In Andrea's defence I must say that if you are expecting top dollar care, then be ready to spend a lot of money. We all want knee deep shavings, expensive feeds, 24/7 hay and the poop to be picked up before it even hits the ground. There are barns that do that and they charge $800 and up each month. That is expensive care.\r
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The basic care that horses get here is just that, it is good and basic. Nothing over the top and the horses are all happy and healthy. If you want more, I know Andrea will work with you. The stalls are done daily, either by Andrea or by her students, usually in the afternoons so that the horses can sleep in a clean stall. \r
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The horses are fed pellets twice a day and they are also getting beet pulp and either T&A or O&A hay (she used to feed Tifton but found a good supplier of better hay). At her new barn she is feeding twice a day with feedings 10-12 hours apart. She has no hired staff and does it all herself or with the help of her teenage students who come out after school to help.\r
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What matters is that the horses are healthy, happy and safe. If you want $1000 care, go to a barn that charges that. Don't go to Andrea and pay her $350 or $400 a month and then complain when you don't get $1000 type services. She delivers excellent care for budget minded people and as I said, if you want extras, she will do it for you, all you have to do is ask and she will let you know if it will cost extra. She has been very flexible with many customers.\r
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I have watched her horses and riders show and they usually place at or near the top at shows with a very long list of top horsemen and horsewomen acting in the capacity of judge. Other top horse professionals from throughout the country abviously think her horses look good and act good enough to be rewarded with top awards. \r
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According to her Facebook from the other week, The Saddle Horse Report magazine in the beginning of May had her horse Dallas ranked first in the nation for open morgan hunter, second in the nation for classic junior rider, third in the nation for hunter junior rider. Another horse in her barn, Teddy is third in the nation for classic junior rider and fourth in the nation for walk and trot pleasure. * * * that bears repeating - IN THE NATION, that means all 50, count-em, 50 states.* * *\r
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She also taught the rider that is the American Morgan Horse association's 2010 Youth of the Year in the SEastern region for riders younger than 14.\r
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I will take her economy minded horsecare and personal attention, over the high-priced fancy barns with hired grooms any day.\r
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