Barn Hours Suck
posted by citizen.K on Wednesday, April 16th, 2008 / 
Print & Hang in the Barn
If I am paying money to board my horse, I do not want to be told I cannot come out and ride at certain times or days.
The ‘Monday barn closed rule’ is ridiculous. Let’s say I am paying $500/month on board and there are 30 days in the month, that makes $16.67 a day. If the average month has four Mondays, that’s $66.68 per month I should not have to pay for. I’m not able to see an animal I legally own and I pay to be cared for and use the facilities? Not right. I think my new board bill is $433.32 for my missed Monday riding!
Now, as a barn manager or owner, I can understand wanting a day free of boarders. I mean, the horses are the easy part of the business. The people, are a headache. Even the people you like are sill “work”. But, why not take a different option. I think saying no turnout, no lessons, EVEN no stall cleaning makes sense, but to not allow paying boarders to come see their horses or to ride is wrong.
I can understand barn hours since people may be living on the horse property and barn gates need to be locked. Of course, if you have a working second or third shift boarder that is a good client you can trust, allowing that person to ride at “closed” hours should be offered. Some barn owners may object to those working graveyards coming to the barn outside of barn hours because “no one will be there.” But, even during open hours, there are times when there is no one else out at the barn, so that excuse alone doesn’t work. Easy solution: have ‘em sign an additional waiver.
I can understand wanting a day free of boarders. I mean, the horses are the easy part of the business.
Closing the barn at 5pm on weekends is another terrible barn rule. Not EVERYONE wants to ride while there are a million Saturday afternoon lessons going on. Some people do appreciate the ring to themselves. Riding isn’t a social event for everyone.
So, if you are at a barn with barn rules or barn hours that don’t make sense to you, make a stink about it, especially if you are missing out on times you would like to be at the barn. You pay good money to own a horse which means you should be able to see your horse at reasonable times.
Ride everyday and don’t let anyone stop you, especially barn hours!
13 Responses to “Barn Hours Suck”
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April 20th, 2008 at 12:30 pm
I hate that my barn is closed Monday. I usually can’t get out to the barn on the weekends because I have plans with my husband so I like to ride after work and wish I could ride on Monday. You make a good point on discounting my board!!!! I think I would get kicked out though.
April 20th, 2008 at 12:32 pm
I think most bigger show barns are closed on Monday. That is the trainers day off and they don’t like people riding when they aren’t there. I guess it makes sense if you have a strict program with all of the boarders and riders.
April 20th, 2008 at 12:35 pm
I am at a bigger show barn and my barn isn’t closed on Mondays. I don’t think there are really hours at my barn. Even though pretty much everyone goes to the big A shows it’s pretty laid back barn without a ton of rules. I wouldn’t like being told when I can and can’t go out to the barn.
April 20th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
I have never experienced this phenomenon, but have heard about it. I would not be amused if I was told I could not come to see or work with my horse. I would not board my horse at a place that limited when or how I could ride my horse. I have a few friends that board at places where you cannot jump or go out on trail rides without supervision of an instructor. I might understand some of this idea for minors, but someone 18 years and up; this is ridiculous. I agree to that about half of the time I like riding alone and half the time I like riding with others. It is very peaceful to just be alone out on the trail or in an arena with your horse.
April 21st, 2008 at 9:02 am
> “I think saying no turnout, no lessons, EVEN no stall cleaning makes sense, but to not allow paying boarders to come see their horses or to ride is wrong.”
No turn out is fine? No stall cleaning is fine? But wait, if you inconvenience ME then, well, you deserve the shit you get??
Whether or not I agree with the barn being closed on Monday is besides the point when I read that. What ever happened to putting the HORSE first?
April 21st, 2008 at 9:14 am
I board my horse at a barn that doesn’t turn out or clean stalls on Sundays. The barn isn’t closed or anything. I don’t think any of the horses seem to care that they don’t go outside I guess they all know the routine. Some of the boarders clean their own stalls on Sundays, but most don’t. I don’t think the horses really care and I don’t mind cleaning my own stall once a week. I kinda like doing it actually.
