Conference noted::equitation

	There are alot of barns that close down for a day, generally a Monday
	when most people have had a chance to ride over the weekend.... It 
	gives the barn help a day to recover from any weekend activites like
	horse shows, etc. and get the barn back in shape for the rest of
	the week... It also sometimes allows the barn to have one day where
	they can get by with less help...

	Linda

    
    	Does that mean you can't go there on mondays, or after five
    	on sunday? What does sunday evening mean?
    	
    	I would not agree to this, I see my horse when I can, he is
    	my property, I couldn't abide by my stable telling me when to
    	work my horse and when not to. 
    
    	On the other hand, if they want privacy, what if they asked
    	people not to come before say 4 o'clock on monday, this would give
    	them all day to use their facilities privately but yet boarders
    	who work day jobs would not really be put out. Would they accept
    	this kind of suggestion? Did they give a reason? If you knew
    	the reason it would be easier for you to negotiate with them.
    
    	Good luck
    	Sherry
    
    

    
    
    	Where I board my beastie, we can go any time, anyday, and that is
    	what I think most places do.  After all you are renting that space,
    	just like an apartment in some ways and that is *your* horse so
    	you have a right to see him any time you want.  On the other hand
    	that is *thier* land so maybe they can do this but if it was me
    	I would find another stable to keep my horse at.  My horse is my
    	*baby* and I often run down to just say hi if I'm shopping or
    	what ever in that area and even if I already had spent the whole
    	morning with him!  There has been times when he has had colic and
    	I drove down to check on him during the middle of the night.  The
    	owner at our barn is very nice and knowledgeable but I like to be 
    	there myself and she has *never* said anything to me about it, she 
    	just laughs! :-)
    
    	Hope all turns out well for you!
    
    
    	Zina  
    
    	What is their reason for this?
             

When I switched barns 4 years ago (time flies) I was told 
that the barn was closed on Mondays.  The barn that I was 
previously at had no such rule.  I didn't like it, but I 
knew the rules when I moved in and it was a consideration 
when I relocated my horse.

How do I feel about it now? It's fine.  I know that if my 
horse "needs" me (i.e. he has an injury, an injury that 
needs to be treated, or is sick) I can certainly show up.  
I always ride 6 days a week, I just plan on Monday being my 
day off.  If I go away for the weekend, I make plans with 
the owner to be allowed to ride on Mondays.  However, that's 
prearranged -- I never just show up.  We don't have written 
rules; once things are in writing, they tend to be 
"concrete".  I'd make sure there was an allowance for 
flexibility such as the sick horse, whatever.  Our barn 
isn't that big; but it is a show barn. The owner just prefers that 
all animals have a total day off.  Like I said, I knew the 
rules when I moved in.  They didn't change after I had been 
there awhile.  However, I really don't mind it. But, if I 
didn't have the flexibility, I don't know if I'd like it at 
all.  I'd say 85% of the year I stay home on Mondays 
(emergencies aren't included in that 85%) and it's fine; 
but, there are times I need that extra 15%.

I'd make sure that the barn closed rule wasn't concrete. I also 
know that most show barns have one day a week that the barn 
is closed, so it's almost a show-barn standard.

Good luck,
Dawn

    I don't understand why they would want to shut down for that peroid of
    time.  So I can't understand this rule.
    
    Personally, I ride 6 days a week.  I usually give Jesse Sundays off, 
    unless I have a show, then it's Monday off.  That type of schedule 
    would interfer w/ my training program and I could not abide by it.
    I would end up moving to another barn.
    
    On occasion the people who own the place I board at will have company
    or some sort of function.  I try not to do anything which will
    interfere with their personal stuff.....the barn area is pretty much
    seperated from the rest of the home, but I respect the fact that they
    may want their privacy.

    I know this sort of rule is restrictive, but think about the owners of
    the barn who *never* get a day off.  And this often is their home,
    after all.  Think about what it's like to never have a day when you
    don't have "company".
    
    -ellie

    
    
    The reason this barn is closing Sunday at 5:00 until Tuesday morning,
    and yes that means closed all day Monday, is for privacy. The owners
    house is about 40 yrds from the barn. The issue can't be additional work,
    feeding and caring for the horses has to happen anyway!
    
    
    Good thoughts, more, more....

