Monday, September 14, 2009

Reaching a Decision

Decisions in the past, about where to board, have been easy to make.


Good arena, with nice lighting and footing. Large stall with attached run or paddock. Field turnout . Conscientious handling, and a well maintained feeding program based on the horse's needs. Always making sure the weight, coat and attitude were correct. Sometimes trails available off the property, have been a plus too.

Asking for these and finding them, like I said, has been easy for me. Clackamas Co. is one of the most populated horse areas in Oregon.
BUT- ( and it is a big one too) The telling me what I want to hear, as part of the equation, I did NOT count on in the past, to be able to have me sign contracts and pay the money. That part= has rendered such turmoil for the mare and I, as I discovered that some folks do not portray the truth so well. In fact , the truths they thought to be offering were so askew; they were outright Lies.

All this said, I have been extremely happy in my current location. It has been a wonderful place to land after despairing times from ere mentioned- flip personalities. I have had my rough patches all summer...mostly due to no arena to train in and the development of a more "NAPPY"
attitude in Washashe toward working around the barn area. I have thought all summer that I would eventually leave, for an arena atmosphere. I have kept my eye out all summer long and visited and ridden in a few. Taken lessons from some pretty keenly trained women of stature in the horse community. Having had a few of those too(trainers)....

I like my trainers older with a nice human/horse savvy -that is not given to an attitude towards understanding and knowledge that is only privy for the ones they choose. They have been there and done that and the maturity in them allows them to be sensible people, without reproach.

I am on a waiting list for 3 stables and have been interviewing 2 others, of late. I need the stables to be in a certain area as my "Must Ride Mondays" riding partner has told me that if I remain in the area, she will pick me up for outings to trails, if the arena I choose has none. I love it!
I did this very thing for so many in then past, giving them times away from the arena and new trails by trailering them with me. It is MY turn now...God is good to share this gal with me, she lets me chip in for gas and we go, go, go...all over the countryside with our equine friends!


Back to the decision....I found a wonderful new stable near where I have taken some lessons. It was by mistake I found it...I was to interview at another and passed it up and saw this other one. Since I was early by an hour, I stopped in. The owners took me around themselves and I enjoyed them and the care they took building the stable. This arena is the most cleverly made, I have ever seen. Sitting on 70 acres and with a perfect view of Mount Hood, the footing alone cost $25,000. A cedar mix that has absolutely NO DUST! I tried to make some dust..and could not raise any! It is springy and spongy..only needs water once a mo. It is airy and open for light. 205 by 100. Yea, huge. Well...it really impressed me and some other aspects too like- my trainer comes there. They only have one other border for now as she raises and trains/sells warm bloods and keep pasture mostly for them.

Then, I went on to my actual interview, down the road. She is great and I trust her with mostly all aspects of boarding save 2. The fact that she told me that my mare would get "scratches" and the fact that she participates in, what I call ,a dangerous stable practice.
Many folks do this and maybe one of you reading does... too. I have been warned by my sister not to allow my mare to do it. She is the exception to any rule- horse, so I can NOT sign into this practice for she would be the one getting her hip "Knocked down", for going around a corner too tightly with speed. The practice is, you open the stalls and gates and they turn themselves in /out , with the feed ready in place.

I handed my riding partner a pros/cons list, last week, for the 2 stables. It would be for the winter only..a few months time. I would return to my lovely barn in the country again, come springtime. She looked them over and finally said, " I am going to recommend you stay put." "Oh", a bit surprised, I groaned. She then explained, "because the extra money you are going to spend, is your truck payment. I will come and get you twice a week, for rides and lessons." "OH!!!!", I then said.

So there you have it. With the help of some friends, I am sighing relief and have found since, that 2 other options are now available to me as well, staying put.

There is a new stable a quarter mile away(walking distance) that I arranged yesterday to ride into once in a while. They have put my other favorite footing in-Riversand-3-5 inches deep.
You do a light misting of water on that before your ride and you can draw in it with your horses hooves and track your progress of round and such!

The other barn is a bit farther...but on nicer winter days, I can ride there in 10 minutes warm up time and have it to myself -anytime..they built it for themselves, so competition for use- is Nil.

Decision made and mind settled! Whewwee...I feel good!


