Aghhh serious rant about a livery!!!!!!!!!

fitzaud2

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Since August, I have rented 2 of my stables to an aquaintance(spelled totally wrong). 2 horses, both tb's, both 17.3hh. Supposed diy livery for 50 quid a week, has totally turned out that i'm feeding all horses, every day, morning and evening, That much I can handle, I'm doing my own horses anyway. We bought feed in bulk between us, this is our third "load". 100 euro per load, and thats fine, as my small boys only eat a third. What really eats me, is that, this evening, i asked him to do horses, as i wasnt around, ( which was a small lie), so I get a text to say horses all fed and done, and I was actually sitting here, and he wasnt here, hadnt been here at all. So, not only would his own horses not have gotten fed or watered, but mine wouldnt have too. Right now, I want to rip his head off, but realistically, what should I say to him. I dont want to lose the money, but will suffer the consequences if he takes them away. They'd be dead if not for me anyway!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Aghhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!11
 
OMG!!!!!!!!!!!

Did he not show his face at all? Poor horses!

I gather you own the property? I'm not the most tactful of people...I'd say it exactly how I found it, basically, ship up or ship out. There are far more deserving liveries out there

Kay
 
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Thanks guys, that what I was thinking. It's not a working yard or anything like that, just country yard, with spare stables. I'm a single mum with two kids, and the money comes in handy, but i would do without before i'd neglect my horses. I could be getting double that, for doing less, guess i'll know better next year. This guy has nowhere to put his horses other than a field, but considerig they are in since august, they'd die in a field.
Have figured out that from now on, I'll be looking for full liveries from now on, nocrap!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Just tell him that you can't do DIY any longer and that the price is now X, he either pays up or has a month to find somewhere else. Also tell him that he either does his horses himself or pays the full DIY price for the month until he moves.
 
Just tell him that you can't do DIY any longer and that the price is now X, he either pays up or has a month to find somewhere else. Also tell him that he either does his horses himself or pays the full DIY price for the month until he moves.

I agree be strong and not a walkover good luck
 
You could easily find someone to fill his space. I was at DIY £25 per week per horse (I have two) and would have loved the chance to 'take turns' on certains days/mornings/evenings etc. I'm sure there are plenty of other who would too.

When you are feeding morning and night, does he actually turn up at all?

I would say to him that it was apparent that he hadn;t been and you would rather he had said no he couldn;t do it - he may be happy to leave his unfed but you aren't.

Idiot.
 
The casualness with which people just seem to abandon their horses to someone else to do never fails to amaze me. Seriously, does he not care??
My friend / trainer has another friend who sometimes just doesn't bother to come up to the yard for a day or two at a time. Thing is, this person doesn't even bother to contact my friend to ask her to do the horse, just assumes that she will do it. And my friend is soft enough that she doesn't want to see the horse suffer, but it is really starting to impact on the time she's got to do her own horse. I've advised her several times to just write in the livery book for the staff to do the horse and then text her friend to advise that this has been done and will be charged for by the YO. But from what I can gather, the yard is reluctant to do this because they don't always end up getting paid...
I feel really sorry for this horse at the moment. We can't turn out at all because of the ice, so pretty much everyone on the yard is riding every day, as you would. On the days that this horse's owner doesn't bother coming up, the horse doesn't leave the box other than to get skipped out twice a day. That is just unfair.

Honestly, I just cannot understand how anyone could have such a laissez-faire attitude about a living, breathing animal, and a friendship!
 
I agree, I think that you should tell him that you are charging him x per week to care for his horses, as he doesn't and you caught him out, or he will have to find somewhere else, or actually come and see to the horses at a set time so you can supervise.

I can't understand people! I couldn't get up to my horses on Monday, I go up religiously twice a day minimum and feel lost if i don't. I have a boy who brings mine in with the others and I asked him to change rugs and feed and put to bed. I even texted him that night and he said everything was fine etc. Now I do trust him, but he can be a little forgetful. I knew I should have gone up late that night as I got to the yard in the morning and their dinner was still sat outside their stables - I was mortified. It was a simple mistake on his part and I feel mine for asking someone to do my horses. I could never knowingly just leave them!!!
 
