I've recently moved to a new barn and this is my first time being in a full care facility so alot is new however alot of it seems off.... they list their board prices at 450 for outdoor 570 indoor but that is NOT what you end up paying I've noticed they will charge you for everything and then guilt you into paying more (lessons, clinics, feed, holding ect) I have him outside currently(not what I wanted but I couldn't afford indoor anymore) and every single month have been paying 650+ with no list or breakdown of why if they do give a breakdown there's random things like construction costs ect. For explanation the barn is kind of new and lots of new things being built. I want to find a new barn but I feel like no barns near me have openings and I'm out of a trailer at the moment so I need to buy a whole new trailer to move him. Some red flags I've noticed

People move in and out very quickly and frequently

Farrier talks shit about people's horses

They only let you use their grain

Won't let me not grain my horse (grain is additional fee)

Won't let you use another vet other than theirs

Won't let you supplement young horses(joint supplements)

People only allowed to be there at certain times or they won't let you see your horse

Just finally got a tack locker after 5 months being there

Forced me into paying for training and called my horse "dangerous" when the trainer was out of clients wanted me to pay additional 650 making the monthly payment 1200+ then ended up paying half training for additional 320 making my monthly around 900+ and found out he was only trained like 4 times trainer then used my horse in ground lessons without telling me and never updated me on how he was doing then when I went to work with him I found out he was very headshy and had never been headshy found out he set back because she left him hard tied and now I have to pay for professional Chyropracter work and massage therapy because he's very out of alignment after that

They keep acting like I know nothing about horses and pressuring me to pay more for private lessons

I paid for once a week private lessons (each lesson is 45)

I wasn't able to use my first week lesson because they said nobody is allowed at the barn then this week and last week the trainer has not reached out to me at all to schedule so I'm out of 135 dollars that they probably won't replace (lessons were already paid for ahead)

They keep pressuring me to do their clinics which is typically a ground work lesson but they don't work with my work schedule and they are 300 dollars per person and per horse which feels like alot to me since they have clinics every month they want you to join

Was told I needed to use the cross ties with my horse because if he never does it he will never learn even though he's new to cross ties (he's only 2) and was holding him to give him a bath since he was hyper I didn't want him spooking and getting hurt and she took the leadrope out of my hands and hooked him to the cross ties

They keep pressuring me to get him in full time training to start him under saddle and I keep saying no (he turned 2 March 29th) and I'm not comfortable with it but they keep pressuring

They advertise 2 wash stalls but one isnt even built yet

Horses don't get turnout

Indoor horses have a 12x18 pen with gravel for turnout and outdoor horses are drylotted

Drylots don't get cleaned out very often maybe every 3 months or longer

They just legitimately act like they know way more than everyone and even tell me I have to have the lessons so I know what to do with my horse or else I won't know what I'm doing

Just any advice on what to do?

Is it normal for barns to not allow people to come later in the day I can't go to the barn after work and only have 2 hours in the morning since the hours they allow people there and then I get told off for not coming to see him enough

if i was you i would move barns the barn i usto go to you could go there from 8am to 10pm every day have your own vet & farier come out with no problums

im sorry there taking advantige of you

Definitely sounds like a very dodgy barn... I know you said you need a trailer to move but when you do get one then I would leave that place ASAP <3

Seems like a very dodgy barn to me. I'd try to move as soon as you can <3

yeah definitely shady and weird id move, im sorry youre dealing with this

look online and see if there are any trailering services near you, or on FB too, there's almost always someone able to move your horse for you :)

Definitely move barns. This is sketchy and not at all professional

Thank you guys for the advice I guess the hard part is the barn owner is pretty locally famous and friends with everyone here as well as having a very very well known stallion so if I'm going against her it seems like I'm lying

Owning a well-known stallion does not make one a good horse owner. It means you have the money to purchase and market a good stallion. Pushing a baby to start under saddle at barely 2, especially when you're not comfortable with that, is gross. The whole thing seems sketchy and I hope you find somewhere better.

You don't need a trailer to move. Any barn you find should have one you can use- you may have to pay the owner/trainer/hauler to pick up your horse, but that's perfectly normal and more feasible than buying an entire trailer (and you don't want to move somewhere that doesn't have a trailer in case there's ever an emergency).

This barn is so full of red flags holy cow. Absolutely none of that is normal. I've worked for some shitty barns before and have never seen anything that ridiculous. They sound like the Spirit Airlines of barns.

This sounds sketchy. None of this sounds okay at all. As soon as you're able, move barns!