Election Eve
3 hours ago
Friday, March 6, 2009
Sad
My board is going up $30 a month. April 1st, I will be paying $505 a month. It was painful at $475, but I can't justify $505. Thinking about leaving gives me a lump in my throat. I have been at Templeton since a month before it opened. A few months later, I bought Maddy. As the barn has grown and changed, we have too. Everyone there is like family to me. Many would say, "What's $30 more dollars?" Well, it is $360 more a year. When you tack on $140 for lessons, $85 every 6 weeks for shoes, supplements about $40....it all adds up. I wish I wouldn't have opened the letter...I knew it was bound to come, the writing was on the wall. Just today I was riding in the arena, thinking how good things were. My lessons are going well, the trails are drying out, and the pasture full of mares have so much fun together. I am just sad. I can handle change fairly well, I just hope my girl can. The search begins for our new home. 
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11 comments:
Sorry to read about having to move your horse. When I quit boarding horses a couple of years ago, I charged $300. How often do you have to pay for supplements? If it is by the month, that seems high to me. My horses are on Vit. E and Sel ($75 for a five gallon bucket that lasts for months with 7 horses), 3 are on Devils Claw ($70+ for a small bucket that lasts for several months), I have 1 30 yo that gets 1 gram of bute per day for his blown up knee ($42 for several months) plus they all get beet pulp and three get haycubes. Beet pulp is $13.99 a for 50 # and because it gets soaked, lasts over a month for the 7. Haycubes...more expensive. $11.99 for 50#. I'm dealing with 6 horses who are 20, 24, 26, 29, 20 and 32 and a 10 yo. and 3 of them get the cubes. What does your horse get? I have a friend who charges $500 per month but it includes 1 lesson per week. On the other side of our county $500 is just average. I can support 7 horses at my own farm for a little more than you have to pay for 1....and I have some real grain hogs.
Can you go where Kacy is?
That is really sad. It's hard enough to find a barn where you and your horse feel comfortable. I guess board has to go up on a regular basis though, everyone needs to be able to stay in business. I think $35 is a pretty big jump to handle all at once. I'm wondering if the barn owner realizes that she may lose some clients because of the raise. I'm hoping you find a place that you and Maddy like just as well as this barn.
Lori's thought was what I was thinking too: can you go where Kacy goes?
Sorry to read that you are in a fix about the increase in costs - many of us have these things to worry about these days. Is there anything you could trade on a monthly basis - some sort of services? grooming? tacking? exercising horses for people out of town? to make up the difference so you can stay? At our barn, we've been going through all sorts of maneuvers to save money without changing the quality of horse care, because we know our boarders can't afford an increase. Good luck and let us know how you do.
That seems high to me for that particular barn/area so I don't blame you for looking elsewhere even if you could sacrifice other items to make up the $30. The big bummer is that, assuming there is pasture there, the price to run the place should be going down soon since there will be grass and less stalling (so less bedding and labor for stall cleaning and turnout). Seems that they could have/should have waited until fall to increase board. We all know that gas is going to go way up around Memorial Day and stay that way through Labor Day, like always.
I have recently looked at barns in the Oregon City area so if you want to email me I can let you know what I've found, the good and the bad. julie_r_marquis@hotmail.com
Sorry to hear you have to go through that. It always sucks. But, you should let us know what you're looking for in a boarding facility in case something comes up!
Lori--Maddy eats ALOT. She is a "hard keeper." To supplement her beet pulp, oats, and hay. I use More-Glo(rice bran)($40 bag) (4 cups a day) Horseshine (flax), a mulit-vitamin, and two scoops of Quiessence. Real fun making all those supplement packs:-)
I was all set to help clean stalls two days a week to help supplement my board after our barn manager, Kara, left. At the last minute they found a guy to come do it for less (he was a good hire...hard worker). I am not going to jump into anything, just need to start looking. I emailed Kacy to see if she has any ideas for me. It is frustrating, I am working so hard at cutting back and saving, it just makes you feel defeated to have to spend more.
OMG! 505!!!
I pay 375 for a great place now, I would have a stroke if I had to pay 505!
Good luck in your search, there are tons of places in the OC area!
My board got increased a few months ago to $450, but lessons are free (as long as you don't take advantage and want them every week). I recently got laid off so this will be a challenge, but honestly, there isn't anywhere else close-by that is any cheaper, and we can't bring Miss onto our property. I wish you luck, I'm sad for you.
I hear your pain...I am worried my board is going to go up as well. I am worried because if either my lease or my own horse goes up by another $50 then I have to start dropping shows of my shceudal...and since half the reason I lease is to show...I would not be a happy camper. Your friend (and trailer ride) just left for a new barn...could you move over there as well? And people shouldn't give you a hard time. I think there is something mentally harder about saying I pay $500something then saying you pay $400something. The first month I leased another horse and my expenses were more than $1,000 I nearly died. I hope you find a good back to move to!
Oh!
I think they did me a huge favor huh! I would have had to go anywho!
I pay less than half of what I did and the care I am getting is so totally supreme!
She is putting in a rather large round pen, Play area that will be left set up and eventually an indoor arena. It is available and our tow could be turned out together...but it is farther.
Maybe a place to land while you look and make a very good decision for yourself....kinda like me now. though- I am so totally in love with the care, I am thinking of stayin.
I have tons of numbers...call me!
KacyK
I hear you on the hard keeper stuff. Here are some suggestions you can take or leave . . .
Since you are feeding beet pulp, if you get a non-fortified rice bran, the beet pulp's calcium will balance the phosphorus in the rice bran. Buy one bag at a time and at the rate you feed, you won't have to worry about spoilage so you can purchase non-stabilized. You'll save nearly $30 a bag here. I've been using it for over a year now without any issues.
Instead of Omega Horseshine, try just plain flax OR try Horse Tech vitamin and mineral products that are made with a flax base. You can also have a custom-made vitamin/mineral supplement from Horse Tech that includes the ingredients in Quiessence which will save money. Their products are top-notch.
Best of luck!
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