I'm afraid I insulted some people mini looking :o(

[Miniv]

Yesterday I was running on a tight schedule. Had to clean the barn and feed the horses early because I had to make a 60 mile drive up to Mt. Bachelor to make a delivery of meteorites to the Astronomy Star Party that was going on at one of the lodges. They needed the delivery for a raffle by a certain time.

I was in the barn - pooper scooping, and getting grain into buckets, when two women drove up. One was in her 60's and the other probably in her 30's. (I had about an hour's work to go and needed to leave in an hour.) The two women had just been to the local county fair and were disappointed that there weren't any horse exhibits showing, so they decided to stop by our place to get a "horse fix".......Someone had told them about us.

Since Brianna was with me, I invited them to follow her into our nursery pasture, while I continued working.

Once I had finished cleaning the barn and had fed a couple of groups on the other side of the barn I went out to them.

I explained to them about my schedule, asked them if they had any questions, and invited them to come back when I could spend more time. They were OBVIOUSLY "put out" and left..........

At least once a week we have people who drive up and want to see the minis........at ALL HOURS. Larry LOVES it.......drops whatever he's doing and can spend HOURS visiting. He handles it all wonderfully.

I'm afraid I couldn't do that yesterday.........and I'm not sure how else I could have handled it!

Any suggestions? How would YOU handle it???

 

[Minimor]

I've been late for a family dinner because unexpected/uninvited visitors showed up just as I was going to leave--and in that instance I did give the people (I knew them--used to work with one of them) a quick tour then explained that I had to leave so wouldn't be able to spend any more time chatting with them. So, they got a quick look at the horses and I was late for dinner...kind of a compromise.

If it was something other than family dinner--in that case I was unpopular for being late, but it wasn't a huge issue really--I would probably do as you did. Do what I had to do for chores & then say sorry but I have to leave at this time, please do come back another day....perhaps xxxx day, or here's my phone number, please call ahead.

Perhaps they don't like it, and often they don't come back...but I figure my time is as valuable as theirs and as a private stable I'm not required to drop everything to suit someone who drops in unannounced. Personally, if I were to drop in on someone like that I wouldn't be at all surprised or offended to be told the people were too busy to show me the horses just now--and I'd have no issues with being asked to come back another day, even to call ahead to arrange a suitable time. Common sense tells me that the other people have lives & things to do besides cater to me, and it would be nice if others could understand that about me as well! some, though, believe the world revolves only around themselves and all the rest of us should cater to them no matter how much it inconveniences us.

 

[Sixstardanes]

It's not like you are a petting zoo and open to the public and were closing during hours you should be open.

If you were direct but polite what more can they ask.

You were nice to them by letting them see some of your babes.

If they were put out my thoughts are "BO-Wah"

 

[susanne]

The only thing that you can do is what YOU know is right. Really, in all of life, this is the only thing that you can do.

If you had forgone your other responsibilities and stuck around to please these unannounced visitors, a) you would have let down those to whom you had a previous commitment, and b) very likely still left these visitors unsatisfied...you might have spent hours with them, only to have them want something you couldn't give them.

You most definitely did the right thing. You're a wonderful, giving person, MA, and you want everyone to be happy, but there is no way of doing that. What others think you should do is a moving target -- you can only guess what they really want -- so just stay focused on what you know is right.

 

[user 488]

This is my home. I expect people to call me before coming to my home just like I would give them the courtesy of me calling them. If I saw a farm and I wanted to visit, I might pull up, ask for the phone number so I could make an appointment. Again, common courtesy. I think you were being extremely nice just letting them follow you around. If they were offended then it's their problem.

 

[Indian*R*A*I*N*Dance]

This is my home. I expect people to call me before coming to my home just like I would give them the courtesy of me calling them. If I saw a farm and I wanted to visit, I might pull up, ask for the phone number so I could make an appointment. Again, common courtesy. I think you being extremely nice just letting them follow you around. If they were offended then it's their problem.

I totally agree. Its your house, they didn't make an appointment, just dropped by and you were very nice to show them around. I would have handled it the same way you did.

 

[Knighthawke]

I have had the same thing. I have had days where people are coming to look to buy and then I have someone else show up. And you talk with then and assume it might be the person you talked with on the phone and it be someone else.

I try to do what I can but. I have had some people make me late for a miniature horse meeting.

Mini are big attractions and I guess it come with owning them.

Barb

 

[Connie P]

There really is not much else you could have done. Very rude of them to just come in without an appointment. If they were "put out" too bad. People do have lives and I really find it rude and intrusive to just drop in unannouced.

Wow maybe I'm cranky today.

 

[horsehug]

Maryann,

I have in the past handled situations like that the exact same way that you did.

I think the problem was theirs for not understanding, not yours.

I do not mind unannounced visitors at all. I have always been easy going about that. Sometimes I think it is kind of an "out West" thing here in Wyoming, as most peope I know are the same way. But I do let them know if it happens to be when I have somewhere else to go or have something I have to do, and they always understand.

You handled it just fine!! So do not feel bad.

Susan O.

 

[barnbum]

I've never had a drop in, and I'm glad. I have a LOT of visitors since I teach and many students/co-workers want to come out--but it's when it's good for me. Several kids wanted to come right after school was out, but I told them I needed two weeks to get caught up on projects before I started with visitors--and they 100% respected that--I'm sure with some help from their parents.

I've had many folks email about when I'm "open" and we always work out a time. They have a wonderful time when they come (if I do say so myself

), but I'm pretty careful about it not getting out of hand. There's always that line between something being joyful and a pain--and I strive to stay on the joyful side of the line.

If someone pulled in and I was busy--I'd do exactly as you did--here's my number/website--please get a hold of me and we'll have a great time. If they were insulted with that-- OH! not your problem.

