I'm Lost For Words - What Do You Think?

Maesfen

Maesfen

Extremely Old Nag!
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20 June 2005
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How would you feel/what would you think if a livery told you in a note that they're going away tonight until Friday, but it's OK, the person they thought would feed/check the horses (mares and foals and youngsters, out 24/7 but been fed twice a day all summer) is busy so can't do it, but never mind, it won't hurt them if they're not fed for the next few days? Oh, and also, someone, no idea who, is coming to collect the dog tomorrow to take it back to rescue!

Before you reply (if!) let me say, they casually mentioned trip to me on Friday, could I possibly do the horses? Bearing in mind I have been lied to in the past but still have MUG in very large letters on my forehead, and with OH breathing down my neck that they are seriously taking the schmichael out of us, I said, no, not this time, we might be going away ourselves during the week, so they said they would ask X, no problem.

Trouble is, OH bumped into X at the garage this morning and jokingly told them they were a B******r not doing the horses for them - "But I haven't been asked" was the reply.
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Needless to say, the neds will get fed and checked by me but I do have a very nasty taste in my mouth!

I think that's taken callousness to a very high degree, what do you think?

Luckily, earlier this week we had already asked them to find somewhere else shortly as we really don't have the land to cope with all of theirs as well as our own; it always was a short term arrangement and I got a text yesterday to say they had found a place, moving very shortly! A big relief, don't like attitudes like that, least of all from a so-called professional.

I am shortly changing my name on here to - what else but MUG or Ever Been Had?!!
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I would try and stay calm and be glad they are moving off soon hopefully taking their horses with them.

nothing shocks me anymore with people Ive given up trying to reason with them just talk to the animals now !
 
It sounds to me like they knew you wouldn't let the horses go without food so hadn't attempted to ask anyone else. My friend has a livery yard and she had some people there like that. Would sometimes phone at 10 at night and say they wouldn't be able to get down to do the pony and if she had chance could she throw it a bit of hay (it was stabled at night). Needless to say she always did it because couldn't take it out on the pony. A good thing they are moving or they would continue to take the p***. Heaven help us if that is how "professionals" act.
 
This is appalling - where do these people come from? Poor dog - is he going back to rescue because they're going away? Presumably they can pick up another one and it's cheaper than kennels. As regards horses, how about a quick anonymous call to the RSPCA - people have gone away and left them, etc. Might at least cause some hassle. Also, if you know where they are moving to, warn the other person off. (Although you risk being left with the horses).
 
Exact same thing happened to me last year - neighbour phoned me asking to put her mare out with ours - no probs, I've got loads of grass she just one paddock. She turns up, turns out mare and tells me she is off that night for a week and I don't mind just checking mare everyday do I! I was bloody gobsmacked at the cheek - if only she had just told me she was going away I would have offered to have the horse anyway but it would have been nice to be asked first!
 
Bill them for full livery while they are away & when they return give them the bill & serve notice to quit the yard....however do not let the horses leave the yard until the bill has been paid...OK.
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I had this done to me - owner just disappeared and left me in charge of a veeery expensive horse and I had no idea she was going away for two weeks.
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She wasn't with me for long after that!

Some people, I believe, really do not think they are taking the p***. They are on a completely differeny wavelength and to my mind, haven't been taught respect or responsibility.

It isn't the horses' fault they were bought by numpty idlebums.
 
Thanks everyone for your replies. Glad it wasn't just me having a mad moment!

Dog was an addition we did not know we were having until too late. He's a lovely chap, soft as muck but while loose on the yard he scratched into and killed some young chicks and a couple of hens so we gave him an eviction notice! He originally came from a rescue the other side of the country which is why they tried to rehome locally, no takers. He has been my main grievance all along; it has been unfair for him to be shut in a box all night and only allowed out tied to a lunge line all day; unless I have taken him, he hasn't had a walk since the attack!

There is only so much warning you can do and I did it when I was rung up for a reference, so it's up to the new people now. All I can say is they won't take the pee out of them, that's for sure so it will be interesting to say the least! I'm not going to say anything else cos I don't want them to change their mind so the horses are here longer than needed, is that bad of me?!

On the plus side, I know where there is a cracking foal, possibly a yearling too, for nowhere near what they're worth if anyone's interested!
 
Yep - totally agree with the giving them a bill at the end of it. This happened to me in England and my response was to be totally polite to them when they came back, but I did present them with a bill for full care for the time they were gone.

Over here I don't even bother with hoping anyone will look after their horses - I purely offer full care pasture board because I know fine well most of them won't come up to see their horses for one month to the next. Perhaps an option for you?
 
Am I correct in thinking you run the livery yard or am I getting this all wrong?
If that is the case then as a client I would never put on a yard owner like that.
We went away for just over a week in August but I told the yo about it about 2 months beforehand and asked if they wouldn't mind keeping an eye on them for us while we were away. They are out at grass at the moment through summer and they check on them anyway as they filled water troughs etc.
Still I would not have dropped it on them suddenly and said oh oops we are going away blah de blah.
I also asked a few other owners on the yard to keep an eye on them for me. Everyone has my mobile number and I gave the yo a couple of others in case my phone was off or out of reach etc.
When I returned I said a big thankyou and gave them a small present for keeping a lookout for me.
I think needless to say you are better off without owners like the one's you are describing and good riddance to them I say!
Cazx
 
At last!!! Knowing them, no I am honestly not shocked! Good on you for getting rid of them - really wish I could have taken the dog, he's such a nice chap!
 
yes and no, right a bit, wrong a bit!

I have two horses here for a friend plus my own that I have full responsibility for, no questions asked, completely up to me. These I'm talking about have been here since June although I have known them since beginning of year (well, him years longer and his wife but this is his new partner, told you it was complicated!)
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They have a lovely stallion and some mares etc of their own, we have also had lots of mares here to be covered. They have paid a base rate plus extra for each visitor, does that make sense? Apart from helping out with scanning, catching, usual run of the mill things, hers have always been her responsibility; I have also done them all when they have been away, either at shows or elsewhere. I have not expected or wanted any extra payment for this cos I have had a free covering for my mare plus am in the process of buying a yearling filly from them at a more than 'kind' price; their way of saying thanks which I have been happy with up to now. A few weeks back, something happened in their personal lives and since then, it seems to have gone completely pear shaped and we've hardly seen her except morning/afternoon to do the horses but nothing else. Things that were promised to be done at the start of them here have not materialised, not that we're that bothered about, but it's been any excuse after another. We decided enough was enough of being taken for granted and gave them notice last week. The relief has been great!!
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this is why i gave up having liveries. once they know you'll do it, some people don't bother. very very infuriating.
charge them £5 per day per horse to feed and check them. tell them you saved them a fortune in vet's bills, averting colic from a sudden change in diet.
good for you, getting rid. poor horses, well done for doing the right thing for them, regardless of the people.
 
Right I understand now lol sorry the lol bit is because I got it all wrong. I understand though now and I can thoroughly agree with you about it being a relief under the circumstances because there is no way of knowing how it would have all ended up if they had stayed if you follow me.
I hope you get paid properly for all your hard work you have done in helping them and I hope all goes well with the purchase of the yearling too x
 
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