April 21st, 2008 at 9:34 am
I don’t like the idea of not going out to see my horse when I want to. I board at a hunter/jumper show barn that ISN’T closed on Mondays. No one really goes out on Mondays either. I go out every Monday and maybe once a month I see someone else out there.
The trainer doesn’t work on Mondays, the horses don’t go out on Mondays, and the stalls are only picked out (poop). Most the time I don’t think they are cleaned at all. Its just the way it is. I personally go out on Mondays because my horse doesn’t go outside and because it is really nice to ride when there aren’t a million people out at the barn!
I personally think my horse would rather get ridden than go outside.
May 5th, 2008 at 12:08 pm
You think Monday’s are bad…We can’t come when they are feeding, or when they are eating. When the owner has lessons, from 12 - 2, that’s her time, after 6. And no Sunday’s. That’s her day. I didn’t know how crazy the times were…since they are not posted, and not in the contract. I think we can come for 2 hours durring the when we are not being an inconvience to her.
Yes….I am trying to find a new place to board.
June 17th, 2008 at 11:16 am
I guess I was even more fortunate than I realized being able to board for 15 years at the barn I had. There were no time rules; the barn was never closed; you could live there if you wanted.
It was a family run operation with about 50 horses, and we boarders were like extended family. We were always welcome. They took great care of the horses too. That’s probably why they had a 2 year waiting list. ;o)
June 18th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
My barn has hours that nobodys follows lol. We are open 7days a wk 9am-9pm daily - but there is one boarder whose horse is very ill she checks on him 4-5 x’s a day and is there until almost 11pm everynight with him. My owner would never dream of telling her to not be there “after hours” and i personally clean stalls at my barn for a part time job i get tehre at 4 am to start… I think barn hours are silly sometimes.. i understand the barn owner/ manager or trainers want some time without boarders or students but how many barns really follow their hours?
July 4th, 2008 at 4:00 pm
I would never board a horse where I was not allowed 24/7 access to him. I went the other route…I found a nice lady who’s kids had horses but they had grown up and moved away. She has pasture, paddocks, stalls and feed/tack areas that were just sitting there on five acres of land. For a very reasonable amount of money ($200 amonth for both of my horses) I rent the horse areas and do all my own care. Yes, it means leaving for work half an hour early and sometimes means getting home quite late, but it is worth the extra work! I have no dressage queens to deal with, no barn owner to argue with, my horses are guaranteed to be fed and cared for according to my wishes!
November 21st, 2008 at 7:58 pm
Boy, Melissa, do you sound like a spoiled brat. You say “have them sign an extra waiver” That does not legally protect the barn owner AT All. It is thrown out in any court case. Many barns cannot afford a “night shift” People who take horses to board have a 80-90 hour work week. Do you really expect barn owner to drag out at midnight (someone HAS to be responsible if there is anyone on the property) after putting a 15 hour day? You assume that if there are limits on hours, the barn owner has not done any work at that time and so you should not have to pay for that time. WRONG! horses need to be cared for 7 days a week. And their manure, getting the hay in, getting calls from worried owners who ask that their horse be brought in because there is a storm, and the horse may get hit by lightening. Then two hours later, a call to turn the horse out again. Sometimes even at night. I have sat with a sick horse all night, when the owner did not want to get out of bed. I have called the vet out, and had to pay $350 immediately for that emergency call. Only to have the owner say breezily, “i’ll pay you back”. But I never got the money.
I care first about the horses, and I give my ALL to the owners. But I cannot work 24/7.
December 29th, 2008 at 6:02 pm
I would hold one hell of a stink if, on Mondays, my horse was not being turned out and his stall was not being cleaned… but because I couldn’t ride? Time mgt. skills go a long way. So does compromise. Give the barn a break and manage to rewire your schedule to accomodate Mondays off, ESPECIALLY if you go into the barn well aware it is close on Mondays. Why bitch after the fact?