    I'd be out in a flash...okay, this is the owners home, but they should
    have taken that into consideration when they opened a boarding
    business. The barn my brother boards at does have some off beat rules
    but closing down for a whole day isn't one of them. Personally, I
    have always disliked boarding anyway, so many stable owners seem to
    have the opinion that if the horse is in their barn it is their horse.
    Myself, when I decided to work, visit, whatever my horse, I will do so.
    

    It depends upon the rider......I did not ride every day, so
    if the barn I boarded at took Monday off, I wouldn't have
    had a problem with it. They did have an unwritten
    time shutoff at 9:00pm, but If I needed to be there,
    I was no matter what the clock said.  
    If I boarded someone (My horse is now home in my own barn) 
    I would discuss this with the person.  It would be nice to
    have a day free from boarders...
    
    Lynne
     

You are paying money for services that were presented to you as available
when you moved your animal in. For the owners to change the rules on
you once are a boarder is a pretty lousy of them, regardless of the reasons.

How would customers of Digital feel if we sold them on a system, they
committed resources to it and made business assumptions based on it, then
said "Oh, yes well we've changed our minds about supporting feature X". "New
rules we just made up". "If you don't like it go elsewhere". Wouldn't
take long for our reputation as well as business to become affected.

They are probably of the opinion that their business won't suffer because
it would be too much hassle for most people to leave on short notice.
New boarders will have previous knowledge of the the rules. Unfortunately 
boarding facilities are becoming fewer and fewer these days due to liability 
insurance and land values.

It makes it easier for the ones that are left to raise the rates and
call the shots. The majority are not like that, but I know that *some*
are.
    

    I boarded my pony/horse at a barn where Monday was a "Day-Off". At
    first the borders did not like the idea. However, we were at a
    Show-Barn and most horses went to a show or sometimes two on weekends.
    The ride to the shows, the all day's at the show, classes, into the
    trailer, out of the trailer, push, training etc. made the horse surely
    tired. My daughter too was tired. The well deserved "DAY-OFF" for the
    horse was later a WELCOME addition. If anything happened to the
    four-legged friend, you were always notified.
    I believea that barnowner should be entitled to one day of privacy,
    just like the boarder can go to the barn or not.
    My opinion.	

    
    
    I would find this arrangement difficult.  Espescially since most
    holidays fall on a Monday and I'd want to be riding.  
    
    I have taken in a boarder or two and never even thought of pre-
    venting them to come on certain days.  After all, it is their
    horse and I chose to board it and have to realize people ride
    when they can.  If I wanted privacy, I wouldn't be boarding 
    horses for a living.
    
    If you can't change their new rule.... you can always make a
    strong statement.  Board elsewhere.
    
    
    
    
    
    

    That sounds terrible to me!  You pay them good money to keep your horse
    at their barn.  If you can't have access to him on three out of seven 
    days each week, then you should definitely have a drastically reduced 
    board bill to pay each month.  This in NOT common practice at all. 
    
    laurel.
    

    A question concerning fencing. I used to board my horse, Jasper, at a
    stable by my house (Jasper is no longer with me due to a fatal bout
    with colic). I took Jasper out of the stable after 1 1/2 years when it
    was obvious that the stable owners were just letting the place fall
    apart. Case in point - 6 months before I took Jasper out, I asked them
    when they were going to fix the paddock fencing. Several posts were
    missing (rotted at the bottom) and the owners had temporarily put
    standards in their place.
    
    According to my understanding of the law, once the owners were
    "informed" of a potential problem, if they ignore the problem and
    something happened, then the stable owners were liable. ( I was told
    this by a friend). 
    
    The stable owners did nothing about the problem and after harassing them
    for 6 months (by this time, alot of the fence posts were ready to
    collapse), I left the barn.
    
    Well, 2 years later (or so) the fence is once again in horrible
    condition. The paddock is only 15 feet from a country road (we get
    18 wheelers down/up this road). In several spots, posts are being
    supported by another post that is just leaning against it at a 45
    degree angle. Sometimes there is only one fence rail between the posts.
    Most of the rails have been chewed up so that it's very easy to break 
    them.
    
