Is this common/acceptable YO behaviour?

Nightmare before Christmas said:
How strange. I sometimes go into my liveries field to check poo, weeds and water. I sometimes move the water bucket as the grass dies underneath so makes sense to move it often. I also check over stable doors at night to make sure horses are done. I sometimes will move feed buckets out if a horse is squashing/breaking them. Just part of running a yard!
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I thought this might be a possible reason for moving the water - so you don't end up with dead patches of grass.
 
We've got public footpaths over both the fields at our yard so the YO is the least of our worries! Actual I like strangers in the field with my nervous pony, it helps him socialise with new people in a non threatening environment. My YO walks the fields at least once a day and I'm thrilled she does - things magically get repaired and weeds topped without us even having to ask.
 
You say early on in the post that it took you ages to find a clean tidy and well maintained yard and the reason it is that way is that the YO is doing her best to keep it that way( although admittedly texts about an odd poo are ridiculously OCD). Liveries never see their yard and look after it quite how the YO would and if regular checks aren't done then problems don't get sorted. I have been in my liveries paddocks this weekend topping weeds and regularly inspect them, even my most reliable liveries sometimes are too busy to do their share of poo picking, water trough filling and often don't report when fencing is down . I found 2 big rabbit holes that needing filling in this weekend in 1 field so i know that if i didn't do these regular checks the field would be poorly maintained , full of poo and sometimes have no water. There are so many yards where the YOs don't give a monkeys about their yards as long as the livery is paid so i think i would feel grateful that she is bothered and also a bit sorry for her because her poo obsession is clearly driving her demented!
 
I think as you are on a livery yard the yard owner is entitled to go anywhere they want. I can completely understand your worries with a stressy horse though. I have one who fence walks and trust me anything can set him off. I can imaging trying to do best for your horse is making you stressed too. I would talk to the YO and see if she can understand your worries and explain the horse seems to be unsettled lately. Ask your YO if they have noticed anything like him knocking his water over or drinking lots or anything that is setting him off. The one benefit is the more the YO goes in the field the more the horse will get used to it and hopefully start getting less stressed.

I used to get annoyed at my previous yard but I rented the yard and fields as a whole and the owners were not horsey and had never owned any animals. I would sometimes find they them in the field cutting the hedge or spraying the thistles without asking first but it only took one polite conversation to ask them to let me know when they wanted to do it and I'd move horses to other field. Their kids on the other hand were a nightmare until they grew up - I'd often find them running around in the field and was terrified they'd get injured.

Check you are covered for third party liability on your insurance just in case.
 
OP you really need to go and do whatever you do to chill out.
Of course your YO is going to go in the paddocks to check them out, and I hope, your stable too when they see the need. Horses have a habit of getting up to mischief once the owners have gone away! Better the YO acts on seeing something minor when they see it, rather than dragging a livery back every time just to do a one minute job like redoing a strap.

Think what the alternatives are:
Rent a field. 1. People parking in the gateway. 2. Neighbours feed your horse. 3. People walk dogs, have picnics, dump litter, grass cuttings even camp there once you are out of sight.

Buy your own land. Any of the above plus poaching for rabbits at 03.00, steal your hay and any tack you have left hung up in your saddlery.

Of course the yard is more relaxed when your YO isn't there, it's the boss is out of the office syndrome.
Now count your blessings.
 
Id love it if my YO went in my field he might see that all the rotten fence posts are held up by my electric stake posts I shoved in lol I could literally hold a rave in my field and no one would care. Equally the fence could (and has!) Fell down and no one would care unless I made a right song and dance.
Surely its a good thing they care that your field is not a total ****-pit?!
 
There is a simple solution to this.

Just buy your own land

Obviously this comes with a whole new set of problems, the cost of the mortgage, cost of up fencing, cost of land maintenance, rates etc, etc
 
Well having slept on it I think it's a combination of the texts about poo-picking and the fact I didn't know they were actually going into the paddocks daily. It feels like the reason they are going in is to solely to be OCD about any poo in the field which I feel is really over the top as I do poo-pick daily. (YO has been known to randomly photograph a poo to check if it is still there the next day.)

Now you all have informed me that, yes, lots of YO's do this for various reasons (fencing/weeds/bunny holes) I feel a lot better about it. Tbh, if people want to go into my horses paddock, they do so at their own risk (same as entering any field with large animals in it!), he is insured for 3rd party and he's likely to just ignore them/avoid them anyway.

Our last yard was horrendous for not giving two hoots about fencing/weeds/rabbit holes etc and I love the fact this yard is so well maintained but liveries have said the texts will drive you nuts and tbh try to ignore them as best you can unless the request is specific and justified.

