Help! Am I at a bad livery yard?

[katy79]

Hi,

I'm new to this forum and new to horse owning (well I've had ten years off from owning a horse). I recently purchased a great horse and have had him on full livery at a local yard. I'm been there about a month, but i've got serious doubts about the quality of care he is receiving.

I check and ride him every day, but I notice his bed is damp and not proper mucked out (I think they just skip out once a day and do a bit of rearrangement, a strong ammonia smell pervades the stable). Twice now I've found unexplained scratches and grazes on him, which none of the yard staff had noticed. But today I went up and found him missing a shoes, which again no one had noticed (and no attempted was made to find it, even though i would think it could pose a threat to other horses in the field). They don't appear to pick his feet out when they bring him in from the field and they are often hard packed with mud and stones when I come up and do it. I feel this is unacceptable for a full livery arrangement, what are your views?

When I have challenged the yard staff about this, they seem to think I am expecting to much. Before getting my horse I did BHS stable management 1 & 2 evening course to refresh my memory after not having horses for 10 years and they seem to think that things are not done to that standard in the 'real world'. To a certain extent I agree, but damp shavings and feet not picked out? Surely this is a basic requirement?

 

[Lozz1uk]

Sounds fairly shoddy for full livery. Mine is checked over every day and if she has got a cut i get a phone call.

 

[Twiglet]

If I'm honest, it sounds unacceptable but is pretty common from a lot of full livery yards. When they have a lot of horses to do - and guaranteed income from it - they can tend to cut corners and not do the job properly. The two things you've mentioned - bed not done properly and feet not picked out - are two easy ways to cut corners.
Not noticing a missing shoe is a massive error - they should have noticed something like that instantly.

I'd say definitely talk to them about it - especially the feet issue, as this isn't you being fussy, it's about your horse being well cared for and comfortable.

Are there any other yards you can move to nearby?

Don't doubt your own levels of horsecare - you know what you want and need for your horse, and it's the yard that sounds as if it's the problem.

Welcome to the forum by the way

 

[katy79]

Thanks. Nice to know it not just me. At the moment I really concerned about leaving him there when I go on holiday, in case anything goes wrong and no-one notices

 

[ISHmad]

The bed smelling of ammonia would REALLY worry me. Horse's sense of smell is soooo much more acute than ours, so if you can smell it it must be really bothering your horse. And of course this isn't good for your horse's health in term sof his respiratory system etc. And not picking feet out etc is just downright lazy.

The attitude of the yard when you mentioned it to them doesn't inspire me with confidence either. Time to look for a different place perhaps?

 

[Fairynuff]

I would start looking for somewhere else without telling them. If they are not bothered about the basics now, I hate to think what will they would be like if they know your thinking of leaving! Youre paying for a sevice that your not getting.

 

[spaniel]

Echo that. You need to move somewhere else. This isnt acceptable for full livery.

 

[JM07]

sounds like you are at a yard near to where i live!!!

i suppose there could be 2!!

echo others, try and find a nicer, more value for money place to keep your horse.

 

[Llwyncwn]

What does it say in your contract regarding the level of care your horse would be getting? If it states full muck out and feet picked out then you can wave the contract in their faces

Did you tell them from day 1 the level of care you would expect from them?

Maybe its just teething problems/settling in, but if not I would certainly start looking around to see what else is on offer.

 

[Paint it Lucky]

I agree, it dos not sound acceptable, for full livery your horse should be getting fully cared for and proper mucking out and feet picking out are some of the most basic things, at my yard even the part liveries get this done for them! I would consider moving, there are plenty of yards that will look after horses properly, it is lazy and bad service if people don't and you and your horse shouldn't have to put up with it.

 

[merlinsquest]

I feel that some of the problems could be sorted, ie not noticing a shoe missing is a bit lax.

However amonia smell could be unavoidable..... I keep my horse on straw with rubber matting and no matter what I have tried, I cannot get rid of the amonia smell. Green Gloop by the gallon, Reosan, that powder you sprinkle (not bin fresh)!!! you name I have tried it.

Is it that the bed is damp because he has had a wee since they mucked him out etc???

I went from DIY to part livery and kicked up a fuss because I thought he wasnt getting fed (no bucket in the stable like the other horses) felt a bit of a pratt when I was told that they had to remove it immediately or he kicked it to bits!!!!!!

Not that I am trying to say you are wrong but sometimes it seems bad but isnt really.

 

[igglepiggle]

I'd move

 

[nicknack]

I wouldn't be too happy

* I may not pick feet out daily, but I'd expect full livery to!
* untreated cuts/grazes and I'd like to be informed
* I'd want to know my horse had lost a shoe so I could check the damage and get the farrier booked asap!
* Ammonia smell is hard to call on without seeing size/cleanliness of bed

Have a look round at other yards to see what else is available, but have a wish list of the services that you would like to see provided.

Good luck

 

[Sparklet]

I have keep always kept mine DIY, however I have been on several yards where full livery it also provided. Practise varies at each yard and what you get should be written into your contract. On your specific concerns at my current yard:

Beds are perfect (better than mine!)
Feet are picked out and rugs changes when brought in.
Scratches/grazes are ignored unless they need treatment.
Lost shoes are reported to the owner (quite often lost because the owner has neglected to get the farrier!) and they are left to retrieve lost shoe and sort re-fit.

At my last yard:
Beds were bl**dy awful
Feet were not picked out, rugs were changed - however not always to an appropriate weight
Only legs hanging off were reported to owner
Which lost shoe?

Each yard is different though.

 

[evsj]

Move!!

It sounds like a poor service and I know it happens alot but there are some really good yards out there with staff who do take pride in their work. If I was paying full livery and getting this sort of service I would move.

 

[sundance]

Move pronto, it will only get worse when you are away. If you cant move before try and get a friend to pop up without warning!!

 

[Vicki1986]

The bed situation - unacceptable.

the feet picking out - acceptable - i am on 5 day "full" and my ponies feet arent picked out. i go up nearly every day so it doesnt bother me and i love the yard im on so such a minor thing is just that, minor.

weigh up the pro's and con's. talk to then about the poor mucking out - they may have a staffing problem or the management may not be aware the grooms are doing suchg a poor job. if nothing changes id move. basic care to me is what id expect and that equals = clean good bed + food + water + gentle care + good first aid when neccessary
those are my most important points for livery followed by other things like safe turnout of course

as for scratches etc im not sure about others but the geldings at our yards are always playing rough and coming in with bumps and scrapes they have a very laddish herd culture totally the opposite from our very ladylike mares who plod around avoiding mud all day so this may not be there fault

 

[Capriole]

i had my horse on full livery when i first went away to uni, cost me a fortune and when i got back to visit him i wasnt happy with the care he was getting and he looked poor (hard to do with my horse), so i went to speak to YO and ask for a better bed and some hay, i was threatened with violence and told if i wanted more bedding and hay the price would go up,, i said it was expensive as it was and was told to move my horse there and then.
i tlod YO he was paid up for the next 2 weeks and would move him then (time to find new yard).
the next day the YO's wife was on the phone apologising and asking me to stay on but i found somewhere better in the next couple of days