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

Marydoll said:
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 ?
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This is exactly one of my worries. Last week one of the horses charged out of its stable and was cantering around the yard and into the fields. I managed to trap him in the school where he just exploded running around and I kept thinking he was going to jump the fence. I had to watch him until he calmed down and I could put him away again, but that's not something I have time for, or I really want the responsibility of if he'd done himself damage and I couldn't get to the owner! All because of bleedin hay net, wasn't even interested in his breakfast!

Your point is also why I'd rather always feed mine myself - as she had had choke before.

I can't get others to hay her as a favour for me, as it's soaked overnight and I think they'd tell me to sod off if I told them to pop it all in the haynet, rinse it off, leave it to drain and then hang it up for me :p:p:D
 
I think you need a yard meeting. Its unfair that you have to feed the whole yard because you get up in the morning to look after your horse. Its unfair that the other owners have taken advantage of this and come late, leaving their horses to stand in.
However, having taken on the job, the other liveries, not unreasonably, assume that their horses have been fed. I would have texted one or two of the others to let them know that you couldn't get there because the horses don't know why breakfast is much later and its stressful whe the routine changes.

So, have a meeting, organise a rota so everyone has equal responsibility and make a yard rule that all horses must be attended to by their owners/carer by a set time in the morning.

Its my pet hate, lazy owners who don't roll up until late.
 
What a silly yard rule!!

There is no way I would have time to do any thing with any one elses horses as am up at 5.30AM to just sort out my two before returning at 6.30 to do them in the evening.

If friends/neighbour's ask me to do any thing then that's fair enough but as you say - some one is paid to do this!!

I have never heard of this rule - sounds like its years old when there were maybe only one or two people on the yard....

Stand your ground girl (but explain in a very polite way!!!!!) some thing like - due to new commitments at work - you are only going to have time to do your horse in the morning but do not expect any one to help in your absence. Dont mention the two incidents that have cropped up x
 
I used to get really hacked off at a yard with this rule. I put the feeds in, then people would abuse it by asking for extras (could you put a hay net up as well as the feed, an excuse for 'so I can have a lie-in'), or getting snotty if you hadn't fed early enough for them to ride.

I never left a feed to be put in, my girl therefore never expected to be fed as soon as person turned up. When people are so ungrateful they don't deserve it (ours NEVER thanked you for doing it). I used to thoroughly resent having to get up 30 min earlier on a work day to do all the feeds, so those who started work later than me got their neds fed. Just because I started earlier than them (not even that early, was at yard ay 6.30am), I did not see why I should have to loose 30 min sleep to feed other peoples horses when the owners couldn't even say thanks. I'd never go to a yard with this rule again.

In the same situation again, I would chat to the YO, then make it known that you are a livery just as they are. You are not beholdent to make sure their precious ones are fed. If they want to make sure, they should come down themselves. If they want to ride at a certain time, then get their backsides out of bed & get down there at a suitable time to feed. It's amazing how their horses suddenly aren't the centre of their universe when it comes to having a lie-in.....

And yes being first down your always the one having to deal with over night calamities, phoning owners, making you late for work as they can never be sorted in 5 mins.
 
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stargirl88 said:
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 ;)



Hmm, this is what I'm concerned about. But I'm there at sillyAM and ridiculousPM so could possibly avoid awkwardness!
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Fair enough. Maybe we are lucky, but I don't think so, a bit of compassion, give and take and communication is why we get on. It doesn't take much for everyone to just talk to each other surely? We even offer to do each others horses on weekend mornings so people can have a lie in, it works both ways as then I know if I can't be there for whatever reason then I can ask someone else to help me out.

And FWIW we've had horses escape (as they do), it doesn't take that long to round them up, the owner will apologise later for having a pain in the bum horse and then we all have a laugh about it. that's horses for you...and as for the 'what if they choke', this makes no sense to me, I've had horses for I don't know how many years and only known 1 to actually choke properly. If one did choke that I had fed I'm fairly sure no owner in their right mind would blame the person who put the bucket in, should we all be sitting in the stable all night in case they choke on their hay? What if you walked in and one of them had managed to cut it's leg or got cast, the same reasoning applies, if you can't get hold of the owner and its an emergency you would call the vet or should we all absolve any responsibility for anyone elses horse? Not much of a society there is there.
 
Bigginge said:
And FWIW we've had horses escape (as they do), it doesn't take that long to round them up, the owner will apologise later for having a pain in the bum horse and then we all have a laugh about it. QUOTE]

Really??? I don't think I'd be having a laugh at 5.30am when I have to leave by 6 so that I can get to work on time!

As with a lot or working horse owners, my free time is precious and scarce, spending it looking after horses that don't belong to me is not my idea of fun. One or two as favours and swaps is good for most of us but the whole yard every week day morning? You're having a giraffe.

