Hi all:
WARNING: This is very long! Please help!
Good day. I am having a bit of a problem with my 1st horse that I have had now for about 5 months. He is a youngster (5 year old recently gelded Friesian) and went on a full out bucking episode with one of my barn friends today that really scared me. Thankfully she was OK but it was really freaky since 3 horse had issues today.
We seem to be going backwards in our time together and I was so shocked as I have never see him do this before. He has him moments, usually when doing ground work but not while riding. This was full out, bucking bronco that had me thanking everyone I was not the one riding him. That was the clincher!
I have been thinking about moving him to another barn for a few reasons which include that I do not have the proper facilities/things that one needs for such a young horse. The only problem is, I don't know if I can get all that I need all at the same barn. So now I need to weigh what is most important when I decide to move him. Unfortunately, the choices seem to be very limited here.
Let me give you some history: I have been around horses all my life but only half boarded (never owned) my own horse in the States. I am now in my early thirties and took the plunge into ownership while living overseas in another country. This is a whole new ball game, let me tell you!
While I know there is no rush and nothing to prove because he is so young now, I feel as if we have made no progress in the barn I found here and that the Barn Manager basically says yes to me but nothing really happens. It could also be the language barrier and I have my husband do alot of the talking most of the time.
When I was younger, I worked in a broodmare/racehorse layup barn that basically taught me the following:
1. Turnout is good for your horse. The more time the better. First thing in the morning after feeding time.
2. Mucking a stall is not picking it out!
3. Find an instructer that knows what he/she is really doing.
4. Be safe at all times including having proper fencing, enclosures etc. especially when doing ground work such as longing.
5. The stall/box should be of an adequate size.
COMMON IN THIS PART OF EUROPE
1. Several possible barns that I looked at said they never turned out their horses (one woman said they just want to come back in!) and another had a small, enclosed dirt pit for turnout. This was a very upscale barn by the way.
2. When I did stalls as a groom, I really mucked them, banking them up against the wall and sweeping the rubber mats underneath. My Friesian's stall has been picked and I complained until there was such little improvement, I just started doing it myself. I was not surprised when my Friesian developed thrush on his back hoof and I am fanatical about picking them out. The stalls in several barns I looked at were - well atrocious!
3. My instructor keeps telling me to ride, ride, ride which is very hard for me to do when I have commute 3.5 hours 4 days a week. I ride my horse on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays and have 2 other girls ride him on Monday and Thursday or Friday. It is not hard riding as he is still a youngster. The days that I am at the barn, you have to fight for indoor arena time as there are just way too many riders. Once outside, you are on your own. We had 4 horses in total freak out today (including my worked indoors only Friesian) because the indoor arena flooded last weekend and we are now forced to ride outside. What a learning experience this has been.
4. We have an exercise machine that is pretty commonly used in this part of Europe. I try to limit him to 2-3 times per week but since he is not worked that much, needs to get some type of exercise.
Based on all of this information, can you please give me some feedback on my thinking here:
1. Turnout. Potential new barn has the small, enclosed menage or dirt pit that they charge you for every time one of the staff turns your horse out. My existing barn has a huge paddock that unfortunately cannot be used for the next 2 weeks due to grass seeds but there is no charge for this services. I know for a fact that my Friesian's bucking was caused by excess energy / no turnout. By the way, I am the only owner in this barn that has requested daily turnout. I am like the Alien American here! So charged for dirt pit or free paddock?
2. New barn has a great Grand Prix instructor but is pretty expensive. Existing barn has a very reasonable rate for both combined training and actual lessons from the Barn Manager who is a bit eccentric.
3. The stall/box is a bit smaller in the new barn and there are alot of horses (40 to about 16). Stalls are smaller but so clean. The indoor arenas are very crowded in both barns so there is no way to get around that.
4. I can longe in the indoor arena in the new place. Currently, I cannot longe in any of the rings at my existing barn except for an area that has no fence and goes onto a main road. The Barn Manager says this ruins the floor. My horse is extremely strong and we are working on the dominance issue now but when he bucks/rears/ and drags me across this area for the 1st few minutes, it is very scary. I am just waiting for him to get away from me soon!
5. Existing barn has no trails (not possible right now anyhow since he is really strong) new barn has tons of trails.
6. Potential barn is 5 minutes from my apartment, existing barn about 20+ minutes. This would help my commute time of 1.45 in each direction.
7. Being charged for every little thing at the new barn. Lump sum all/heavily discounted rate at existing barn.
Thanks for your help. I really would like to hear what you all believe are the must haves at a barn. I really feel like I am banging my head against a brick wall trying to express the way I have been taught in the States vs. the European way.
Cat