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  Discussion on Barn Manager Nuscense
Author Message
Member:
Kbarnes

Posted on Sunday, Jun 4, 2006 - 11:45 am:

I realize how old this post is - so the original participants in the conversation may not be members any longer.

However - I wanted to say something for others like me who may read this.

I found it odd that a vet tech would make a judgement on the quality and nutritional content of a hay by calling it 'green' or 'yellowed'. I would say in the case of such a sensitive horse that an analysis should be done on the hay being fed (esp by a vet tech?!?).

And showing breed bias on growth development is also a gripe of mine. There has been so much light shed on these old 'myths' that quarter horses are skeletally mature at THIS age while arabians are skeletally mature at THAT age. Dr. Deb Bennett has some very interesting information on the development of the bones & joints (growth plates). Everyone who is starting young horses should be educated in this.

I do not agree with the practice of riding horses that are 2 or younger but I certainly find it disagreeable that someone would be riding a horse that is that young and A. not able to keep good weight B. foundering all the time.


I own a boarding facility and it is very hard to keep balance between boarders and your business reputation. Of course you can sympathise with a horse and its owner if it is suffering from some condition that causes it to show some kind of extreme 'external' lack of condition (ie weight). BUT when you have people fussing and complaining, and threatening to call Animal Welfare Services - as a barn owner fingers get pointed at me.

In those cases I personally keep some kind of case history / information on the horse and its condition to produce it in case any kind of animal welfare officer comes to my property.

That being said, some times 'complaining' boarders see more truth than you think (going back to my concerns that the author of this thread is riding a VERY young horse that can not gain adequate weight and is suffering laminitis/founder on and off).

Just my 3 cents worth on an old topic.

~K. Barnes
Member:
Jojo15

Posted on Sunday, Jun 4, 2006 - 10:23 pm:

LOl... yes 6 years old. alot of things happen in that amount of time. hay analysis although not new, is new to many even now, and mostly only after a cushings diagnosis, or EMS is present. foundering now vs. 6 years ago has changed too. So much has been uncovered in these past 6 years, that would probably have shed light on the situation. and the barn managers education of it.

I don't think that the barn manager/ nor barn owner could be held liable for something if animal control came out for one unfit horse, while the rest of the barn horses were in excellent condition, etc... Do you? I wouldn't point fingers at the manager if a horse was waist deep in manure and it was self board. Now if it was full board, than of course. But thats the problem with partial, or self board. The owner is the keeper of the horse, not the manager. I guess keeping everything documented and have notices in writing and signed and dated would help immensely....
New Member:
nanette

Posted on Tuesday, May 13, 2008 - 1:15 pm:

I board my horses in Marseilles and the owner knows about the problems created by the barn manager couple (husband and wife). I don't leave because of the friends I have made there with other boarders. The owner is elderly, but we have told him that if he got rid of the problem couple, he would not be with out EVER. I can adjust my schedual at work and three other boarders said they would love to help out. We all like the owner and his farm, but not the couple (husband and wife). Any suggestions? We are desparate, no other farm has enough room for all of us to move ALL of our horses so we can all stay together. Us boarders like each other and would miss each other alot without this common ground. What should we do?
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