What might be fairer if there're more than, say 5 horses, is for a rota to be drawn up so that X amount of people arrive at the same time to do the feeding. Now, who wants to join me (and all those others who have to do this) at 5.30am, eh?
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Duh.... The rule is who ever gets up to the yard first! So okay, you're that person most days but how dare the rest of the liveries expect you to do it because you normally can because of your schedule. In anycase, the lazy b*tches should be up early enough to check on their own horses for it not to be a big deal anyway. Tsk. They are taking the P. And why should you have to text them if you're not going up early? Cheek! It's DIY. Not assisted livery with you doing the morning feeds FOC. Grrrrr..... feeling cross on your behalf! :mad:
 
We have a first there feeds unwritten rule too but as one of the liveries is always there between 6-6.30 in the week (before me), I do them at the w'ends so she doesnt have to rush up. It's only fair.
 
I think they are relying in you too much.
But can understand why they were a bit peeved that their horses wernt fed as expected.
A text would have helped.
I know they were not planned latenesses.

Can't they leave feeds out side their stables with haynets tied?
This is what happens at our yard and the first person there Maybe( usually me) puts feeds over doors and throws hay net over.

Remind everyone this is an updates favour.
Either get them to repay you some how or stop doing it for them.
The person doing livery doesn't sound great either
 
I used to always be first up at previous yard and so fed all the horses as that was the deal...

However people started getting arsey with me when I told them I had to start getting there even earlier (630 am) as my shifts at work had changed. They didnt want me to feed their horses that early (as didnt think it fair for them to stay in stables for 2 hours after I had fed), but they also didnt want me to feed my own as it wasnt 'fair' on the rest!!!! Probably wrong but I just chucked their feeds in and said I had been there nearer 7.... Probably should have told them to feed their own.... Thank god at a private yard (still DIY) where we help each other out, but still do our own thing.... But yeah most DIYs I have been at expect 1st up to feed.....
 
Blurr said:
Bigginge said:
And FWIW we've had horses escape (as they do), it doesn't take that long to round them up, the owner will apologise later for having a pain in the bum horse and then we all have a laugh about it. QUOTE]

Really??? I don't think I'd be having a laugh at 5.30am when I have to leave by 6 so that I can get to work on time!

As with a lot or working horse owners, my free time is precious and scarce, spending it looking after horses that don't belong to me is not my idea of fun. One or two as favours and swaps is good for most of us but the whole yard every week day morning? You're having a giraffe.
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No it's not much fun at 5.30 (and I'm happy to join you at that time) but it's not like it happens every day or every week or even every month, and if it does you've got bigger problems than who is feeding them. If mine got out I'd like to think someone would round him up for me as I would do for them.

Which brings me back to my original point, no it's probably not fair for one person to feed every single morning but if you're not happy about it then talk to the other liveries, OP was seemingly happy to do this until this recent event, if she doesn't speak to them then how are they to know she is feeling put upon?
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We have this rule too. Although I am never the first one up. Theres a woman on the yard who goes up at 5.30 and another lady who goes up at 6am on the weekends. I never exepct them to hay her too. Thats taking the mick! I leave the feed already made outside so all they do is chuck it over. There are a couple of people who leave hay out though, but never a net which needs to be tied. Some liveries will just leave a section of hay under the bucket which gets chucked in with the feed.

At my old yard I was usually first up on weekends. So fed all 7.
 
Bigginge said:
Fair enough. Maybe we are lucky, but I don't think so, a bit of compassion, give and take and communication is why we get on. It doesn't take much for everyone to just talk to each other surely? We even offer to do each others horses on weekend mornings so people can have a lie in, it works both ways as then I know if I can't be there for whatever reason then I can ask someone else to help me out.

And FWIW we've had horses escape (as they do), it doesn't take that long to round them up, the owner will apologise later for having a pain in the bum horse and then we all have a laugh about it. that's horses for you...and as for the 'what if they choke', this makes no sense to me, I've had horses for I don't know how many years and only known 1 to actually choke properly. If one did choke that I had fed I'm fairly sure no owner in their right mind would blame the person who put the bucket in, should we all be sitting in the stable all night in case they choke on their hay? What if you walked in and one of them had managed to cut it's leg or got cast, the same reasoning applies, if you can't get hold of the owner and its an emergency you would call the vet or should we all absolve any responsibility for anyone elses horse? Not much of a society there is there.
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Well good for you, if you can make the time to deal with others runaway horses before your work thats great, some of us dont have the time :) and tbh its very unusual for horses to choke on forage, its nearly always hard feeds so i for one wont feed a yard if i cant stay to make sure theyre alright, thats common sense to me, as for someone elses horse bleeding in a stable, if im not in their horses stable i wont see it, id be to busy seeing to my own before work to look over others doors.
 
