Advice needed (long, sorry)

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TinselTurkey

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I really need advice about a situation that has been going on for most of the time I have been 'loaning' Nevada.

I will start from the begining incase you have not read my previous posts.

I used to loan a welsh mare from a riding school until one day we got a call from the riding school owner saying that as I was outgrowing the pony and they where going to try and sell her (she still has not been sold as the riding school owner is very greedy and tried to sell us a very stubborn ruined pony because of being used in a riding school for 8k) I should try loaning Nevada from a girls parents after she had outgrown him. I tried him out and loved him and had him on trial for a week it all went well so my mum told the riding school owner that we would take him on loan but said wee could not afford to pay full livery at that yard so the owner said he would pay half. (We werent allowed to move yards because his owner did not want to sell him, let him be used in the riding school or move yards) It was all going well untill his owner said he did not want to pay half anymore so the riding school owner said they would pay half without him being used in the school. so it continued like that until a current livery's friend tried him out, liked him and started to share him with me, so we shared him for a few months untill she got a new job and no longer had the time to ride him anymore so the riding school owner said she would continue to pay half without using him in the school. This went well for a few days untill he started being used in the riding school. I would turn up to ride and spend the day with my friends at the yard and be told I could'nt because they wanted him on that day this went on untill I was sometimes only riding once a week and paying £500+ a month. So my mum went to speak to the riding school owner and talked about how his owner said he did not want nevada being used in the riding school and of course as riding school owner denied having the converstion with his owners so we sorted out days that the riding school owner never sticks to and always claims she forgets even though the days are written down in the office and the booking diary. and I had to give up one of my days because they wanted him for a school group which did not use all the ponies.
On my days I continued to compete him and got him up to affiliated SJ but recently at pony of the year and other shows If I put the slightest bit of pressue on his mouth he would throw his head in the air and grab the bit in his teeth and tank off, if I tried to get a nice bouncy canter he would tank off and recently he has started stopping at fences which he never did before but due to all the children wanting to jump he gets jumped on some days nearly 3 times (the max a horse can work but most horses don't but nevada constantly works 3 hours) a day for an hour and every week at least twice (student ride and sundays) This means I no longer jump at home and find it very difficult out competing.

Last week we got back from POYS (we paid extra to have him for the whole week) and nevada was very tired I came the next day to sort things out and as it was my day, he was tired and it was only one day after POYS I left his tack as home (the tackroom was locked when we got back) but when I arrived there was a very angry yard owner saying where was his tack he has a lesson so I said Its at home because we arrived here at 11:30pm last night and the tack room was locked, It was my day and we had already told you he was getting a week off (he could only have 3 days off because they needed him) she replied but we have the other half and I said I know but we have already disscussed this. so greedy riding school owner had 3 horses free, had tipexed the original horses name out (he was free the whole day) put Nevada's name and then got angry because his tack was at home and aparently there where no free horses so I told her no because there is 3 free that the lady normally rides. My mum had to phone her yet again and discuss days yet again the yard owners excuse again was I forgot your days (oh what a suprise! for the seventh time!) yard owner wrote another post it note with our days on and said I don't know what we are going to do in the summer with pony weeks and my mum said don't use him (cue a very annoyed greedy riding school owner). Riding school owner told us wny don't you buy him or have him on full livery but we said no because if we where to buy him he would tell the owner a silly price and because that yard is so expensive we can''t afford full livery there.(they would still probably use him if he was on full livery knowing them.)

Later on the day the head instructor said that I could not do the yard shows even though its on my days because people want to ride him. I am annoyed because I sent my form in and on the other two days I have sent my forms in for junior BSJA shows (which are like gold dust around here) When I got home I told my mum and we decided that we have had enougth of that yard and how we have been treated so we are looking for another horse to loan/share so we have found a few and contaced people. Yesterday riding school owner says why don't you try ****Horse.**** is about 7 but she has the mind and training of a 4 year old beacause riding school owner has not really done anything with her.

I am annoyed because the riding school owner is very greedy, they do not care about the horses or anyone else. She only cares about making money, she will take bookings if she does not have enougth horses or staff she can use someone elses it dosen't matter if she uses a horse on a sharers day. but hey as long as she gets money she doesn't care!
I would definatley not recomennd this yard to anyone.

So I am faced with a difficult choice Do I have **** and let nevada get ruined even more and spend the rest of his life in a riding school or do I ride **** for a bit untill I find another horse or do I just leave?

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I don't have much advice to offer other than to say that the situation you are in sounds horrible and not satisfactory at all. I feel sorry for the pony too - having to do two jobs. I don't think you should get involved with another pony connected to this riding school - if you decide to look for another horse go for one that the riding school has no say in at all. Good luck with finding a solution x
 
Try speaking to Nevada's owners. They may be prepared to allow you to move her to another yard. They may also be less than pleased that she is being used in the school, especially if she is not adequately rested. Her fate rests with them so it is a good place to start.
 
I was on a very similar situation years ago where I rode and loaned a horse from a RS which was on loan to the RS. He was allowed to be used in the RS, but was used all the time. The owner used to call me from time to time to to ask how he was (I used to do PC and shows on him) and I decided to tell her that how much he was used in the school She went up, checked the diary and removed her horse.

I would suggest you call the owner. If they talk to you 1st, find out your telling the truth (look at the diary for starters), then I don't see why they would take the YO advice on anything. Tell her that you are going to have to move on as you can't take the situation anymore.
 
