[Freebird!]

....How do I keep this from happening again?

Let me explain.

My next door neighbors let me keep my three horses on their property for free. They have a wonderful 4 stall barn that I use, as well as a separate building, with a side room that I use to keep feed and tack, and they don't charge me a dime. Yes, I know how lucky I am. The side feed/tack room does not have a door on it, but the main building has a door as well as a little wire gate across the door, to keep nosy ponies out.

Today BOTH were left wide open. The property owners are NOT horse people, and just don't know that if my 3 ponies got in the feed room, it would be a death sentence for them. How should I go about telling them, with out ticking them off? Get a sign for the door? Just tell them? Bake cookies and plead?

[atlatl]

You could offer to install a door and explain why.

Hi there, wonderfully generous neighbor. I so appreciate you letting me keep my horses on your property for free, I'd like to do something for you. What do you think about me installing a door(s) in these locations. I'd hate for my ponies to get into trouble and mess up your nice (insert whatever here).

[Bluey]

First, are your horses really needing grain?

If they do, maybe best not to keep any grain in there at all.
Could you carry it to them every feeding, from where you can keep it safe?

That is what I do, there is no grain in the barn, only hay.
The grain, when feeding any grain at all, is taken to the barn at every feeding, from the storage room behind the garage by the house.

This way there is no possible accidental horse got in the grain tragedy.

If at times someone else will be feeding, take only what they will need for next feeding, so there is never but a bit of grain there, so even if a horse got to it, that was not much.

[TheJenners]

Do they keep things in the feed/tack room you use? I'm trying to find out why that door was opened by them at all.

[oldpony66]

4 stall barn ... 3 ponies...
Is there an empty stall with a stall door that works well? Can the grain be stored in there conveniently?

I would definitely still tell the owners that it is a very bad thing for ponies to overeat... even if you secure the grain 100% of the time, just in case they get the bright idea to "treat" the ponies one day. You never know.

Also, look into bins that latch, like the kind for tools. You can get the ones that a padlock can even go on, which would be overkill but at least a clip.

[Freebird!]

First, are your horses really needing grain?

If they do, maybe best not to keep any grain in there at all.
Could you carry it to them every feeding, from where you can keep it safe?

That is what I do, there is no grain in the barn, only hay.
The grain, when feeding any grain at all, is taken to the barn at every feeding, from the storage room behind the garage by the house.

This way there is no possible accidental horse got in the grain tragedy.

If at times someone else will be feeding, take only what they will need for next feeding, so there is never but a bit of grain there, so even if a horse got to it, that was not much.

Only one does - Compete Safe - the Other two get Alfalfa Pellets and Beet Pulp (which I usually store at my house.) That's a good idea about the door. I think I'm also going to get a dead chest freezer.

TheJenners - it's a big storage Utility shed, with a side room - the side room is where I store my things, but for some reason, the door was removed. I DO have a stall that I don't use, so I may end up going that route.

Thanks for the ideas!

[Ghazzu]

Keep the grain in a closed container that horses can't open.
Put a spring or bungee on the wire gate so that it closes.
Hang a door.

[Rallycairn]

Pony proof feed bins, like Vittles Vaults, or any bin you can padlock. Plus offer to install doors.

[Kryswyn]

Years ago I scored a dead chest freezer at the dump. Worked great for my purposes but you should've seen the look on the dump guy's face as he helped me get into the car, "But it doesn't WORK!" "YES, I know that!" I said grinning ear to ear.

[IronwoodFarm]

Replace the missing door. It's cheap insurance and protects your stuff. I would hate to think what my Norwegian Fjords would do if they could get into my tack room. They wouldn't find any food, but would certainly make a mess of things looking.

And, yes, in a nice way explain to the BO that overfeeding a horse is a dangerous thing and if they become aware of any of the ponies getting into the feed (for whatever reason), would they please call you as soon as they can.

[enjoytheride]

My barn keeps the feed in the aisle in big metal barrels. Not even racoons can get into them. Keeps horses and mice out too. I'd get something the horses can't get into and then work on a door for the feedroom. You can get a 4 foot pipe gate for pretty cheap and mount it easily then just keep it closed.