14 comments:

  1. I think you made a good choice. Finding a place you are happy with isn't easy. I wrote a post about the questions to ask yourself. I think it's better to stay where you know you are happy, then move and regret it in the future!

    http://fillysbestfriend.blogspot.com/2009/01/burden-of-boarding-what-makes-good.html

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm glad you figured it out and it's the best situation for all involved. Wa looks so, so happy at the current place, and I don't think I'd be able to give up access to the trails you have!

    I would never board again no matter how nice the facility. I know not everyone has the option to keep their horses on their own property, but I'd have it no other way. I know my horses and I am really the only person I trust to know when something isn't quite right. My barn...my rules. :D

    No, I don't have a "professional" arena, but I have a turf arena that I keep maintained and am friends with the owner of a barn not too far away that has an indoor I can use during the winter if necessary. And, I've become pretty darn good at turning any random field into an arena...not having rails sure makes you really think about keeping 'em straight!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I too, think you made the right decision. Wa will be happy.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Sometimes patience is the answer, and all questions are answered and problems solved. I'm glad things are going to work out for you and Wa. :)

    ~Lisa

    ReplyDelete
  5. Yay! Sounds like you definitely have a good plan in place for the winter. I'm jealous of all of the facilities that are so local to you! I live in a pretty rural area, but anywhere I would want to go I would have to trailer to. So nice that you can just take a little jaunt there. :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. You were very thoughtful about your choices, and made a good decision. Having a good friend like yours is a real benefit!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I so completely understand the frustration of finding a good place to board. The last public place I was at damaged Bonnie's hoofs so badly that she will always need to be shod until she goes on to that place that all ponies go to where grass is the greenest. They decided that the area around the gates in the paddocks needed to be heavy gravel INSIDE the paddock. She was barefoot then with never a hoof issue. When I noticed the gravel I asked that she be moved to a paddock without gravel and they refused. With-in 10 days her hooves where chipped and bruised so badly that she was lame on all four legs.

    I now rent, and will until I can buy my own farm in the near future, private 5 fenced acres and 4 stall barn. I don't have access to an indoor arena which I miss but my horses are well cared for by myself and my barn buddy.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi Kac, I haven't been on my computer that much anymore so I've missed your toil of a new place for Wa. Too bad people are so dishonest....unfortunately they're everywhere! It seems more like that than good honest decent human beings!! Glad you're at peace.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I think that is a good decision. I would hate to see you disappointed with yet another barn. Emotionally that is so hard on a person. Wish there was a opening at Tammy's. You know I will keep you posted. Maddy is the happiest horse I have ever seen...she is finally a little chubby and we keep finding more and more cool trails.

    ReplyDelete
  10. You all are the best and I am thankful for the friendship.
    I would have her with me at my own place...but do not own that as YET.
    Someday~
    We are creative and I do love the fact she is so very relaxed and happy here. And... the fact that we will trailer to 2 different arenas and ride to 2 also..will be good for us all the variety. The mare does dislike the same stuff all the time and with all those different Arenas..she'll be on her toes!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Kac-It sounds like it has all worked out for the best and you get extra money for a truck payment! LUCKY YOU!! I am trying to find access to an arena with mirrors! I think that would help SO much! So far, no luck, but I am in an equine club with 80+ members so I am going to start networking! Arenas aren't as common in Texas as we just don't get the cold and rain and snow that many places do. I just want some mirrors! My friends are getting sick of videoing and taking pics of my lessons! That way I can IMMEDIATELY see what I am doing! Thanks for your vote of confidence and telling me about you and Wa in your comment, I knew your comment would be great and is always valued!
    Have a great day!
    ~Mindy

    ReplyDelete
  12. Keeping my horse(s) at home has never been an option. It was difficult enough finding an apartment that allowed dogs, let alone horses! Your horse will let you know where she belongs. I kept my mare too long at a barn that was dysfunctional. I didn't realize how stressed my mare was until we left and she mellowed at the new location. Searching for a safe, affordable, boarding stable is no fun. Wa will tell you if you've made the right decision.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Good friends are priceless.
    Sounds like you have made a good decision. Happy training!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Well, I am so happy you have some great options open to you! Staying put and using one of the two nearby arenas sounds like a great option! We're hoping to find something like that near us here on the mountain.

    ReplyDelete

*Thank you for visiting, I Love to read your friendly nickers below!

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...