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Back board after moving horse

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RARice

Junior Member
I live in Maryland and I could not continue to pay board for my horse as I’ve accumulated around $6,000 in back board debt and have been paying extra on top of monthly board to get caught up but became too much to pay them back AND keep her there so I moved her to a cheaper barn. I have written permission for me to move my horse from the barn owners she was on if I gave them my address so they could send me an IOU. When I moved her this morning, they became angry saying I stole from them and didn’t sign a payment agreement before I left. I was not made aware of this I was only told they’d be sending an IOU via mail. They are threatening to take me to civil court over it when all I did was move her. I have NO contract with them during the time I had my horse boarded there and they have added more charges against me without contacting me first such as vaccinations, farrier services, and other shots and dewormer. What are my rights? They now want me to sign an agreement in 5 days or they will show up on my doorstep with a lawyer.
 


justalayman

Senior Member
You had no contract? So you mean you weren’t expected to pay a thing?

How about you didn’t have a written contract. Obviously you had an oral contract or you wouldn’t be in the position you’re in right now.

I have no idea what your contract involved so you will have to figure out what you owe and go from there. They are free to sue you whether you sign an iou or not.

Did you show whomever was so angry when you moved your horse the written statement from the owners that granted you permission to take your horse if you provided your address?

And are you saying they didn’t have your address before? Was all communication by phone?
 

RARice

Junior Member
Horse board

Sorry I should’ve specified. We had a verbal agreement that I’d pay $250 a month for board. No written contracts. My mom needed me to train her horse a while back and she paid me so that I could pay for both horses until I could sell my moms horse for her but my mom stopped paying me halfway into training before she sold resulting in my board becoming late. I also got divorced in this time and legal fees and a lower paying job also hindered paying off debt. I kept the barn in the loop about everything and was told to pay when I could. I had to move 2 months ago and I moved to Han**** which is an hour away and I’m facing more legal fees with my ex husband regarding our daughter again and the $250 was just not doable with our finances since we moved. I had not given the barn my new address yet as primary communication was through email or text. The barn owner was the one who emailed me saying to give her my new address and she’d send me an iou and that she’d have no issues with me moving her. We had verbally agreed to continue paying her what we could with explaining that the whole reason we needed to move my horse was because of our finances but now they want us to pay $300 a month with interest if it’s not paid. Nothing has been signed.
 

xylene

Senior Member
It seems like these barn owners were on the sly trying to appropriate you horse as payment of the debt.
 

Ohiogal

Queen Bee
Sorry I should’ve specified. We had a verbal agreement that I’d pay $250 a month for board. No written contracts. My mom needed me to train her horse a while back and she paid me so that I could pay for both horses until I could sell my moms horse for her but my mom stopped paying me halfway into training before she sold resulting in my board becoming late. I also got divorced in this time and legal fees and a lower paying job also hindered paying off debt. I kept the barn in the loop about everything and was told to pay when I could. I had to move 2 months ago and I moved to Han**** which is an hour away and I’m facing more legal fees with my ex husband regarding our daughter again and the $250 was just not doable with our finances since we moved. I had not given the barn my new address yet as primary communication was through email or text. The barn owner was the one who emailed me saying to give her my new address and she’d send me an iou and that she’d have no issues with me moving her. We had verbally agreed to continue paying her what we could with explaining that the whole reason we needed to move my horse was because of our finances but now they want us to pay $300 a month with interest if it’s not paid. Nothing has been signed.
So you owe $6000 in back board fees when your board was only $250 a month? You paid NOTHING for two years? Are you kidding me? Yeah, you stole from them by not paying for two years. They should sue you and get a judgment. And if you couldn't afford to pay for everything for the horse, you should have sold the horse quite frankly.
 

justalayman

Senior Member
It seems like these barn owners were on the sly trying to appropriate you horse as payment of the debt.
Really? How do you get that? The law allows them to sell the horse after a few steps are taken


http://agrisk.umd.edu/blog/helpful-maryland-law-for-stable-owner-operators

Section 16-401 of the Commercial Law Article of the Maryland Code provides if the owner or operator of any stable or similar facility is owed money for boarding, training, veterinary and/or blacksmith services, or other maintenance expenses, and the fees are due and unpaid for 30 days, the owner or operator in possession of the livestock may sell the livestock at a public sale to satisfy the debt. However, before any sale can occur the stable owner must undertake two important steps.

First, the stable owner must send written notice to the owner of the livestock by registered or certified mail at least 30 days before the sale. The written notice must include the intent to sell the livestock at the pre-determined date, place, and time if the debt is not paid in full. Second, the stable owner must publish notice of the public sale once a week for two successive weeks in one or more newspapers of general circulation in the county where the livestock is located. After the stable owner has sent the 30 day notice and properly advertised the public sale, he or she is free to conduct the sale and retain the proceeds to cover the unpaid expenses.


