Change in behaviour when stabled opinions wanted

[twobearsarthur]

Recently the yard my two year old is on has changed a number of rules.
Turnout is no longer everyday it is as and when the yard owner decides. This week turnout will only be Tuesday and Sunday. Last week Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday.
Also rather than all the horses being fed at the same time now it is as and when people turn up. So you have 12 horses in a barn fed at different times.
Needless to say my filly is now climbing the walls so to speak. I asked if there was any possibility of daily turnout even for an hour or so. to which the reply was "no, lunge it every night to tire it out"
That isn't going to happen (she's 2 and I would like her knees to still work when she's 4) so I am moving her on Saturday to a yard that has daily turnout and as it is full livery it has a routine.
Just wanted reassurance that the most likely reason for a change in my fillys personality was due to this management change really.
And that I am not being unreasonable to think lunging a 2 year old is not an alternative to turn out.

 

[paddi22]

i'd be gone from there in a shot, sounds dreadful. you are doing the right thing moving

 

[blitznbobs]

A baby needs daily turnout . I'm not obsessed with 24/7 like some are but I wouldnt be heavily lunging a 2 year old... I'd be looking for somewhere else - even grass livery would be better than this

 

[Sukistokes2]

Yep you ate totally right, well done on the move. With proper turn out she will soon settle, bless her!

 

[twobearsarthur]

Thank you all. I was made to feel as if I was soft. For in their words "not getting a saddle on its back to sort it out" !!!!!
I do feel like it's a weight lifted

 

[Sukistokes2]

Thank you all. I was made to feel as if I was soft. For in their words "not getting a saddle on its back to sort it out" !!!!!
I do feel like it's a weight lifted

Blinking heck....................?Better off out of there!

 

[splashgirl45]

if my 23 yr old was stabled and only had a couple of days turnout she would also be climbing the walls so you are right. not impressed with a yo telling someone to lunge a 2 year old. not exactly a professional....I would have walked out as soon as I could have found somewhere else..i have just left somewhere for the opposite reason, I was given 2 days notice that I could only have grass livery as the stables had been sold for development and were being demolished...as my mare is old and has cushings I need a stable to be available at all times so had no option.....and have found a lovely place a bit further away which has a stable and daily grazing all year round...

 

[twobearsarthur]

I think the fact I'm the 8th person th leave in 4 months says a lot!!! And it used to be such a nice yard before they got a new manager

 

[Penny Eater]

I don't think you're being unreasonable at all. I think it's shocking that people expect horses to stand in 12x12 boxes for 23.5 hours and expect a lunging session to be enough exercise! It's inhumane, horses are built to be moving almost constantly, not to mention the psychological problems caused by lack of contact with other equines.
There are so many livery yards in the UK now offering no winter turnout, are there just too many horses and not enough land or greedy landowners making money from liveries but not wanting their land damaged?
Either way they're not thinking of the horse at all!

 

[Princess Rosie]

I would be off the yard like a shot, this is ridiculous to expect lunging to be an appropriate alternative to turnout, especially for a baby!

Best of luck on your new yard and you are doing the absolute right thing. x

 

[Sheep]

Agree with all of the above, good luck with the move, you are unquestionably doing the right thing for your horse, let us know how it goes!

 

[HaffiesRock]

So sorry to hear your yard has gone to pot. My old livery yard did too in other ways. When I moved on there were YO's 3 horses and a pony, my boy and one other livery on about 7 acres. It was sufficient for my fat Haflinger as there wasn't a huge amount of grazing, but enough. All was well for 2 years and I got my then the YO was sacked from her part time job, so to make ends mean she took on more liveries and sold off 3 acres of land. So it ended up being 12 horses on 4 acres, all living out, which is completely unacceptable!

I am more than sure your horse will settle once back on regular turnout.

 

[BorgRae]

I don't think you're being unreasonable at all. I think it's shocking that people expect horses to stand in 12x12 boxes for 23.5 hours and expect a lunging session to be enough exercise! It's inhumane, horses are built to be moving almost constantly, not to mention the psychological problems caused by lack of contact with other equines.
There are so many livery yards in the UK now offering no winter turnout, are there just too many horses and not enough land or greedy landowners making money from liveries but not wanting their land damaged?
Either way they're not thinking of the horse at all!

Pretty much 99% of the yards around my area don't offer winter grazing!! 30 minutes turnout in a sand paddock is apparently "more than adequate"... very sad

Needless to say, I travel a 30 mile round trip to a yard that does offer winter grazing. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

OP, you have every right to be annoyed!! No YO should expect a 2yo to be lunged as a replacement for turnout!! Ridiculous!!!

 

[california dreaming]

Bless you OP. I used to be on a yard that would only offer turnout two mornings a week ( weather permitting) I put up with it for, and i am ashamed to say, about four years. I was very nieve (can't spell it) and my horses were always stressed and miserable. I would never ever, EVER put a horse through such a stupid and cruel regime again just to suit the yard owners wants and needs. Move your horse and don't look back. Good luck.