Fuming WWYD?

[glamourpuss]

Now I'm absolutely seething here but aware I might be over reacting so some realism would help.

I have 4 horses at home. I've just been away for the weekend, the girl who usually helps me with my horses wasn't available to look after them. A mum at the school has a business looking after dogs, cats & horses for people on holiday.
I booked her & she came over for a run through of what was expected etc. One horse can pull when being led in, I'm fine with a headcollar but he does have a stallion chain or a chifney. I asked her if she was ok with this & said yes 100%
Friday night I call home & find out that when she was getting in the horses, the 1 that can pull & his field friend got away from her. They galloped off down the drive towards the road. Luckily a neighbour before the road heard them & headed them back!
She was then unable to catch them & my non horsey husband & non horsey neighbour had to catch them.
At this point I'm concerned but husband said he would keep an eye on her on Saturday. Fast forward to Sunday & I get a message from my husband telling me the horses had escaped from their fields.
Luckily they had just put themselves into one of the spring fields & were safe. I contacted her to find out what had happened, she said that she had DEFINITELY turned on the electric fencing, but my husband had his doubts because it looked like one of them had leant on the fence to get to the long grass.

I got home last night. The stables were ready & whilst they were mucked out lovely, there was about half the Haylage in there that I'd shown her to give them! So they must've been bloody hungry 😡
She also didn't give them the hay in field I told her to.
Also all the soaked sugarbeet had been used up but not topped up so I had no beet to feed last night.
This morning one of the horses that had galloped about is very sore in front, I am booking the vet because he has had previous suspensory issues.

Now I'm so angry at this person's incompetence, she has sent me a text to say that she hopes I had a lovely weekend & that my invoice would follow.

I'm so cross that when I pay I'm very tempted to put a letter in stating that I am very disappointed in the level of service she has provided, that I won't be using her or recommending her & telling her the reasons why.

Now my husband says this is just unnecessary & to just pay the bill & leave it. So what would you do?

 

[3OldPonies]

Perfectly understandable that you are fuming - I think any of us would be. Especially if her business is looking after animals. I would be enquiring about her insurance cover and if your horse has injured himself while in her care looking into making a claim on it. Even if you don't actually end up making a claim, it might reinforce the fact that her care has not been totally up to scratch in this instance.

As to the rest of it, there's not really a lot you can do apart from fume and thank your lucky stars that your non-horsey OH and neighbour didn't get hurt as well catching them all when they escaped.

 

[popsdosh]

Just pay the bill and put it down to experience! Chill and try to relax! What will be achieved by writing the letter,to be honest it would have been better to call her straight away and had a moan .

 

[cbmcts]

I wouldn't bother with the letter - I can't see that it would make any difference. It's not like you're going to give her another chance is it? You could just text her back and express your disappointment in brief.

Obviously you won't recommend her to any one that asks and so many of these businesses are built on word of mouth so that is punishment enough.

After having a tricky to handle horse I've discovered the hard way that while a lot of people will tell you that they are experienced, have ridden/had horses for many years etc there are many of them that have never had to deal with anything that is anyway sharp or difficult and that those type of horses scare them. So they don't have a clue what to do when it all starts to go wrong. No excuse for not feeding them properly though, you'd think that anyone would know that hungry horses are a pain to deal with!

 

[ihatework]

Pay up and leave it.
Whilst I wouldn't be looking to use the services again, you never know when you might need her in a dire emergency.
At the end of the day you can't prove she didn't turn electric on - and if horses don't have any other secure boundary then maybe you should evaluate that risk further. She was obviously not experienced enough to handle your horse (who let's face it must be pretty rude to lead). Annoying yes. Worth getting into a feud over, no!

 

[limestonelil]

Hope everything turns out alright with the sore neddy after a few days.And hope you have recovered from your very understandable fury - is that too strong a word? I would be more than cross. I can see that just paying up is the easiest way, but the future implications if she really cannot handle horses could be mega. Hope she is insured adequately.Bit worrying about the feeding too, tbh. Maybe she is more used to dogs and cats.
Basically I suupose I don't know what I would do in your situation, and will follow the thread with interest.

 

[glamourpuss]

It will be interesting to see what the final bill comes in at. We had agreed a price per hour & how long everything would take. Based on that I have an idea of what I should be charged.
However it appears that she was at our place for much longer than agreed....would I be within my rights not to pay any additional costs unless she can justify them?

