CAN THEY TIE MY HORSE TO THE GATE??

[heavensangel]

Hi, I am nice, honestly. Just someone on yard been spreading rumours and lies about my showjumper and yard owner has been suckered into believing her! Great!! Now the yard owner has given me a bill for £420 giving me 18 hours notice to pay or I am off yard. I normally pay weekly and not been a problem before. Anyhow, she has been subjecting me to harrassment for the last few weeks and been quite threatening to me too. She has said that I had better pay or else! I have never witheld rent. Can she tie my horses to the gate or prevent me using the school or the field? Please help. I am going to move but the stable is not free till January.

 

[tashyisaudrey]

That sounds horrible. You should try and have a word with the yard owner and explain your side of things.

 

[piebaldsparkle]

Blimey sound awful. Is there no way you can move sooner? Have you got a contract? She sounds like a nutter, thus I would want out ASAP. Don't know where you stand legally, assume that if you have no contract, she probably only has to give you a weeks notice to leave as you pay weekly (but don't know).

 

[heavensangel]

She has been brainwashed by the freak. Sorry but this girl really is a freak of nature. Would easily fit as a bit part in deliverance film. I just want a quiet life and they are so jealous that my horse has done well, they cant take it.

 

[heavensangel]

I am billed monthly but I have a verbal agreement to pay weekly. Not been a problem before.

 

[airedale]

If she knows you are leaving at the end of the month it sounds as though she is making sure you pay till the end of the month in case you bunk off between xmas and new year - hence the demand for money now.

tying horse to gate is inexcuseable and under the new animal welfare bill will be illegal (except that doesn't become real law until april next year)

 

[heavensangel]

The only problem is that she has banned my little pony riders father from the yard because he stated that she was being unreasonable!! I want to be able to move my horses but still be able to use the facilities whilst I am there. She will make life extremely difficult. I need a bit of time to move them.

 

[piebaldsparkle]

Forgot to add, that whatever your arrangement I'm sure she can't legal do anything that will affect the welfare of your horse i.e. tie it to the gate (however my YO regularly treatens to teather mine on the common!! - think he's joking

).

 

[airedale]

If she is denying you use of the facilities then pay her a reasonable amount of the 420 quid for the stabling, etc and deduct an amount for the facilities you are being prevented from using (esp. this time of year I expec tthere is a charge for floodlights in that bill for example).

If it is in your contract that you have use of the facilities then she is in breach of contract. If you haven't got a contract you now know why you should have one so make sure you get one at your next yard.

 

[heavensangel]

I dont have a contract only a verbal one. She always said she was going to give one to me but never did. I want to pay weekly so she doesnt deny services.
What a pain eh.

 

[Llwyncwn]

I feel very sorry for you. It sounds as if you are being alienated at the yard which is awful for anyone. If there is no contract then I would give her a weeks notice, due to the bad feeling. Be as nice as you possibly can and find temporary livery until your stable becomes available. Have you tried talking quietly to YO and asking just what has been said. Perhaps you have an ally who could mediate? Good luck anyway - hope it works out for you hun.

 

[heavensangel]

My ally tried to mediate and got banned!!! You cant talk quietly to her as she just shouts. She gave me a letter and on it was her reasons for asking me to leave. They were totally unfounded and complete lies. Can I go to CAB for harrassment info?

 

[wizzi901]

People like this wont listen to reasonableness or the law!! I'd stay stum for now, find another yard, move within the week and tell her to stuff it! No contract exists....other than verbally, unless she has witness to any verbal contract then its worthless, she should sort her paperwork out!!

 

[Llwyncwn]

I tend to agree with Marsden. Cut your losses, say nowt, smile sweetly (do a Myleen) and go asap.

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

It seems a common trait of livery Yard Owners...to be nice as pie one minute & then turn venomous & vindictive at the drop of a hat. Fortunately I haven't been on the receiving end but have seen it happen.

Don't bother with citizens advice or resorting to law. The only winner then will be a solicitor who will be very pleased to take your money.

The situation has become intolerable where you are. You don't want to stay through this & the situation will only get worse. If you are unable to get to your new stables until January try & arrange a temporary measure until then....anything to get you & your horse/s off that yard.

The YO cannot do anything to harm you animal, furthermore she must give you reasonable notice to quit the stables. I believe it is considered that 2 weeks notice is the minimum time normally given to relocate.

She cannot demand money for services she has not provided. if you are currently up to date with your bill then she cannot ask for more until it is due. The demand for £420 is unreasonable. I would continue to pay weekly while there but you really need to arrange an urgent move & leave.

In a situation like this it doesn't matter if you are in the right or not, the whole situation is out of control & for peace of mind you & your horse need to be gone!

Good Luck

 

[siennamum]

I agree - what part of the world are you in OP?

 

[Llwyncwn]

Dont tarr us all with the same brush Toby. Think im ok - I stamp on any trouble as soon as it starts. I try to live by St Francis of Assissi's words: where there is discord, let me bring harmony, etc etc. x

 

[archoak]

I think you can get 1/2 hour with a solicitor for a nominal fee, sometimes just saying you've been to a solicitor will do the trick and at least you will know your rights. If you can prove you have always paid on time, been a good client etc this should help.

