How annoyed would you be?

FestiveSpirit

FestiveSpirit

Well-Known Member
Joined
20 March 2009
Messages
10,715
Visit site
My friend has just rung me to rant! She pays her YO to do her horse each weekday morning, and arranged with the YO that the horse would be brought in during the day every day this week. So last night she left the stable ready, complete with feed.

She went up tonight and found that her horse had not been brought in, had not been fed this morning, and was out in the field in the pouring rain without a rug on. She had to put a rug on the wet horse as more rain is forecast where she lives for overnight, and she could not leave him in tonight as he needs to be in tomorrow for the farrier.

She was absolutely spitting about the YO, she hasnt been at the yard that long and the YO has always been really good up til now. The YO wasnt in when my friend was at the yard, and hasnt yet returned her phone call.

On the one hand I can understand her annoyance, on the other hand I suppose the horse wont die of not being fed one morning and not having a rug on for one day. What do you think? My friend is threatening to have a right go at the YO when she finally speaks to them, but I'm not sure I would if it was a genuine mistake
confused.gif
 
Id be pretty annoyed, if I was paying someone to do something and it hadnt been done...
mad.gif

BUT on the other hand I have a Coblet and dont really have the issue of bringing in etc as she lives out all year , but I can understand if I had a fine breed and was out all day in the rain when it was suppose to be in
smile.gif
 
I can understand her annoyance but I think she needs to find out if it was a genuine oversight so would advise a slightly aggreived/concerned approach.

Maybe see if in future there is somewhere to write requests down so he doesn't get overlooked/forgotten about? Thats what happens in our yard - there is a sheet you fill in for Turn out/rugs/feeding/farrier etc that way the YO checks for what needs to be done and there is a record for any 'mistakes' and also for charges being added to your bill - especially when horses/owners needs change all the time.
 
I would find out why it hadn't been done before I ranted. Imagine if someone had died or if the YO had been in a car crash - you'd feel terrible! It is still blooming warm round here despite the rain so I can't imagine the rug issue is a particular problem - mine is still out 24/7 rugless...

If the YO did not have a decent excuse I would calmly make my displeasure known, and if it happened again I would ask if I could employ a freelance groom, and if they said no, I would probably move.
 
She has a TB too (sorry, too as in I have a TB as well
grin.gif
) so it does tend to feel the cold & shiver
crazy.gif
I mean I dont doubt that they wont charge her for today, but she was making out that she wasnt sure whether she could trust them now to do her horse in the future
confused.gif
 
In view of the fact that the YO can't be contacted, I wonder if anything has happened to her?

On the other hand I would be annoyed if I had asked for and agreed to pay for a service that then hadn't happened.
 
I can understand her annoyance but no, it won't harm the horse. I would suggest she ask nicely why her instrcutions had not been followed before having a rant. There may well be a reasonable explanation, and it may just be a one-off incident.
 
I thinka refund on her next bill is in order.

She paid for a job to be done ...and her horse was not see to as agreed...end of discussion.

She dosen't need to shout at her though... sometimes just plainly making your fellings clear in an adult fashion does the trick.

I would certainly tell the yard owner that wish to discuss this hiccup with her in greater detail, and leave her under no ilusion that if I paid for it I would expect it to be done otherwise don't take the money for a job you can't do.

A sensible discussion is the way forward me thinks..
 
[ QUOTE ]
I can understand her annoyance but I think she needs to find out if it was a genuine oversight so would advise a slightly aggreived/concerned approach.


[/ QUOTE ]

Perfectly summed up here for me, what slinky said
grin.gif
 
It seems that I'm not alone in my thoughts, I was trying to tell her to calm down a bit before she let loose
grin.gif
She did ask other liveries whether everything was OK as she thought there might have been an accident or something but apparently they said that the YO had been around earlier and seemed absolutely fine
smile.gif


I might give her a quick ring back now and see if she has calmed down a bit
tongue.gif
grin.gif
 
I can understand her annoyance as I have had a similar situation a few times. I havn't ranted though, ever! My tact is normally....''um is there a reason so and so had no breakfast this morning?'' the answer is always ''errr no......sorry.....there isn't a good one!'' followed by more apology and what they will do to fix/remedy the situation. I think that is a bit more tactful (bearing in mind there could be a serious reason and not just they forgot) and also makes them think about it because they don't feel cross at being shouted at! I do sometimes think things at my yard go wrong or don't get done too often but at the end of the day we all make mistakes and it happens on every yard. My worst nightmare would to be on a yard where the YO/YM didn't admit their mistakes and tried to cover them up or put me at fault for them...that would make me angry!
 
I would have a conversation, but not go off on one. If I were the friend, I also wouldn't rug up a wet horse, as I believe he would be more uncomfortable that way - I would either leave out unrugged, or bring in to the stable.
 
She reckons she has rugged wet horses before and they have been fine - on the basis that wet and warm is better than wet and cold
confused.gif
Not sure I agree with her about that, but then everyone thinks they know how to look after their horse best I suppose, I know I do
blush.gif
tongue.gif
grin.gif
 
A hot steamy horse can't cool itself off, a horse's warming mechanism is far better than it's cooling one. TBs love being drama queens, but really, it is still summer (albeit and English one) and it is not cold enough overnight to worry IMO.
 
Seems like a bit of an over reaction - even YO's make mistakes LOL.

Why didn't she just pop the horse in for an hour to dry off before putting the rug on?

These things happen ocassional, but there's no point getting your knickers in a twist.....
 
I guess if i were in her shoes, the only thing i would be worried about is whether or not everything else I was paying YO for was being done. But if there were a lot of happy liveries then I wouldnt over react. Yup, think a calm conversation was in order. Glad she got it sorted.
 
Crikey Emma - which bit of the UK are you looking at!? Mine is determinedly growing a winter coat, and I've dug my fleeces out!!!

I'd check with YO if there was a reason first - if it were mine I'd asume she'd been a cowbag and refused to come in for someone 'different'
 
if it helps your friend my current yo has..

re done a tendon injury on 1 of my horses,

and given another colic.

thoose are the biggies..

the main issues we all have as liveries is that we are over the yo barrel so to speak. we kick off .. we get kicked off. peronally the things id like to do to my yo are not writable, BUT

i put up with it all.. for the 24/7 turnout
the indoor/outdoor schools
the indoor stables
the washing/drying for the horses (i compete all year so this is important)
some where to store landy and trailer..

see as i say.. im over a barrel..

my advice would be to in a jokey/light heated way make a very subtle point.. you pay for a service and you expect it, your the paying customer after all.

if that fails stay quiet and look for a new yard.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top