 

[Goldenstar]

Did you leave written instructions ?
If not you just can't expect people to remember amounts of hay etc on one training session .
I would leave a written step by step checklist for someone who did not know the yard including dumb stuff like check electric fence is turned on .
My list includes stuff like a description of each horse it's name and relevant stuff about it included any lumps and dumps Tatts, bay white face and socks , nervous may be difficult for a stranger to catch and what it's best to do if he's difficult .
The standard of handling skills will vary enormously with a free lance like this ( did you watch her catch up your horses unaided before leaving her in charge )especially one who is not a horse specialist and I don't think you can hold this against her.
I think you probably ought to have arranged help for catching up as one of the horses is known to be difficult even if it was the non horsey OH .
I would step back before burning your bridges and think what could I have done better .
Horses also have an uncanny knack for waiting for you leave home before doing stuff like jumping out of fields ( one of mine did this never jumped out before or since )and turning out and catching is always a trouble point when people don't know the horses and the horses don't know the person .

 

[Goldenstar]

It will be interesting to see what the final bill comes in at. We had agreed a price per hour & how long everything would take. Based on that I have an idea of what I should be charged.
However it appears that she was at our place for much longer than agreed....would I be within my rights not to pay any additional costs unless she can justify them?

Would just add it always IME takes a freelance far longer to do what you ask them than you think if they don't know the yard and they are trying to do a good job .
I have learn over the years you need expect it to take extra time .

 

[glamourpuss]

I did write down instructions, I also sent her another text on the Friday morning just confirming what had been agreed. The Haylage was easy, I showed her the wheelbarrow, how full it should be & each horse was to have 1 wheelbarrow full (usually do a late check where I top up Haylage & water so I'd upped the amount to ensure they wouldn't run out)
This was shown, written down & mentioned in the text.

The session was also to show how the pulling horse was so she could decide whether she was sure she could handle him ok. If she thought he was too much I was happy to put him & his field mate out in another field & they could've stayed out. & she could've just given them their Haylage/feeds & checked them, she was adamant she could manage him. He's not actually bad to handle, he will just tow you along if he thinks he can get away with it. I've never known him try & get away!
The time scales I asked her for, I told/showed her what needed doing & she told me how long she thought she would take.

I appreciate all this info was missing from my OP but it was turning into a ranty essay 😂

Thank you all for your input. Sometimes when you are angry it's hard to be subjective & I didn't want to do something unreasonable.
I think I'll pay the bill (provided it isn't ridiculous) & leave well alone. I think I'll only ever go away again if my usual groom can do it 😂

 

[Merlod]

If instructions weren't written down then I agree it will be a lot to remember in one session. Is it possible she may have forgotten which horse was the bargey one and didn't put the chiffney on. When I had a girl look after my horses I wrote down EVERYTHING on a list and included pictures of the horses too.

Horses can be more testing with new handlers, it was probably a combination of the horse pushing boundries and possibly the handler not using the chiffney. I'd also be concerned that your horses can run straight from the field to the road.. perhaps it's time to put up a gate to contain the yard, especially whilst your horse is difficult to handle.

 

[twiggy2]

a wheel barrow full of hay is not really an exact amount-in the rare event someone else does my mare I make up haynets that are to emptied into the hay bin in the stable or field, I make up feeds in individual lidded tubs to be soaked so noone has to measure them out, I also write a check list that is somewhere it will be seen before the person leaves the yard.
frustrating about the horses getting loose but maybe he was on his toes and behaved badly due to being handled by someone new-same for being caught maybe it was easier for your husband and neighbour as the horses felt more relaxed with them.
I would not use her again but would leave very clear instruction for another person another time.
I used to house sit for a few people and for those with goats that needed milking I used to do the goats once weekly so I was milking regularly and the goats knew me and I knew the routine and would pick up on a change in behaivour in any animal. I also used to do the yard/house round once per month for the other people I house sat for-it made life easier for me and reassured the owners that everything would e fine when they were not home-it was especially important for people with dogs that were known to be less than friendly on occassions

 

[unicornystar]

Be polite enough to give her some constructive feedback as to why you probably don't feel able to use her again. If your chap needs a chifney (but you manage without) then sounds tricky sort for someone who doesn't know him at all anyway.....I would be looking for someone more "horsey" in future, rather than "pet" minder

 

[unicornystar]

Hope everything turns out alright with the sore neddy after a few days.And hope you have recovered from your very understandable fury - is that too strong a word? I would be more than cross. I can see that just paying up is the easiest way, but the future implications if she really cannot handle horses could be mega. Hope she is insured adequately.Bit worrying about the feeding too, tbh. Maybe she is more used to dogs and cats.
Basically I suupose I don't know what I would do in your situation, and will follow the thread with interest.

she may have said she was experienced with horses but you needed to dig deeper on that experience as anyone horsey would and should know to soak some more sugarbeet for you...

