February 2, 2010:
Dear Boarders and Friends This last year has been both busy and difficult for all of us. The economy has made everything more complex for all of America. It has definitely affected the small business man of which I am one. After reviewing my end of the year Profit and Loss statement, I was given confirmation of what I already had suspected for quite some time. Because of the ever rising costs of supplies, feed and the federal government’s insistence on taking a large share of what I make, the stable operation left me $25,000 short of the previous year. This is not acceptable and the only recourse I have is to raise my boarding rates. God has charged me with not only being a good steward of what he has laid in front of me, but I am also a husband and father in charge of providing for my family. By trying to provide good care for the horses, maintain dependable and accountable employees, and maintain the overall quality of my facility, raising monetary input is my only choice. Even after a price increase, there are many more expensive boarding facilities in the Katy area. At Freeman ranch I try to keep a balance of affordability, quality, and diverse riding disciplines to make it a fun and happy place to be. And praise the Lord I hope it will always remain like it is today. One of the most important things to me is to keep Freeman’s a family kind of place where everyone feels welcome and can enjoy the time they spend there. I have spent the last few months trying to address the shavings issue and I hope I have made some progress on it. This is an ongoing struggle and I will continue to keep a close eye on it until it is resolved to my satisfaction. Thanks for your patience in this matter. And as always, anyone who has issues or concerns about something to do with their horse, please contact me first before letting a situation of some sort arise. I am always willing to do whatever I can to solve a problem if it is within my power to do so.
Effective April 1, 2010, the new boarding rates will be as follows:
| Main Barn | $500.00 |
| Small Barn | $400.00 |
| Pasture (w/feed x2) | $350.00 |
| Pasture (w/feed x1) | $300.00 |
| Pasture (no feed) | $250.00 |
All these rates will still include free trailer parking, free blanketing for barn horses, and no charge for bringing in horses for Katy Equine every other Thursday. I appreciate each and every one of you and really do consider all of you friends. I also want to thank Pam and Reagan for being such great people to work with in all situations. They are both full of grace and humility. Please keep us all in your prayers. God bless everyone.
In Christ,
Derek