How should I leave yard help!?

[Foxtrot Filly]

After the great advice you all gave me yesterday on my ‘Yard Worries advice needed’ post I was spurred on to act quickly knowing I wasn’t a fussy livery and the yard where I am at now is just awful! I went after work to see if I could find any local yards and went for a drive I found a absolutely lovely yard only 2 min drive from my house (didn’t know it was even there!) and better still there is space for me to move asap and assisted DIY perfect!

So now question is how would be best to move? The general consensus was yesterday not to give notice and go asap (yard where my boy is on part/working livery is awful *see my post yesterday ‘Yard worries advice needed’*
I am concerned about giving notice as I think his standard of care will drop more and I also am not very good at confrontation which I am sure I will get if I say I am not happy with what they are doing and leaving!
So I think I have 3 options really:

1) I was thinking (which someone suggested yesterday) was to get my partner to drive (I can hack to new yard not too far) and collect stuff and just go off for a “hack” leave a letter stating reasons why I am leaving and just go (I am usually only one at yard from 5.30 onwards so could just go and leave fairly easily) hack will take about an hour so should be ok for light still.

2) I bite the bullet and say a few days / a day before I go that I am not happy and leaving and hope they look after him ok for the day or so it is and just deal with the confrontation saying reasons why I am leaving.

3) Lie and say I am moving for other reasons eg want diy (this yard does not offer this) and closer to house, and give a weeks notice out of courtesy try and keep thing amicable as have no contract written or verbal and just hope there is no confrontation and he is not looked after any worse during this time.

I am leaning towards 3 or possibly 1 but not sure? Or any other suggestions I am open to help!?

Again sorry for the essay!

 

[Rudolph's Red Nose]

Sorry havent read your other thread but I would just say you are leaving this weekend, you dont have to give a reason - pay what is due if you are on a weekly or monthly contract and go.

Its Wednesday so you have 2 days to pack up your bits and pieces and then you can be gone and to happier days

Good luck.

Edited to say ....

Just read your other thread - would still say you are leaving, you dont have to give a reason. Pay any owing monies - but pack up your stuff at same time you give notice as you may find things go "missing" and hack off into the sunset ...

 

[LaurenBay]

I would go for option 3 IF you can get down there youself atleast once a day, that way if they do get funny and drop his care you are around to make sure he is hay/fed/watered. Not ideal as he is on full livery and you shouldn't have too. If this did happen I would just got for a "hack" and not return. Alteast then you have done the right thing with the notice.

Glad you found somewhere else

 

[Emilieu]

3

 

[Littlelegs]

I think firstly they don't deserve notice, because they have breached their side of the contract by not providing necessary care. Iirc you are paid till end of sept. So I'd go for option 2, but tell them on the day, & not leave either horse or equipment there unattended once you've told them.

 

[noodle_]

If they are batty (didnt read your other thread) just go....!


However i always give a weeks notice when i leave a yard (no more as i dont feel this normal practise..) and then go, generally try for good terms....


If they are nuts however and you know they will turn nasty - just go....

 

[AmyMay]

Give notice today, politely and pleasantly (citing yard nearer home as reason) - move on Saturday. (You will still need to pay your months notice though, obviously).

 

[Tinsel Trouble]

I think it's only polite to let them know that you are moving, it doesn't have to be confrontational- just say that there is a yard right next door to your house and you miss him being so far away.

Make sure you are paid up and take a box of biscuits to thank them. You may not be pleased with how they have looked after your horse, but it's a very small world, and you don't want a reputation for being a mardy mare.

 

[noodle_]

just read your other thread.......


go for a hack - leave a letter and make sure you pay for a weeks notice or whatever your notice period is...


i woludnt be leaving my horse there...!

 

[Wagtail]

I am going to go against the grain here (despite being a yard owner myself), and say go for option 1. They have failed in their duty of care towards your horse. A letter can explain things far more easily than verbally, where there could be a nasty argument. In the light of your other thread I would definitely go for option 1. Normally I would say give a month's notice and leave on good terms, but given the way they have failed your horse and effectively taken money from you and not provided the services you requested, they do not deserve any notice.

