1. Refuse to move horse from cross ties when equipment needs to be moved through the aisle to muck stalls. Stalls need to get cleaned right? Horse can go to the other aisle. It's a thirty second walk.
2. When heavy equipment is being moved through the aisle, also a cue to move your horse. Not to lead more in and cross tie them and go in and warm up in the tack room. Barn staff are cold too and wouldn't mind finishing up work.
3. During turnout or turn-in times, also a good idea to not hang out in the cross ties or to act surprised that that horse that is always at the end of the row...needs to go to the end of the row right through where your horse is parked.
4. If you can't follow or don't know how to do follow up care from a horse's injury, it is awesome to ask. Together it will be figured out. Barn staff (usually) love caring for your horses and don't want to see them injured from improper bandages or incorrect injections or so forth. Even though the staff don't pay the bills, there is often a lot of emotional investment.
5. Don't say thank you if there is a major problem or issue. It's a small thing, but after an hour of walking a colicing horse on a cold night, or fixing fence because a naughty horse destroyed it again or so forth. Simple thanks is a major thing that is often forgotten.
Anyone else have some frustrations to share? I know that I didn't always realize how some small things became major frustrations until I was on the other side of the fence so to speak!
When I was working to pay for board at a barn, I always got frustrated when people asked me to:
ReplyDelete1. Bring their horse in for them. Um, go get him/her yourself!
2. Left poop/hair/whatever in the aisles, arena, or wash/groom stalls.
3. Left their tack every where.
4. Expected me to stop what work I was doing to help them. Normally, I don't mind, but one boarder in particular was awful at this and would take up hours of my time. I want to finish cleaning stall so I can do things with my own horse!
I would agree. I didn't mind stuff necessarily being left out, as long as I could work around it.
DeleteBut it is frustrating when I am trying to move equipment and I have to pick up and move helmets or brush boxes or whatever or else it would be run over by machinery.
But on the flip side, I have to remember that most people are really good to deal/work with. :) I think people just don't always realize what is frustrating.