Currently Living the Craziest Barn Drama Ever
TLDR: Barn manager operated without insurance for 5 months, fell behind on rent, got evicted, then served with a restraining order, stole everyone’s board money, left horses and a barn cat behind without telling owners, didn’t cancel or move lessons, took tack and items that didn’t belong to them, and more.
BM = barn manager
LO = land owner
This is all happening at the barn I currently board at.
The BM who had been running the boarding facility was repeatedly asked by the LO for proof of insurance and couldn’t provide it. The LO eventually discovered BM had been operating a large equine “care” business without insurance since the beginning of the year, while also not paying rent, and started the eviction process.
As part of that process, BM was initially allowed to remain on the property temporarily to fulfill existing contracts since they had already collected May board, but they were no longer considered management.
Shortly after the eviction notice was served, the LO also filed a restraining order, which gave BM 24 hours to completely vacate the property.
BM’s minions were speeding through the parking lot loading up everything from feed and water buckets to the paper towel dispenser off the wall, all while making snarky comments to anyone they decided not to invite with them. They left 10+ horses behind with no food or water and didn’t notify the owners they were leaving. People are still showing up for scheduled lessons or lease rides with horses that are no longer there. If you weren’t physically at the barn that day, you had no idea any of this had happened.
There’s been no offer to refund board. People are missing tack and other gear. The LO is out thousands in unpaid rent.
Now that everyone is comparing notes, we’re finding out almost every boarder was paying a different amount. BM owes multiple people money beyond the stolen May board, and some boarders had even paid months in advance. Thousands of dollars are just… gone, with nothing but empty promises whenever anyone asks about repayment.
And somehow, the craziest part is that this has ended up being the best thing that could’ve happened for the barn.
The LO is completely redoing the barn and arena, inside and out. Board has been standardized. People are happy again. We’ve worked our asses off the last few days, but we’ve had more fun than we ever did before. Cookouts, group rides, work days. We had to quickly figure out hay, shavings, fencing, buckets, etc but honestly? It’s been a blast.
ETA: Sorry folks, I won’t be answering questions about location. I will say IYKYK.