are we overreacting to new livery?

[Aoibhin]

we are in a small yard & between us we do everything, bring each others in if needed ect.
we have ticked along nicely since june this way, yard tidy, nothing missing ect... new livery moved in a couple of weeks ago & now its chaos. new horse boxwalks/weaves/nods constantly at the door & when it does stop moving its kicking the walls of the box. now the yearling (liverys) is copying it & my normally laid back lad has taken to boxwalking (i know this as he is leaving a clearly defined track around his stable in the shavings).
when out in feild it paces the boundry fence constantly winding all those adjacent up.

the owner leaves bags of feed stood out & open so the rats are fat & happy, muck left in barrow & leaves spilt feed/muck/string all over the yard (ive got mouldy beed outside my door again now).

we have tried to show/explain how simple it is to keep it tidy & safe but she just does her own thing regardless so we are now thinking of gonig to YO together & asking for it to be sorted, my OH says if she doesnt improve he wants me to move the boy elsewere so im not at risk of tripping all the time.

are we overreacting? does she (livery) need time to settle in & geta routeen? if so how long?

 

[sarahann1]

Either speak to YO since you've already tried the friendly approach, even if its just to casually mention the rats being an issue etc or if you have the time/inclination, offer your help, "oh, would you like a hand to put that away/clear it up, you look really busy?" or "wow, did you see the size of that rat the other day, massive beast it was, hopefully it doesn't find its way into the feed" etc etc. With the horse, 2 weeks isn't that long for a horse to settle, so hopefully the new horse will settle sooner rather than later, has the owner said if its normal behaviour?

 

[honetpot]

Depending on how long shes been in horses or had horses she may think what we think is sensible and normal as whinging and nit picking.
Having had people not back me up in the past make sure if your going to go to the YO that everyone goes and they do not leave you hanging and looking like a trouble maker.
I am going to have a livery in the next month or so so I have all this to come, what fun.

 

[Achinghips]

Yes sorry, mind your own business and get on with your own horses or offer to problem solve and help the new horse settle in by coming up with a proactive solution, the poor ned sounds anxious.

 

[AmyMay]

It's speak to YO. Say they must clean up their act, or you off.

 

[Marydoll]

Just playing devils advocate here but .......,
What youve described is everyones worst nightmare of a livery, so why would you ask if you were over reacting ?
Is she as bad as you say, or are you not happy shes there as its a change and you dont cope with change well, so are looking for problems with what she does ?

 

[amage]

If your YO is a fair approachable type then I would discuss with them and see about perhaps holding a yard meeting where everyone is reminded of how yard is to be kept and their responsibilities etc. That way message gets across but this girl is not singled out but if that doesn't work then a quiet yard!

 

[BSJAlove]

Just playing devils advocate here but .......,
What youve described is everyones worst nightmare of a livery, so why would you ask if you were over reacting ?

she doesnt sound THAT bad, weve had alot worse. Speak YO and ask them to have a quick word about the mess. You cant do much about the horse, as you said, its only been there a few weeks.

 

[Sugarplum Furry]

I wouldn't think the yearling and your lad are copying exactly, but they are probably being unsettled from the anxious vibes the new horse is giving off, and a lot of horses are unsettled at a new yard, so give it time. Has he been allowed to buddy up with another horse yet? It might help.

As for the mess....how approachable is your YO? You could suggest that he/she sets up a 'winter regime' (purely for the new owner's benefit, you obviously don't need one!) with rules that the all feed HAS to be put away and everything MUST be swept up etc.. Laminated list on the wall in full view. Might help!

 

[mulledwhine]

Ad I read your post, I thought , blimey she can't be help responsible for her horses behaviour , and I still stand by that.

However, she needs to show a bit more respect for what she does around the yard

 

[Jazzy B]

I think if you told your yo you were going to leave because you were frightened of tripping up she would probably think you were being a bit odd. Sounds like the new horse is very stressed and perhaps she's not as organised as you guys are maybe call a yard meeting and express your concerns and see if there is some way you can all work together to a) help her horse calm down and b) if she could try and be a bit more organised. I once shared my storage with the most disorganised person in the world she drove me insane till one day we had a massive row about it, she's now a very good friend. Obviously, if you do have a chat and nothing improves then you will have to bring it up again but your new livery is probably a little stressed if her horse is being a stresshead and may be a little bit of help and support is what is needed to help them settle in.

 

[skydancer]

Ad I read your post, I thought , blimey she can't be help responsible for her horses behaviour , and I still stand by that.

However, she needs to show a bit more respect for what she does around the yard

I agree with this the poor girl cant stand on guard all the time while her horse box walks etc etc . A horse is a horse and will do what a horse does so in this respect yes you are over reacting. With regards to the mess i would point this out yet again and if still not tidying up after herself then speak to YO.

