Horse at training livery but treated a bit rudely by staff- moan!!!

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e21631

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Just a bit of a moan really- finally got around to sending my boy away to be broken, went to visit him today....

His training is progressing well and I am really happy with how he is being trained BUT..

Waited 2 hours to watch him work despite making an appointment to go and see him, hanging around in the pouring rain while they 'just did this one and that one first'
mostly ignored by staff in that time who stood chatting in a group at times, drinking coffee without offering me a drink.

After I had finally watched my horse work I was able to grab a very quick chat with trainer and asked when he thought I would be able to sit on him, and it occurred to me that this guy has absolutely no clue how well (or badly!) I ride so his answer is based on no knowledge whatsoever (he said something vague like 3 weeks-ish!).

I'm paying nearly £240 per week and expected better treatment
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What are other peoples experiences of having horse at (very expensive!) livery?? Do you think I should complain???
 
you should definately complain then move and bring him to me where you will definately be treated much better than that!!! So many yards just dont have customer skills and it is such a shame.
 
Sorry, but £240 a week??? For breaking in (as opposed to schooling for competition by a top rider?). Where on earth are you? Monaco?

FWIW I generally find its not worth dealing with people who are rude. Theres plenty of people out there you can give your business to who are polite!
 
I would not accept that level of rudeness. You are paying for a service and courtesy is part of that.

It seems terribly expensive too. I pay far less than that for competition livery with a top class rider!
 
No not Monaco, only Kent!! Lol!!

When I say they were rude they just ignored me (which is rude!), if I spoke to them they were perfectly polite.

Just feel quite annoyed really; I wanted to give my horse the very best start by sending him to a very good trainer. Wish I had waited until I had time to do him myself in the spring. If the trainer had bothered to ask me he would know I have broken quite a few horses before, and would have liked to be more involved
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If this is a professional yard - then you should most definately have been treated with more courtesy than you were shown. But, if they are doing a good job of the horse - then put their poor people skills down to experience, and know what to expect next time. I certainly wouldn't move the horse. Price wise - I'm sure it's about spot on. This is not full livery - it's breaking and schooling livery.

Next time you want to go and see the horse, phone up tell them what time you'd like to come. And once you've come to an agreement on timings tell him that that is when you want to see the horse worked - not two hours later.
 
Oh yeah... It's annoying when someone is doing your horse and they don't offer much back. It's a very important and exciting time for you, so I would move and make the whole process better for both you and your horse, because if you don't know there way of thinking, how can you expect to carry it on yourself!

Besides, way too much money!
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Definatly complain. That is really expensive aswell, i'm in Yorkshire and I paid £90 a week for breaking livery, including all feed, front shoes, stabled at night out during the day, and all ridden work. They were happy for me to come see my horse at any time, I didn't have to make an "appointment". It also included them helping me out when I first started riding him, as he is my 1st youngster.
 
Hiya!

It's difficult and i've been on both sides, as an owner you do deserve to be treated with a bit more respect, but from the staff's point of view they don't know you from Adam, and your just another customer to them and one who isn't a permanant one either. They aren't directly working the horse, thats the trainers job, so although they should be polite, I can see why they haven't bent over backwards. Did you make an appointment to see your horse worked at a certain time, if this is the case your horse should have taken priority. I take breakers in to my place and charge £100 - £150 per week depending on the horse, so I do think your paying over the top. When my clients want to see their horses worked I normally ask them to make an appointment at a sensible time, and leave an hour or so free to work with them. I would not expect other yard staff to intervene, offer tea etc. as they are there to do yard and the other horses. It's another difficult thing when your asked by an owner when they can ride the horse themselves. I normally like mine to have a good couple of solid weeks under saddle with me and a few other of my riders on them before the owner gets on, as there's nothing worse than an owner sitting on their horse for the first time and the horse panicking from a new rider being introduced.
 
I agree with HH - £240 per week is a lot of money - I was quoted just £10 more per week to have my youngster backed and started by a top rider with high level placings at National level dressage. When my gelding went away to be schooled by a listed judge and rider it cost me half what you are paying and I got almost daily texts and calls to update on progress, a formal weekly summary, the kettle was always put in for me and I was treated like visiting royalty. The whole process was treated as a professional arrangement and I was given the sort of treatment I'd expect as a client. I was not treated as an inconvenience.

Please let them know how unhappy you are and remind them that you are paying for this service.
 
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You are paying an awful lot so the least you deserve is friendly staff!! Move i would...

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She's not paying to be talked to, or offered coffee (however nice it might of been), she's paying an awful lot to have her horse broken in and schooled on. Well!
 
If you don't care for your customers you don't deserve to have any. Simple as that.
I would take my horse away and tell them why. It's not just that they ignored you, they didn't keep the appointment and they aren't involving you. Plus, they are bl**dy expensive!
 