I used to be at a large yard with this rule. Not all were DIY and owners lived on site. I was usually the first one on yard, so was faced with about 38 spread over various yards/barns to feed, including the owners own horses and the full liveries. Like other people on here, I would have to allow an extra 20 mins or so to feed all these and still leave time to do mine (just 3 back then) and get away to catch train to work. Owners used to roll out of bed and onto yard about 9.30. I didn't so much mind feeding the DIYs but silently seethed over feeding the owners + the full liveries who were paying them to look after their horses. Sort of yard where it was pointless to try and have a sensible conversation about it with YO - you'd be out on your ear! Hasten to add, not there now!
 
LaurenBay said:
We have this rule too. Although I am never the first one up. Theres a woman on the yard who goes up at 5.30 and another lady who goes up at 6am on the weekends. I never exepct them to hay her too. Thats taking the mick! I leave the feed already made outside so all they do is chuck it over. There are a couple of people who leave hay out though, but never a net which needs to be tied. Some liveries will just leave a section of hay under the bucket which gets chucked in with the feed..
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This !

I'd look at having a yard meeting and say that you have recently had a couple of instances where you have not been up as early as normal and it has been brought to your attention that people are relying on you.

Point out that the rule is first one up there does the feeds, this may normally be you but it doesn't make it your responsibility and you cannot be expected to text everyone if you are going to be late.

Say you generally don't mind doing it, but that it is time consuming, and that you should not be expected to open the horses door, that feed and hay should be left outside the stable and if it can't be thrown over you won't be be putting it in.

Say you don't want to cause any ill feeling but if people aren't happy about it then you are happy to not feed their horse so that they can be sure that it is fed at a time of their choosing.

This should stop people sending snotty texts, but if not then simply say "thats fine, I'll not feed yours again then you know exactly whats happening"
 
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My last yard had the same rule, 40 odd horses spread over 3 barns! I got up at 4:50am to get the horses done so I could get home, showered etc to hen drive to the train station to get the 7:20am train!!

I would put buckets over the door if left outside or sections of hay but I refused to do nets or any special faffing for lazy arsed owners!! One new livery kept leaving, nets outside so I just put the bucket of feed in and one evening she asked why I wouldn't put a net up for her as she wanted a lie in and didn't want to have to come up early to turn out!! How I never stabbed her still amazes me, but when I explained that the reason I am a funny grey colour and that my eyes look like they have been bleeding is because I get up a 4:50 am every day to get done so I can get to work - and that if I didn't have to feed 40 odd horses I could probably have an extra 15 mins in bed every morning!!!

And then when it snowed, knowing that I was there first they'd all ring or text me saying "can you just....this or that". "I can't get there til later because of the snow". Really, we'll I got here and I still have to work so guess what "NO"!!!

Some people really just don't "get it" do they?
 
I guess I've not had it so bad seeing as some of you are on massive yards with the same rule!

Well I've just sent them a friendlyish message to clarify things, and I'm now going into hiding to grow a backbone!
 
I'm usually third up of about seven, despite the fact that I live nearest, as that's what fits with my domestic and work routine. We all sort our own which means that everyone seems to arrive about 8am at the latest (bit later at weekends). If I am first up it's because I have an early meeting to get to so the last thing I'd want is to have to faff about with other people's horses. Mine doesn't get fed in the morning, just turned out with a big haynet and I wouldn't expect someone to have to turn him out for me. I would certainly want paying if I was dealing with everyone's horses day in and day out!
Good luck OP - let us know how you get on
 
Sundae said:
I used to always be first up at previous yard and so fed all the horses as that was the deal...

However people started getting arsey with me when I told them I had to start getting there even earlier (630 am) as my shifts at work had changed. They didnt want me to feed their horses that early (as didnt think it fair for them to stay in stables for 2 hours after I had fed), but they also didnt want me to feed my own as it wasnt 'fair' on the rest!!!! Probably wrong but I just chucked their feeds in and said I had been there nearer 7.... Probably should have told them to feed their own.... Thank god at a private yard (still DIY) where we help each other out, but still do our own thing.... But yeah most DIYs I have been at expect 1st up to feed.....
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How ridiculous. People must have very sensitive horses. We all fed and turned out/brought in different times. Not one had an issue with that (horse or owner). Would only do others if asked and was a private arrangement and would work both ways. I've yet to be on a yard with that rule. Thankfully now all are at home!

And feeding a couple of hours before standing in stable... so?! It's something that probably breaks their day up a bit!
 
I was at a yard for a while but we kept it all very DIY. Obviously we helped one another out eg. I would text person A and say I was running behind could they chuck hay over etc. or if someone was quite a bit later than usual I'd text and check everything was ok and offer to do their neddy.
We'd never have dreamt of expecting each other to do things. They're taking the Micky and you need to stand your ground OP. You're already going above and beyond.
 