Loaning at a riding school is difficult, as you are always going to face these problems. I was loaning from a riding centre up until recently, but I got fed up with not always getting to ride my particular horse, turning up (after I had 'booked' in the diary) then being told I couldn't ride, always having to ride in the afternoon and having no choice over times, being asked to ride very fresh horses instead etc. Basically the riding centre always came first, so it really wasn't much of a loan agreement!

I was lucky enough to find a private share, now I am much happier :)

I agree with the above, talk to the owner, and if there is no straightforward solution perhaps look elsewhere. I'm sure there are plenty of people who would love for you to loan their horse, without the hassle of a riding school!
 
You should get the days set out in writing.

He's not jumping because he's worked out how to get away with it, not because he's been jumped too much.

Ultimately your first point of contact should be with the owner, not the riding school as it's the owner's choice to keep nevada there.

Personally, if I were you, I would look for a private share or buy my own.
 
I would def speak to the owner and explain what is going on with his horse. You have said he does not want the horse sold, used in the RS or moved from the RS. Surely the best option of those 3 is for the horse to move yards with you rather than be used in the RS and ruined.

You say you are paying £500 per month livery (and that this is half) - I don't know the area you are in but where I am £500 would pay for full livery on a nice yard.

IMO it sounds like the RS owner is (over)using Nevada because he's not her horse, you put the food in his belly and no doubt the shoes on his feet. If he gets broken she has her other horses to use for lessons. Also maybe Nevada is popular with her clients because of his competition results.

I would ask your Mum to speak to the owner with you, as someone here has said showing him a copy of the diary / post it note etc you have from the RS owner showing your and "her" days for using Nevada.

Edited to add if I were the owner I would be rather upset not to have been contacted the very first time my horse were used in the RS after I had specified it was not to be.
 
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I don't think his owners know he is being used in the school. and my mum says she is fed up having this conversation with the RS owner.

Unfortunatley we are not having much luck looking for another one but were going to put an ad in the local feed/tack shop.
 
if Nevada's owner is not aware that they are using Nevada in the school then you need to make them aware of the situation. It sounds like the riding school are taking the mick out of you.Where I live keeping horses is expensive but there is nowhere,even with top rate facilities and instruction that would charge £1000 per month for livery. I suggest you speak with Nevada's owners and explain what is happening when you are riding him and why it is happening and suggest to them that maybe you move him elsewhere or alternatively you will need to look for a new horse to loan that you can keep elsewhere. If Nevada's owner thinks that they may end up having to pay what you have been forking out each month and still have their horse used in the school without their consent then they may well be happier for you to move him.
 
I would not be paying 500+ a month for the luxery of someone else using the horse!
I woudl contact the horses owner and explain what is going on. Then you can decide what you want to do based on there response.

If you still want to loan the horse, then ask the owner if he can move to another yard. If they refuse then i would walk away. There are horses out there. If you where nto to loan for a few months the money you would of saved could be put down on a horse of your own. Your being treated like a mug at the moment.
 
LaurenM said:
You should get the days set out in writing.

He's not jumping because he's worked out how to get away with it, not because he's been jumped too much.

Ultimately your first point of contact should be with the owner, not the riding school as it's the owner's choice to keep nevada there.

Personally, if I were you, I would look for a private share or buy my own.
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The days have been set out in writing quite a few times because she has either 'lost them' or 'forgotten what days'
 
God, I'd love to know what you're paying out £500 a month for......

Tell Nevada's owners that he's being used in the school.

Give him your notice.

Find a loan pony that is not connected to a riding school.
 
God, I feel sorry for this poor pony! Being used in the riding school and out competing as well.

I would definitely and I mean definitely get you Mum to ring up the owner. If the owner doesn't want her horse used in the riding school then she will be angry to find out she has been used and not just used but used alot, and whilst your out riding him. You may find she is furious with the riding school and will let you take this poor chap somewhere else to be looked after properly.

£500 for partlivery is nonsense. You are definitely used here. Full livery is £500 a month and that's for good yards. Tell the owner all of this. We can do nothing on here but the owner can. Ring her yourself or get your mum to asap.

I hope this gets sorted out for the poor ponies sake.

Goodluck

xx
 
Why are you agreeing days with the RS owner when the horse's owner has specified that he isn't to be used in the school? You should be telling her that she shouldn't be using the horse at all without the owners consent!!!

Do you have a loan agreement? Or even a livery agreement?

I think you need to speak to the horse's owner and work out what they want from this agreement and what is acceptable. If the horse is not to be used in lessons then this needs spelling out to the RS owner and she needs to be made aware that this is unacceptable. Personally I'd be asking the horse's owner to move him to a different yard though!
 
Katt said:
Why are you agreeing days with the RS owner when the horse's owner has specified that he isn't to be used in the school? You should be telling her that she shouldn't be using the horse at all without the owners consent!!!
Thats the part thats confusing me!

Firstly, the horse is not allowed to be used in the riding school, so contact the owner. £500 p/m is full livery price - and steep full livery at that. Certainly not what you should be paying for a half share of a riding school horse, which is esentially the arrangement you have at the moment!

If you want to keep riding the horse I'd contact the owner, explain that the riding school is abusing the situation and aks if you can move horse. Otherwise - terminate your agreement. You're being ripped off big time.
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If you are paying £500 a month(??!!) for what you describe you should walk away, have a horse free 6 months and save up enough to buy a nice youngster of your own to bring on. It sounds like you have good experience now and riding at a high competition level.
I do feel sorry for Nevada though and cannot understand why you haven't contacted his owners about all this.
 
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