RedTree Stables

Revdex.com
Po Box 1000
DuPont, WA 98237
June 15, 2015
Dear Revdex.com representative,
Each contract between Redtree Stables and its clients are negotiated individually. The services provided, including feed, and the fees associated varies between clients based on the...

individual needs of horses and their owners. Contracts specifically state "Feed to consist of an agreed upon amount of pasture grass, timothy grass, orchard grass or alfalfa/grass combination up to 15 pounds, grain up to 5 pounds per day". Full care board does not always include grain, as grain is not appropriate for all horse breeds. The contract defines the maximum amounts of feed provided without additional costs.   
The client listed above boarded two horses with RedTree stables. The second horse referred to as “[redacted]” arrived on December 11, 2014.
The terms regarding [redacted] feed were clearly defined at the onset of the contract and included that this horse would not be fed grain as per the owner’s request. This is not uncommon for a horse of pony size (approx. 14 hands). [redacted] was fed hay as agreed throughout his contract period.
No concerns were ever expressed regarding our agreement with [redacted] feed until after the owner gave 30 days’ notice that he would be ending his boarding contract. At this time, he approached my barn manager and ask if the grain normally given to his other horse could instead be given to [redacted].
It was agreed upon prior to this horse’s arrival that the owner would be allowed to work off a portion of this horses board fee by performing feeding and barn chores. The client was allowed to work off an additional $50 of this horse’s board based on the fact that his horse would not be fed any grain. This could have been renegotiated at any time had the owner requested it. His boarding cost would have remained the same up to the maximum amount of feed defined in the contract, however, the amount of board he was able to work off would have been reduced by $50. This amendment to the agreement would have been completely acceptable to Redtree Stables had it ever been requested. It is not uncommon to adjust feed based on horses changing needs and new terms are negotiated.
When [redacted], arrived he was placed in a full care area with a two stall shed. At this time, the horse was still a stallion. In late December, he was gelded. He remained in this area for 30 days after his gelding to insure his infertility. The client then requested that [redacted] be placed in a large pasture area directly behind the barn. His reasons were that he had difficulty catching his horse in the larger pasture; that the area behind the barn was closer and more convenient to feed hay; and that [redacted] did not use the stall. For the months of February and March, I allowed [redacted] to temporarily be in this pasture at the owner’s explicit request. In late March, I notified the owner that [redacted] would need to return to his pasture with the shed. This was based on the fact that this field had more grass and I needed the open pasture for family horses. He replied with an email where he expressed his extreme displeasure with my decision. I wrote back trying to reassure him that his horse was returning to our best pasture with the most grass and that it was a more appropriate setting for a full care horse. He responded with a 30 day notice to end his boarding contract.
There had been ongoing concerns from early February in regards with this clients work as per our agreement for reduced board. It late March, it came to my attention that he had attempted to “train” another client’s horse in the round pen during his normal work hours. He had a written job description which included only feeding and barn chores. Riding or training horses was never a component of our agreement. The horse was injured and property damage incurred. This was not reported to me, although we had been in frequent communication regarding other matters, nor were the details of how the injury occured reported to the horse’s owner.
At this time, I decided it was in my best interest, and the best interest of my other clients, that he no longer do any work in trade for board fees. I did continue to pay him for working through his 30-day notice period, although he was not allowed to work. At this point he became very difficult, refusing to stop working even after several formal termination letters. At one point he got into my filing box (an area he was not allowed access to by our work agreement) and stole his contracts. He admitted to this and refused to return them. At this point I found it necessary to secure legal counsel. He did return the contracts after receiving a letter from my lawyer.
One unsafe situation did occur in the arena. This was the result of this client himself leaving the wire drag hung over the mounting block after ragging the arena as part of his barn chores. He was notified of this situation and the danger it presented to other riders and horses in writing. It is a bit ironic that he chose to mention this and not that he was the employee responsible.
I have attached a photo of two texts, one where the client states that his horse will be better behaved once he arrives and is no longer on grain and a second from him to my barn manager where he is requesting that his horses be returned to the area without stalls from the full care area with stalls. In addition, I have also attached his contract and the letter from my lawyer regarding the stolen contracts. Lastly, I have attached a statement from my barn manager corroborating the clients request to have his horse moved to a pasture without a stall and his displeasure at having it returned to the area with the stall, as well as her statement that this client did not express any dissatisfaction with the agreed upon feed until late in March when he gave his notice to leave.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if any further information or documentation is required.
 
Kind regards,
Denise M[redacted]
Redtree Stables
 
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