 

[CyndiD]

I live just off a main highway and often get people stopping in the middle of the road to look. Sometimes if they see you out they will stop, but most are kind enough to ask if its "ok".

I do remember one time when I was out in the paddock ALONE and a man appeared in my driveway asking all kinds of questions about the mini`s. I was very uncomfortable and told him I had to leave as I had some folks dropping by very soon (I didn`t really)...he still did not get the message, then I saw my big labrador come running from the end of the field...I told him to be careful that he would BITE...

That did it, he left and now I make sure I have my cell phone with me when I am alone...too many weirdo`s!!!!!

 

[Kim~Crayonboxminiatures]

I put up a sign "Visitors by appointment only which includes my name and phone number" and it has helped a lot! Got rid of those grandparents who were using my place as a petting zoo, without even asking! I would find them with their grandkids feeding my horses grass thru the fence, so I also added "please do not feed the horses" signs, because I don't want my horses hand fed. The sign is very casual, a print out from my computer I had laminated, I do eventually want to get an aluminum version of the same thing. It really helps on those days I don't have time for a visit, and when I do have time for the drop in visits folks are very appreciative.

In your case you handled it the best you could, the fact that they got to see some horses at all is great!

 

[Tony]

I had some people come last week when I had to leave for a meeting in ten minutes. I gave them some brochures and told them that I would love to show them the horses, but I had to leave, and asked them to call for an appointment so we could have a good tour and visit.

 

[Leeana]

We live fairly near to the road, right off one of the main highways around....people stop every once in a while and i do not at all mind. I am more then happy to show them the horses, normally im not to busy and i enjoy it. I dont think you were in the wrong, you were busy and had to get going...anyone should understand that

.

I had a friend a few years ago who would stop over randomly after she got off work, which is normally when i feed/work horses and clean the barn, it drove me crazy as while i was trying to work she expected me to drop what i was doing and go out to eat, or go some place with them and when i said i couldnt go she (and she normally brought friends) would hang around the barn and be immature. Drove me up the wall, im like ..uhh im trying to work here. My barn is not a play pen

.

 

[susanne]

Leeana,

That's when you need to hand them a manure fork and/or a wheelbarrow and put them to work! Chances are they'll get the message...

 

[Lacie]

Leeana,
That's when you need to hand them a manure fork and/or a wheelbarrow and put them to work! Chances are they'll get the message...

I concur! That's actually not a half bad idea...

That's super rude. I don't tolerate stupidity very well, and when we've been at boarding barns and people would randomly come up and let their kids start feeding some pretty nasty broodmares I would just stand there and be like "Um, aren't you going to make them stop? You didn't even get them to sing a release?" Some B/Os are crazy, and the visitors only compliment them sometimes. I've worked in quite a few horsey places, and you meet the good and the bad - than you meet the insisting know-it-alls. Good to know it all exists in the mini world too! lol

 

[Michelle@wescofarms]

I find their behaviour rude - assuming you had the time to drop everything and give them their 'horse-fix'!!!

Sorry I would never dream of doing that, and do not understand that attitude in others. Once you said 'busy' I would have asked a time to come back or asked you to call and I would have left and not been offended in the least!

I've had people call and want to come out 'now' to buy a mini and give me the 'well we'll go elsewhere' stuff!!! I figure you don't want 'my minis' you want 'A' mini - so it really doesn't matter what you're buying or from whom - buyers like that generally will be a pain later on anyway so not a problem to lose them.

I call to make appointments any ranch/farm I want to go to - the same as I would for anything other than a trip to the grocery, walmart or some other store - they have posted hours - LOL!!!

 

[Connie P]

I'm with you Michelle. I ALWAYS call even close family and friends before just stopping in - you just never know what they are doing and they may not want company at that time. It is really just common courtesy. IMO only of course.

 

[Miniv]

I appreciate everyone's responses...... We also are near a highway and in a relatively small community, so anyone who stops at the local store and asks where the "miniature horse farm" is, everyone points them our way.......

 

[Little Indian Acres]

I put up a sign "Visitors by appointment only which includes my name and phone number" and it has helped a lot! Got rid of those grandparents who were using my place as a petting zoo, without even asking! I would find them with their grandkids feeding my horses grass thru the fence, so I also added "please do not feed the horses" signs, because I don't want my horses hand fed. The sign is very casual, a print out from my computer I had laminated, I do eventually want to get an aluminum version of the same thing. It really helps on those days I don't have time for a visit, and when I do have time for the drop in visits folks are very appreciative.

I was just about to look up having a similar sign made. We need a few of them really, especially "please do not feed the horses" ones. The only problem with our property is that we do have a lot of road frontage, and with not a lot of trees, that makes for a LOT of lookers. lol. Especially since we are on a road with already very slow speed limit in our immediate area. We are fixing up and cleaning up a property we bought from a friend, I am not ready for my friends to come see it yet, let alone strangers.

I would lock the gate, but I can't do that because our Amish friends know they are welcome to stop by without calling ahead of course. Especially when they are coming to trim the horses feet.

We had a guy go past our driveway with a horse trailer, go to the corner and turn around, go past us again, repeated this a couple of times and then finally backed into our driveway. I could not figure what on earth this stranger was doing! We moved here this summer and it really bothered me. Come to find out the guy was the breeder of some Anatolians that guard the sheep across the street and our neighbor had mentioned that I was wanting to get a similar one. He had a litter of pups and was going to meet a nearby family for picking their pup and they were not home yet. He saw my husband and I out in the field with the horses so he came by to see if we were interested. I had actually been trying to find this guy for awhile to get a guardian dog for the herd so, ...I took two!

We named them Kate and Allie. lol