I disagree that £240 is too expensive. Thats about £35 a day, which is fair considering time, facilities, insurance, keep, etc. It is alot of money but it is a realistic fee for the service of backing/bringing on a horse.

However the attitude is apalling and very unprofessional. I would definately complain but as the horse is ok i would probably wait until the horse is home. I am sceptical and wouldnt want my complaint taken out on the horse. Next time i visited i would make it clear that i was short of time, to avoid having to wait. Disgraceful disregard of a paying customer
 
Yep I made an appointment to visit my horse; I don't expect to be treated like royalty but also don't expect to be left standing about like a spare one at a wedding!

My point about asking when I can ride the horse is that they don't know, and have not asked, how well I ride. If I had only been riding weekly at a riding school then the answer to that question will be different to if I have been eventing at advanced level.
 
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If you don't care for your customers you don't deserve to have any. Simple as that.
I would take my horse away and tell them why. It's not just that they ignored you, they didn't keep the appointment and they aren't involving you. Plus, they are bl**dy expensive!

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I absolutely agree with you. But if the horse is being 'done' well - then to be honest, it's not the end of the world (however rude it may have been).

But now that the OP has been through this experience once - she won't go through it again. Because she will tell them exactly what she expects when she arrives. If it doesn't happen - then it's time for a re-think.
 
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My point about asking when I can ride the horse is that they don't know, and have not asked, how well I ride. If I had only been riding weekly at a riding school then the answer to that question will be different to if I have been eventing at advanced level.

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I can't imagine they have any interest in what level or rider you are. As far as they are concerned they are breaking the horse in. And providing there are no problems it's then over to the owner. The owner will know whether it's up to bringing on a youngster. And if they''re not, there will be a presumtion that there is a jockey available to continue the work.
 
Yes I will make it clear next time that I want to watch my horse at the time of my appointment, and bring a flask of coffee!!

I have to say that they are making a good job of breaking a sharp little horse, hence I am happy to pay the money as he is one of those that could so easily go wrong.

just wanted a little more courtesy, manners cost nothing!
 
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My point about asking when I can ride the horse is that they don't know, and have not asked, how well I ride. If I had only been riding weekly at a riding school then the answer to that question will be different to if I have been eventing at advanced level.

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I can't imagine they have any interest in what level or rider you are. As far as they are concerned they are breaking the horse in. And providing there are no problems it's then over to the owner. The owner will know whether it's up to bringing on a youngster. And if they''re not, there will be a presumtion that there is a jockey available to continue the work.

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They should have an interest in the owners riding ability! What point is there to backing a horse in and riding it on then handing over to a complete numpty to ruin all your work and then blame you for doing a bad job. And if the yard was professional it would want to have a seamless handover and educate the owner how they have trained the horse so there are no problems, or as few as possible. They shouldnt presume anything! I would NEVER back a horse and then just hand it back to the owner, no questions asked. That is crazy to me!
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I can't imagine they have any interest in what level or rider you are.

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Well that's abundantly clear Lol!!

How will they know when the horse is at a suitable level to send home?
 
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I can't imagine they have any interest in what level or rider you are.

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Well that's abundantly clear Lol!!

How will they know when the horse is at a suitable level to send home?

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What have you asked them to do exactly?
 
How much per week?? Thats a lot of money in my eyes!! I am all for paying someone to do a good job if you think you can't, but with that much, they should have treated you better - after all, its your money that they are earning! Oblivious yard personell springs to mind, not intentionally rude however.
Surely, some better communication is required so they know who you are/what you do and the level of knowledge that you have? From this, they should know what they are aiming for in the horses early education. I swear its not rocket science!!
If I were you, I'd write a polite letter stating your experience and that you would like better feed back?
All the best
 
Why is it that quite a few people in the horsey game from Yard owners, instructors ect through to complimentary treatments, seem to have ZERO people skills and seem to be such ignorant ill mannered arseholes.
 
imo the horse is the customer and as long as his training is going well that would be my main concern.

i would mention to the trainer that you have a busy schedule and don't really want to be hanging around on the yard- next time you go why not get him to suggest a convenient time?

i wouldn't be worried about the staff- when i worked at yards it would never cross our minds to chit chat and offer coffee to visitors.
 
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I can't imagine they have any interest in what level or rider you are.

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Well that's abundantly clear Lol!!

How will they know when the horse is at a suitable level to send home?

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What have you asked them to do exactly?

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Get the horse 'started'
The horse is the client, but so am I
 
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Blimey... wonders if she could "borrow" the empty stables at yard and start backing and breaking......... gets out calculator!!

I worked for a top dressage rider for a bit, if he had clients come for lessons we all used to offer to help them untack wash off their horses and then always invited them to either help themselves to tea (if we were daftly busy) of make them a cuppa..... its all part of the experience... we were never told to do this..... maybe we were just nicer people........:)
 
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