Am I being unreasonable / unrealistic?

Doormouse

Doormouse

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Some unbiased advice Needed please.

I have recently moved to a new yard and the lease is in my name although there are 5 of us on the yard. We all pay the same but I have agreed to 'manage' the yard as the other liveries would prefer not to.

It is a lovely yard, great hacking, lovely stables, plenty of turnout etc. We are left to get on with things but the yard owners do ask that we keep the place tidy as the yard is very near the house which is immaculate. Personally no problem to me or to 2 of the others, however, the other 2 are proving a nightmare. I have asked, sent emails, been nice, been determined, even virtually begged them to sweep up after themselves and square the muck heap off but to no avail.

Every morning I walk in and there is straw all over the yard, bits of poo left from where they have been tied up, hoof shaped lumps of poo from stable to tie up rings and a chaotic muck heap. I missed riding this morning because I spent 30 minutes sweeping the yard instead. It is starting to really upset me and I don't know what to do.

They also use everyone else's tools and equipment without asking and never put them back which is making people really cross and they have turned out all day in the rain and their horses have fence walked and destroyed the edge of the field!

Am I being over fussy as a yard manager expecting them to tidy up after themselves and to think before they do things or are they being a bit thoughtless?

The rest of my Christmas chocolates if you've got this far!
 
Can you replace these liveries or afford the yard without them? If so then ask them to either clean up their act or move on. Being a YM or YO is what this sort of thing is all about though. Presumably you have some fiscal reward for being the YM?
 
I don't actually get anything out of being the yard manager, it is just that we all friends at the previous yard and they wanted to move to somewhere better. 2 are still great but the other 2 seem to have become a nightmare since we moved.

I would need to replace them for all of us to afford the yard but I am beginning to think I will have to ask them to go if this carries on.

It is so frustrating because everything I ask they agree straight away and then don't do it! :rolleyes::confused:
 
The yard I'm currently on is the most relaxed yard I've ever known, but even there our YM and YO get really annoyed at people not sweeping up after themselves and not keeping the muck heap tidy, do no, I don't think you're being over fussy at all.

At the end of the day, those are the rules they agreed on and if they can't follow them they should understand that there will be consequences.
 
Sounds like you've done every sort of cajoling there is. I'd give them an ultimatum, and if they don't reach it (and if it's possible for you to do so in your position as YM and financially) kick them off the yard. They sound pretty stubborn, so I think the best scenario would be to replace them asap with people who are more willing to clean up after themselves!
 
You do have my sympathy. It's an awful situation when some don't pull their weight.

These things may not work but here are a few ideas on what you could do to gee them up a bit.

- Write and send a letter (the same to everyone) establishing yard rules (sweep up after yourself, do the muck heap, and so on). After they have had it for a couple of days, collar them in person one by one, look them in the eye and ask them outright if they will agree to stick to it.

- Hold a yard meeting and explain that they are being unfair on others and that you are both finding it upsetting and are having to do their jobs for them. Don't hold back showing that you are upset, as they might just respond to it.

- Clear up the mess and dump it in their individual stables (joke - or is it?)

- Finally you would have to ask them to leave - the lease is in your name so you could do this as a last resort. Or ask one of them to take over the lease so that you can go (again this might shock them into behaving better).

Good luck - keep us updated. xx
 
I am in the same position as you! was just assumed I would be in charge as i was the first person there!

People have no respect for my wishes at all! I find it hard to tell them how I feel so end up stewing and winding myself up over it!

Can you speak to the owners and explain and ask them to give the 2 notice and say you will find others to take their place?
 
Doormouse said:
Some unbiased advice Needed please.

I have recently moved to a new yard and the lease is in my name although there are 5 of us on the yard. We all pay the same but I have agreed to 'manage' the yard as the other liveries would prefer not to.
Click to expand...

:eek::eek::eek:

Whooa there has to be some reward for 'managing'!

No wonder non of the others wanted to know on those terms!
 
Ask the owners to come down a read the riot act - telling all that failure to comply will result in the offenders being given notice to leave.
 
Sidney said:
Or a 'white lie' that the owners have been complaining and will terminate the lease unless the place is kept tidy?
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We clearly think the same, I've already resorted to this but as usual they both agreed that they would be better and then nothing happened!

It is a relief to hear from other people that I'm not turning into mad nagging harridan, thank you all who have replied so far. :)
 
Well firstly and irrespective of what you end up doing with these two slackers, you should be getting some reward for being the YM there. If your name is on that lease then you are responsible for paying the lease there regardless of whether your liveries pay you, so you should really sort something out there whereby you don't pay so much each month and are able to put a little away should any of the other decide to up and leave one day. Secondly if they aren't pulling their weight to the owners satisfaction then you don't have any choice but to either clean up after them or ask them to leave because if left like this you ALL may be asked to leave. It's such a shame when this sort of thing happens with friends, I do feel for you :(
 
I'd be saying that the owners have mentioned the mess and asked for it to be left tidy again and if it isn't done they'll need to reconsider letting the yard to you. I'd also hint at the possibility of moving off myself rather than having to deal with their mess.

Afterwards email everyone pointing out that if the yard isn't kept tidy you will all lose out as the owner won't let it go on forever.

