I’m going to call BS right there. Like @FitzE said, I think CC had every right in defending herself AFTER the post BM made blasting her on Facebook - and it put everything into context. You cannot possibly think that it’s okay for someone to sit there and sic their fans on a fellow professional and that it would have just “blown over”? Get real.
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It is my understanding that Boyd already has this policy. Two or 3 times in one summer I met a local trainer at Windurra. I wrote the check but handed it to the trainer. I was under the impression from the person I hauled in with, and took the lesson with that Windurra required the trainer to be responsible for the payment. This was about 2 years ago.
Since we had a few posts about waivers, we also discussed waivers and apparently we did not need to sign one each day we rode. Only one waiver per year.
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How do you think he got hundred/thousands/millions of followers on social media in the first place?
He is fantastic at social media in general. Or maybe somebody on his team is fantastic at it. Regardless of this one particular episode.
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I know somebody who had an electric gate at her farm in Wellington with a keypad to go in, but the gate opened automatically when someone was leaving the farm.
Until the night somebody climbed the fence and stole the golf cart, since the gate opened when the person pulled up to it.
After that, there was a keypad going both directions at both car height and horse height.
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I think there is a difference between the self-advertising posts Martin (or some intern) does and an accidental landlord getting his panties wadded and deciding to use FB that way. The hundreds of followers probably has to do with who he is as much as whatever polish his marketing person does with those branding-type posts.
The first post, which I didn’t see, and the second post make it look as if Martin did not use social media the way he likes to, by his own standards.
Or maybe the whole “Hey, I took down the pissy post. I hate it when people air dirty laundry on Facebook” start to his second post was all a complicated ruse?
FWIW, in the second post, Cooper’s name was not mentioned. Some other person down in the comments reposted the text exchange between them which, apparently, Cooper decided the world ought to see first.
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Was this a few years ago? Because the policy used to be the general public (aka not associated with Boyd either through business or friendship) could only school there under the guidance of an approved trainer. There used to be a schedule of different local trainers who were on site certain days. Back then, you paid that trainer.
At some point the policy changed to open schooling for a flat fee. I don’t know why the policy changed, but since there are so many capable riders and trainers in the area with ties to him, I imagine that system also got messy.
Yeah. The policy is now a vague matter of trainers being responsible for ensuring their clients pay before leaving the property after schooling. They state on their website:
“Coaches and clinicians are welcome to teach students at any time. Please ensure each of your students have paid before leaving.”
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I don’t think it’s vague. All it means is, yes, you can come out and teach a lesson at Windurra! But you need to make sure your students pay.
Because I imagine what was happening was Trainer X was giving lessons but their students were “forgetting” to pay Boyd, either on purpose or accidentally.
I was guilty of this once, not at Windurra but at a different facility years ago. I was invited to ship in for a lesson by a trainer and had no idea I had to pay the property owner separately!
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I believe that I can go school without a trainer. But if I am there with a trainer it is the trainer’s responsibility to make sure all his/her students pay.
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Gotcha.
By vague, I meant that it’s not as clear cut as the trainer paying for their group of students & horses in one lump sum from their own Venmo or with their own check. Instead, the trainer apparently is responsible for making sure each of the students pay before leaving. At the end of the day… there still might be a few different single payments from random senders, and Boyd/Silva/Windurra staff have to figure out which trainer they were associated with. I was thinking of @PolestarFarm ‘s experiences sorting out Venmo payments - it sounds tedious to me. Would be easier to just receive lump sum payments from the trainers.
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I actually was of the same opinion as you - at first. I was like wow, that was uncalled for and CC was so polite in her response. Then someone posted the signs that are up on the farm…
The signage is very clear - pay when you are at the farm. Those are the rules. IMHO - It is highly inconsiderate and rude and “I’m so special” thinking that CC thought she could have it done later. I don’t know either of them at all but I think those who are so publicly contrite and apologetic after getting put on blast are phony. She played the social media card so so well. “I’m just the poor person getting put on blast and I had NO IDEA I was breaking the rules.” Yeah, BS. It’s like the person always stealing your lunch out of the fridge; you confront them time after time politely and they say ok, so sorry. Then they do it 1 MORE TIME and you lose it. Then YOU are strung up in front of HR looking like the nut job. Yeah. Have coworkers like that. I stay far far away from them (I haven’t been strung up in front of HR but I know folks who have).