I probably wouldn't say anything especially since it's the first time. Just tell them that it occured to you after hearing about a friend's sick horse that you needed a door on the feedroom just to be safe. Then put one in.



http://indianapolis.craigslist.org/mat/3624824665.html

[danceronice]

We keep the grain and the barn-cat dry food in metal trash cans with really tight lids. It's a pain in the butt at times but keeps domestic and wild animals out of the food.

[bludejavu]

Years ago I scored a dead chest freezer at the dump. Worked great for my purposes but you should've seen the look on the dump guy's face as he helped me get into the car, "But it doesn't WORK!" "YES, I know that!" I said grinning ear to ear.

We have used a coffin-sized dead chest freezer in the feed room for years and that has been tested a few times by horses escaping during times when I wasn't in the barn. None of them have ever figured out how to flip the lid open and it's been a huge success. If DH will just quit threatening to lock me in it some day...

[BeeHoney]

I would definitely choose a lockable pony-proof feed bin or even storing feed at your house and carrying it over each day instead of making too many changes to someone else's property. The property owner might not mind any changes you make, but OTOH, since it is such a nice deal for you it's probably worth being careful to not offend in any way. If they were my ponies and they didn't eat too much, I almost think I might lean towards just keeping the feed at home and carrying it over with me when I went to feed, or only storing a few feedings' worth over there. It would be too easy for a person to forget to close a feed bin completely or for a pony to turn out to be able to open something they shouldn't technically be able to.

[ako]

I would go the lockable bin/container route, as well. There are so many options to choose from.

[ldaziens]

Please do make sure that the neighbors fully grasp that getting into feed (or grass clippings or other weird stuff) can be deadly. People who are not horse people have a difficult time grasping that the horse's or pony's own food (or grass clippings) can be deadly - it's counter intuitive. I had to give my DH a CTJ talk supported by reference materials to get him to grasp that the consequences of the sheep &/or horses getting into the feed were deadly serious.

AND, make some signs as a reminder.

You can educate them in a nice way, and ask them if they would be okay with you putting up a door. Though even with a door up, I would store the feed in secure containers. You need multiple layers of security -- idiot proof & w/ reminders.

[Freebird!]

Yes, today was a very sobering reminder for me that I need lockable feed containers. I just lost my husband 9 months ago, I can't handle losing anything else right now.

We've already had to have the Grass Clippings discussion. I really cant complain though, with a free barn right next door, and 7 acres.

[GoForAGallop]

Please do make sure that the neighbors fully grasp that getting into feed (or grass clippings or other weird stuff) can be deadly. I had to give my DH a CTJ talk supported by reference materials to get him to grasp that the consequences of the sheep &/or horses getting into the feed were deadly serious.

AND, make some signs as a reminder.

You can educate them in a nice way, and ask them if they would be okay with you putting up a door. Though even with a door up, I would store the feed in secure containers. You need multiple layers of security -- idiot proof & w/ reminders.

I know OP has already addressed this, but I would not advise giving the neighbors, who are GENEROUSLY letting her use their property free of charge (and no matter where she lives, boarding three horses ain't cheap), a "Come to Jesus" talk.

Nor would I advise putting signs up.

MUCH easier to either secure the feed tightly within the shed, or keep it at home, or some other solution VS offending the neighbors and getting asked to leave.

[Debbie]

Bravo GoForAGallop! Yeah, putting up signs in THEIR barn, not cool.

Since you are already schlepping the beet pulp and alfalfa over, I would move the Compete Safe to your house. No chance of anything going wrong that way. I use small buckets to mix up feed for each of my three and carry the buckets out to the various paddocks. Easy peasy.

Freebird, you sound more than grateful for what is an amazingly generous offer from your neighbors. I'm sure you can make it work and keep your ponies safe.

[Cindyg]

How about putting a chain across the doorway (like a stall guard), so that when the door is open, a human can go under it, but a horse can't.