Re: boarding horses--was saddles

[Bette Lamore <woa@stormnet.com>]

Dear Dovie
Before you open that boarding stable, contact me. The hardest part is
getting paid, let alone on time. Interesting scenarios on hiring help,
too. Had to call the police on one chap that we hired. Looked like a
nice young man who happened to be in the army reserve--safe, huh? Well I
chewed on him a little about the need to get up and feed the horses
before 10AM (and believe me, being a mental health therapist I was very
gentle and supportive: after all, he was new). Well next thing I know I
was in my bedroom when I glanced at the monitor which was focused on my
pregnant mare's stall. There in horror I saw him cleaning her stall and
muttering about how he was going to take a rifle and shoot us, yadda
yadda yadda. I immediately envisioned the next movie of the week
depicting our murders. I called the army reserve and they couldn't help
me because he was only in the reserve, but by the way, they had had some
difficulty with his temper, too. He had mentioned his dad's name and
city he lived in so I tracked him down and called him. He said the boy
was "probably "harmless. When asked if he would intervene and help us
terminate his employment he declined, saying that the last time he saw
his son, the son punched him out. I was not reassured. The police could
not arrest him (the camera did not produce a video) until he did
something violent so my husband came home and marched down to the barn
to gently invite him to leave and I stood by the phone ready to call the
police in case I heard a commotion. Well' the kid cried and said he was
only spouting off but he did agree to leave. This was only one horror
story--the others were mild in comparison, but anytime you hire
strangers to work on your ranch, there are risks. We do not board
anymore(except for mares to be bred and occasionally for friends). It's
a jungle out there in the boarding world and I have true respect for
those who do it and handle the responsibilities. There is not enough
money out there for me to do it again.
Bette
Bette Lamore
Whispering Oaks Arabians, Home of TLA Halynov
http://www.stormnet.com/~woa
I've learned that life is like a roll of toilet paper, the closer it
gets to the end, the faster it goes. Smell the roses!

> Bob and Dovie Pickering wrote:
> 
> Hi read your post on RC.  What kind of Wintec and how much.  Your
> advice to the young person was right on.  I want to open a boarding
> barn and keep my job.  But I don't think I will ever do it.  Thanks
> Dovie

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