 

[galaxy]

do you pay monthly up front? Is you do that that is the notice period legally you have to give regardless of whether it is in writing or not.

However as long as youve paid it, your horse does not have to be there. I would paid all moneys owed and probably do option 1. I would not want to leave my horse in their care.

 

[Honey08]

I would leave politely on Saturday, but I would leave them a letter saying you didn't want to fall out with them, but the reasons you are going are because he was not being rugged/turned out etc as agreed, even after you asking several times. Tell them that its a shame, as you liked their yard. They ought to know. It may also make them pull their socks up before they lose other liveries and may help other horses there get better care.... Im normally one for giving a month's notice, but if the horse's welfare is being compromised and he is old and losing weight, then you must do what is right for him.

Good luck in your new yard.

 

[Wagtail]

I think some people are answering this having not read your previous thread. This yard has taken the OP's money and not provided the services she asked for for her horse. Horse was not rugged when cold, did not have adequate food and has lost weight. He was also not being turned out as requested.

 

[Foxtrot Filly]

With regards to notice period I have no contract written or verbal at this yard it was only agreed when I moved at the beginning I would pay a month in advance on the 1st of each month.

So I have paid for September so If I were to move this weekend/ next week I would have paid up until the end of the month and presume I would not owe any more???

 

[AmyMay]

I do agree with the letter, however I would send it after I'd left.

Option 3 is a much less stressful way of doing things to my mind.

 

[Rudolph's Red Nose]

With regards to notice period I have no contract written or verbal at this yard it was only agreed when I moved at the beginning I would pay a month in advance on the 1st of each month.

So I have paid for September so If I were to move this weekend/ next week I would have paid up until the end of the month and presume I would not owe any more???

Personally I would say no you dont owe any pennies so go ...

 

[galaxy]

With regards to notice period I have no contract written or verbal at this yard it was only agreed when I moved at the beginning I would pay a month in advance on the 1st of each month.

So I have paid for September so If I were to move this weekend/ next week I would have paid up until the end of the month and presume I would not owe any more???

Legally (and a solicitor I know confirmed this when we were talking about someone I know leaving their yard) you have to pay one month from the date you give notice.

However the yard may not chase you for it.... and they have broken their contract to you by not caring for you horse adequately. If you chose not to pay any more money I would do option 1 and write in the letter why you feel they are not owed it. If you do option 2/3 you may find they will not allow your horse to leave until they get the money.

 

[Foxtrot Filly]

Legally (and a solicitor I know confirmed this when we were talking about someone I know leaving their yard) you have to pay one month from the date you give notice.

However the yard may not chase you for it.... and they have broken their contract to you by not caring for you horse adequately. If you chose not to pay any more money I would do option 1 and write in the letter why you feel they are not owed it. If you do option 2/3 you may find they will not allow your horse to leave until they get the money.

I supose technically when I moved I was told it would be £set ammount weekly but I choose to pay a month in advance to make it easier than having to pay weekly. So would that be a weeks notice?

I also feel I have sent a lot of money with them and not getting what I have paid for at all!

 

[Umbongo]

I supose technically when I moved I was told it would be £set ammount weekly but I choose to pay a month in advance to make it easier than having to pay weekly. So would that be a weeks notice?

I also feel I have sent a lot of money with them and not getting what I have paid for at all!

In that case I would go for option 1 and send them a letter once you have left! They have broken their contract with you.

 

[be positive]

I agree with wagtail, they have broken any contract by not caring for your horse, I would leave on Saturday, they should consider the payment until the end of Sept as your notice, if they do decide to try and enforce a further months payment threaten to counter claim.

 

[galaxy]

I supose technically when I moved I was told it would be £set ammount weekly but I choose to pay a month in advance to make it easier than having to pay weekly. So would that be a weeks notice?

I also feel I have sent a lot of money with them and not getting what I have paid for at all!

ah, well if you agreed weekly and paid monthly I have no idea....

 

[Tinsel Trouble]

ah, well if you agreed weekly and paid monthly I have no idea....

It's a monthly contract. a weekly amount was agreed, you asked to pay a monthly rate and they accepted. The terms of the contract changed to month-by-month by agreement with both parties.

