Jericho
Well-Known Member
Have a slight problem that I need some advice on? A nice girl (teenager) in my village was showing lots of interest in my horses and she started helping me out and was desperate to have her own shetland. I talked to her about all the committment and discussed with her parents and eventually we agreed that if she helped me with my two she could keep her pony at mine and pay for any hay / feed and all other costs i.e. no livery fee. All fine until she has started saying that she is very unhappy living in the country with her parents and wants to move back to where they used to live and live with her sister on a part time basis i.e. for a week every other week. She has said that her very non horsey mum would look after her shetland and continue to pick up poo but I really dont feel comfortable with her mum looking after my rather nervous TBx mare as she has no experience of horses let alone big ones so I would still be checking them all the time and having to tell her what to do. The girl however was working out really well and was looking after them perfectly when we went on holiday and I 100% trust her with both of mine! So what do I say? Should I start charging her livery fees? And what would you charge? I manage the grazing, 24 hr supervision and have stables for emergencies, sort out all vets/ farriers/ hay delivery / feed / worming - all in return for her poo picking daily and feeding/ watering (they are all out 24/7) on the odd day here and there when I am away working. I do understand that she is quite sad at the moment but I really dont 3 horses to look after and I dont like being taken advantage of ! Also I am conscious come winter it is going to get much harder work. I gave her the opportunity because I would have severed my right arm when I was her age for someone to offer me the same opportunity so I thought I was being nice..... ho hum. Anyway I do want to point out what - in the real world - she would be paying....so any advice pretty please???