With regards to the water trug being moved, I think it is because it was near dried mud where he's been pacing. I don't mind it being moved, I just didn't like it being left nearly empty! However, a livery I've only met for a brief moment was filling it up when I got there, so at least I know liveries are keeping an eye on each others horses as well so that's great.

Liveries are very tidy and there is no clearing up anyone elses mess, I think we all really like how neat the yard is so we all pull our weight to keep it that way. I understand why YO is very fussy (yard is lovely) but the intensity of their OCD seems to be an issue for everyone. You really feel under scrutiny and it's a tad stressful!

I have discussed his pacing and he's on Calmex and Top Spec Lite balancer for his feet and we'll see how it goes. He's on day 9 and no real improvement (I know some of you mentioned Zylkene but it was prescription only online (?) so I called my vet and they mentioned they knew a few horses like mine that it didn't work for but Calmex did, so I went with that). If no better in a few weeks time they will re-think moving him into a paddock closer to yard to see if that helps.

In general he is a different horse on this yard and much easier to handle. I know I'm not well and that he's a tricky horse but I genuinely think I would still be a worrier even if I had a different horse! I am trying lots of alternative therapies as well as medication prescribed by Specialist and I am getting better slowly but surely.

Now that I know they are going in everyday, so be it, I can deal with that if that's what makes them happy. I am a tidy livery and keep things orderly and neat so I think I'm just either going to have to learn to live/work with YO OCD and if I can't, then move.
 
Remind me why he's turned out alone? Mine would be a menace if kept alone, but happily lives with two others and her extended herd either side of the fence.
 
9tails said:
Remind me why he's turned out alone? Mine would be a menace if kept alone, but happily lives with two others and her extended herd either side of the fence.
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He's on individual turn out due to previous personal experience of kick injuries to my horses and also just from the amount of times I went out with vets I used to work for to put horses down after they'd been kicked in field.

He has 7 other horses in close proximity to him (the way the paddocks lay out, mine is in the middle of all the others if that makes sense)and he does have a neighbour he can groom over the fence (although they prefer to take it in turns to bite each others bums). He paces the fence line closest to yard and spends a good part of his day in the far corner closest to yard just staring at it.

Last winter at our previous yard, he wintered out. No other horse did and although he was all alone every night he wasn't bothered as long as he had food. Upon arrival at new yard he was put into an isolation paddock right next to yard/car park and could only see horses off in the distance if they were grazing near a gap in the hedgeline, he settled beautifully in that paddock.
 
OP, I can understand your annoyance at finding out your YO has been going into your field without your knowledge. I assume had she have said 'oh yes, I go in to check water and that the field has been poo picked and how much grass is left' you would feel much happier

imo, this sounds like a small thing that has tipped you over the edge due to other frustrations with YO.

honestly, the constant texts about picking poo would drive me insane. I do find the photographing poos odd, and I can understand annoyance if YO was going in more than once a day to the field to check for poo etc.
The same way if my water buckets were moved (and water spilt in the process) I would like YO/whoever moved them to let me know where they moved them too and either refill them or let me know how much water is left so I know how urgently I need to be there to fill them.

if all liveries are truly unhappy and feel the same as you, then maybe it is time to sit down and talk to YO and find a way to work things out that benefits all of you.

OP, I think you need to evaluate how happy you are at this yard and weigh up the positives and the negatives of moving or staying. It sounds like you have a few questions and issues with how the yard is run, so it may not be the best place for you.
 
I hope you are feeling better about the situation soon, I hate individual turnout though. Of course theres a risk that a horse will get injured with other horses, we all have to accept that. My horse was on individual turnout for a couple of years due to his own aggressive behaviour, then we got rescued by a bloke with a few Clydesdales. In the three years he has been out with them 24/7 there have been no bites, no kicks and no nastiness . My horse was a fence walker, and also resorted to cribbing on the fences when turned out alone, but looking back these are signs of a seriously unhappy horse , all of which have disappeared since he has had companionship. They take a while to find their place in a group and predictably mine is the alpha, however they did what he bullied them into but he spent the first few months like billy no mates until he learnt to behave himself... it was quite interesting watching how they all dealt with it!
 
sasquatch said:
OP, I can understand your annoyance at finding out your YO has been going into your field without your knowledge. I assume had she have said 'oh yes, I go in to check water and that the field has been poo picked and how much grass is left' you would feel much happier

imo, this sounds like a small thing that has tipped you over the edge due to other frustrations with YO.

honestly, the constant texts about picking poo would drive me insane. I do find the photographing poos odd, and I can understand annoyance if YO was going in more than once a day to the field to check for poo etc.
The same way if my water buckets were moved (and water spilt in the process) I would like YO/whoever moved them to let me know where they moved them too and either refill them or let me know how much water is left so I know how urgently I need to be there to fill them.

if all liveries are truly unhappy and feel the same as you, then maybe it is time to sit down and talk to YO and find a way to work things out that benefits all of you.

