, you need to close, period.
You can’t believe how nice life will be without all those people and their horses around.
For what those that did that tell me, it was a life saver for them.
They were in fact enabling people to have horses that were not contributing near what they were paying for, never a good situation for anyone to freely give of their time, energy and resources for others that most don’t even appreciate it, take it for a given, because they are paying and not seeing what all they had way more than what it was costing them.
Boarding is it really worth the money? Not really. Which is why a lot of us that could do it, don’t. And always good to remember that everyone’s standard of care is different. It is tough to have someone not even bother to respond to you when dobbin is all cut up. If that is the way they want to be, that is their choice. It is also your choice not to put up with it any longer. Good luck going forward in your future OP.
Ahhh…you are starting to worry about what your boarders think, don’t go there. They bought the horse, it’s their problem to find another barn in 60-90 days not yours.
Simply tell them you are no longer going to operate a boarding business at your home. Period. Thats all, it’s a business. They aren’t your friends, fact they’ve been lazy owners expecting you to pick up their slack with one in need of doctoring, which you did, or expecting a discount for half assed work done at their convenience you end up doing anyway. Operating any business out of your home can be a PITA, it’s a perfectly legit reason to shut it down. The “why” beyond that is really, absolutely none of their business.
IMO, as a 50 year boarder, you should give them notice before the end of this week to be out by June 1st, Thats over 8 weeks. Set a " drop dead" date, suggest June 15th. Any property still there will be donated or sold on June 15th and the gates locked. If any horses remain on the property after June 1, they will pay a daily rate of $XX.00 ( suggest at least 11/2 times your current daily rate) but must be off the property by June 15 when access will be revoked and gate locked.
You need to send them a written letter via snail mail, copy that with an e mail. Don’t start by personally telling each, some will argue and others come up with a sob story. But most will just move on.
"Dear Boarder:
We have decided for personal reasons we are no longer able to continue to operate a boarding business at our home. We arenotifying all boarders to have their horses and equipment off the property by June 1st 2019. Any horses remaining after that will be charged a daily rate of $30. The door/gate will be locked on June 15th and no further access to the property permitted.
We have enjoyed working with you and are happy to assist you with any arrangements regarding moving your horse and other property prior to June 1st."
Follow up with personal contact to be sure everybody got the message.
Get it out ASAP and don’t tell anybody until you confirm all boarders have been notified. The worst experience for any boarder, good or bad is hearing through the grapevine their barn is closing. Don’t call any other barns before then either, nobody can keep that kind of secret.
Remember, you are a service provider running a business at your home and no longer want to continue. Any problems they have with that is on them. Just say it’s for personal reasons and don’t let them pry…aim sure they really don’t care about you, only their own situation…and you can hardly be truthful and tell them they are sucking life out of you and your family relationships.
That is a generous time frame and this is not a bad time of year to be looking, they can live out for a bit if needed. That other thread, which you should read, was around late Sep. the barn closing Dec 31st for tax reasons.and presented more complications with the weather, holdays and such. This time frame makes it much easier.
The issue with giving shorter time frames is that boarding is not an infinite resource. Depending on the requirements of departing boarders, they end up competing for the same (limited) open spots. Of course this isn’t the concern of a closing business or BO, but it is generally considered the peak of decency to give boarders a chance to get their foot in the door somewhere they would actually be happy, rather than needing to do “interim” barns or end up at shady places just because they were the ones with openings the month a BO with a short time frame gave.
There are ways to be politely insistent about the resolve of a business decision and set a timeline and keep it that should find a happy middle ground (between dragging on a closing indefinitely and closing so promptly that owners can’t make arrangements to end in decent places).
Well, there’s 6 horses here, not like there’s 20+ In mid winter.
