Would being a barn manager be any differant than

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Casnos Minis

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My boss asked me today if I had any experience as a barn manager. I said with the exception of my own horses no. I know that I would be on call pretty much all the time, that I would be in charge of getting hay, grain, bedding, vet visits, farrier visits, keeping records for each horse, regulating their feed, turnout, and anything esle they want me to do. That job that I talked about before this is one of the openings. It would pay $450/week, is that a good rate for that position? I'm not sure about the hours or any more details right now, but my boss is willing to let me go as she knows I need the money for my family. Right now I work at her barn so I can board Drew so I'm not making anything while I work there. I have another barn I'm keeping Drew at this winter (same barn as last winter, but it will only be Drew and maybe 1 or 2 more horses). My board there will only be 1/2 of what I'm working off now and I have the oppertunity yo keep him there year round. she said they may not care as I would have lots of references (her and others) as too how well I work, that I can take charge when they go on vacation, ect. There has been many times I had to deal with the farrier and vet with her horses, her boarders horses, and the same thing at the other barns I've worked at. Sorry this is so long, just wanted to update and get some opinions on the price, ect.

Christy
 
Would being a barn manager be any differant than, owning your own horses and barn?

Hi Christy, well yes of course it would be way different than running your own place. This is not your ship to run as you see fit.

You would have a boss to answer to and many responsiblities. Decision making would not be your own and you would follow someone else's rules like any other job.

The thing you also need to find out is just when your hours start and stop and also what about days off and holidays? If you are on call 24-7, that's a biggie. Make yourself a list of questions for them to answer and then weigh it all out. This might be a good thing!
 
Christie, I can put you in touch with my daughter if you wish. She is barn manager/trainer of an arabian horse farm. her living accomadations are given free, she makes awful good pay and yes $450 is good pay for you....BUT she is on call 24/7 365...colic, injury, foaling, any trouble, managing the barn workers, reminding the owner about hay. grain and other supplies. She has to medicate and more....She does have a groom who tacks and untacks and cools out / warms up her rides. She loves it but mind....you will be called out in the dead of night perhaps, you will be responsible. This is why the owner is asking you if you want the job...so she doesn't have to. Oh and boarders become your delight and nightmare. IF you can take it..go for it.
 
One BIG difference is that you will be accountable for other people's animals -- huge responsibility. And get to deal with all the owner personalities and demands... In my experience, the horse people who are PITA's to deal with make up big time for the majority who are reasonable.
 
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In my experience, the horse people who are PITA's to deal with make up big time for the majority who are reasonable.
Boy is this the truth! In my short time of managing a barn (helping out the owner who took a BAD fall x-country and her manager quit at the same time), I found I loved the horses, could manage the work load....if I worked 6 AM to about 11 PM and could not STAND the b*****ing and moaning of people who seemed reasonable when I was a fellow boarder, but went Cujo on me once I "worked" for them...wow...
 
Yeah, it is a big difference....at least I think so.

I guess I am a barn manager at the barn I work at. I've worked there for 13 1/2 years (
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wow I can't believe it's been that long). Man, the turn over rate of getting help was amazing....and no one does it as well as you'd like, but if you tell them about something, oh my god it's a HUGE deal and they never see WHY you are suggesting they do something in a way that's different than they have done for their own horses for the last however many years.....that was my biggest problem. Everyone who wanted to work there, had horses for YEARS, but wouldn't accept the fact that we looked after these horses differently than they had looked after their own. I LOVE the work, and I mean LOVE the work...we no longer board there, it's just 3 horses (the owners 2 and mine). It is MUCH nicer. Some of the boarders were decent, but there were a couple who made life miserable. One in particular wouldn't know how to handle or care for a hamster, yet she turned into a horse expert overnight....ohhh she made things very very stressful....got to the point that I hated to think about when the owners would go away, because if anything happened to one of HER horses....then I'd have to deal with her! The responsibility is tremendous!!! When they would go away, I'd pray the entire time that no one hurt themselves, pulled a shoe, got sick, etc, etc. I think I only had one or two incidences where a horse got a minor injury (because the person 'helping' me wasn't paying attention like I'd asked!), and a couple thrown shoes. I could never get away for much holidays until they stopped boarding. There was too much work for them to do in the barn and exercise all the horses. Things are much more relaxed now, and we all are able to get away and enjoy other things more now.

~kathryn
 
Thanks everyone. This is a private barn, no boarding as far as for now. Theses people are big into the QH circut, and they are hiring my friend as their exclusive trainer. I can handle haveing people answer to me, and I've worked at enough barns and for enought private owners to know the ins and outs of being in charge. I worked for a woman who is an instructor and goes to shows all over the world, I was incharge ( barn manager, I guess). As I did everything for her barn, and I do the same now if my boss isn't there on the the days I work. I'm hoping this works out for me too as we are trying to get back on our feet and we want to move out of my parents house and get a place of our own. So this would be a good step forward and it's doing something I love. I love working with horses and I don't mind people either, LOL.

Christy
 

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