Thanks, mvp, glad we’re good on that one. 
I second your observations that sometimes, to avoid expense and keep horseling safe, one sucks up some nonsense, researches the options, and spends some extra time making sure horseling is properly looked after while waiting for the month to run down. A little diplomacy in a marginal situation can save hundreds of dollars.
I think it is very important to remember that the laws vary greatly from state to state, so unless you are a lawyer who knows the laws of the state in which this barn is located, you are not doing the OP any favors.
Inaccurate advice could get someone in trouble with the law - criminally and/or civilly.
The OP needs to contact a lawyer in her state for accurate advice.
If several people give their 30-day notice for the same period, and don’t want to pay double board, then why don’t you band together and work out a schedule to check on the horses? And be careful about giving notice until you have another place to go that is definitely available and scheduled.
I don’t know who’s right and who’s wrong in this particular case, but I wouldn’t be surprised if threads like this are the reason so many people are reluctant to start a boarding business or take over one.
This.
When I worked in tech support all our callers were told that the call might be recorded, actually all were. If the caller objected we had to transfer them. Some states require that if the phone conversation is being recorded an audible tone beeps
Vilification of boarders is getting old
I don’t think all boarders are evil or crazy. I don’t think all barn owners are evil or crazy.
But I swear I’m tired of the vilification of boarders that seems to take over every thread about boarding problems on CoTH. If only boarders weren’t so crooked, out of touch with reality, and financially sketchy, boarding would be all sunshine and rainbows. It’s crazy boarders who make it impossible to have a viable boarding business. Really? I kinda doubt it. I think it’s probably the fact that land, feed, and hay are expensive, horses are labor-intensive and bent on self-destruction, and few folks know how to care for them well – not many good candidate employees, a lot of uneducated owners, etc.
If I couldn’t board, I couldn’t ride. There would be no horses in my life. I luuuuve my barn owner, and I do whatever I can to be a good customer – not just paying on time, but making sure my horse has sensible manners so she’s not a trial to handle, doing my best not to do things that make more work for BO unnecessarily, and being pro-active about any communicating that needs to be done. Anticipating any blanket changes that I can do to save the BO an extra trip. Picking up after myself. Checking gates and water and taking care of stuff when I (rarely) find it not right.
I get tired of hearing how awful boarders are, and I get tired of people advising folks to never, under any circumstances, take boarders. We are not all terrible, and if we want the horse habit to go on in the world, we can’t just hole up and not reach out and encourage new (addicts) I mean hobbyists.
[QUOTE=wendy;6070071]
yes- for the sake of the horse, and just in case, I think regardless of situation it’s best to remove the horse BEFORE actually giving notice. Yeah, it’ll cost you money. So what? you want your horse to be “accidentally” not fed and watered repeatedly, or get treated like scum yourself?
-as a boarder, I would never sign a boarding contract that allowed the BO to evict me without a 30 days notice for any reason. Horse needs somewhere to live, and it’s kind of hard to find a place sometimes.[/QUOTE]
Well, yeah, but what’s that 30 days’ notice actually worth if the BO (or industry) makes a habit of abusing the horse for the last 30 days?
FWIW, I give notice after I have found somewhere else to go. Call it smart, call it a$$-covering.
The girl from 'Bama arrives with a fine solution! I also like the poster above who paid the BO 1/2 of the last month’s board with notice and 1/2 on move-out day in order to coerce decent treatment. Or that was the poster’s daddy? Since our industry seems to have come to this, I think that plan sounds awesome.
ETA: Please, God, never, ever put me into one of these situations. Thank you.
Let me just state for the record, that plenty of people give notice and move to different boarding barns WITHOUT all this drama. It is absolutely NOT industry standard for horses to be mistreated or poorly cared for after notice has been given. There are plenty of clients who give notice appropriately according to their contract, and BOs who work hard to make the last 30 days as pleasant as possible for all concerned.
Need to be very careful about giving black and white legal advice unless you are a lawyer and know the specific state statutes. I guess this is exactly the point that Sonesta is making on the other thread.
Without being a lawyer, or without actually having sight of the contract, who knows what is legal. OP - you need to read your contract and if you are worried about something not in the contract, have a quick consultation with a local lawyer. It would seem highly improbable that the BO could seize anyone’s horse, but likewise it would seem highly improbable that your friend can try to get part of her final month back. BUT who knows - only you have the contract.
:eek:
Gosh, that is not how I read this thread at all.
trubandloki, there’s only a little of that in this thread, but I guess that I’m responding to this anti-boarder sentiment on other threads as well.
But it’s usually offset by the fruitbatting BO/BM threads.
I think we are pretty much clear, every barn has it’s loon.
Hopefully it’s benign crazy.
