This is a conundrum.....what would you do?

Question

I caught a boarder in the process of stealing a Voght bit for another boarder.

If I ask him to leave. I loose 3 stalls. Times are tight and I hate to lose the income. Yet, theft is theft.

What would you do?

Answer 1

I would tell him to leave.

The world if full of boarders looking for a good barn.

It may take a little time to fill those stalls, but it is in everyones best interest. Just mho

Answer 2

I sure wouldn't want him where I board! and I would expect to be may aware of the situation, if he were not asked to leave!

I would want the option of locking my stuff up where he was not able to access my things! Equipment is to expensive to be lost to a thief!  I work to hard to risk it!

I would  ask him to leave! you'll find other boarders!

Good barns are hard to find. and yours will not be a good barn to board at if he is thieving! word travels fast!

Still your call! problem is you may be down to only those three stalls if word gets out you could loose the other boarders! think about it!

Answer 3

Tell him to leave. If he is stealing a bit, what else is he stealing? You can always get more boarders.

Answer 4

Money is a big issue with the economy now days and i can only imagine that being a horse person, gas is eating you alive. I think you should warn BOTH boarders involved and tell them that next time anything like this happens that they will be asked to leave. Loosing 3 stalls is loosing a large amount of income, loosing a bit is just that - simply a bit. Stealing is unacceptable in every way though, so i would tell them that they absolutely WILL NOT be clients of yours anymore if they keep up. and if they really want to ride for you, they will knock it off.

Answer 5

tell him to leave. you could build lockers and have every boarder get lockers with locks only they know.

Answer 6

Ask him to leave. Loosing three stalls is better than loosing a whole barn full, and your reputation. I would suggest to your borders that they keep their higher end tack locked up or at home. Unfortunately dishonest people exist everywhere, even in the equine community. Good Luck.

EDIT..

Its true I do not run a boarding stable nor do I board my horses. But I can understand the implications of the issue. It really bothers me that people are forced to choose between doing the right thing and paying the bills in this great nation. I wish there were an easy answer for this problem. I pray that you can find a solution to it that will not put you in a bind.

EDIT

If the other boarder knows about this and confronted the would be thief you defiantly should ask him to leave. The chances of it escalating into a really bad situation are to great, if they will steal you don't know what else they are capable of. And the risk of future confrontation, or retaliation are to great, and you could be taken to court for not intervening.

Answer 7

I agree with most of the postings so far.

To lose 3 stalls would be a financial blow to me personally, but I also want to sleep at night.

I'll tell you a little story.

We had the nicest woman board with us a couple years ago. It was 2 stalls, her and her daughter who was 14.

Everything was great for the first few months. Little things started to go missing, like fly spray. Annoying but no big deal.

Those little things got bigger.

One day another boarder was having a lesson and when she was done, she had money missing from her purse.(yes, she should have left in her locker or in her car) she came to me wanting to know who else had been in the barn in the last hour.

Mother, daughter, my dad and the farrier as there. Now, I know my dad and my farrier, would not ever be a question, but I didn't have any proof on the others, so I watched and waited.

I few days later I caught the teenager in my hayloft smoking crack.  By the end of the day, She, her mother (hated to do it) and both their horses were GONE.

I will not tolerate losing my family farm to some irresponsible kid with a drug problem.

Sorry to rant on, but just wanted to share.

You might look around to see if anything else is missing...you never know what can go up in smoke...or end up on Ebay for that matter.

Good luck to you.

Answer 8

Wow, a tough decision.  You've got to think though...what could he steal from you?  I personally wouldn't want the stress of worrying about a thief in my barn.

Answer 9

theft should not be tolerated in any barn even at the cost of a boarder,without the trust of your other boarders you may end up loosing more than just three stalls.only you can decide what to do but there are more boarders who will go to a trustworthy barn than one who doesnt punnish those in the wrong.the trust of your boarders is what your barn should be about and it makes a better barn.

Answer 10

I would be suprised if any of the answerers so far actually run a boarding business! Yes, it would be great to just kick him out and have 3 new horses magically appear, but at least where I am, that isn't very likely to happen. Barns near me are closing down for lack of boarders, people can't afford to keep their horses when they don't have jobs anymore. Plus, lots of people are moving out of state to find better jobs. If I lost 3 horses I would be hurting!

Perhaps, if this is the first time you've had trouble with this person, you could let them know that you are aware of the situation and you will not tolerate theft in your barn. I would also tell them that this is their only warning, the next time something goes missing, they're out of the barn.

Good luck, its a tough call to make.

Answer 11

I don't run a business, so I can't answer from that perspective.  But as for thievery, I don't have any tolerance for.  I just don't.  I've had my house and horse stuff completely cleaned out before by a thief.

I sitting here trying to see it from different perspectives.  I would have a problem if I was a boarder and KNEW that the owner knew who the thief was...yet did nothing about it.

Another detail...you said they were stealing it for another boarder.  Is the other one part of this too?  Or is the thief just trying to get in the good graces of the other boarder?

I know me...I wouldn't tolerate it.  I can't see it from a business perspective.  But I know what I can excuse, and what I can't.  Theft is not one of my 'excuseables.'

Answer 12

I can just imagine how difficult of a decision this must be for you. I have boarders at my barn, but don't consider that my business or a necessity. If I were in your predicament I would've thrown the thieving boarder out as soon as I found out.

But... As it seems throwing the boarder out would put you in a financial rut, it isn't such an easy decision for you.

When I kept my horses at a boarding facility before I had my own place, i had another boarder steal loads from me. Hay, grain, tack, grooming supplies... Anything their greedy little hands could latch onto. I made it clear to the owner of the property what was going on and even had the proof of seeing the woman sneak into my tack box and grab my fly spray.

The owner did nothing, possibly for the same reason you aren't so quick to kick this guy out, and i was furious. I couldn't tolerate having a thief in the barn, everyone knowing about and no one doing a d**n thing about it, so I took my 4 horses and scrammed.

Just food for thought... If you don't kick this guy out, you may run into problems with the other boarders. No one wants to keep their horse somewhere they don't feel safe.

Answer 13

capital punishment...trust me in times like these it's the only way...

Answer 14

If the three stalls mean the difference between staying in the black or going into the red, the moral issues shift a bit.  Most people put food on the table pretty high on the list when moral priorities are being outlined.

I would confront the thief with it and make it clear that anything going missing in the barn will have fingers pointing his way, and that you will prosecute anyone stealing from you, or from your boarders. I would point out any positives you feel about having him as a boarder, and that you are disappointed at being put in this position.

Post a notice that thieves will be prosecuted, and provide a box so boarders may anonymously report any knowledge of theft they witness or suspect. This puts everyone on notice, and makes boarders upgrade their own security measures.

I've boarded at many stables in the past, before I got my own place.  Theft occured at every one of them...and people trying to stay in business can't always afford to do what they would prefer to do, or maybe should do.  I always appreciated being notified if theft was occurring so I could keep a closer eye on my stuff.