Beyond the call of duty! What does your YO do?

[tangoharvey]

I've mentioned before I have mental health difficulties. Having a horse does give me a real purpose (most of the time!) My YO holds and gives me my medication daily as I'm not aloud to hold my own medication and have to take it supervised daily. This is above and beyond the call of duty and I wondered what other YO do that's above and beyond.....?

 

[LadyGascoyne]

Lovely YO, lucky you! Mine's also great.

My mare hates her stable, loathes her rugs and doesn't like to be on her own in the field.

We usually have mild winters and nearly everything lives out- no problem. This year it got cold- we had frost and some brownish, whiteish sludge masquerading as snow.

My YO (also my uncle) built my mare her own special stable. He converted a huge barn into three stables; two normal horse-sized boxes for my geldings and an enormous, arena-sized straw-laden "stable" for my little psycho. Not only that- he'd knocked the walls out to paddock fence height the whole way around on the sheltered side so she could see out happily and wasn't claustrophobic.

Happy, snuggly little psycho.

 

[MargotC]

I had a very kind, practical YO when I had horses. Lots of little - and big - things I could have mentioned. He always gave his liveries a Christmas dinner at a nice local restaurant every year(!).

However the standout situation was when my old boy coliced. I was in my teens. I was there when it happened, immediate vet callout was made. Absolute nightmare. Several panicky hours and a lot of walking later, YO ordered me to get some rest as I was dead on my feet and hadn't eaten all day. Horse had picked up well after vet visit so I ended up listening to him - I was just completely finished at the time. Next morning I found a recovered horse and a YO who had, as it turned out, stayed up in the stable all night and walked him for half of it. Then it transpired YO had already footed my vet bill (callout made in farm name as on duty vet was also his regular) and refused to let me know how much it was so I could pay him back. Said my distress had been cost enough... Needless to say he got a very nice bottle of Scotch and a thank you card.

 

[Sukistokes2]

Not a YO but a local small animal vet!
My partner was donating stem cells to his brother had to inject himself every evening for three days. The hospital did the first, I did the second but he made such a fuss about the way I did it, he then would not let me do the third one. He rang the doctors who said they could fit him in the following week........days after he would have donated!!!! Could not fit him in any other times for no reason even when it was explained how important it was. On a whim he dropped into vets we use for our dogs. After the initial shock she was delighted to help and apparently did the injection better then me. She found it hilarious injecting a man in the leg. Thanks to her Mark donated his stem cells and his brother has been clear from cancer for over three years. Well over and above the call of duty I think......and she didn't charge!


Ps the charging bit is a joke, because as a vet she can not inject humans as a vet but she can as a private person....like I could do it as well!!

 

[Challaborough Christmas Tree]

Ifmy yard owner's wife sees me old stupidly early in the cold preparing for a show or something she brings be out bacon sarnies and a cup of coffee, it's definitely appreciated!

 

[flirtygerty]

My old YO, still miss that yard, used to keep an eye on my two horses, despite being on DIY, I worked silly shifts at the time and knowing someone was looking out for gave me peace of mind, I only left because our new house came with stables and fields.

 

[Illusion100]

You are all very lucky. Our YO's won't come out to check on horses even if owners have contacted them to advise a horse has colic and vet is on way.

 

[Princess Rosie]

It's nice to hear so many good stories about good YO's. Illusion100- that's awful, I don't think I would cope being on that yard.

I'm a YO and We try to do everything we can to make our liveries lives easier, if we have someone up all day who hasn't eaten for example, we make them lunch when we are having some and tea and coffee is on constant supply. We've sat up all night in stables with poorly horses over the years so the owners can go and get some rest. I repair any damaged rugs free of charge if I have spare bits to repair with, I keep all the smaller items such as numnahs, boots etc washed and clean ready for owners to use and tack is all cleaned after every use so our owners can just turn up and enjoy spending quality time with their horses. Sadly when Yards get too big, it's harder to do the little things and we purposely keep our yard small so we can do all the little things that make a difference.

 

[Red-1]

We are our own YO, and I am very lucky. My OH was not horsey when we moved here, but has now had his own horse, and is excellent when I am working and will do everything except exercise. He has lunged my other horses, but he says he is worried at just how much I love the Jay Man and does not want to face any consequences (as in me devastated) if anything were to go wrong. He even looks after my horse when I jet off to America for weeks, or overnight if I am working away. He has learned to build horse spec fences, cut down branches, spray, harrow......

Even my mother joins in, she helps financially, and also is in charge of all waters and the hose pipe - at 76 years old.

 

[MerrySherryRider]

My YO's are fab. They will check on sick horses through the night, create specific facilities for horses with special needs and mentor first time owners. When I was ill, my horse injured herself and YO's dressed the wound each day without a thought about the cost or the time involved. Lovely, lovely people.