    I'm really concerned about the horses getting out. I don't know if
    there is anything that I can do about it. Any suggestions?
    			Cindy
    
     

    In most states, the owner of an animal is liable for any damages caused
    by the animal. Therefore, if a horse gets out and gets hit by a
    car/truck, the horse's owner(or insurance company) is likely to get stuck 
    for the repair bill to the VEHICLE as well as any injured humans. The poor 
    horse is likely to be dead but the owner is stuck.
    
    In a case where the horse was boarded, the horse's owner would probably
    have to sue the farm owner for negligence in order to get compensation for
    the horse as well as the money shelled out to whoever hit it. Maybe
    a charge of criminal negligence could be made against the farm owner
    through the local police.
    
    In order to prove negligence, the horse's owner would have to be able
    to show that the fences were in bad shape, that the farm owner knew
    it and had done nothing to fix it up. 
    
    If it were me, I'd take pictures of the fence and write a letter. I'd send
    copies of the pictures and letter to:
         1) the farm owner (certified mail w/ return receipt so I could
                            prove they got it)
         2) myself (certified mail - DO NOT OPEN IT)
         3) my lawyer
         4) Town officials...(In NH, there is a town position called "Fence
                              Viewer". Maybe that would be the right person!)
    
    Now, I'd be set to show the condition of the fence on a certain date
    and that the owner had been advised of the condition. If anything
    happened, I'd be out there showing this stuff to the investigating cop!
    
    
    However, the farm owner would probably consider this meddling in their
    business. This would be a good way to make enemies of the farm owner.
    
    

    Currently (that I know of) none of the horses have gotten out. One big
    problem is that none of the fence posts can be replaced until spring
    since the ground has frozen.
    
    Can I call MASPCA or will that be overkill? I really want something
    done with the fencing so that none of the horses will get out.
    		Cindy
    

    How about trying a positive approach.  As you realize, it's too late in
    the year to be digging post holes.  But perhaps the existing posts,
    although flimsy, would be more of a deterrent if there were electric
    fencing strung along them.  Now, realizing that this is not your
    property, you might want to be tactful in talking to the owners.  It may
    well be that they simply don't have the money to buy new fencing, or
    the time or adequate barn help to install it.  So how about making it a
    project for a local horse club, like a 4H club or Pony Club?  Using
    this sort of approach might get the job done without turning the issue
    into a feud.
    
    -ellie

There are building codes that must be met for structures to be used for 
a variety of purposes. There may be some sort of code that specifies the
proximity and barrier requirements for the class of road that this farm
is located on. I don't know for sure, but there may be an inspector at
the town offices that can help you.

We called the town clerk to get a building permit for our barn. They were very 
particular about the structure and its location on the property, and that
it was going to be used to house livestock. I don't recall any stipulations
on fencing, but you may be able to get someone's attention if you complain
that there is dilapidated fencing, used to contain livestock, near a busy
street.

At any rate, there may be someone there get you pointing in the right direction!

	Good Luck!

    I wouldn't recommend making enemies of the owners where you board your
    horse.  I've boarded two horses at places where the owners didn't like
    me (or, in the case of the 1st place, my parents).  One horse
    mysteriously broke his leg when he was supposed to be eating breakfast. 
    The second horse was crippled due to some things that the owners did.
    
    I would try to find out why they aren't fixing the fence (is it money
    or do they just not think its a problem).  When you know why they
    aren't fixing it, then you will have a better idea of what kind of
    action to take.
    
    After my experiences of the last 2 years I've come to the conclusion
    that the best thing to do is just find a new place to board. 
    
    Mary

    Mary,
    
    I agree. I would vote with my feet and my horse's feet if I had a horse
    boarded at such a place. I think that's what the noter who started this
    line did, too.
    
    I was talking about what I would do after I moved my own horse in
    an attempt to protect those horses that were left. Or at least help the
    owners of those horse's avoid being sued for damages caused by their
    loose horse that was the stable owner's fault!
    
    BTW, I hope you meant that the stable owners didn't like your parents
    and NOT that your parents were the stable owners and they(your parents)
    didn't like you!
    
    John

    Phew!  I thought the original noter said she'd moved her horse, but
    wasn't sure.  Yes, vote with your feet, then take appropriate action.
    
    :-)  The stable owners didn't like my parents.  Come to think of it,
    though, my parents didn't like me!  So either way, we were doomed...
    
    Mary