DIY yard Q. An "am I being unreasonable" type thing.

Sugar_and_Spice said:
OP why not send the difficult woman a text stating "I will not be feeding any horses in the morning ever again, except my own" then ignore any reply she makes. Hopefully she will get it then! And if she doesn't, at least you've tried. Why should you have to start phoning or texting others if you're not going down early to feed? Phone calls or texts are time and money. They're treating you like staff, instead of the paying customer that you are.
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Theocat said:
If they pushed me, I'd say that I was happy to guarantee feeding and hay, but it would be at a cost of £2 per horse per day :p
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I know, I know, I've thought this a number of times... I need to grow a pair! :o
 
Not being unreasonable in the slightest. I've never been anywhere that even insisted on this. DIY...sort your horse out yourself.

There's 18 on our yard and even if I'm first, I feed and sort my 2 out, ignore every other horse. Same as everyone else. That's it. Times I've been away for the night and can't do my 2, I have everything sorted and ask a fellow livery to sort them. In evenings this would be as simple as adding water to a feed I had made and calling them in, locking them in, done. Mornings would be throw their feed bucket over and a slice of hay that I leave out.

Favours are fine, people should be willing to help each other on the odd occasion at a DIY yard but if it was on a daily basis I would asking for either payment or a knocked down livery price. Then what happens if you start work early one day and cannot do it?! Madness.
 
I'd probably pop a notice up that you will no longer be attending to any other horses, please do not rely on you to be feeding. Cheeky but kind of expected in horse world, people like to use others!
 
This is quite a tricky one - the problem is that you started doing it, and are now the person expected to do it, through absolutely no fault of your own. An attempt by you to stop feeding all the horses will cause other owners to get stroppy (I would imagine). BUT I would tell them you have done your bit, and that is the end of it. Totally unfair on you.

I would hate to be on a yard with this system. People come to rely on the poor person who gets down early, and who is usually the one then rushing off to work. I don't even get involved in bringing in/turning out any more, having got myself burnt with that one too.
 
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Its happens at our yard, and sometimes its me and sometimes it isnt. There are only 16 in our block and all we have to do is chuck the bucket over door - occasionally adding bute if its there. It isnt a hassle (takes 4 minutes) and it stops the door bangers and the stress heads. I do get a bit cheesed off with the person who then thinks she can turn up at 10.30 but just put my horse's left over hay over the door as well. She probably gets cheesed off with things I do - live and let live.

However if it was assumed I was going to do it that would be different. Agree with others - clarify that sometimes it will be you, sometimes it wont and that buckets are fine, everything else would cost.
 
I would stick a note up, something on the lines of i am a diy livery, if you need someone to hay/feed your horse please pay someone reliable....
 
I am on a DIY yard with 24 horses. We all arrive at different times and nobody feeds anyone else's horse. None of the horses expect to be fed just because another horse is, and we have no issues with people expecting their horse to be fed/hayed.

I have never been on a DIY yard that had this rule, infact the first time I heard that some yards did this was from reading threads on here!
 
I'm on a small diy yard but we still feed our own only. I may ask one of the girls in advance to feed mine if i'm going to be late on occasion and I would be annoyed if they then didn't having arranged to. I feed the pony next to one of mine at moment as it's lost a bit of weight and belongs to a good mate. If i'm late though she just feeds it while she mucks out, wouldn't occur to her to moan about it.
 
I used to be on a yard where this was the rule, and people do start taking the rise, I agree. I used to get texts at work to complain that I'd given wrong feed (well put horse's name on bucket then, I can't tell the difference between hi fi and Alfa a in the dark at 6am etc) or that horses hadn't been fed till 8:45 and they'd planned to ride at 9, but nothing as bad as this! I would be sorely tempted to tell them where to shove their feeds if they cba to get out of bed and give them to their horses!
 
just say you will chuck feeds in but thats it, but only your responsibility if you are first up, anyone who wants their horse haying will have to pay you to do it. i would want to spend my time up a yard with my horse, not doing favours for everyone else all the time cause they cant be assed!
 
What a liberty! I think a text saying you're not doing any of them ever again is in order, whether you're there first or not.

We don't have this rule and I would be mighty narked if mine WAS fed before I got there as she then mashes up her stable once finished.
 
All DIY yards I've been on have had the same rule. Everyone should assume that no-one is going to feed first so everyo0ne should make the effort to go at a resonable time.
One yard I was on had around 25 horses, I was there before work at 6ish to feed, T/O, muck out etc but majority of the people would not bother turning up till lunchtime so would leave a feed and haynet which was sooooo time consuming putting 25 haynets on and feed and checking water before I'd even done anything with mine.
 
My DIY yard first person up puts feed buckets over doors. Some people leave hay in a trug to also put over door. Some leave a water pot to be tipped in feed. No haynets. I am often first person but not always. Is no problem if I am or aren't first person.