 

[Sussexbythesea]

One of my old yard owners arranged and stayed with my horse who had wobblers when he was PTS by the knackerman. I don't think it was easy for her as he was only 8. I was with my mum who was about to have a major operation on an aneurysm and I just couldn't face it.

I'm forever grateful to her that I remember him beautiful and vibrant not falling and lying dead. She lives in Oz now and we are still FB friends.

 

[JillA]

I'm a YO and always put the horses first - if one on my yard needs help and owner isn't around I will do what I can. The problem is most owners aren't as nice as you lot - sometimes the more you do the more they will let you, so I am careful about what I do to help for fear they will expect me to carry on feeding hay in the field, filling water buckets etc. One livery seems to be unable to even find a farrier without my input, so I have backed off as much as I can.

 

[fidleyspromise]

At my old yard - my friend was looking after my horses when I was ill and my YO would often poo pick my horses before she got there to do it. She also offered to exercise my horse etc.

My current YO, I went into their shop to buy a water trough so I could set up an automatic drinker when we moved to a different field and he said to wait as he might have one kicking about. The field before tha, he saw me taking water out and put an automatic trough in for me instead.
My horse got out and he drove up and down the fence line so they could keep an eye on my youngster going mental in the field by herself, after they caught the loose horse and put her in her stable. They fixed the fence at 10pm and refused to take any money for damages (before they knew if she'd caused their carrot crop any damage by careering around in it).

 

[fidleyspromise]

I'm a YO and always put the horses first - if one on my yard needs help and owner isn't around I will do what I can. The problem is most owners aren't as nice as you lot - sometimes the more you do the more they will let you, so I am careful about what I do to help for fear they will expect me to carry on feeding hay in the field, filling water buckets etc. One livery seems to be unable to even find a farrier without my input, so I have backed off as much as I can.

That's a shame as I enjoy doing everything with my horse and anything my YO does to make my life easier is much appreciated but seen as a little extra. Some people really do take the mickey.

 

[hihosilver]

blimey! All the yards that I Have been at ( lots!) just do what they have to do! no extras. Then again most have been DIY yards so that is different maybe at part or full livery you are paying for a service! x

 

[minkymoo]

My yard is amazing! I think of it as more like an exclusive club really! We get bacon sarnies, advice when needed and help with all sorts! Today for example, my yo drove me to pick up a car as mine had conked out, then another livery helped me get it to the garage, all with a bacon sarnie inbetween!

 

[Ceriann]

My old YO allowed my mare (who had just lost her long term and devoted companion) to turn out with her two (yard was generally individual turn out) and didn't flinch as they got to know each other! When the same mare was off work due to a back injury she offered one of hers for me to use when I wanted pretty much. Lovely little chestnut mare that had a fantastic jump - wish I'd bought her when she went for sale recently!

 

[PolarSkye]

Our yard - DIY - is amazing. Doesn't matter what the request is - large or small - they try and accommodate us. No toilet? They built us one - with a heated towel rail left permanently on in the winter, and a massive kitchen attached with washing machine/dryer/fridge/sink (with hot water) and when they redecorate their lounge, they're putting a sofa in there too. Gates hanging a little low? Instantly lifted. Access to field a little difficult? New gate bought and installed in a more convenient spot. Gateway flooding? Hardcore delivered and put down to keep liveries' feet dry. Hay barn a bit dark in the winter? Lights installed.

Honestly, it's the best yard I've ever been on . . . operates like a little family . . . hell, I went to buy a Christmas tree today from the family business and was told they wouldn't take more than £40 for a seven-foot tree because I was a livery client.

When Pops fell over in the road out hunting last November (we'd only been there a month), YO sat with me while I waited for the vet to arrive, made me a cup of tea, offered me a bed in her house and when I declined and went home (after vet had been and I was reassured he was alright), checked on him twice through the night.

P

 

[Prince33Sp4rkle]

not really YO as its not a commercial yard but i have 1 livery(albeit she doesnt pay) who helps NMT and I out with ours in the PM, and we do her pony in the AM. We all muck in and they treat the yard as though its theirs too(in a nice way ie really looking after it).

we have just booked a family hol for next year as our mum is very poorly and it might well be the last one together abroad..... J and her mum have offered to do all 4 horses on their own for that week. It will be a huge weight off our mind to go away knowing the horses are being looked after 100% by familiar people every day and we can never thank them enough- i know she comes on here a bit so J if you read this, thank you a million times to you and your mum.

 

[flurryjuno]

Mine was brilliant, never will thank her enough. I really struggle with mental health too and at a really bad patch I wouldn't be able to get up for nearly four days and she would do my mare for me no questions asked. She also drove me to CAMHS every week, fed me if I was up all day with no food and always got me nice xmas presents when I just thought a card would do! Miss that yard