Complaint Review: J And A Ranch

I was at J and A almost 17 yrs ago (and boarded there for 4 years)and got back into horses 4 years ago back in this areaand GLADLY took my show horse there. Those of you who feel they are "abusive" are absolutely crazy! My mare gets all her needs...food, water, dry stall, private turnout as if I provide them myself. I've even gotten calls to ask if I'd LIKE her to be blanketed in extreme weather if I havent gotten down there! Or I find out that they've kept her insidebecause of storms. My mare has NEVER had a mark on her! I visit the barn 4 days a week religiously to ride and work my mare. NEVER have I seen the things mentioned. NONE of the horses are EVER mishandled or abused. The owners look out purely for the safety of the horse and their owner and when you have a 1200lb gelding dragging an extremely novice owner around, are they supposed to stand back and watch you get hurt or help and grab a lead rope and pickyou off their butts in the sand. You people fail to realize how many horses owners no very little or WANT to know but want to be proud and show off their pictures of the horse they own. I've trained horses for 26 years. I trained horses for JA back when I was there the 1st time and I'd gladly do it again. As with every boarding stable, they have deworming schedules and vet visit days and most horsesowners neglect those times. Who does that benefit? Surely not the horse. JA has a RIGHT to call you to ask you why your not providing these simple horse maintenance things. How about when a person out there shoes the horse and after TWELVE WEEKS STILL hasnt had the horses feet done as the hooves are cracking and overgrowing the shoes. Is that the fault of JA? NO thats neglect of the owner. PEOPLE open your eyes. These people are being PAID to take care of your animals but if you cant afford to actually have them why should that reflect on JA? Just like every boarding facility I have ever been at there are rules, hours of operation and general respected rules that shouldn't have to be posted. The rules and such apply to everyone not just those who want to listen. If it was your own barn, its your rules. There is not A SINGLE HORSE out there that is lacking in care when it comes to what JA provides. When you talk about getting shots done, feet or basic care, I can tell you theres boarders out there that have no clue, no money or whatever excuse to take care of the horses on THEIR end. I'm the only person out there who shows their horse, but I'll tell you the pregnant mare is very closely watched as well as the senior horses and their various lameness issues. The JA owners have their 29 yr old stallion out there looking as pretty d**n good as you can at 29 and he happens to be the planned sire to the pregnant mares May 2011 foal. SO BEFORE you sit and make decisions off of some peoples poor excuses make decisions for yourself and come and see the place. I will gladly meet you out there and introduce you to the owners and my very content and not lacking anything show horse! Stalls are clean, dry, matted and very free of nails and screws in any walls. The arena is very good soft depth, even, well watered to keep dust down and raked on a regular basis. Water buckets are filled 2x a day, The horses are provided the feed and hay that their board payments cover. My mare is on supplements and receives them 2x a day as I request and I provide, and the general look of the place is clean and debris free and safe for all the animals out there. And trust me, I don't plan on leaving anytime soon and I'm sure neither are the boarders who have been there 10, 14 and more then the 17yrs ago who are STILL there. As far as "Child friendly"....I have no qualm about my 9 yo and 5yo being with me at anytime at the barn. Of course I have the responsibility of not letting them run wild. The owners have ALWAYS been nice to my kids as well as my kids being respectful of them and their properties. My 18yo is welcome to go out by my horse at anytime without me and is welcomed with open arms. The kids, during any season have never been exposed to "drunkenness". I feel bad for the boarders who cant enjoy the bonfire and picnics that JA offers and have turned that into negative energy because you cant get along with others of a common interest....horses! AS I SAID, anyone who wants to challenge me to the quality of care JA provides, please meet me there. AND I can also provide for you complaints about OTHER boarding facilities in our area...such as not watering when horses are in stalls, inadequate fencing, lying about the type of feed being fed, or horses not being fed at all. NONE OF THOSE ARE JA!! "Suspicious?" Of what? "They just want your money?" They deserve to be paid for providing a service. I am NOT charged or nickel and dimed. I don't expect them to handle my horse for the vet if I can't be there for free, or play blanket switcharoo because I can't be there everyday. That is extra time for them and an extra service I'm asking them to provide. Why should it be free? People, please.....grow up.

Their long time boarders are those who sit around and get drunk with them i.e. you being one of them. You are the people that they treat nice and respect. For us other boarders, they treat like extreme crap! J and A state they grain the horses, twice a day, when I have been out there several times and the horses are waiting at the barn to be let in to get grain, but it never happens. As far as an outdoor arena? Do you really think it is safe to have a tree, light post, and a broken bench with nails sticking out of it as an outdoor arena? Or for the fact the outdoor arena never gets mowed, but then you let the horses out to eat the grass, oh and dont forget they like to eat the picnic bench and fence since they are so hungry. I too had heard bad rumors about this place but decided to check it out myself and got the same bad treatment. This place is such a joke it is rediculous!!! I have seen horses get beat several times, odd that my horse is fine walking around the barn when no one else is out, but the second the man of the house comes out, my horse acts like a total nut and does not want to pass by him. The drama just proves how bad this place is, and for the owners to even step in and have to defend themselves? Come on!!!!!! If you know your place is so great, then why even go and post for yourself!?

Rebuttal For Beccab Kansasville, Wisconsin U.S.A.

There is no reason for anyone to watch out for the stable J&A Ranch. People have their own opinions and views but come on now enough is enough. Why do you find it so easy to slam J&A Ranch when they provided quality care for your horse? Come on now do you really think that J&A Ranch does not know who you are? I am out 2 times a week and on the weekends also and have to wonder if we were at the same place. As you stated "the drunks or yelling and screaming all day long" I find that hard to believe because the times I am out there I do not see this.

You say "I have seen the horses treated wrongly or not given full attention." If you have seen this then it was past boarders who treated their horse(s) wrong. J&A Ranch provides quality care for all the horses boarded there. All my horses under their care are treated very well and never go without attention. And Yes When looking this barn up there is tons of reviews but that does not mean there is something suspicious going on. One could say that all these mean things are being said by one person and that person is getting others who have left J&A Ranch or even friends who have visited J&A Ranch to say bad things as well. Past mean angry boarders need to get a life. I have been a boarder for 12 years at J&A Ranch and I am still here. My horse's needs are met in every way and J&A Ranch provides quality care for them.

On the weekends my child enjoys spending quality time riding her horse and she is very happy to be at J&A Ranch. Whether you are an adult or a child you are going to be exposed to good things and bad things, but what you take away from those experiences is called life lessons. Find the happy medium and move on with your life.

You say They act nice and friendly to get your money, but then everything changes. Well not true. I'm still here 12 years later along with 1 other life time boarder who has been here longer then me and 1 other that has been here 10 years. J&A Ranch is doing something right don't you think?

You say "There is not any other boarding facility with this many reviews about it. Ridiculous." Well just wait and see what happens when these past boarders currently boarding at other places say when they have to leave (or are asked to leave) there place. It's a safe bet they will slam their current stable as well. It is a common practice for a few of them to do this.

I can only speak for myself that J&A Ranch does provide quality care for my horses and given the chance they will do that for others as well. If you are truly a horse person, please check out J&A Ranch for yourself. J&A Ranch is not perfect (but no stable is) but they do the best they can. Make your own decision based on what you see and how you feel when you visit this facility not based on what people have to say.

Thank you and I am not afraid to say who I am. Rusti Milwaukee WI, USA.