I feed adlib hay over night and fibre feeds so don't really mind if my horse is fed before work.

I used to unlock, feed my horse, put Equissage roller on him (takes 20 min), feed rest of yard. Muck out (wood pellets), hay, feed, water, leave tea outside box. Equissage finishes, tack up.
 
To me the 'first up feeds' rule means breakfast feeds are left ready-made, in one place, & its literally a case of putting buckets over doors which takes minutes. Even on fairly big yards the majority of the time you don't have dozens of horses all stabled within view of each other, they are usually on different blocks, around a corner etc, at least on diy yards so its not a mammoth task. But no messing with hay, water etc, or feeding to give other owners a lie in, unless by personal arrangement.
 
I'm going to go against the grain a bit here, but yeah if this was my yard and I was you I would have text someone out of courtesy. No, it's not your job, but if you've been doing it every morning and don't say otherwise then there you have created an expectation and people are going to assume you are quite happy with doing so and yes I would be p'd off if my horse didn't get fed until 10 or 12 one day and you didn't just text someone to say you couldn't make it. If you had text me and said sorry emergency can't get up then I wouldn't mind at all but to not have told anyone I do think is irresponsible. Your stablemates are not psychic.

We have similar arrangements on our yard, for feeding, bringing in, turning out etc no it is not anyone's responsibility, it is a DIY yard but equally nobody is forced to, but guess what we all talk to each other and get on. If anyone doesn't want or can't do what they might do normally then they just have to say.

And sending stroppy texts saying you're not feeding anyone's horses ever again is throwing your toys out of the pram and you might find you will not only isolate yourself but it may just come back to bite you on your bum if one day you do need somebody to help you out.
 
Bigginge said:
I'm going to go against the grain a bit here, but yeah if this was my yard and I was you I would have text someone out of courtesy. No, it's not your job, but if you've been doing it every morning and don't say otherwise then there you have created an expectation and people are going to assume you are quite happy with doing so and yes I would be p'd off if my horse didn't get fed until 10 or 12 one day and you didn't just text someone to say you couldn't make it. If you had text me and said sorry emergency can't get up then I wouldn't mind at all but to not have told anyone I do think is irresponsible. Your stablemates are not psychic.

We have similar arrangements on our yard, for feeding, bringing in, turning out etc no it is not anyone's responsibility, it is a DIY yard but equally nobody is forced to, but guess what we all talk to each other and get on. If anyone doesn't want or can't do what they might do normally then they just have to say.

And sending stroppy texts saying you're not feeding anyone's horses ever again is throwing your toys out of the pram and you might find you will not only isolate yourself but it may just come back to bite you on your bum if one day you do need somebody to help you out.
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Have to say these are my thoughts too
 
Am horseless at the moment but the last DIY yard we were on it was exactly that DIY. On the odd occasion covering for someone is fine and usually those same people will do for you in return. I quite like feeding all together it makes it easier if you have 24/7 turnout but even so I wouldn't like someone to take advantage if they are being blatantly lazy.
 
Bigginge said:
I'm going to go against the grain a bit here, but yeah if this was my yard and I was you I would have text someone out of courtesy. No, it's not your job, but if you've been doing it every morning and don't say otherwise then there you have created an expectation and people are going to assume you are quite happy with doing so and yes I would be p'd off if my horse didn't get fed until 10 or 12 one day and you didn't just text someone to say you couldn't make it. If you had text me and said sorry emergency can't get up then I wouldn't mind at all but to not have told anyone I do think is irresponsible. Your stablemates are not psychic.

We have similar arrangements on our yard, for feeding, bringing in, turning out etc no it is not anyone's responsibility, it is a DIY yard but equally nobody is forced to, but guess what we all talk to each other and get on. If anyone doesn't want or can't do what they might do normally then they just have to say.

And sending stroppy texts saying you're not feeding anyone's horses ever again is throwing your toys out of the pram and you might find you will not only isolate yourself but it may just come back to bite you on your bum if one day you do need somebody to help you out.
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I do completely understand where you're coming from, but I'm assuming you all talk about it to each other and know what's what. My annoyance is due to the fact that no one mentioned a word to me about how they no longer turn up in the morning - so I was oblivious to it. Had I known that I was being relied upon, then of course I would have said something!
I didn't have my phone on me all morning when I had to rush to the vet - so texting/calling was out of the question anyway. It's for this sort of reason (my phone is often missing) that I don't want to be responsible for them all.

I did actually see another livery this morning, who was surprised by it all, and said it wasn't my responsibility, so I think a wee text to the others is in order. Not a stroppy one ;)

Shysmum said:
An attempt by you to stop feeding all the horses will cause other owners to get stroppy (I would imagine). BUT I would tell them you have done your bit, and that is the end of it. Totally unfair on you.
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Hmm, this is what I'm concerned about. But I'm there at sillyAM and ridiculousPM so could possibly avoid awkwardness!
 