Given the debt is $6000, I would guess it’s been awhile longer than 30 days to get there.
 

HRZ

Senior Member
I think the stable owners were sloppy not to have secured a lien on the horse before you moved it .....

and you were downright sloppy not to make alternate arrangements earlier . THey have a practical problem in that the horse is gone , no security.
 

HRZ

Senior Member
BTW the cap for a small claims action in MD is $5000... they might be smart to settle for $5000 cash in hand in lieu of going up a level in court ....

just curious ...what is open market value of the horse ? ( some horses are almost hard to give away)
 

Just Blue

Senior Member
Sorry I should’ve specified. We had a verbal agreement that I’d pay $250 a month for board. No written contracts. My mom needed me to train her horse a while back and she paid me so that I could pay for both horses until I could sell my moms horse for her but my mom stopped paying me halfway into training before she sold resulting in my board becoming late. I also got divorced in this time and legal fees and a lower paying job also hindered paying off debt. I kept the barn in the loop about everything and was told to pay when I could. I had to move 2 months ago and I moved to Han**** which is an hour away and I’m facing more legal fees with my ex husband regarding our daughter again and the $250 was just not doable with our finances since we moved. I had not given the barn my new address yet as primary communication was through email or text. The barn owner was the one who emailed me saying to give her my new address and she’d send me an iou and that she’d have no issues with me moving her. We had verbally agreed to continue paying her what we could with explaining that the whole reason we needed to move my horse was because of our finances but now they want us to pay $300 a month with interest if it’s not paid. Nothing has been signed.
Booflippinghoo. Send the 6k with a sorry note for being such a moocher.
 

RARice

Junior Member
Wrong amount

So you owe $6000 in back board fees when your board was only $250 a month? You paid NOTHING for two years? Are you kidding me? Yeah, you stole from them by not paying for two years. They should sue you and get a judgment. And if you couldn't afford to pay for everything for the horse, you should have sold the horse quite frankly.
I miss calculated I only owe 4K. The board was caught up and then my divorce happened. I paid what I could when I could but when the account was negative no one got paid. I was also jobless for a few months and then a lower paying job until a couple months ago. All of which was made known to the barn owner and the agreement of when I could pay pay what you can in a verbal agreement. I cared for MY horse they added to the Debt without talking to me for other things.
 

RARice

Junior Member
Horses value

BTW the cap for a small claims action in MD is $5000... they might be smart to settle for $5000 cash in hand in lieu of going up a level in court ....

just curious ...what is open market value of the horse ? ( some horses are almost hard to give away)
Believe me if I had the money idve have paid it by now. I purchased my horse for $500. I rescued my horse from abuse and she’s more valuable to me no money can put a value of her.
 

RARice

Junior Member
Alternate arrangements

I think the stable owners were sloppy not to have secured a lien on the horse before you moved it .....

and you were downright sloppy not to make alternate arrangements earlier . THey have a practical problem in that the horse is gone , no security.
I’ve been looking for another barn for over a year. It’s more difficult than it seems
 

RARice

Junior Member
Judgement

Intermittent payments and life happened. Divorce sucked everything from me my ex took everything out of me after 3 years of an abusive marriage I tried everything to fight for my daughter. Lawyers sucked every penny I had. Now the ex wants to take me back to court cuz of a narcissistic hissy fit. I have been looking for another place for my horse that I could afford for over a year. I’ve kept this barn in the know with everything and they said they would still care for her until I could. Calling me a moocher is not helpful when you don’t know my situation. I’ve had the horse for over 10 years she’s not just a pet. I’ve even worked off some of my debt on this farm starting to think she hasn’t calculated that in.
 

justalayman

Senior Member
Yes, we all get it; life gets in the way


But getting upset because you aren’t paying somebody you owe $4,000 to and they are upset because you do owe them $4000? They didn’t divorce you. They didn’t make you change jobs. The boarded your horse, out of their pocket.


You need to go to them and thank them for all the help and consideration they’ve given you.

Then talk to them and see if you can’t come to a workable situation for you and them.

Personally, I think it’s time the horse goes away. Just like anybody else that is short on money; you get rid of nonessentials and your horse fits that catagory.
 

LdiJ

Senior Member
Yes, we all get it; life gets in the way


But getting upset because you aren’t paying somebody you owe $4,000 to and they are upset because you do owe them $4000? They didn’t divorce you. They didn’t make you change jobs. The boarded your horse, out of their pocket.


You need to go to them and thank them for all the help and consideration they’ve given you.

Then talk to them and see if you can’t come to a workable situation for you and them.

Personally, I think it’s time the horse goes away. Just like anybody else that is short on money; you get rid of nonessentials and your horse fits that catagory.
That is a more than a bit cruel...particularly in this day and age. One cannot give away, let alone sell, a rescue horse.
 

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