Hero**
Active Member
??If I saw an advert for an 'adults only' yard, I would wonder what on earth I was expected to witness/participate inLOL.
Children on yards
- Thread starter Mrs C
- Start date
Fred66
Well-Known Member
I will say this AGAIN at no point in any of my posts have I said that people should look after other people’s children. (I did say it might be nice to occasionally)
Purely that if you are on a livery yard then you have to accept that other people will be on there and that there way of doing things won’t be yours, tolerance is required.
Children will be noisy at times, so if the yard allows children then there is an element of suck it up required. If the child tries to “help” when you don’t want it then address the problem either directly with the child, it’s parent or the Yard Owner.
Personally if I was on a yard and saw that someone had got young children with them and wanted to ride for 1/2 an hour AND I had some free time, I’d offer to watch the children by the school whilst they rode. It would be no skin off my nose and help a fellow livery out, who knows when I might need a favour in return.
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Arzada
Well-Known Member
Have you ever volunteered to child mind on a yard?
Fred66
Well-Known Member
Not recently as they don’t have children other than occasionally taking grandson down and neighbours children
But do volunteer at pony club including residential camp.
conniegirl
Well-Known Member
Sorry but why should someone who doesn’t have children have to look after or even watch out for someone else’s children?
On the yard i’m on i’ll keep an eye onthe YO’s kids if asked but its not often and it is normally when YO is dealing with and emergency on the yard.
I will not care for or look after any other child on the yard as most are feral monsters. Thankfully my pony is an absolute angel and quite happy for children to hang off his legs etc but i’d rather not push the limits of what he will tolerate.
When my child is finally here she will not be coming to the yard unless BOTH husband and I are there so he can look after child whilst I ride.
On the yard i’m on i’ll keep an eye onthe YO’s kids if asked but its not often and it is normally when YO is dealing with and emergency on the yard.
I will not care for or look after any other child on the yard as most are feral monsters. Thankfully my pony is an absolute angel and quite happy for children to hang off his legs etc but i’d rather not push the limits of what he will tolerate.
When my child is finally here she will not be coming to the yard unless BOTH husband and I are there so he can look after child whilst I ride.
Ranyhyn
Well-Known Member
Listen, I dont like other peoples children by and large, but, its not their fault, the fault lies entirely with their parents who are letting them run amok without first checking what they are doing and who they are doing it to/with.
Speak to the parents and draw your boundaries firmly. If you'd rather not have them around you then it is entirely your decision not to have to deal with them. After you've done that speak to the YO too.
Personally I remember what it felt like to be a pony-less child so I do my bit with my daughter's friends and the horses and I absolutely love sharing my passion with them, but I do it on my terms not theirs - there's a huge difference!
Speak to the parents and draw your boundaries firmly. If you'd rather not have them around you then it is entirely your decision not to have to deal with them. After you've done that speak to the YO too.
Personally I remember what it felt like to be a pony-less child so I do my bit with my daughter's friends and the horses and I absolutely love sharing my passion with them, but I do it on my terms not theirs - there's a huge difference!
GreyMane
Well-Known Member
Shock treatment ? Thinking of safety films etc they show you at work.
Maybe pin up somewhere, at adult eye level, a suitably alarming A&E photo of injured (anonymous/consenting) person, not necessarily child, with caption such as
"Serious injuries can happen in seconds when around horses. Please supervise your children at all times"
Maybe pin up somewhere, at adult eye level, a suitably alarming A&E photo of injured (anonymous/consenting) person, not necessarily child, with caption such as
"Serious injuries can happen in seconds when around horses. Please supervise your children at all times"
Pippity
Well-Known Member
But the whole point is that these are NOT pony-less children. If they're on the yard, it's because either a parent/caregiver has a horse, or the kid has a pony. I'm happy to give a horsey fix to a kid who otherwise wouldn't get one, but this is not that situation.
On my yard, these are kids who are ignoring their own pony to run around and demand piggy-backs off random adults.
Snow Falcon
Hoping for drier days
If a parent of a 3yo and 6yo is letting them out of sight on a yard I would have to question their parenting. Accidents can happen in seconds and they should be responsible for their safety.
I have 2 boys and I work at a primary school. At no point would I consider letting children roam free and expect someone else to "keep an eye" on them.
I am lucky enough that I share fields with good friends. During the holidays when my two were younger, my friends volunteered to look after the youngest whilst I took eldest out for a ride. I never took advantage of this nor expected it.
Whilst I appreciate some horses are frightened by shouting/things being waved about/sudden movements all mine have been wonderfully desensentized by my kids. I actually used them to my advantage and have them playing football as I walk the pony round the field.
I do also enjoy my time away from children, having them and working with them, you do have to have some "me" time.
If you have a problem with children on the yard you need to speak to the parent primarily. Explain your concerns and say you will return their children to them each time they stray!
I have 2 boys and I work at a primary school. At no point would I consider letting children roam free and expect someone else to "keep an eye" on them.
I am lucky enough that I share fields with good friends. During the holidays when my two were younger, my friends volunteered to look after the youngest whilst I took eldest out for a ride. I never took advantage of this nor expected it.
Whilst I appreciate some horses are frightened by shouting/things being waved about/sudden movements all mine have been wonderfully desensentized by my kids. I actually used them to my advantage and have them playing football as I walk the pony round the field.
I do also enjoy my time away from children, having them and working with them, you do have to have some "me" time.
If you have a problem with children on the yard you need to speak to the parent primarily. Explain your concerns and say you will return their children to them each time they stray!
Mule
Well-Known Member
??If I saw an advert for an 'adults only' yard, I would wonder what on earth I was expected to witness/participate in