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Equiletics (Jennifer Parks) is currently operating partly out of Tollwood Stables.
Contact Information
http://tollwoodstables.com/#
Sheila Wilson ( Manager)
780-470-5066
Spruce Grove, Alberta
Colic Barn. Shelly Wilson runs it and knows NOTHING about horses.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely true! She worked for the owner at Telus for years, which is the only reason she has her barn manager position now. She continually changes horses feed on a whim, against better advice, resulting in 6 colics in the year that I was there. One of which was serious enough that the horse had to have surgery, and another where the horse had to be put down. Very high stress environment for horses and people. All of the horses were on banamine when I was there as a "preventative measure". Awful.
DeletePoor management by Shelley
ReplyDeleteHorse care is very sub par. Horses have very limited turn out and discouraged from natural social behaviors such as playing and social order.
Hay quality is poor and almost a quarter of horses are very underweight (when I was there) and concerns from staff are ignored and laughed off.
Even water buckets are never dumped and have this gross film form and black mould
Shelley uses her position to play favorites with certain clients and will move hell or high water to appease them while being rude and uncooperative with other clients.
Would NOT recommend this barn. Even if you wanted to deal with barn drama the horses suffer here. High turnover no surprise
Please note Jenifer Parks and Equiletics do not operate from this facility.
ReplyDeleteIt's a shame
ReplyDeleteThe facility is gorgeous and has real potential that's being wasted with Shelly as manager. It's not rocket science that there's empty stalls every month.
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ReplyDeleteThank you for that catch Gillian.. The horses all take Omeprazole as a preventative. I was the anonymous poster for that one post. I am not surprised to see more. I "hide" behind the Anonymous user name because the horse world is small here and I know how vindictive the Barn Hens are at this place. I would not subject myself to their tyranny again. Since you hold such a respectable name I'm sure you are treated better than most at Tollwood. Best of luck to you at that place!
DeleteFirst of all, after reading the comments and negative reviews, it is clear to me that these have been written by problematic, irresponsible and wreckless former clients of Tollwood that myself, and several other clients are happy to have seen leave or be evicted. Everyone knows that there are always 2 sides to every story, and as someone who has boarded at several barns in the Edmonton area for more than 10 years, I can honestly say you will not find a better facility to board your horse.
ReplyDeleteFirst let's start with Shelley. What most people don't consider or seem to educate themselves on is her requirement to adhere to Provincial Legislation regarding OH&S and Employment Standards. Many barns violate these rights and operate their businesses by putting staff, clients and horse safety at risk (have you ever seen one staff member turning is 2 horses at one time? Or working alone?). You will never find a better run operation that accommodates and caters to individual requests (within reason), and that considers horse compatibility and takes preventative steps to avoid serious risk and injury or death. Shelley has the very difficult job of running a professional large scale horse boarding facility while trying to accommodate individual concerns, requests and demands almost daily. Of course not everyone is going to get their way, but she does what she can whenever possible, and I have seen this to be the case for almost everyone who has asked for customized services. The accusations that that every horse is on Banamine is simply not true. I would even invite you to attend this facility and speak with current clients as those who are lucky enough to be accepted at Tollwood would be happy to let you know how it really is. Horses are happy, given access to large grass pastures all summer long, stabled in large well bedded stalls, 4 feedings daily, access to groomed trails and meticulously cared for by attentive staff and also dedicated maintenance person who ensures the facility is safe and secure. Colic episodes happens at every barn, and several factors can contribute to why or how often this happens...you can not solely blame it on a barn or one individual - but again, this is something only an educated and rational horse people can comprehend.
Secondly the policies and procedures that are in place for horse care, employee conduct, upkeep and maintenance and even communication are nothing but professional and are what every boarding facility should strive to implement. Feed, medication, vet care, farrier, facility maintenance are all coordinated by Shelley, and are documented in order to reduce risk and liability, but are also required in order to run a safe facility. The grounds are immaculate, the barn is spotless, and they have a very thorough herd management program.
It is so easy for someone to hide behind their keyboard, and make such damaging accusations against a barn and it's name. I believe these reviews are only personal attack against Shelley with no recourse, and are not based on what Tollwood stands for and offers. If you are someone who is reasonable, a good horseman, and someone who gets along well with others, than you will have no problems at this barn and I think anyone who is given the opportunity to board at this barn should consider themselves very lucky.
A number of years ago my horse and I were lucky enough to be accepted as boarders at Tollwood stables. We weren't a show team, I didn't have a trainer, didn't take lessons or go to horse shows. He was a retired competitive trail/endurance racer who had ridden over 2000 miles in competition. He wasn't a purebred anything, but he was a champion in my heart.
ReplyDelete> My horse had a number of "old horse" ailments....heaves, Cushing's disease, and more than a few episodes of founder. He had never lived in a barn, and couldn't be on grass. He had always been at the bottom of the pack wherever he was, and consequently, whenever he was fed in a pail or feed pan, he would continuously look behind him to see if another horse was coming to steal his food, losing half his feed in the process. That meant he had to have all his special food in a feed bag. The staff would stand by his side in the pouring rain, or freezing cold until he had finished his meal, and repeat it 4 times a day.
The care and concern Shelley and the staff showed my horse and I was never ending. They treated him as if he was their own. I would often joke when I gave my rent cheque that I should get a charitable donation income tax receipt. I got so much more than I paid for. They genuinely cared about my horse and about me.
I would ride on the lovely trails, and play with my horse in the paddock or arena. Never did I feel I was treated any different than the high level riders at Tollwood. Shelley's door was always open, and she gave me great advise about issues with my horse. She also showed tremendous compassion when my horse died....even offering to bury him at Tolwood in the middle of February so I would have a place to visit his grave.
Although my horse days are behind me, I will always fondly remember the time I was able to be at Tollwood. Shelley and the staff will always be a part of my wonderful memories of a chapter in my life.