Since August, I have rented 2 of my stables to an acquaintance(spelled totally wrong). 2 horses, both tb's, both 17.3hh. Supposed diy livery for 50 quid a week, has totally turned out that I'm feeding all horses, every day, morning and evening, That much I can handle, I'm doing my own horses anyway. We bought feed in bulk between us, this is our third "load". 100 euro per load, and that's fine, as my small boys only eat a third. What really eats me, is that, this evening, i asked him to do horses, as i wasn't around, ( which was a small lie), so I get a text to say horses all fed and done, and I was actually sitting here, and he wasn't here, hadn't been here at all. So, not only would his own horses not have gotten fed or watered, but mine wouldn't have too. Right now, I want to rip his head off, but realistically, what should I say to him. I don't want to lose the money, but will suffer the consequences if he takes them away. They'd be dead if not for me anyway!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Aghhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!11

This is not DIY at all and the fact he did not turn up to feed etc at all is not acceptable.

I would give him notice with a months rent paid up front. I am sure you will be able to get people to have your stables. I would not go down the lines of DIY but full or part livery, you would then have control over how and when your own are looked after and also partly the other liveries too.

I would also face him and tell him that he did not come and do the horses and that you have evidence to back you up. You do not have to say what the evidence is, If I have ever felt that some one is not doing something I often put something in a certain place that should be moved to use and see if it gets used.

Tell him DIY means just that and nothing else and he should be up every single day to do his own horses. You could even just buy feed for you own and tell him he has to buy and feed his own.

There are people out there who think others will do every thing for them.
 
Anyone who was prepared to neglect not only their own horses but mine too would be off of the yard pronto. You are in a difficult situation because you care for the horses and what would happen if he took them away. If he's not prepared to pay for full livery though then you have no choice. Otherwise you are being walked over by massive hob nailed boots by someone who doesn't even have the decency to just the once do your horses for you.

I don't like liars either so that would be another nail in his coffin from me.
 
There's another thread been running on here about "Scary yard owners"; so I won't repeat what I've said on there.

I'm a DIY YO on a very small level, and almost exactly the same thing happened here: someone's pony was in the stable without attention for nearly 24 hours and Yours Truly had to do it. Apparently "friend" was supposed to "do" horse, but didn't bother.

You don't say whether you've got a livery agreement in place? Essential! Even if you're dealing with a friend, or friend of a friend, or relative.

Also it sounds like you were trusting this livery to do your horse as well? Mmmmm, what you do is your affair, and its nice to have a two-way helping arrangement like this, BUT my feeling is that business is business and you might need to have a more professional arrangement with your liveries rather than a give-and-take, which is a pity, but people can be very unreliable and unless you've got something in writing (and even then it can still go t!ts up) you're not on a very firm basis.

Personally, I'd get rid of the livery you've got. Tell them straight that you are running a small yard and need people you can rely on and you're really sorry, etc etc, but you think perhaps that their horse needs a different situation and that yours isn't suiting either them or the horse anymore (i.e. tell 'em nicely, but firmly!!).

THEN, go on to the BHS website and download their suggested Livery Yard Agreement. This caters more perhaps for bigger/professional yards, but nonetheless contains some good stuff and will give you a basis to formulate your own.

It feels like you might need, in future, to start off as you mean to continue and personally I'd never, ever, let anyone in without signing something first - get it witnessed by a stranger as well while you're at it.

If you PM me I can give you my e-mail and then I've got a A4 page document that I use with all my liveries as a basis, plus applicable bits of the BHS one.

Personally I'd get shot of the livery you've got & start afresh. Better to have an empty yard than the "wrong" person - I've learnt this through experience unfortunately.
 
Grrrr! People like him make me very angry, I'd tell him he has to leave and sharpish, treating his horses like that is horrendous, doing the same to someone elses is disgusting.

He'd be getting shown the door if it was me.
 
I wouldn't be rude but just say to him that you had a change of plan and didn't go out in the end and went out to check the horses and it was quite evident that he had NOT been out to them. Then go on to say that you do not appreciate being lied to when it comes to any of the horses and that your prices will also be going up as of a month from today to cover the extra services you provide. If he doesnt like... he can do 1 lol
 
I would confront him about and explain you know for a fact he didn't turn up and you will not tolerate that. Make it clear that this is his one and only warning and you expect all be looked after.
 
I agree with the give him a warning people! Tell him calmly that you are not happy that he is not there to feed, you don't feel like you can trust him to be there when he says he is/will be - tell him you didn't have to go out at the last minute the day that he didn't come, so you know, and tell him your horse isn't eating as much so the "shared feed" arrangement isn't working. Tell him you don't want to give him notice, but things have to change, otherwise you will be doing.
 
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