Have to agree with this. It also depends upon the time of year. My old BOs (after I had been there for 30+ years and three different horses), announced Nov. 1 that they were closing down as of Jan. 1. Finding a suitable,l affordable new place in 60 days going into the winter…even in the SF Bay Area where weather isn’t too horrific, was a nightmare. I ended up having to put my semi-retired horse 32 miles away, and I had to drive to the new barn in rush hour traffic after work… I ended up (besides spending $$$ gas), only riding my rather hot horse only 1 week day and on the weekends. It got scary at times. In regular work, even though it’s walk only, he’s fine, but with that little exercise. Gaaaah! Fortunately, I got into a more local barn for which I was wait listed as of March 1. While he was a bit gah-gah at first, he’s settled in nicely. But only 60 days notice made moving a very high-pressure situation and very unpleasant.
I would give a definite date, either 60 or 90 days, say there is no penalty for leaving early, and all possessions must be off the property by that same date. Emphasize no exceptions, and no extensions. I would just say boarding will end on the date, and that’s all. The fact there is limited options for boarding should not make you feel obligated to give extensions for people who don’t bother to make arrangements to move their horse, or store their stuff either.
Be prepared to have at least one person think it doesn’t apply to them, and prepare to deal with that.
Print this out and send to all your boarders with the time limit you choose for them to have to find a new place to board.
Maybe it will help them to understand why they are losing a place that looks to offer great care.
I would give the 90 days notice.
Finding board in spring can be tricky. 2018 was a bad year in many places for hay. Giving 90 days will help alleviate that issue. July 1st - most people will have first cut hay done.
On the tail of the above, remember “lack of planning on your part does not create an emergency on my part.” I can’t tell you how many times I’ve used that on people who wait until the last minute and then expect you to rush to make up for them.
I would think 60 days would be plenty…got 3 days notice once. Barn had been sold and new owners took over. There was supposed to be no changes–ha! Actually, she asked if I would keep my two but the condition of her horses
was scary. One horse went one place, one another. And not too long afterward, they both went to the same place that
was ideal.
NO.
Don’t give more than 60 days notice.
You owe it to you! and your husband, and your horses.
60days is PLENTY enough for these people to find another barn and it is NOT your problem anymore.
They are being unreasonable and that’s thereason why they couldn’t find a decent barn to keep them.
Show no mercy.
Too bad, so sad.
It’s your time to enjoy.
Don’t sacrifice your sanity and your husband over careless horse owners who don’t give a shit about you, your place or their horse.
The OP is closing because of the pressure those 6 boarders are putting on her.
Boarders have caused this very unpleasant situation.
Too bad so sad for them.
The OP shouldn’t have to deal with their crap any longer.
60 days is a VERY long time really. I think it is totally reasonable.
Not sure where you live, OP, but 2 weeks ago I was so DONE with boarding and everything and wondering if my new indoor is a huge mistake, but now it is starting to look like spring and all my love of all of it has been reborn. I always think Feb/March is a bad time to make decisions. by then I barely want to ride and am so SICK of the brown and snow and ice and mud and everything else. Now I am good! so make sure this isn’t the winter blues. I am lucky that my people are not really the problem, it’s just the wear and tear of it all (I also have a stressful job). I have wonderful people and horses here but late winter is such a drag in this climate.
Any working off board situation that isn’t working for you needs to STOP IMMEDIATELY. I have someone who turns in for me and she is totally reliable but I have “fired” free riders in the past.
If you have some no-issue boarders you like and want to keep, it is OK to keep them. My one boarder who works off stuff is also my horse sitter and I think I would pay her to board here, she is so reliable. It needs to work for both of you.
I hate to read post like these. It’s already so hard to find affordable boarding situations in most places. To know that so many smaller places are taken advantage of just makes it harder for the rest of us who can’t afford our own places.
I agree that 60 days is plenty of notice. If your boarders are slackers, some will most likely exceed the 60 days as it is. I would recommend offering to pro-rate board if anyone finds a situation mid month and cannot afford to pay both places just to get them out of your hair.
If, after a long hiatus, you decide to rent out a few stalls, charge market rate, have clear fees set for anything you consider “above and beyond” such as medication or blanketing. Check references. The horse community is so small. The bad eggs are usually well known.