OP, I think you need to evaluate how happy you are at this yard and weigh up the positives and the negatives of moving or staying. It sounds like you have a few questions and issues with how the yard is run, so it may not be the best place for you.
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Maybe it's because we are both from Ulster?! :D

I genuinely didn't know this was happening as YO does it 'out of hours' and it's only when liveries have arrived particularly early/late due to life/work commitments that they have seen them going round the paddocks. So it really does feel like you are being checked up on and yes, all they had to do was say from the off that's that what they do then I'd have been fine about it.

I suppose I'm frustrated that while the overall management is excellent, individual horse management is pretty much non-existent. I think it is heading that way, everyone really likes the yard but finds they are treated like children and are dictated to without compromise. It's a small yard (14 stables, 10 occupied) and while all liveries have a grudge atm, most people feel there is little point trying to do much about it as YO is so rigid.

For me, if after I've exhausted alternative methods of trying to put an end to his pacing and YO refuses to compromise, I'm moving. If I have a happy horse (like he was when he was in initial paddock), I can put up with the YO texts and OCD as everything else is ideal.

If I'd have known about this side of things beforehand, as disappointed as I'd have been, I wouldn't have moved him there.
 
luckyoldme said:
I hope you are feeling better about the situation soon, I hate individual turnout though. Of course theres a risk that a horse will get injured with other horses, we all have to accept that. My horse was on individual turnout for a couple of years due to his own aggressive behaviour, then we got rescued by a bloke with a few Clydesdales. In the three years he has been out with them 24/7 there have been no bites, no kicks and no nastiness . My horse was a fence walker, and also resorted to cribbing on the fences when turned out alone, but looking back these are signs of a seriously unhappy horse , all of which have disappeared since he has had companionship. They take a while to find their place in a group and predictably mine is the alpha, however they did what he bullied them into but he spent the first few months like billy no mates until he learnt to behave himself... it was quite interesting watching how they all dealt with it!
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Thanks, I do appreciate your view about individual t/o and I'm glad billy no mates is now billy few mates!
 
Illusion100 said:
For me, if after I've exhausted alternative methods of trying to put an end to his pacing and YO refuses to compromise, I'm moving.
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luckyoldme said:
I hate individual turnout though. Of course theres a risk that a horse will get injured with other horses, we all have to accept that. My horse was on individual turnout for a couple of years due to his own aggressive behaviour, then we got rescued by a bloke with a few Clydesdales. In the three years he has been out with them 24/7 there have been no bites, no kicks and no nastiness . My horse was a fence walker, and also resorted to cribbing on the fences when turned out alone, but looking back these are signs of a seriously unhappy horse
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Just get him a companion. Of course he's stressed; he's a herd animal being forced to live on his own because of his owner's own fears.
 
IMO it's unfair to force single turnout on a horse that does not easily accept it .
Your horse has had a difficult start he needs horse time with his own kind to make life easier for him .
When the training is hard , when things go wrong ,downtime with other horses helps them cope with the unnatural life we have bred them to live .
 
Sorry but I'm another who does not think individual turnout is in the horse's best interests. Yes, they are less likely to get kicked but it is certainly not impossible that they will get a kick through the fence from their neighbour. The constant fence walking does sound like an unhappy horse. A friend of mine had a horse on individual turnout who was constantly fence walking and ended up lame.
 
He's been on individual t/o for the last 3 years without issue until he's been put in this particular paddock. Turn out with another in the past has caused him severe separation anxiety.

When he first arrived to this yard he was in a paddock far from any other horses. He was the most relaxed I've known him in 5 years.

He's a busybody and wants to be able to see what's going on in the yard, the issue really is that simple imho. As hard as it is to believe, he's really not fussed about the companionship of other horses, he just doesn't like being away from the 'action'. Of course he likes to know other horses are about but that's about it.
 
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If I was doing my poo picking. The YO would be driving me round the twist texting me and photographing poo.

As it has been mentioned, I also don't like individual turn out. I can understand why people do it but I've only ever known 1 or 2 horses genuinely prefer to be alone. I had a horse sever a tendon out on individual turn out. Horses are horses they can pretty much hurt themselves doing whatever!

