Full Livery - bring in, am I being unreasonable?

stormox said:
I think its totally ridiculous and dangerous to bring horses in and out through paddocks containing other horses. Stupidity really. surely the electric tape could be organised so there is a walkway up the middle with paddocks off each side?
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Absolutely.

OP the fact you are on full livery is irrelevant (IMHO) this is about safety not what you think is/isnt included. Your horse could get injured in this situation regardless of who is leading them (as could the leader)

I would stick with the safety aspect when complaining as essentially that is the problem, facts always make a better arguememt - better than trying to prove whose job it is
 
I'm always on part/full livery and if i needed it would expect to be able to ask for my horse to be brought in earlier.

I generally don't as I'm quite hands on and my yard manager is more likely to get a text saying don't worry about finishing off/bringing in as i'm up later but it is an option. I did it a while back for the vet as the horse had to be dry and rain was forecast so even though I was coming up for the vet I wanted him brought in an hour before to dry off.

One yard I was on, the route to the fields was very muddy and slippery and on a slope. There were liveries there who paid for full livery and it wasn't part of the deal to have to negotiate this so would always ask the yard to bring their horses in at a certain time when they were riding. It wasn't a problem for the yard as it's not extra work, they would have had to do the same a bit later.

They were paying alot of money for a certain type of livery which people may or may not approve of but if you offer that type of service then it should be provided without eye rolling or being made to feel awkward..
 
I wouldn't be happy leading through field with other horses. If they start fighting YOU might get hurt let alone the horses.
Ask nicely to move fields or have a walkway, failing that would YO be prepared to bring in as and when required for you then? You need to ask first as to know what reception youll get.
 
If I was ever in a position where I had to keep my horse on full livery, it would be because I couldn't be there when I needed to be through work or other commitments, so therefore I would expect a reasonable (or even unreasonable!) request to have my horse brought in for vet/farrier/dentist to be accommodated as part of the service. And I would most definitely expect my reasonable request to be met with a smile and good grace to my face, even if the staff hated the sight of me and slagged me off in private behind my back!

Too many yards (specially the posh ones where most are on full livery) have an attitude that they're doing you a favour and you should be fitting in with their requests, not the other way round. I realise that yards must have their routines, and a disruptive livery should be dealt with appropriately, but too many treat you like you're an inconvenience when you come to visit your horse!

I agree wholeheartedly with your concerns about walking through a field full of strange horses - I was at a yard once where the YO left her uncastrated colts in the school during the day, and I had to walk my mare through the school to get her in at night. She was always making empty promises to have them in before dark, but three nights out of seven I'd have to run the gauntlet. I lost count of all the screaming arguments she and her OH used to have about it (and other things) in front of us all.

This is why I love my little DIY yard where everyone helps each other out! We buddy up for turnout and bring in, and a lot of them will take two or more to the field, but I'm too safety conscious to consider it, and too old and worn out to get involved in a brawl!
 
I have a couple of grass liveries who share a field divided by electric tape as unfortunately they do not get on if in together but I have it arranged so each owner has her own entrance also I always deal with the vet or farrier for them no extra charge so no OP you are definitely not being unreasonable, as an aside I think its very dangerous having tape that isn't electrified they soon pick up on that
 
As a business your yard had a duty of care towards their "customers" and their belongings (horses) and to comply with relevant health and safety at work legislation (if they employ people) therefore they must take all reasonable steps to minimise the risk to their employees. I've been on a yard where the situation you describe was the norm and there were countless times were there was complete carnage and accompanying visits to A&E or visits from the vet. One horse was fatally injured. Never again would I entertain such a set up.
If I'm paying full livery even as a one off I would not be expecting to bring my horse in for the vet, that's the service that I would be paying for.
 
OP, as others have said, you are the customer and although its sometimes a cringe making statement, the customer is always right. Speak to your YO as soon as you are able to. That yard manager should not be rude to you, or make you feel uncomfortable. She or he should be professional enough to not convey their personal feelings.

For what its worth, I am going to buck the trend and say that I have to lead my horse through a field where there are sometimes other horses to his turnout. To be fair, they belong to the YO, are a tiny section A and a shetland pony, who my horse knows very well. Never had an issue, but to be honest I would baulk if there was say a new livery in there, as our yard, where I have been for over 8 years has a very established and long standing clientele. Mind you though, there is always a first time, but at least they run away from my cob when he walks through the field.
 
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