 

[SusieT]

To be honest - you have a badly behaved horse - he misbehaved when you were away. This is not her fault. Did you watch her handle the horse to be sure she was happy?
Half amount of hay- well that's just a misunderstanding
Not topping up the beet- did you ask her to?
Turnout on electric- did you check if it was turned on?

 

[SusieT]

ps- and re amoutns you should have agreed a grand total if you had a length of time in mind . it normally takes new freelance people 1.5 times the amount of an owner who knows where everything is to do stuff. And if you have a rude horse to lead that escapes should the freelance have to pay or should you have trained your horse better? Just to play devils advocate..

 

[glamourpuss]

My horses can't usually run straight from their field to a road. The field they are in is an electric fenced paddock (combination of wooden & plastic posts, double strands of tape) within a bigger field which is hedged & has a gate. It would appear that she has either left gates open or he got away from her as she crossed the drive, but if she didn't have him under control why did she attempt to cross the drive? Who knows!
Incidentally the drive is 1/4 mile long & there's a gate (which had definitely been left open - but then we often do when we are home) & another 1/2 mile of private road...so it's not like our set up is straight onto a road.
The tricky horse was the bay, the only bay compared to 2 chestnuts & a grey.
I appreciate what people are suggesting regarding our set up but there honestly hasn't been any issues before...so I kind of assumed it would be fine again.

 

[ester]

Op didn't have a length of time in mind the freelancer told her how long it would take. Also she wasn't there so how can she check if the electric is turned on or not??

Op accidents with horses do happen and they wouldn't be the first to kick off as soon as you went away! It does sound like she was a bit overhorsed on this occasion though.

 

[Gentle_Warrior]

pay up, don't mention it and don't go away again ! or at least move the horses so they can stay out, more for your peace of mind rather than someone else's capabilities. Horses take the mickey out of new people handling them. Not entirely her fault in my eyes if they got away whilst leading. But then I would not of done the 2 together or played safe and used a bridle on both, no matter how good the owner said they were..

I would of also of left the haylage and feeds made up ready so there was no doubt, just a case of picking a pile or a bucket up and giving to horse. When people cover for you when not there, they will never do things the way you want to. I had to get over this if ever I wanted a night off. I always leave everything ready and follow up with a text. and for me it is fellow liveries !!

less stress all round

 

[Tiddlypom]

Was she expected to lead the rude horse along with the other one? Couldn't she have brought them one at a time, or did you instruct her to bring them in together? I wouldn't be happy letting a new person lead a horse which 'might' need a chifney.

I'm with others in that I leave extensive 'mickey mouse' instructions detailing everything that needs doing. And agree, that a 'wheelbarrow full' of haylage does sound rather imprecise.

It can be very tricky to find competent and honest freelancers. Was she correctly insured for the work she does, or does your own insurance cover freelancers?

Anyway, I hope that the lame horse is soon mended.

 

[Littlebrownhorse]

Op accidents with horses do happen and they wouldn't be the first to kick off as soon as you went away! It does sound like she was a bit overhorsed on this occasion though.

Agree with this, some horses like to try it on and it just sounds like an accident to me. It is a bit annoying that she forgot the beet but then we can all forget things like this from time to time, she made an effort with the beds which suggest that she was trying to do a good job.

 

[glamourpuss]

He is not badly behaved. He will tow you along if you let him. He doesn't fling himself around! I manage him fine in a headcollar, the other girl that helps me prefers a stallion chain for safety, I also had a chifney available for her to use. The chifney is not used regularly but I know for anyone unsure of leading a horse that could be considered 'tricky' it's nice to have one available particularly if you don't know the horse that well. He has NEVER escaped before for either myself or the other groom I use.