Angua2 said:
Have to say these are my thoughts too
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But then this isn't first person up feeds its a case that you are expecting that person to feed for you every day which, if you are on DIY, shoud be a chargeable service IMO.

I've found that these situations can work if there is a bit if give and take. There will always be one person who does the majority share but as long as people dont take the mick then it usually works. At my last yard I was always up first and so fed the yard.. After a while I started getting annoyed as other people started coming up later deliberately or not leaving feeds ready or in the allotted place and still expected horses to be fed. We didn't gave a feed board so I had to guestimate and in that situation I would text the owner and say I'd fed x but I would worry that I may have fed the wrong thing :(

OP, if I was you I would also be annoyed and I think I'd keep quiet and move (I hate confrontation!)
 
I can completely understand why you are frustrated and upset - I would be too, but I think you need to be brave here and manage things (ie other DIY livery) expectations better.

I used to be on a yard that had that policy - it was a mixed DIY/Part yard and at that time I was a DIY who also worked full time. There were about 20 stabled horses and I was often the first up at around 6.30 am ... the whole point of being up that early was because I was busy and short of time, so the extra 5-10 minutes to feed everything was always a PITA.
Thankfully though it was only a case of chuck ready mixed feeds over the door, and the YO arrived at 8am so would feed if no DIYs had turned up.

If you like the yard you are on and want to stay, you are going to need to communicate better. Firstly make it clear that you will be putting ready made feeds over the door only. No hay, no water - they are DIY and as such should be getting their lazy backsides up to the yard at a reasonable time anyway. In return for you doing most days - perhaps they could arrange a rota to cover weekends and do your horse for you as 'thanks'?
 
I or my daughter are first at the yard before 6 am It would be very unusual for someone to ask someone else to fed their horses but Id probably do it very short term. Happy to do things like turn on lighting or other whole yard tasks daily.
when working I turn my mare out without breakfast at 5.30am so I wouldnt tease her by feeding another horse and not her.
other small groups/pairs of folk have their own arrangements.
 
last time i was on diy there was the same unwritten rule, first up chucked feeds in, but there was only 4 horses (1 being mine) so not exactly a chore!
I can see why you're pee'd off OP but i can also see how the others have ended up relying on you, there's always always at least 1 who doesn't turn up till 11:rolleyes:
I would be a little smart and start texting the offenders every morning at 7am to let them know their horses have been fed, and i would only do feed not hay;) the early morning text may just help them get up and see to their own horses:D
 
But bigginge, unless I had spoken to someone I wouldn't expect my horse to be done, even if said person had been doing so for months. If someone is there before me, great if they throw the feed bucket in, but if they aren't down before me, that's fine too I'd lob their feed in. It's a different thing all together if you have spoke to people & arranged you do x for them, they do y for you.
 
As far as im concerned its DIY as the initials state.
I cba with this first up does the lot "unwritten rule" it sounds like its made for folks that cba getting up to do their horses where you are imo.
When i was on livery i had my own small barn and field for mine and i did them,i specifically asked for mines to be left out of these sorts of arrangements, the same with the, if it rains, snows and someone decided to bring the lot in rules, they dont melt :confused: and tbh some folks i wouldnt let lead my dog never mind my horses.
Some were rather aggrieved when i asked them not to feed or put mine out or in as i prefer to do ot myself, particularly as one of them could be a wind up if he thought he could take the pee.
If i needed something done with mine i'd arrange for it to be done with others i knew on the yard.
I made my mind up Years ago to step out of this type of thing,having had to help some poor wee novice who had fed all of the others with their pre made feeds panic when one of the horses choked, couldnt get the owner on the phone it was early morning,become distraught as the horse threw itself about and went down twice in the stable choking. We got the vet, but thankfully the choke had almost subsided when they arrived and the horse just needed injected and some more massaging of her oesophagus. The owner thankfully turned up at the same time as the vet or i dont know if the vet wouldve been able to treat without her permission, i assumed yes as choke is life threatening if bad so went for it.
So to those who think its a case of just throwing the feed over the door, if it all goes pete tong like it did that day, do you have the time to deal with it if the horse chokes and you cant get the owner ?
 
Ibblebibble said:
last time i was on diy there was the same unwritten rule, first up chucked feeds in, but there was only 4 horses (1 being mine) so not exactly a chore!
I can see why you're pee'd off OP but i can also see how the others have ended up relying on you, there's always always at least 1 who doesn't turn up till 11:rolleyes:
I would be a little smart and start texting the offenders every morning at 7am to let them know their horses have been fed, and i would only do feed not hay;) the early morning text may just help them get up and see to their own horses:D
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I like that idea! As long as you have unlimited texts on your contract.
 
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