a mini rant and a question :)

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rainer

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I worked at a yard and before I did I hadn't had much experience so I did learn a lot and it was great although sometimes a nightmare lol :D
What annoyed me was that any mistakes I made and if my standards slipped a bit I got told off but if the yo (it was only me+her on site) made mistakes nothing really was said and if her so called high standards went reeeely low then that was ok! ( I know I was learning and it is her yard but surely its good to learn from example)
It just annoyed me that she would preach about certain things but when I came back after the weekend the yard wasn't swept,the stables were full of sh**t and so were the fields :D :p
Cause she'd only had time to ride :) I'd spend my time there then trying to catch up+then get moaned at when I had to leave at 3 to pick up kids and there was still a lot to do :p
Anybody else had this? Sorry for the moan it was my first yard that I worked at and there was a lot of good times+a lot of bad :p
Also, a question how long does it take u to muck out+bed down a stable? Including sweeping under rubber mats+sweeping back?
Just curious :)
 
I have to be honest, I employ people (not with horses) and I understand the lead by example thought BUT if I'm paying someone I do expect them to do everything properly and complete, tidy up etc. whether I do it or not. For me it's about doing the job that you are being paid for properly. If the person was in charge but wasnt the owner paying u then no that's not fair, but if its their yard and they are paying u then it's up to them whether they do the weekend jobs. It's their privalege. I don't agree with any unfair treatment, bullying etc and you should be respected. I did once expect a lot from someone as I had managed all the jobs I was asking in the time given and she wasn't. In the end I did her job again for a few days and realised the demand was much higher (more customers) and it was impossible to do it all! I then looked at solutions. Was a good lesson for me, however I still don't like if someone is too relaxed and slow at work. (I'm not saying u are at all!) I think if you are in that situation again you maybe need to look at the jobs that need doing, time them and explain that at the beginning if the week there are extra jobs that take longer etc. staff that come and explain things to me clearly giving options as to how it can be resolved (in your case maybe looking at which jobs can be realistically tackled and completed on the Monday and when the other jobs will be completed) goes down well. If I have tried everything in this way and are getting no where then yes you may have an unreasonable employer.
I've also had people resign, give me their reasons which I could have resolved with them if they had spoken up earlier. At that point it's too late from both sides.
 
This was a couple of years ago now and I was giving my time for free (was meant to be for regular lessons but neither she or I had the time :)). I do admit to being slow but at the same time I believe she had unrealistic expectations of me and wanted me to do as much as possible for her for free :p not quite sure how I lasted 8 months but I did love the horses+apart from these issues we did have a good relationship
 
I employ people to look after my horses , when I am home alone I don't spend my time sweeping yards and picking poo I ride if I choose to and do the basics .
 
If you were giving up your time for free with no formal training in return, then to be absolutely honest, she sounds like a mickey taker.
 
I must be the unusual one then! We have a groom once a week, and the day before she comes I make sure that the yard is swept and the muckheap tidy, the feedrooms all get swept out - I probably pay more attention to detail that day than all the others (though I like things tidy in general). I do this so that the yard is done to the standards it is found, so to speak.
 
I was learning,she was teaching but no proper training was ever pursued,have to say I did a lot of work there ( poo picking,mucking out even a days haymaking :)) and didn't receive a penny but then that was my choice for as long as I was there,do think she took advantage of my good nature tho :p
I don't regret it as I learnt so much and if I was owner I wouldn't worry about an unswept yard or the fields too much but it did used to frustrate me when the horses were left in dirty stables and left without water for a period of time+some days I wouldn't get there till about 12 and the horses weren't turned out or fed :p
 
I suppose u will have learnt what your priorities will be, and what u have learnt is important in terms of care etc (i often dont sweep, esp if its raining hard, prefer to do it well when its dry) You'll also know all the hard work involved and how to treat people who help u :-)
 
rainer said:
I was learning,she was teaching but no proper training was ever pursued,have to say I did a lot of work there ( poo picking,mucking out even a days haymaking :)) and didn't receive a penny but then that was my choice for as long as I was there,do think she took advantage of my good nature tho :p
I don't regret it as I learnt so much and if I was owner I wouldn't worry about an unswept yard or the fields too much but it did used to frustrate me when the horses were left in dirty stables and left without water for a period of time+some days I wouldn't get there till about 12 and the horses weren't turned out or fed :p
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Well when I say the basics are done I don't mean I don't give them water or muck out .
It really depends what you agreed with her before you started .
I only have paid people working.
 
Another way of looking at it, was that because you were inexperienced, she was training you to work at the standard that would be expected in the industry.
Sometimes the best trainers are pretty tough on staff. The fact that she herself didn't maintain those standards herself, isn't great, but as the owner, she may have needed to prioritise on the riding.

Or she may just been more forgiving of her self than you.

Shame you didn't get the lessons though, that should have been sorted. I guess you're not there now ?

It sounds rather unfair, but hopefully, you gained some useful experience in return for your hard work. I do hope so.
 
I just thought it would be so much more organised and simple on my days if she mucked out on her days ( up to 7 stables) or even if we worked together on my days instead of me working alone+falling behind. One good thing about it was I lost about 3 stone! :D
 
Sorry goldenstar I didn't mean to imply that u weren't mucking out etc or anything.
I did gain some great experience and learnt a great deal. Tbh I wasn't all that bothered about the riding but that was probably from being nervous. Her expecting a lot from me was in some ways a compliment and at the beginning she praised me for my hard work and reliability. Its a shame it went wrong but in the end she expected too much and I couldn't cope and I couldn't commit to it
 
rainer said:
Also, a question how long does it take u to muck out+bed down a stable? Including sweeping under rubber mats+sweeping back?
Just curious :)
Click to expand...

Shaving on Rubber?

5-10mins depending how big the bed/stable is inc. sweeping up.

Sweeping under rubber mats - Can't even lift mine! Don't think they have been lifted for at least 2 years (probably more)!:eek::o
 
Yes shavings and a fairly big bed they were half shavings half rubber (at the front) used to have to fold the mats over on themselves to clean underneath :D or move them completely.
 
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