DIY Livery - paying for damage

This is a really good discussion, thank goodness I don't run a livery yard. As a bystander, I think that the field fences and stables, yard area, etc should be in good repair and fit for purpose, to use that over-used phrase.

A yard owner is in business to provide safe and suitable premises and routine maintenace should be accepted (many farmers who started up livery yards admitted that they hadn't realised how much time they would spend fencing!).

But I think if your horse is a persistant offender and causes more damage that could be regarded as "wear and tear" then the owner should be held responsible. A horse bolting and going through a gate is not normal! Nor is a horse that constantly kicks, breaks fencing and is a destructive force normal wear and tear. I think livery yard owners should accept that horses chew fences - I see mine at home with a wiggly rail where it has been chewed, although not lately.

As for the OP and the collapsing wall - as the owner I would be annoyed that the wall was in such a state that it collapsed, so although apologetic, I don't think that I would pay and her reaction to leave with a month's livery paid in lieu is very fair. If the YO doesn't like it, then where was the contract that the horse owner should have had to set out all the conditions?
 
Kal did something similar about 6 months or so ago - leant on his stable wall while on box rest (trying to see his friends in the field) and moved a whole section of the front wall of his stable by a good couple of cms. YO didn't charge me to fix it - and if she had approached me to ask for funds I would have pointed out that several blocks on another wall were also loose so Kal just exacerbated an existing problem. Also, this past week Kal (who is on box rest AGAIN) leant over a veeeeeeeery rusty metal gate to get at some grass while standing tied on the yard and the top rail gave way! Again - we are not required to pay . . . metal was already rusted right through.

That said, it does depend on what it says in your contract (assuming you've got one).

P
 
Yet again I think this comes down to what livery clients are prepared to pay, versus the up keep and maintenance costs for a yard owner.

Take this as an example:

I take on a new diy client paying £25 per week (all yards charge similar in this area, so if I put up these prices, I won't get the business.) The horse has been on livery with me for 2 mnths then badly damages a stable door which will have to be replaced. In that time I have earnt £200, half of which goes to cover yard insurance/rates/electricity/water etc, but the costs to replace said door are above that. Therefore any profits made in that 2 mnths have been lost and I am out of pocket. However if I don't fix the door I would be seen as neglecting my 'duty of care' and could end up with clients posting about me on here!

You only need to have a few incidents like this to wipe out all your profits, which is exactly why I have a clause in my contract saying 'you break it, you fix it'. If you don't agree with this don't come to my yard....

Also if you are not happy with a yard when you go and look at it, as OP was obviously not, but still make the decision to house your horse there, do not think you have much comeback..

Hope that makes sense!!
 
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Sidney said:
You only need to have a few incidents like this to wipe out all your profits, which is exactly why I have a clause in my contract saying 'you break it, you fix it'. If you don't agree with this don't come to my yard....

Also if you are not happy with a yard when you go and look at it, as OP was obviously not, but still make the decision to house your horse there, do not think you have much comeback..

Hope that makes sense!!
Click to expand...

^5:D
 
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