Personally I'd ask them to leave and advertise for replacements.
 
Just seen you don't get any discount for managing! Agree with Amymay, get owner down to read riot act and tell them they're on a warning. Or evict them asap and get others in but make sure you get something put aside for managing them all! Nobody needs all that responsibility for no reward!
 
It does sound daft now reading it back that I don't get any extra for managing the yard, oddly at the time because I found the yard and because they were all friends on a tight budget like me I just took it on and had this wonderful dream of us all being happy and having fun.

I suspect I underestimated how much was going to be involved. :(
 
You could try telling them that as you are YM and having to tidy up after them, which was not part of the deal, that their rent will have to increase if things do not improve. As you hold the lease you can charge what you want and if they do go put the rent up a little for anyone new, if the yard is nice you should be able to do this and still get people in.
 
I leased out a small part of my farm (stables, paddocks and barn) to a small group of friends once. My farm is quite big and I run my own equestrian business from here but I have an area of my farm that I don't use much so decided that I'd lease it out as might as well be being used, right? One of the friends took on the responsibility of being the leaseholder and she charged the others more than she paid so as to cover any extra work she may have to do. As the YO I was not interested in who paid what; not my concern, I just needed paying each and every month the amount that the lease specified. I also had absolutely nothing to do with the running of their small area of my farm. That was their private place and they could do as they liked. Well, as you've found out now, things don't always work out the way you hope. The lady started having trouble collecting the rent from the others in the group so every time they did this she would have to financially cover their part of the lease so that I was paid the agreed amount each month. Long story short, they shafted her in the end. As YO I was fine as I was still getting my money regardless of the fact they weren't paying her. It was HER name on the lease therefore she was solely responsible for paying it. In the end she threw them all out, changed the lease agreement and just rented a smaller paddock for her own horses and that worked out fine for her and for me.
 
I'm wondering that, if you all came off the same yard previously, they don't have any respect for you? Up until now you've been just another livery and now you're YM.

Personally I'd have a meeting with the other two and discuss asking the offenders to leave - it depends if they are as annoyed about it as you are.
 
It would worry me being in charge & having my name on the lease. They are taking advantage which is such a pity as it could be so much less stressful for you especially as you aren't getting any recompense, just hassle.
I would mention that it isn't part livery so they pull their weight or you will invoice them being as you are YM.
 
I would try the guilt route and say the owners have been complaining and have also questioned whether you are the right group of people to be renting their yard. Say you have convinced them to give you a chance but you are really worried for all 5 of you that unless the yard and muck heap are kept tidy you might be given notice and have to find somewhere else and lose this great yard.

If this fails then I think as others have said you'll have to have the ship up or ship out conversations with the guilty parties!

Good luck I don't envy you xx
 
Sorry I have just read through all the replies and agree that you should be getting some sort of discount but also think saying to them that you will increase their rent if they don't start tidying up after themselves is a great idea.
 
OP I wouldn't lie to them. If the stables are so close to the owners house then you are going to look a bit silly if they speak to her and find out that she hasn't said anything, and vice versa the owner might wonder whether you are the right person to be running her yard if you're found out to be lying to your liveries. You're a YM now, step up to the plate ;):)
 
They sound a little inconsiderate and if I was the house owner I wouldn't be happy. Can you not say the owner has said if yard isn't kept tidy she will ask you all to leave?
 
Have a meeting with all liveries present and let them know there is an issue, inconsiderate behaviour is the problem,and it could cost you the let.
Between yourselves put together a contract detailing expectations and notice of what will constitute termination of the contract which you will all sign, if the problem doesnt resolve ask them to leave and advertise for other liveries during their month notice.
Having been in this situation before,it sounds like you have differing expectations and it probably wont end well, sadly you probably will have to ask them to leave and are likely to lose them as friends because of it.
The only issue you may have is if they are rotten enough, they might create havoc on the yard to jeopardise your agreement with the owner, build something into the contract to say if this happens the person will have 24 hours to remove their horse.
I know people who were in a similar situation and they were all asked to leave as it was to much hassle for the yard owner, i hope you get it sorted out.
Ive got sole let of 4 stables and all equestrian facilities, i only have 3 horses, theres no way id have a livery, even if theyre a friend, just in case of this type of situation
 
Spring Feather said:
Well firstly and irrespective of what you end up doing with these two slackers, you should be getting some reward for being the YM there. If your name is on that lease then you are responsible for paying the lease there regardless of whether your liveries pay you, so you should really sort something out there whereby you don't pay so much each month and are able to put a little away should any of the other decide to up and leave one day. Secondly if they aren't pulling their weight to the owners satisfaction then you don't have any choice but to either clean up after them or ask them to leave because if left like this you ALL may be asked to leave. It's such a shame when this sort of thing happens with friends, I do feel for you :(
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^^ This. You are taking the financial risk, that shouldn't mean nothing.

If nothing more then I'd notify all the liveries by email that livery would be increased by X amount per week/month for maintenance if you are happy to do this. The other liveries need not pay the amount if they are helping you out and you're happy with that (the 2 not pulling their weight don't need to know).

You're a far nicer person than me though!
 
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