Am I being a bit of a misery or do I have a point?

TeamChaser

TeamChaser

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Ok - give it to me straight!! Am I being a bit of a grumpy old bag, or do I have a point?

Have my boys at lovely small yard - not professional livery yard, came across them as they're friends of my sister and seemed ideal solution for my one boy who didn't get on well at bigger yard. Been there for few years and usually only 1 or 2 other livery's there as well as YO's various horses/kids ponies

New livery arrives recently, her horse is next to my 2 with one of YO's horses in 4 stable barn. Owner of livery prob late teens and nice girl, not around that much. Since she arrived though, place seems to have turned into bloody pony club camp! Not sure if they're relatives or family friends but other day about 6 kids (well young teens I guess - I'm quite old ;)) in school with ponies all racing about (1 of which was coughing its guts up - whilst being jumped repeatedly) Good job mine weren't in adjacent field, would of gone nuts! Bit annoying but not my main issue

My issue is these girls turn up at all times even when other livery is not around and wander round like they own the place! I'm finishing doing mine tonight and they just stroll in to barn to see other girls horse but she's not even at yard tonight. I'm not comfortable with kids that I don't know from Adam (whoever he is :D) wandering around where my horses are when no one else is around. These girls don't have horses at the yard so what are they doing there? I have had 2 brand new rungs nicked from the yard a while ago so if my expensive saddles go walk about, I will take issue. I'm not pointing any fingers and hate to be suspicious but to me they have no business being there. Much worse would be if I found they'd been around my horses/fed them anything etc, etc. And how would I know if they're just allowed to come and go as they please?

Tempted to have a word with YO - but am I being a brat??! :D
 
It would annoy me too. They have no business coming to the yard without the livery being there and I'm sure they could ring and check when she's going up. Does she check with YO that it's ok for her and her friends to take over the school?
 
No, sounds reasonable to me. One thing having a named helper or two who does horse certain days. Or bringing a couple of friends with her, but not turning up regularly while she's not even there. I'd have a quiet word with yo.
 
No I wouldn't be happy about that either! maybe have a word, your YO might feel the same but might be worried about saying sumit!? a lot of yards have rules that you don't have guests! and theres nothing worse than having people around whilst you're trying to get on with your bits! next thing they'll be talking to you and slowing you down and if you wanted that, you'd be on a big yard!

I like my nice quiet, peaceful yard :)
 
I don't think its a 'problem' until something goes wrong/missing.

I would however be having a little word with your YO and tell her you're not wanting to treed on anyones toes but you're feeling uncomfortable.
 
I wouldn't be happy either, I don't really like strangers on yards, prying eyes and all that.

I've got a spiral bike lock looped through the material of my girth strap and it then meets around the saddle rack. It might not stop them but will slow them down.
 
Are they actually doing any harm or do they just want to be around horses? I suppose its a step up from hanging round on street corners or in the backs of chavvy lads cars. I wouldnt want them treating like a dosshole though. Have you tried being nice to them and tried to teach/show them about horses? They might just be interested, I remember being a ponymad teenager and would walk miles just to look at a horse across a field. If you are met with contempt or rudeness then speak to yo and keep stuff locked away. Perhaps tho, their attitude comes from not knowing any different. It might be nice to offer an olive branch and see if they accept. Hope it works out op.
 
would not be happy with that! I am on a big yard but still if anyone sees anyone they do not know it is questioned and if they are not meant to be there then bye bye, off the yard they go!

Enough problems with stuff going walkies without random people on the yard!!
 
we had this problem with a young girl at our yard withher pony her friends would come up when she wasnt there (all 12years old ish) and i said to her mum about it and she said she would sort it... next time i come down there are 6 young girls (her friends) there without her, messing about with my stallion... i completely blew my top - one dont touch my horses, two they had no idea what his temperment was like - if they were playing with my gelding they may well have got a kick and three they had been talking to the mares first (which at the time one was in season) and going near a stallion could have got them killed - they had absolutely no right to be at the yard and i frog marched them back to their own yard and spoke to their parents saying how dangerous the situation could have been and how i will not accept them on the yard again without adult supervision and they are not to go near my horses under any circumstances - safe to say i havent seen them since

your completely within your rights to tell them to ****** off or talk to the YO.they shouldnt be there!
 
Thanks for your responses folks. As you say TinselCat - it's only a problem if something goes wrong but that then potentially puts everyone in an awkward position if somethig gets nicked, broken or heaven forbid, something happens to one of my horses (paranoia I know!)

I recall reading a thread on here though where poster had found that someone had been riding her horse without her knowledge! These girls are a bit pushy - one has been texting YO repeatedly to try and loan one of the ponies. I don't really know them and feel uncomfortable with them around my horses unsupervised

You have a point Fimbacob and I do remember being that pony mad girl! To be honest though, they tend to just walk straight past me with various friends in tow without speaking!
 