 

[Hackie]

I'd leave, asap, and tell them why (on the day I'm going, so no effective notice and no chance for care to deteriorate, things to go missing etc).

They have been paid for the end of the month, you can write that money off and they can consider that the notice period.

If they demand you pay a months notice, then you've already told them that they've broken the contract themeslves, so you've communicated why you won't be holding up your notice period.

 

[lachlanandmarcus]

ah, well if you agreed weekly and paid monthly I have no idea....

If you agreed weekly but just paid your weeklys monthly for ease then you dont owe them anything.

If the neglect is clear and proveable, I would remove your horse and tack pronto and advise them in writing that you have paid all necessary monies. State in addition that the horse is being moved because of the failure to perform their side of the agreed contract.

Keep a copy of the letter. That way, if it ever comes to court with them trying to get more ££, it will be clear that you stated the failures of care at the time, and didnt only start to claim them once they threatened court action.

Good luck with your move and with a better time ahead for your horse

 

[wench]

Very tough one... it depends on YO's stance. However I think you would be right to remove as much of your equipment as humanly possible. However, you will have to leave saddle/bridle there, as if the horse is supposed to be on working livery the YO can obviously complain he cannot be ridden without the tack.

Without a written contract, you dont really have much to say that YO "broke" the contract, ie its not set out in black and white. I know verbal contracts have the same standing as written, its proving them thats the problem.

Requests such as feed my horse, put a rug on it would probably not construe a verbal contract.

However, I believe you are right to leave in a way that is as least stressful as possible, and as above, tell YO thanks for the time spent here, but I am moving as I have found a yard very near to my house. Then point out you have paid up until the end of September, but would like to move your horse sooner. With any luck she is not one of the screaming lunatics you hear of on here, and you can hack the horse back to his new yard.

 

[wench]

and also to add - really annoys me when you hear of livery yards like this that are quite happliy pocketing your money, and not providing the services you are paying for; ie leaving your horse to starve.

 

[Honey08]

I would take some photos of the horse in his stable, if you can, showing his filled legs and out without a rug if you can, plus note the dates that you have asked them to put rugs on or asked about his turnout etc - use these in your letter if need be. Also a photo of the condition of the horse - with a photo comparisson of before he arrived - use as back up proof as to why you have not had what you have been paying for. If you've paid to the end of the month you will be leaving them just over a week's livery. In an ideal world this is not enough notice, but if they point this out I would show the before and after photos and tell them that if they want to pursue the money you will be taking legal advice as you feel you have not had proper service for what you've paid. I expect they will leave it anyway - they sound pretty lazy. Hopefully it won't come to a row, you'll just leave.

 

[Christsam]

You will need to pay for what you owe contract wise but also be aware that that does not seem to work the other way!!!!!! I had problems at my yard (which was DIY and i did everything for my horse) and being bullied by another horse owner and the YO seemed to take her side. I said I would be leaving and would give appropriate notice (i.e. at least a week) to which they told me I had to move by the Sunday (this was Thursday afternoon!!!!!!) so just have a back up plan in case they turn nasty. Luckily I found a lovely yard who could take him by the Sunday and then, when it kicked off again the Friday morning where they wanted to stop me getting to my tack or anything i owned there, I got him moved that very day. good luck and dont worry and also be warned that my YO decided to try and tell me that they had not received my livery for that week so I OWED THEM when i handed it to them the weekend previous meaning that they, in fact, should technically have owed me money!

 

[9tails]

Get out and THEN tell them what a bunch of wazzocks they are. Don't pay another penny, I wouldn't be surprised if all the yards around know exactly what they're like.

I personally believe that leaving without notice is the least stressful way of going, because I wouldn't want to leave any horse in their care if they decided to be spiteful. They've proved that they're not interested in your horse's welfare.

 

[Christsam]

With regards to notice period I have no contract written or verbal at this yard it was only agreed when I moved at the beginning I would pay a month in advance on the 1st of each month.

So I have paid for September so If I were to move this weekend/ next week I would have paid up until the end of the month and presume I would not owe any more???

Reading your previous thread....get the hell out of there and dont pay anymore. If they have not been providing the standard of care they are meant to then you have every right. This is where no formal contract goes in your favour