This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In a message dated 5/31/2005 9:24:06 AM Pacific Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: How's it going at Milwood Ranch? How do you like having your Fjords right there where you live?
Give us a report! *** Hi Jean- Well, it has been a learning experience for sure! I came here very naive, thinking that if I set up everything the way boarders would like it, they would be happy and not complain. After 6 years at as many boarding facilities, I though I knew what works and what doesn't. He-LLO! Let's just say my customer service skills have been honed in these past weeks... I set the place up as a "natural" facility, primarily pasture boarding, barefoot horses, focus on trail riding. We have long hours, 7AM-9PM, and we are dog friendly. This attracted a really nice bunch of people, who were nice for about a week. The dog owners didn't pick up poop, which created friction with the non-dog owners. The dog owners complained about the ticks, and want us to eliminate them (sure, on 160 wooded acres). We put in a nice outdoor arena, and the boarders complained that the sand was too deep and the ground is not flat, to which I replied, "Notice how you can ride after 5 days of rain? It's not flat, it's graded for drainage." Despite my explanations that a new arena has to be used and combed for a while before the sand compacts, they refused to use it because their horses would injure tendons. Then the trail riders started complaining that the gravel roads are hurting their horses' feet. My explanation that gravel is needed for drainage and that barefoot horses need some time to adjust to it, or hoof boots, fell on deaf ears. They suggested that we remove all the existing gravel (on 160 acres) and replace it with a different kind. The final straw occurred when a boarder, who was super enthusiastic at first, became the worst gossip and filled everyone's ears with her complaints. Her horse, who happens to weigh 1800lbs, was a bully who didn't respect fences. After injuring several other horses and damaging fences in three different pastures, I wondered what to do. When I found out she was stirring the pot with other boarders, I stopped wondering and asked her to leave. I am also learning just how vicious people are in the horse business. There are several rumors circulating about us, 1) our water is contaminated, 2) we have no insurance and 3) we have confirmed cases of strangles at our barn. It's amazing how fast this "information" travels and how damaging it can be. The instigators of these rumors are, sadly, the management of other local facilities who are sore about losing boarders to us. The ranch owner has zero knowledge of horses, and little interest in learning. Last weekend he took the school horses and let all his friends ride them, and I mean ALL. They were in the arena for 4-5 hours without a break, and when they became exhausted, he cracked a lunge whip to make them go. He has no concept of safety -- he had one small child riding a horse while another small child lead her, in the pasture! When this madness goes on, I just walk away because I don't want to be liable for the inevitable accident. Ok, so now the good news :-) When things reached a fever pitch last weekend, I took a step back and reevaluated the situation. I have an amazing place to live with my many pets and horses, basically for free. Yes, the management stuff is a hassle, but it's far less work than I'd do somewhere else to earn the equivalent value. My Fjords are right outside my door -- I can see them now having their afternoon nap. This itself is worth all the trouble. Since my boss is not knowledgeable, I can pretty much do whatever the heck I want at any time. My income is increasing, as there is a dearth of good beginner riding/horsemanship instruction in this area. I have time to go to school, and even to get a job off the ranch if I feel I can't make enough money here. Even if it doesn't work out as a board facility, we still have the owner's horses, my horses, and the school horses, so I am still needed here. I just have to remind myself that this is not my property or my business, and that if the owner does foolish things and loses money, it's not my problem. I will do what I can do and be diplomatic with the boarders, but in the end they just have to decide if this place is right for them or not. Basically, I'm taking a step back and being less emotionally involved. This is such a wonderful situation for me in so many ways that I'm determined to make it work. / )_~ /L/L Brigid Wasson SF Bay Area, CA www.Brigid.Clickryder.com www.MillwoodRanch.com