StormyMoments said:
your completely within your rights to tell them to ****** off or talk to the YO.they shouldnt be there!
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Have we the right to tell someone to ****** off on someone else's yard? :eek:

I think it would be wrong to tell them where to go without talking to the YO first and establishing whether they have permission to be on the yard. I wouldn't go in guns blazing like that, it would cause such ill feeling and could backfire on the OP.
 
Have you asked your YO if she has given permission for these girls to be on the yard unattended and add that you are concerned for their/your horses safety in their naivety? If your YO has given them permission you could then request that they keep well clear of your horses/equipment in case of cross contamination of something.....
 
I think you have a point, I wouldn't like it if there were strangers at the yard unsupervised, and young teenagers too. I'm not overly suspicious, I have teenage grandchildren and am very tolerant of kids but I always feel bad for the YO. It's someone else's property and they should respect that and not treat it like a youth club. They wouldn't like it if someone just came into their garden at home and started wandering about looking at their private land :(
 
Thanks TeamChaser. If they are keen to loan a pony that does just make me think they just like horses. They might be intimidated to strike up conversation with you. The bravado or rudeness may be a front they put on. They may really appreciate an adult being kind and polite to them. I may be reading too much into the situation but if they are hanging around stables instead of at home, perhaps their parents are not very interested in where they are after school. Perhaps you could teach them bits and bobs about horses and incorporate not feeding your horses/handling strange horses without the owners present for theirs and the horses safety.
Not having a go at anyone, but all the posts of people chucking them off the yard makes me sad as so far they havent done anything wrong. Whilst I am protective of my horse, I tend to chat to visitors and explain politely why I do not want them feeding him treats etc.
 
wench said:
I was going to say how do you know they haven't got permission to be there?
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YO had finished for the evening and gone in and they seem to be becoming a bit of a regular fixture! I was the last person on the yard and just locking up when they turned up

To me whether they have permission to be at the yard or not is not really the issue - I'm not accusing anyone of trespassing. But why are they in the barn where my horses and all my kit are kept when they don't keep a horse there? I don't know these girls really so I have know way of knowing what they might be up to if no one is around
 
TeamChaser said:
YO had finished for the evening and gone in and they seem to be becoming a bit of a regular fixture! I was the last person on the yard and just locking up when they turned up

To me whether they have permission to be at the yard or not is not really the issue - I'm not accusing anyone of trespassing. But why are they in the barn where my horses and all my kit are kept when they don't keep a horse there? I don't know these girls really so I have know way of knowing what they might be up to if no one is around
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Then this is what you need to ask your YO about?
 
Indeed - and YO is very reasonable so no problem to have a chat


I don't want to cause ill feeling or be a pain but I am a bit concerned and it seems as though others would feel the same
 
No I wouldn't be happy either, I'm sure the yard owner wouldn't be happy surely with random teenagers and their ponies going around as if they are on livery there, just using the facilities as and when they feel like it. It's different if the girl is there with them and they are helping her etc but no I wouldn't be comfortable either
 
It does sound as if they are probably just pony mad girls but it's not really on. Can you take your saddles home at night?
 
I wouldn't just go and use another yard's facilities without asking! And if I was on a yard I wouldn't bring loads of friends with their ponies over without asking either (maybe one or two but even then I'd check with YO it was ok on that yard). When you pay to be on a livery yard you are paying to share with the people on it, what if you wanted to use the school etc?

Defo speak to YO about it, I wouldn't mind at all if their friend was there and if they are sharing etc it would be nice to know they are allowed to be there and YO should brief them about which horses not to go near...
 
Deffo speak to YO. They could get up to some mischief, who would know. I wouldn't like people milling around my horse that I didn't know.
 
I doubt very much they're up to mischief. They're probably nice kids.

BUT, what happens if they get bitten/kicked/trip over a wheelbarrow/ whatever when they're there with no one else? If I was your YO I really wouldn't want to have to deal with all the nuisance that would mean. At the end of the day they are minors and if they get injured on her property I can't imagine that is without ramifications?
 
I found that when mine were that age getting them to do jobs was the best way to get them to disappear! Get them to poo pick the paddock/sweep the yard etc. If they as pony mad as I was at 12 they will be grateful (especially if you reward them with being taught to pick out hooves/groom properly etc), if not they might just decide the yard is not such a fun place to hang out. You never know you may well end up with a well trained helper.
 
Not at all grumpy. I got shot of an old sharer even though I was desperate for a hand because of the same reason. I spoke to her about it first but later that week whilst I was at work photos were put on FB showing teenagers messing round on someone else's horse in my stables. I was furious especially as my horse was on box rest next door and I was fighting to keep him calm.
 
i think you have a valid point, i would have a chat with the YO and point out the safety and security aspect. I don't like to tar all youngsters with the same brush but they don;t always think through the consequences of their actions, what they think is a bit of fun could end up with someone, or someones horse getting hurt.
Also if they are free to come and go as they please, how on earth can anything be kept secure:confused:
YO may not have thought it through that she is ultimately responsible for them while they are on her property.
 
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