If I was the first one up and people were leaving feeds and hay nets out and I was in a rush quite frankly I would go spare! DIY, the clues in the name... Everything else on my yard gets breakfast before mine in the morning as I am usually the last one down (as I have about a million other things to do first), he copes and is probably one of the most relaxed horses on the yard, once they know their own routine they are fine!

OP I would be really annoyed - don't bother doing it!
 
Now I'm not one for overstating the intelligence of horses but they are bright enough to know who feeds them and if or when they get fed. Some horses on my farm get hardfeed, some do not. Sometimes some get hardfed at certain times of the year and then at other times these same horses do not get fed. It takes about 2 days for them to figure out that they may have been getting feed a day or so ago but now they aren't. I still find this rule ridiculous and if I were ever on a yard like this I would not be happy at all if I found someone feeding my horses. That's my job!
 
I'm on on similar thing here. I have 7 out of 9 stables and then 2 horses belong to others.

I feed mine early. I do not feed the others. Those other horses handle it just fine. As do mine when hers are fed before mine in the evening. So I don't understand this whole, first one in feeds. Because one person is always going to be tagged the feeder and one only.

I know, I know, everyone has the special horse who gets really annoyed if he's left out. So then work around it. I'll be honest, I thought mine would freak if they heard others getting feed before them. Nope, not bothered in the slightest. But then all of us keep them well hayed.

So seriously if these are the rules then a schedule needs set up and everyone needs to play by the rules. A weekly chart made and everyone has to play. What they've done is decided you can be the feeder so no need to get out of bed. If someone gets flip about it then sort out giving horses hay until people can be bothered to turn up til feeding. Either way you need to sort it out together. This is how the bitchiness starts.

Terri
 
On our yard we have the same rule whoever gets there first puts feed in prepared by the owner night before and left outside the stable. Then they will have a haynet again left soaked and ready by the owner. I would be annoyed if I was you too as you are all DIY liveries you are not employed by the yard to do the chores.
 
I'm absolutely staggered at the number of people on yards who have to feed everybody else's horses as well as their own, and even more staggered at the number of people that have never been on a yard that doesn't expect first up to feed!

I wouldn't even consider going on a yard with this rule - my time with my horse is precious, and I chose to have the one because one is all I have time for.

I'll help anyone out who's in a fix about turning out, bringing in etc etc but I certainly don't have the time or the inclination to feed and hay the 28 horses on my yard before I go to work, and I wouldn't dream of expecting anyone else to do mine - she's my horse, my responsibility. Furthermore, the "early shift" on our yard rock up about 5.00am, and I certainly wouldn't want mine fed at that time then have her wait till 8.00am before I got there to turn her out - she'd be climbing the walls!

We all help each other out when needed - only yesterday I ended up bringing seven in because YO wants to cut down on the grazing hours to preserve the fields - but as we've seen, this kind of ridiculous rule encourages the lazy-arses to get even lazier. And every yard has at least one!
 
diamonddogs said:
I'm absolutely staggered at the number of people on yards who have to feed everybody else's horses as well as their own, and even more staggered at the number of people that have never been on a yard that doesn't expect first up to feed!
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Indeed, this is the first yard I have ever been on with this rule. Don't think I'll be doing it again ;) or, maybe, everyone should all stop being early birds?!

Just a little update - I let everyone know via message my thoughts about it, and only one person replied saying (in a nutshell) that she's would be fine to go up, but, I do it because I'm first up there - if I cant do it let someone know..................................................................................................................................... :rolleyes:


I'm going to chat to the yard owner in a moment to see if I can leave at the end of this month instead of next!
 
Were you planning on leaving anyway?

If so , then irrespective of what the YO says then I would just stop feeding the other horses.

If you are only leaving because this situation has come to a head, then I would suggest explaining to the YO that other people expecting you to do thier horses and some of them being "snotty" with you when you have not arrived earlier enough to do their horses has made you want to leave. See what the YO says, they may have a word or even change the rules if it is causing such problems.

Good luck whichever, and do post and let us know how you get on.
 
stargirl88 said:
Indeed, this is the first yard I have ever been on with this rule. Don't think I'll be doing it again ;) or, maybe, everyone should all stop being early birds?!

Just a little update - I let everyone know via message my thoughts about it, and only one person replied saying (in a nutshell) that she's would be fine to go up, but, I do it because I'm first up there - if I cant do it let someone know..................................................................................................................................... :rolleyes:


I'm going to chat to the yard owner in a moment to see if I can leave at the end of this month instead of next!
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Obscene!! Nonsense! I would just be inclined to say can you pretend that I am never around and please dont do any thing to my horse as he's my responsibility and has also started to kick and bite so dont want to risk any ones safety. They'll here the message loud and clear!! Poor thing ;-(
 
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