Have Your Hugged Your Horse's Caretaker?

Continuing on last week’s blog, where I talk about how to survive the extreme weather, I think it is only fair to recognize the unsung hero of our horse world, and that is the barn owner or manager.

If you board your horse, you need to be very grateful for your barn owner, the manager and the employees, who are doing everything in their power to keep your horse fed, blanketed, his stall cleaned and perhaps even turning his fire-breathing self out for some R&R time, in extreme weather conditions, with temperatures in single digits and in some areas, in the negatives.

If you keep your horses at home, pat yourself on the back, as you too deserve recognition for taking care of your horse (s) in this weather!

There are several groups I follow on social media which are for barn owners, and sadly, there are many boarders out there who are behaving badly and just don’t understand how difficult it is right now to care for animals.

For example:

• Texting barn owner at 6:00 in the morning to know exactly when her horse will be turned out, despite the conditions making it nearly impossible to safely turn out horses.

• Not closing barn doors in the cold. Really? Do you not understand the importance of closing a barn door in the winter?

• Boarders expecting blanket changes at every 10-degree difference.

• Boarders not blanketing horses, even though the horse is shivering.

• Showing up to the barn despite being warned that the roads are dangerous, and the driveway has not been plowed.

• Leaving the hose running, creating a sheet of ice in the barn.

And lastly, so many boarders not understanding that the pipes are frozen, horses may not be able to get turned out due to unsafe conditions, and generally just not understanding that barn chores take 2-3 times longer to do in these conditions!

Barn owners and staff do not get the luxury of staying in bed when the temperatures are cold enough to freeze their hair. They are doing all they can to ensure that your horse is taken care of. Harassing them because the water they just de-iced has already iced up again in sub-zero temperatures or because there is no safe place to turn out your horse is not going to do anyone any good.

Instead of complaining, go offer to help with de-icing buckets, blanketing, or any other chore. While you are at it, bring them a cup of hot chocolate and some doughnuts! Your barn manager will be deeply appreciative!