But if it’s a massive disturbance, the road apples tend to hit the air movement devices at mach speed.
And I think then it is advisable to leave said premise at likewise velocity. Or Propel the crazy out.
But when you have a mass exodus, it is usually safe to assume that the crazy is on the BO side…
I’d say you get out according to the rules, then you can take it to Judge Judy and see if you can recoup anything.
[QUOTE=cloudyandcallie;6065980]
It’s legal to record a conversation to which one party consents. For example, if the person carrying the tape recorder, here the boarder, consents to recording the conversation herself, it is admissible in most courts. This is NOT like bugging someone’s home or office or barn and then leaving the recorder unsupervised. I’ve tried wiretaps and had witnesses tape conversations, all legally. The right of privacy does not extent to public places either. And does not extend to a situation where one party consents to the recording of the conversation. [/QUOTE]
This is NOT true in every state. In Illinois both parties must consent to the recording (there are exceptions).
[QUOTE=Kate66;6071264]
Need to be very careful about giving black and white legal advice unless you are a lawyer and know the specific state statutes. I guess this is exactly the point that Sonesta is making on the other thread.
Without being a lawyer, or without actually having sight of the contract, who knows what is legal. OP - you need to read your contract and if you are worried about something not in the contract, have a quick consultation with a local lawyer. It would seem highly improbable that the BO could seize anyone’s horse, but likewise it would seem highly improbable that your friend can try to get part of her final month back. BUT who knows - only you have the contract.[/QUOTE]
THIS.
In some states there is a cause of action for interference with a business, so the BO is not completely out of line is she feels someone is damaging her business.
Yes, it’s a PITA and possibly expensive, but if it’s that bad then give your notice, pay what you owe, and just get out. Or be prepared to essentially do self-care for 30 days so you’re sure your horse is getting the proper care.
As far as not talking to the other boarders about what bothers you, and not talking to the BO:
How many situations could have been righted or avoided all together with proper communication? Owning a horse at a boarding facility requires work from many differend people. They all have to communicate for the operation to work.
Ex1: There were some major repairs that needed to be made at my current barn. I talked to some other people, we agreed on what we wanted, and we went to the BO about it. Everyone stayed calm, problem fixed.
Ex2: There are now some issued regarding hay and a rodent infestation. The boarders are talking and working towards damage control on the ground, and once we all get together again, we’ll see if the BO will help. But through talking, I learned that the BO had found what was most likely the best hay he could (there’s a shortage), and that I should take all my tack home or put it in my trunk to protect it from the rats.
Communication = GOOD.
Smoldering about problems and then talking about them with a fiery vengence after you’ve left a barn without trying to help make amends = BAD.
Welcome @WindHorse25
This discussion is from 2012 so don’t be surprised if the original poster doesn’t chime in
I also ‘love’ law enforcement. However, it will depend on your jurisdiction how much LE chooses to be involved. They can be called for a ‘keep the peace’ if you need to remove an animal but boarding disputes in general are civil and not criminal; often, not much LE can do other than the ‘keep the peace’.
And yes, I’d get the heck out of Dodge as soon as I could… like yesterday!
When a boarder who was attempting to leave got in an argument with the BO to the point the cops had to be called, well they were definitely there to keep the peace because the BO was ready to start swinging. This was in front of potential new boarders too. The BO had a history with the police on domestic violence charges, she was a little unhinged and had a hair trigger temper. She drenched the boarder’s horse in cold water in the middle of winter hoping he’d get sick and die. Boarder had a heck of a time getting her horse and her stuff out of there; BO threatening to keep her tack and equipment and bar her from entering the barn property but after the visit from the cops she was allowed to remove her things.
I was only there 3 weeks, I had my trailer there and loaded all my crap and my horse and left. I texted them to tell them it wasn’t a good fit with the drug use and drinking going on.
Another time I was asked to leave at the end of the month via a note on my stall. I had just returned from a trail ride and when I found the note, I turned around, loaded my horse back up, loaded up any tack and supplies and left without saying a word to the BO.
Leave now. Sneak your gear out over the next couple days then take the horse anywhere. Just go.
This is a clear sign of a BO who is losing their mind, having some kind of meltdown.
You can get a local lawyer to advise and write a letter. But letters dont stop craycray and interpersonal drama. Especially if the BO is a “legalistic threat” bully. They will just do something else.
Unless there is a clear signed contract about the board barter reduction, I doubt the boarder can really prevail. Also the BO can’t just seize the horse, they need to get a lein. What’s the legal process for that in your jurisdiction?
This is the kind of craycray BO who might padlock your stall or put your horse outside in the rain without getting a lein.
Just go now. You will not regret it.
Oh I didn’t see this was an ancient thread bumped by a new poster.
Bumped by a new poster who promptly dirty deleted
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