 

[Angua2]

knowing the history..... serious words, in a group or as a letter signed by all concerned, so none of the long established liveries are seen to be rocking the boat

 

[Cluck]

As a YO I would be talking to the new livery and emphasizing being clean and tidy. She would get one last warning after that and then bye.. bye.. because she is putting other people and horses at risk, not to mention my yard. Not keen on a rodent problem thanks.

I would also ask her to provide haynets and box toys for her horse to see if his behaviour would improve. I don't keep poorly behaved liveries on my yard for more than 3 months so she would eventually be asked to leave if the horse does not settle.

 

[Aoibhin]

i walk with a stick so tripping IS AN ISSUE not odd at all, but anyone can trip on loose string & fall (i just dont bounce anymore) the rest of us all tried the speaking to her so think we are goinig to have a word with YO tomorrow when we are all down together.

re the horse, i know they take a while to settle into new homes but this stresses nonstop & we have conserns of its own welfare because of it (kicking brick walls, bashing head on door frames)

thank you for the help guys.

 

[welshied]

Agree you can't blame her for her horses unsettled behaviour i am sure it will settle down eventually i can't imagine it is teaching the other liveries bad habits more likely they themselves are unsettled at there being a new horse especially with it being unsettled itself, regards to leaving feed lying around i would have thought its your yard owners responsibility to set rules as to keep in feed in bins and keep her area tidy so rather then it being up to you to hint to her i would be asking the YO to mention it to her.

 

[lisab]

Send the OH up on a made-up duty. Most men are so much better at talking straight than women. Muck left in barrows is very annoying. A quick "hey lady, clean your mess up!" Might do the trick. Not a lot you can do about the stressy horse though.

 

[babymare]

ok as far as being tidy on yard that to me is the basics of safety - i hate string on floor, barrows in gang ways,feed left out,yards not swept etc as this is all safety/fire issues and basic horse mangement(i trained in yard many years where cleanliness of yard was paramount and stayed with me ) so with that I would talk to YO- with regards to horse box walking kicking having a stressful mare i understand how difficult this is for an owner give the horse time please he is an animal unable to think as we do. Its all new the smells sounds and sights - it can take up to 6 months for a horse to relax in new home - please be patient there hard when affecting your horses but he is a horse at end of day and just needs time and with time you will see a change x

 

[Jazzy B]

"i walk with a stick so tripping IS AN ISSUE not odd at all, but anyone can trip on loose string & fall (i just dont bounce anymore)"

sorry, obviously not aware of your situation, obviously, the matter needs to be addressed for your own safety if a problem.

 

[babymare]

my mare last year tripped going along barn past 2 stables that the gangway was never swept underneath was string hidden by straw hay and muck - baby caught it and went on to her nose bless her she had a scab - for me cleanliness of a yard/stable area is paramount for safety and to help if fire breaks out and then everything will help to stop spreading trust me - can not understand untidy horse owners grrrrr

 

[Fantasy_World]

Depending on how long shes been in horses or had horses she may think what we think is sensible and normal as whinging and nit picking.
Having had people not back me up in the past make sure if your going to go to the YO that everyone goes and they do not leave you hanging and looking like a trouble maker.
I am going to have a livery in the next month or so so I have all this to come, what fun.

Echo this don't do other people's dirty work and ask the questions yourself on your own. Get one or two more liveries to approach the yard owner with you, don't be made the scapegoat and get targetted as being awkward to getting yard owner's back up etc.
I have reasons for saying that btw!
Judged by your post OP I would not be very happy regarding the feed etc myself. Big bone of mine that is, untidy yards and people, especially if making a mess outside your areas or leaving vermin free access to food.
As for the horse, 2 weeks may not be a lot for this horse. Mine settle anywhere in a short time as they are laid back, even a TB.
However this horse may not do, or it may have had a structured life and then a big change and can't handle it.
Not the horse's fault but agree about copying as my lad chucks his headcollar on floor every day and my mare has started to do the same lol. So yes horses do copy behaviour. There is a fab book by Henry Blake called Talking with Horses which is a very good read and explains some great studies and incidents of horse behaviour with each other and humans also.

 

[littlescallywag]

Give the horse some time to settle, my boy displays every stable vice in the book when I move yard, can take him upto 3 months to settle but I have had him at places where even after 6 months he still hadn't settled properly.
Stresses me out no end because I know people are bit*hing and complaining to YO and I've no way of stopping his behavior till he is settled in his head.
The cleanliness issue is annoying but I'd just mention it in passing to the livery or offer to help sometimes till they have settled into a routine as well.