I demonstrated what he was like to lead, I asked her if she felt she could manage him. IF NOT she didn't have to & he could stay out. She told me she was 100% happy to bring him in.

I physically SHOWED her how much Haylage to put in the wheelbarrow. The written instructions & text were just a reminder. IMO there was absolutely no excuse for under feeding my horses.

My post wasn't to have the set up of my home & how clearly I wrote out instructions scrutinised, I was just wondering whether I should write her the letter or query a higher than expected invoice.
The letter is considered unnecessary so I won't do it. The invoice I will wait & see what happens there.

Thank you all for your input.

 

[WelshD]

Any one of those things could be filed under 'just one of those things' but a few errors from a professional would make me annoyed too, the only thing that I wouldn't think twice about would be the sugar beet as so many people use the quick soaking stuff these days it could be that they didn't think it would be a problem

I'd get the invoice through and see what was charged for, it may be that she will knock a bit off for the bodge up she made with the escaping horse

If the invoice was for the full amount I would probably pay up for a quiet life but I would be clear about why she wouldn't be given any more business from me

 

[fatpiggy]

As with any service you should get feedback from other users before committing to use someone - for all you knew she had only ever chucked some hay out in a field while the owners were away. Whenever I went away, whether I used a private groom or a friend did it, I made up all the feeds and bagged and labelled them, and since I had 7 haynets, those were all prefilled too plus I would leave a note of the required weight and a set of luggage scales to use. Accidents do indeed invariably happen when your back is turned. I went away for a few days leaving my girl and my adopted pony (owner couldn't be bothered with her) in the hands of my very experienced friends. Mine was fine but after 2 days I got a text to say the pony had been kicked quite badly but they were dealing with it. In the 5 years I cared for her it was the only time anything ever happened to her. Incidentally, the worst "service" I ever had was from a so-called friend who whenever she left her horse in my care insisted I did a full dig-out of its shavings bed every day (as if I would do otherwise) and then when doing mine which was on aubiose so only need a skip out every day and a full barrow out after 5 days, waited until the day I was due back, dumped a full clean bale on the top and thought I wouldn't notice that the bed was squelching under my feet. So after a 9 hour drive I had to spend a further hour emptying my stable and saving what I could of the bed. I also found out that morning feeding times had been erratic to put it mildly because so-called friend had been bladdered every night (it was Christmas) and couldn't get up in the morning. That was the last time I spend Christmas with my family.

 

[Fiona]

I really feel for you OP, I'm sure you were worried the whole time you were away which sort of defeats the purpose of going in the first place

I've had two tricky to lead horses before now, made more difficult by the fact that the only tried it on about once every six months so v v hard to predict whether there would be a problem or not.

I'd pay up, but would I must admit be very tempted to enter into a dialogue with her as to why she tried to lead the horse in a headcollar (was the rope round his nose even) but the other mistakes were annoying rather than dangerous so I wouldn't mention them.

And obviously wouldn't use her again....

Fiona

 

[9tails]

Does this lady have horses? Had horses? Because if she doesn't, she probably won't know how to use a rope over nose, stallion chain or chiffney.

 

[glamourpuss]

I think whoever posted that one of those things could be seen as one of those things....but all together it is a deeper concern.
Fiona you are 100% right the worry after the Friday did take the shine off my time away.
I think it's more upsetting because this isn't some friend helping me out, this is supposedly a professional freelance groom, whom I am paying for a service (& not lower rate I might add) If a farrier/saddler/vet made lots of errors then I'm sure no one would suck it up or put it down to one of those things. I believe that if you are a supposed professional then you should do a professional job.

Instructions should be followed & care taken. Ah well live & learn (& not go away unless my usual groom can do it!!)

 

[tashcat]

Write a letter, stating absolutely everything you feel and how angry you are - do not hold back! Then rip it up and bin it.

Whilst her service was less than adequate, nothing can be achieved from a letter. I guess (very frustratingly!) lesson learnt.

 

[pansymouse]

I would say something and I would expect a reduced invoice; I don't stand for poor service wherever it comes from.

 

[popsdosh]

I know I will be getting my head bitten off ,but the more you fume on here wont help you it will just wind you up more .
I suggest you either text said person back and say your not happy, as them having texted you has left it open or you have to put it down to experience. Really its them you need to deal with as this lot on here cant really help. I think if they send a large invoice and then question it they could rightly say why didnt you mention it before.