A bit gutted

[Minxie]

I have a great set up at a private home where i keep my pony with the home owners three shetlands. They have two beautiful big stables and the door of one is kept open to use as a shelter. i feed my pony in there so i can wash and dry his legs and put oil on each night. I can also get his rug off and brushed and checked.

The pony was really badly injured years ago and he can't be ridden so getting to spend a bit of time in the evening playing / grooming him is al i get to enjoy - so very important to me. I also put out their hay on the concrete in front of the stable so they get some shelter under the roof overhang.

i currently don't pay livery but i buy all the hay and hold the other ponies for farrier / dentist / vet / do the worming etc. I'm the only person to poo pick the field, muck out the stable and keep the place as spotless as possible.

But met the home owner tonight who has said i've not to use the stable and i've to feed the ponies their hay in the field - which is like the Somme. I highlighted that the hay would blow away of their will just trample it into the ground and was told if they did so it was their own fault if they got hungry and chasing the hay in the wind would keep them fit. WTF. I had to bite my tongue and not mention that I work b****y hard to pay for that hay. Also means I can't maintain his legs to make sure he doesn't get mud fever.

So looks like I need to move. Problem is that because i wasn't paying livery as such (although in saying that the hay bill wasn't a kick in the arse off it) when working out if i could return to Uni i hadn't included those costs into my budget. Am currently working out if i could put stables in my garden and find weekend grazing for him to turn out just on sat and sundays during the winter. I'd find full turnout summer grazing.

Is that just a rubbish idea? In my defense he'd been on box rest for 7 months as a two year old and he never batted an eyelid. if its raining he's not out of the shelter.

I'm genuinely gutted as i thought the set up worked well all round. Apparently i was wrong

Sorry for the length

 

[NeedNewHorse]

To be honest I would have a drive around and see if you can find another similar set up (even have a knock on doors type thing where you see land/horses etc

I don't think being stabled 24/7 during the week is a good idea. Whether he seemed OK or not, it's just not good for their health or mental wellbeing. Plus he will be alone!

Try not to worry too much and have a good look around.

Best of luck.x

 

[Montyforever]

Lat things calm down, then talk to the landowner.
Maybe offer to pay for use of the stable?
If not considering moving?
Hope this helps
x

 

[Squeak]

Can you not find out why the owner wants you to do this and maybe try and persuade him?

I think not having access to turnout 24/7 for him would be hard even in the winter and I would probably try and avoid it if possible. Also second the idea of driving round and knocking on doors.
Good luck with it all though

 

[zeuscleoharmony]

Why don't you build a hay manger. I did, out of three pallets - one for the bottom and the other two cut in half for the sides. That will be the hay sorted. As for shelter, invest in some good quality rugs and if the stables can act as a wind break or there are other natural windbreaks then I am sure your boy will be fine. Certainly better than being in a stable 24/7 for five days out of 7. Alternatively, ask if you can contribute towards the use of the stable.

 

[Minxie]

Thank you. I've got my old mum doing that for me today hopefully as I'm at uni. God love her

Most of the farmers around here are those types who won't allow ponies on their land or else they have already what stables they do have full. But i'll go round for sure.

 

[Minxie]

Unfortunately the reason they don't want me using the stable is because they don't want the ponies loitering around it waiting to be fed and poaching the ground there. i honestly can't get my head around the logic at all - if its raining they will go to the stables anyway and they tend to stand on the concrete NOT in the field. Similarly I feed all the ponies their hay that night on the concrete outside the stable and it actually keeps them OFF the field. The family are pretty well off and money doesn't seem to be an issue so offering to pay won't make any odds.

 

[Minxie]

Thank you. Yeah the reason is all about the field being poached around the stables. Also seems its perfectly acceptable to have 4 ponies standing knee deep in gloopy mud further up the field all day.