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Just chiming in to add that my trainer and friends and I have been schooling at Windurra for years. It went from minimal signs with just a mailbox to drop checks with the prices posted, eventually getting to now, with many, many signs, large and small, posted with warnings about paying and more explicit instructions. They are all over the place and it is very clear that one needs to pay before leaving. I usually just leave a check, but my trainer is more often paying for everyone and then we pay her. No one wants to get banned, which is (again), made very clear will happen if you are a repeat offender.
As others have noted it’s off a very busy road and sometimes there is a bit of a traffic jam at the gate, so I cannot imagine it would be useful or safe to make it harder to get in and out.
It’s an incredible place to school and I really hope it remains open to us. I take my jumpers there and condition on the galloping track, which is really useful to me (my two guys are tubes and find it unnecessary and way too strenuous, especially when we are trying to pace one of the TBs! 
). And it’s always so fun to watch everyone schooling the XC course, from 5* riders down to greenies and beginners.
Regardless of whatever dumbness happened on social media, the short answer is that people need to not be entitled jerks and just pay what they owe, on time, so we can all continue to use this wonderful place. 
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You nailed it.
The text exchange she posted? Sure… she was polite and full of explanations and Boyd was blunt and accusatory. But he stated clearly he rode by her trailer, and consciously decided to take a head count of tacked horses when he saw her on property that afternoon. Was that a coincidence? I seriously doubt it.
Then later when he checked Venmo, he saw she hadn’t paid. I doubt he checks his Venmo each and every time he sees a visitor on property either. But he checked it that evening. Coincidence? I doubt it. Then he texted her and she gave a story about being late and Neal having business calls, and they would send payment shortly…
And after that Boyd went and checked Venmo AGAIN, (coincidence? I doubt it) and saw she paid for 4, when he had counted 5 tacked horses on the trailer earlier that day.
I can understand him blowing up and being at wits end by that point. Sure… CC had a very lengthy explanation for that discrepancy as well… and people can believe it and take it at face value if they want and blame Boyd. I obviously have my own opinion, which is different.
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I had not thought of that aspect, but you’re absolutely right.
Does he do a headcount on every trailer he rides by all day long on the property? 
I mean, maybe he does, who knows. But I would imagine he has more important stuff to think about than that if there has not been an issue in the past.
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I’ve worked in a business-type situation with both of them. He is charming and easy to get along with. She not so much IMHO but she’s never been anything but straight forward as far as business transactions. 1000% he showed his ass with how he responded to this and absolutely showed how privileged white men are in our society. Imagine if the roles had been flipped?
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I missed the initial post and CC’s, but I have read this whole thread and BM’s follow up post.
Is it possible that an unknown (to us) history prompted BM to keep a close eye on CC and her payment? (Late, excuses, underpayment)?
Seems to me that the Facebook post was more of a “hey FYI this person isn’t allowed on property” (since BM/Barn staff might not see her on the farm if she chose to use the facility anyway—after all rules don’t seem to apply to her)? Sort of asking other patrons to keep an eye out for her.
And the “call 911” is certainly excessive; but he can’t very well say “oh of you see CC on my farm tell her to leave?” What IS recommended if you have a trespasser on your property, anyway? Non-emergency line?
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I would expect 911 if a trespasser is a threat to safety. I would probably assume a non-emergency line.
Regardless I guess seeing the initial post if there was a long history between BM and CC I would’ve expected him to air that dirty laundry too. Not like he was holding his tongue. So without any evidence of a bad or good history I guess I just fall on the side of the tone was wholly unnecessary
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How is race a factor here?
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Given that it was a longstanding agreement between BM and CC that she paid after using Venmo, I don’t see the issue. I also disagree with you that her messages were “phony,” since it appears that the exchange happened BEFORE Boyd took to social media and put her on blast. But JMO.
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Let me guess, you’re a “not all men” defender.
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