From: Laurie
Dear Jessica, most of my questions seem to get asked by other people, so I can just relax and read your answers and apply them to my situation. Thank you for Horse Sense, you can't imagine how much it has helped me in so many ways. Now I have a question that I don't think anyone else has asked.
Let me tell you my situation first. I moved my horse to a boarding barn about two months ago. He used to live at a friend's barn and I would just run in and out of there whenever I wanted and do whatever I wanted, as if it were my own barn. I would have been happy to go on keeping my horse there, but she and her husband are selling up and moving, and I had a chance to get in at a nice local boarding barn. I just wanted you to know that I hadn't moved because we had a fight or anything!
I know I can't expect the same kind of deal at this boarding barn, but I am having a real problem with the two girls who clean stalls and feed. Last month, I wanted to change my horse's feed and give him more hay, which is okay according to the boarding contract. So when I saw the one girl feeding, I asked her to give my horse more hay, and she did. Then last week I was out at feeding time and the other girl was feeding, and she just gave him the same amount of hay he got before I made the change. That's one problem. Another is that I have asked both girls to tie my horse in the aisle when they clean his stall instead of going in there and cleaning it around him. They still aren't doing it. They seem like nice girls and they work a lot of hours, but I am frustrated. I don't want to create trouble by complaining to the manager, but I want those changes!! How can I make these girls be more responsible? I need to be able to ask for a change and know it will happen. Help me please!
Laurie
I hate to tell you this, but the problem you're having is YOU. ;-) Don't get upset -- let me explain. I'm sure that you are being very nice and pleasant to these girls, and I understand your frustration, but here's the problem: you are giving your instructions to the WRONG PEOPLE. You should be talking to the manager -- not complaining, but communicating.
The girls who work at this barn do not work for you, or for any of the other boarders. They work for the barn manager -- and they answer to the barn manager. If you need to have a change made, talk to the barn manager! S/he will agree to the changes (or not), and will pass the necessary information on to the staff. Whenever there is a manager and staff, there is a chain of command. Staff members need clear instructions from their supervisors or managers -- they don't have the authority to make changes, and you shouldn't expect them to take on a responsibility that isn't theirs.
There are good practical reasons for going through the manager. Since the staff answers to the manager, instructions from the manager are "business as usual", whereas instructions from boarders are either intrusions or personal favours, and either way, they tend to add to the work load. The manager needs to keep track of the staff's work load. Here's another practical reason: you've said that there are two girls who clean stalls and feed. Telling one of them something, asking one of them to perform a new task or to perform a task in a different way, does NOT mean that you have communicated it to both of them -- or that you can count on either of them acting on what you've told them, not because they are stupid or bad, but because they need to get their instructions from the manager. Telling the MANAGER means that you can expect the manager to tell BOTH girls and anyone else who may be doing those tasks at any time.
So whenever something like this comes up, and you need a change of some kind, go directly to the manager and then let the manager take it from there. That's the right way. ;-)
Jessica
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