Frustrated with Boarding Stables!!!!

[FancyHorse]

So recently I have bought a new filly that I plan to run. She is not currently broke, so in the mean time I need to find a boarding stable that has at least a round pen so I can break her before taking her to the track! I am trying to cut the cost of farms, thats why I am doing it myself!
I have tryed so far two different stables and they both made me feel very unwelcome and didn't want me or my horse there.
Of course they ask what I plan on doing with her, who is going to train her? So I give them the 411 that she isn't broke and we need to start her, then we will be moving her in a couple of months.
The first place they told me they don't have the facilities to break a horse (note i saw a round pen in the corner) and the second place told me I had to have a trainer break her (yea like I am going to have a H-J training break my racehorse) .
I am just so frustrated at these stupid stables and how rude they are about it, one place recommended me to another stable, but its all dumpy and I don't want my filly there. I feel like if I call any other stable I have to lie just to get in!!!!!!
Sorry for the long post, but I just needed to get it off my chest!

[Crystal]

Can I just tell you, as hard as it is for you and your filly.. try finding a place for a stud!!! I gave up a few years ago trying to find a suitable stable for me and a NICE warmblood stud colt I had.. I was planning on buying him from a friend (who was moving so her back yard barn was not available). It was F*cking UNREAL.. Some stables said yeah I could bring him there, but never turn him out... I was blown away by that. Some stables are TB biased. In stable ads I see all the time " No OTTBs" "NO Hot TBS" WTF?!?!? Breed profiling!!!

[Marli]

Ah you girls have me cracking up here. Yep, been there too. Had enough it and found myself a facility to rent and when the few boarders I had inquired about ottbs, I said absolutely, no problem!

Of course now I'm here in Central NY but my stallion is right here on my own property with his own pasture and paddock, the girls have 10 acres across the road and their all happily content like pigs in sh*t!

And I also have to mention, I can't tell you how many people stop they're cars in front and stare at the horses grazing, the Sunday morning people on their way home from church, and when I go out to speak w/them they're AMAZED when I tell them what they are - thoroughbreds (with a few off the track as well). Just boggles their brains. There is definately some really negative hype about the breed AND prejudice.

[FancyHorse]

People always think that just because they were racehorses and are TBs that they are these crazy monsters just waiting to attack and get into trouble, but they never see how they really are. Even the on the track TBs that are all pumped up and high and really nice to work around with in the barn, yea sometimes they spook and jump, but hey they are flight animals its in their blood. If the person handling the horse knows how to control it, then who cares!!!! People really frown on OTTB and think that their sport and their horses are better! Yea right, have you ever seen a sport horse sell for $10mill, NO lol

[Wildcat]

Being on the otherside of the boat, I know alot of HJ barns won't accept horses that are not going to be in a training program. This is a result that alot of the hj barns are farily full, and will save the stall for someone willing to pay for the whole shabang. When I was younger, one trainer that I trained with only offered a package, which consisted of the board, training, and/or lessons. Plus there was a minimum amount of shows we were required to attend.

I am not advocating for how they treated you, that is rude, and unprofessional, IMO. Are there any barns that "do it all?" Or a barn that has several different trainers, and all different discplines, so you couldn't be required to be in a training program? Are there any colleges in your area? If the school has an equestrian team, find out where they keep their horses. They typically will allow accept boarders. If I can think of anything else, I'll let ya know. Good luck with your filly.

[griff]

Adam Smith says it all, When there is sufficient demand for stables that allow novice trainers to work with untrained horse or stallion, AND the price is right they will appear like magic.

Stables have a hard time making ends meet with out having to worry about how a stallion or untrained horse will behave and if it will cause problems for other boarders with trained horses.

The trainer with the stable is in the business to train and that's how he makes his living. There is no incentive to allow unkowns to use his facilities. It's kind of like asking a service station attendent to use oil you supply and charge you less for an oil change. What;s in it for him?

griff,

[Prairie]

Perhaps the first barn wasn't willing to accept the liability of a boarder "breaking" their own horse on the property. The stable owners know what their insurance covers. You can't blame them for protecting themselves and their business.

Considering your comments about the hunter/jumper people, it doesn't sound like you would have been happy at that barn, anyway. Try to find a small, laid back non-discipline barn. I've boarded my horse at two such barns over the years, and no one seemed to be breed-prejudiced (we had several thoroughbreds, including OTTB). There were a number of boarders with young horses who were starting them out on the basics or actually starting them to saddle.

Good luck on your search.

[fletch621]

So, this may be a stupid question... but for TBs that are meant to race, how much training is too much training? The reason I ask is because where my yearling is boarded right now there are mainly trail riding horses, english riding horses, things of that nature. The owner is a super nice guy, but has never dealt with race horses and has in his mind that they are ground trained and broken the same as his extremely calm trail horses. I honestly do not know yet, as I am still trying to figure out what will be involved, but it seems to me that if you totally break down a TB to the level that it is a gentle trail riding horse then maybe it will lose some competitivness on the track. Any thoughts?