 

[Christmas_Kate]

A verbal contract is no contract, unless witnessed by others, and then it's still tricky to prove. TBH i wouldnt bother with citizen's advice etc, their point of view would be that she's not actually harassing you to the point where you cannot live your life normally, not affecting your home life etc, and their thoughts would be that you should just move the horse. Unfortunately, un-horsey people don't understand the ethics of keeping a horse.

Consider ALL options for moving your horse, be it temporarily. If you have to rent a field with a shelter so be it. You can always close the shelter off to create a stable.

There is nothing worse than being on a yard where you feel unwelcome. In theory, if you have no contract she could ask you to leave tomorrow. She could tie your horse to a gate, or shove it out to grass, you would then have to prove in court that she was wrong in doing this, and this could be lengthly or difficult.

Is there any way at all you can find anywhere else? As i said, even a field with a shelter will do for the next four weeks.

Where are you?

Good luck, I hope it goes well and this lady gets her comeuppance one day

 

[MagicMelon]

I dont understand - she's demanding £420 yet you've never with-held any rent. So whats this bill for??

I personally wouldnt want my horse to stay one more day at this womans yard if she MIGHT do something potentially dangerous like tying your horse to a gate (what, and just leave it there???).

Like others have said, SOMEONE out there must have somewhere for you to keep the horse, even ask your local farmer for a small field or even a section of a field! Maybe ask round all your friends if they had a stable or something.

Just leave the yard as fast as you can as obviously its got extremely unpleasant. I would (on leaving) walk up to the YO and the nasty girl and tell them EXACTLY that she was lying, Id make a scene so at least everyone on the yard hears it, you could put some doubt in their mind about this girl.

 

[filly190]

I think your situation has become untenable. As its her land etc and no written contract I dont think you can do anything.

Personally I would fear reprisals on my animals, people can be very spiteful. For that reason I would go absolutely anywhere with immediate effect, this time of year the weather is good, your horses could live out for a couple of weeks and not come to much harm.

Good luck, the longer you stay the worse it will get. I would not be paying the cow, I would pack up and go, paying for what I have had.

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

Llwyncwn, I'm not giving all Livery Yard Owners a bad name. The unfortunate thing is that the majority of things you hear & remember about YOs are the bad things. Some of what you hear is in fact horrific.

My YO is great, sometimes a little lazy, but on the whole very good & the yard is pretty harmonious. I'm sure your yard is similarly happy. I'm sure you know some yards that there is no way you would want to be on?

No slight ment against you at all

 

[Llwyncwn]

Thanks Phil. Have answered your pm x

 

[Tia]

[ QUOTE ]
I dont understand - she's demanding £420 yet you've never with-held any rent. So whats this bill for??

[/ QUOTE ]

That's the bit I don't understand either.

Do you pay £105 per week? And I presume this is for the coming month? Your notice month?

 

[Skhosu]

I would find a stable/field/anywhere.
IT's not worth staying there. And don't pay the money when you may well be forced out anyway! Or if you do, ensure it is written that you can stay for x months and use the facilities!

 

[dieseldog]

A contract doesn't have to be written and because you have been paying x amount and receiving y facilities for z amount of time means that you do have a contract. However I would get out ASAP as it sounds a complete loony situation.

 

[merlinsquest]

Where are you in the country???

Sounds like the YO has a screw loose!!! To turn down livery at this time of the year has to be mad.

 

[wench]

[ QUOTE ]
A verbal contract is no contract, unless witnessed by others, and then it's still tricky to prove.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm afraid that statement is wrong... A verbal contract is just as legally binding as a written one... Its just proving what the contract was actually for is the problem as you have said

 

[heavensangel]

Well peeps, Update here.

I paid her at 3pm Saturday. I was 'ordered' to pay by 12. I was looking at another yard at this time and wasn't back till 3. I paid her weekly (as I have always done). She went bonkers, with a capital B! I have never witheld rent ever. Friends little girl took pony out of stable and went to ride in school. She padlocked the school and padlocked the stable. Hence pony left outside on the yard. For safety, the girl rode in a paddock. She then came back and untacked and tied him to tying post in middle of yard, gave him haynet, rugged him and gave him bucket water. I told her that another friend would keep eye on him and my hubby wld be there half hr later. Hubby arrived. Took residence on 2 cuts of hay and sat there till 11.40pm on sat night. pony was on yard from 2.30pm to 11.40pm. I informed the RSCPA and the Police. RSPCA although very helpful, couldn't really do anything unless the pony had been there all night. Then it becomes a welfare issue. Police finally visited, and (today's laws!!) threatened to have my hubby arrested for tresspassing!! We recited the Welfare Act and they were very confused, typical. My mum (bless her) mediated and the pony was allowed to enter the stable at 11.40pm. He was well rugged, but very confused. He's 12.2hh and 3yrs old. He is my 8yr old sons and my son and his little girl that rides him was devastated. I can't wait for the licensing laws to affect yards. Now I am looking into harrassment as she was so abusive and wicked to me. How can I respond to this wicked wicked woman. She cannot be allowed to do this to anyone again. I cannot even face going down to the yard. My new yard will not be ready for 2 wks.

 

[the watcher]

I am assuming that sinace she has withdrawn all facilities and services she also refused to take the livery money..yes? If she took it she should be providing all the facilities you are paying for..that is a contract