Am I reading too much into this ?

BBH

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Help please over a short term livery situation .
Horse is in for 3 week livery, didn't want / need to offer but client stuck:/ desperate to find somewhere for Xmas hols only whilst son back from boarding school. A prestigeous school. Livery agreed for box/ turnout & extra for putting tea in and fetching in.
Client moves in thurs and haven't seen hide nor hare of them . Arrive uber early in am and gone by time everyone else up. Ditto evening stables so am assuming they don't want tea in but they ask someone else on yard to put tea in outside agreement .
Text / phone being ignored.
Worried that horse stood in all day today with no hay from half nine and no supply to top up .
No rent paid , can't get hold of them and poor horse hungry . I'm thinking they are stoney broke and avoiding us but may be I'm over thinking this.
Possibly because whenever I've moved in somewhere I've paid promptly and horses well cared for .
Sorry that's long x
 
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I don't think you are reading too much into this at all - looks like you are either being taken for a ride with regard to fees/costs of hay and feed etc or the horse has been dumped. Are you sure they are coming up in the morning?
 
I have had a spate of liveries who seem to have very different ideas of how to look after horses than me recently so I can sympathise with your concerns. However, at least they are coming twice a day which is a start, more than mine managed but surely the horse requires some sort of turnout and it is not good if it is running out of hay at that time of the day. Could you perhaps arrange to spend the afternoon up there so you can actually see them and have a chat?
 
Can the horse be turned out each morning and left for owner to bring in? At least then it will have grass. Unless it is on box rest, etc?

Perhaps put a note on stable door asking them how you may contact in case of emergency - I think the keeper of any horse must be able to produce the passport within three hours if required, so you would at the very least need to be able to reach the owner for this.
 
Horse has been turned out except for really bad weather but always really early and brought in really late. If she had paid and I could get hold of her I wouldn't mind but I'm wondering if she is avoiding us hence the unsocial hours. Son/ mum only by all accounts so funds could be tight but that's not really my problem.
 
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You should have set down the rules and asked for advance payment before they moved in. I realise when you're just doing someone a favour and not actually running a livery yard it might be uncomfortable for you to be so forward, but if you're ever in this situation again, make sure you are clear on what is expected and when payment is due. Do they live nearby? Are you good enough friends for you to drop in and have a chat with her?
 
It might be they aren't used to paying in advance, when mine was at school we got billed in arrears. I would be making every effort to either see them or speak to them, be that by leaving them a note requesting immediate contact ref hay etc or whatever. Exactly how are you wording the text message?
 
Yes you are right SF, verbal agreement was made and unfortunately I'm still not used to the behaviour of some horse people.
I'll learn and it's a shame because from now on I won't help anyone out.

On a good note she has rung so well sort this out.
 
Send them a text along the lines of "Can you call me urgently re [horse's name]!" If they care about the horse they will immediately assume it's injured/got colic and will be on the phone immediately! :D
 
Yes you are right SF, verbal agreement was made and unfortunately I'm still not used to the behaviour of some horse people.
I'll learn and it's a shame because from now on I won't help anyone out.

On a good note she has rung so well sort this out.

I'm glad she has rung. Onwards and upwards!
 
To cut to the chase, you should have put a contract in place straight away, and get a financial arrangement set up. If the livery doesn't like it, they can move their horse elsewhere.
 
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