[madelyn]

Ah yes. It sounds like it is frustrating for you. However, from another perspective, the boarding stable may be concerned about liability if you get hurt on their property. There are equine activity statutes in most states, and people sign waivers, but that doesn't stop them from filing suit. I have one that's been dragging on for over two years, has cost at least $6,000 so far to defend. It is frivolous, the claimant will lose, but it costs money nonetheless to defend yourself from a frivolous lawsuit. And then there is their employees, who will handle the horse at feeding and stall cleaning time. The point is, it might be better to find stabling at a non-discipline specific barn, as someone else suggested.

Ditto what was said about the barns with trainers waiting for a boarder who will pay for the stall PLUS training.

[mini's mom]

I had all o f my horses taken from me by a nut ball and he claimed that I drove out all of his 146 buyers forhis farm - he sent them to a boarding farm that has turned out to be a stolen horse operation (not provable though but we have 4 boxes of paperwork to prove that they were not a rescue - here in new england most of the farm land has a house on it as houses are more profitable than horses. The people who ran the 'rescue' boarding farm one is a felon fromarizona and wyoming and the other one got into my e mail (used it to spread lies & I have paper copies of this) - the stables are far and few between - the liability insurance is prohibitive and the expenses sometimes outweigh the revenue the boarding generates - I finaly found a place to put my two mares but I have to drive 1/2 hr and there are o stallions allowed and no foals - so if I want to breed my mare next year I have to look for a place to put them before I breed her -
a note about stallions - they are the gentlest creatures around - mine was wonderfula nd did not hurt a soul - he was just scared as he was taken away from his dam, me and his herdmates - of course he got sold and the scumbags that own the rescue (boarding farm) got the money - hope that someone steps up and puts them in jail

minismom

[Roguelet]

I have two comments: One, for FancyHorse: Do you get the Blood-Horse SOURCE? If so, they have a section listing boarding facilities by state, and as they are advertising in the SOURCE, published by the Blood-Horse, these people expect, or maybe even only cater only to, TBs. If you don't have the SOURCE, let me know what area you're looking in and I will check mine and give you some names and numbers of boarding facilities in your area.

The second comment is for fletch: Not a stupid question, but one that probably everyone has a different opinion on (you know what they say about opinions...) My opinion, for what it's worth, is that a TB broke to be gentle and trusting, with confidence and wonderful manners, only makes that horse easier to deal with for all of it's future endeavors, which in turn usually means the horse is liked better and treated more kindly and lovingly by future trainers, riders, grooms, etc. (Maybe not intentionally, but it happens... a horse that is enjoyable and makes their jobs and lives easier is hard not to appreciate a bit more than one that is a pain in the butt on a daily basis.) It also makes that horse more accepting of such oddities and future challenges as the starting gates, the saddling paddock, etc. Plus, teaching a horse simple things like leading politely and standing calmly to be saddled can prevent a wash-out before a race... a horse needs to save it's energy for the actual race, not use it all up stressing over the walk to the paddock, being saddled, loaded in gates, etc.

I, personally, imprint our babies at birth so they are calm and trusting wtih people, and they are treated like real horses, not "pre-race bombs," as they grow up. This means being turned out in large fields with other horses to run and play and learn equine social etiquite. Our horses come in daily to eat, but other than that they spend as much time as possible outside running around, eating grass, and being horses. I would rather see them grow more slowly, as nature intended, and stay sound longer... and maybe come in with a little sun bleaching on their coats or a few scrapes from roughousing with other babies, than to have a drop-dead gorgeous, show prepped, growth-accelerated monster who is a beauty pageant basket case on the verge of a mental and physical breakdown.

When it is time for our horses to be broke, they are broke using natural horsemanship. They learn to stand tied (for as long as we say to stand tied), to load in a trailer, to lead politely, to STAND when asked... they go on trail rides, etc. They learn manners and are calm and confident when handled or ridden. They typically sail through gate school and are also MUCH easier to place into a second career, because they have such a firm foundation of basics. It does not make them any less competitive... just as proper breaking and early learning doesn't take the competitiveness out of barrel racers, endurance horses, fox hunters, show jumpers, or any other discipline. Competitiveness and manners are not exclusive to eachother... and it is my opinion that when they go hand in hand the result will far surpass only having one or the other.

End of opinionated post...

[madelyn]

About ground school... What Roguelet said. They can learn to fly later.

[fletch621]

Thank you for your opinion Roguelet, and the seconding of said opinion Madelyn . This yearling is my first TB and I have perhaps delusional high hopes for her, so I just didn't want to screw stuff up right off the bat. Her breeding is nothing special, Wild Gold - She's Pure Genius by Beau Genius, but until otherwise proven wrong, she is going to be the best sprinter in ages .

[Bondama]

I would rather see them grow more slowly, as nature intended, and stay sound longer... and maybe come in with a little sun bleaching on their coats or a few scrapes from roughousing with other babies, than to have a drop-dead gorgeous, show prepped, growth-accelerated monster who is a beauty pageant basket case on the verge of a mental and physical breakdown.

Hear, hear!! <insert much clapping of hands>

Well said.

[Prairie]

I would rather see them grow more slowly, as nature intended, and stay sound longer... and maybe come in with a little sun bleaching on their coats or a few scrapes from roughousing with other babies, than to have a drop-dead gorgeous, show prepped, growth-accelerated monster who is a beauty pageant basket case on the verge of a mental and physical breakdown.

Hear, hear!! <insert much clapping of hands>

Well said.

Ditto.