I do hope the situation sorts it's self out.
 
Illusion100 said:
Is it normal for YO's to actually go into your horses paddock on a regular, if not daily basis without informing you/asking permission?

I have just found out this evening that this is what happens and I feel quite uncomfortable about it. I wouldn't be happy if the YO went into my horses stable without permission when he was in it to have a look around so I don't see why it's ok for them to go into his field when he's in it.

Obviously this wouldn't be an issue if it was an emergency and my horse required urgent vet attention/fencing down etc but to just go in to check all of the paddock to see if you have poo-picked seems abnormal to me. (I poo pick daily)

He is a young horse, not good with people he doesn't know and I just don't like people being near my horse like that without my permission.

Is this common or a bit off?
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Depends on the livery type mine are diy and part and i go in part to change rugs and any other reason I need to. Diy I don't tend to bu if I need to I will.

The DIY are only renting the stable and if there is a reason for me to go in with the horse then I will, I don't see the problem TBH
 
Speedyfluff said:
I am very confused as to why anyone would think it strange. YO owns the field so why can't he/she go in? I would actually feel happier to know a YO regularly went in my horses' field if I kept them at livery. I have them at home, but have kept them at livery in the past and think it perfectly normal for YOs to go into the fields.
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I completely agree. It wouldn't even enter my head that it was 'unacceptable' behaviour.
 
Illusion100 said:
He's been on individual t/o for the last 3 years without issue until he's been put in this particular paddock. Turn out with another in the past has caused him severe separation anxiety.


As hard as it is to believe, he's really not fussed about the companionship of other horses, he just doesn't like being away from the 'action'. Of course he likes to know other horses are about but that's about it.
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Something of a contradiction, surely?

FWIW, if the YO chooses to go into the field when the owner isn't there, the owner cannot be considered to be negligent/held responsible for any action of the horse whether that results in injury to the YO or not.

We don't have automatic waterers in our fields, we have trugs, which we have been known to have to empty because various birds have committed suicide in them. Did you ask YO if she had had to empty the trough for some reason?

ETA, I am pleased to hear that you are beginning to feel better yourself.
 
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I Cannot fathom why anyone would think this strange!! It's their land, your just using it...
My YO goes up the field all the time! I'm pleased he's managing the grazing/fencing ect. I've no concernes regarding my horses either, he knows what he's doing, he knows the horses, hes a BHSI.
In fact I'd be more concerned if I were at a yard where the YO didn't walk up the fields regularly or occasionally pop their head over a stable door.
I know I'd rather a YO that cares about the condition of the yard and horses than one that was completely detached...
 
Illusion100 said:
Is it normal for YO's to actually go into your horses paddock on a regular, if not daily basis without informing you/asking permission?

I have just found out this evening that this is what happens and I feel quite uncomfortable about it. I wouldn't be happy if the YO went into my horses stable without permission when he was in it to have a look around so I don't see why it's ok for them to go into his field when he's in it.

Obviously this wouldn't be an issue if it was an emergency and my horse required urgent vet attention/fencing down etc but to just go in to check all of the paddock to see if you have poo-picked seems abnormal to me. (I poo pick daily)

He is a young horse, not good with people he doesn't know and I just don't like people being near my horse like that without my permission.

Is this common or a bit off?
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It wouldn't bother me. Going into the stable with the horse in it, is an entirely different matter.
 
Goldenstar said:
What does it matter to you if the yard owner interrupted a vet consult to talk about poo ?
I thought the issue was that your horse is so sensitive it potentially can't cope with a stranger going into it's field .
The YOer texting can't damage your horse unless he's mastered using a phone .
The remedy is to change yards if you don't like it ,as you can't have the yard without the owner.
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Well, it's bloody rude, for starters. If I was having a private conversation regarding my horse & someone interrupted to discuss poo picking of all things, they would be told politely, but firmly to go away!
 
Illusion100 said:
Thanks, I do appreciate your view about individual t/o and I'm glad billy no mates is now billy few mates!
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it was a really hard thing to do. i knew the guy with the clydesdales well, he is in his 70s and i think a lot of him, he worked with horses from being a young lad. My biggest fear was that my horse would bite a chunk out of one of his. He kept telling me over and over again the horses would sort it out but i was so worried mine would bite his and we would fall out. thing is he had seen it all before and knew the horses would sort it out thmeselves, given plenty of space and time. It is without doubt the best move i ever made with my horse, he is now they type of horse i can leave in the field for months then take out for a safe hack.
 
Doormouse said:
Ok, here goes.

I have followed many of your posts, both about your horse and some of your life and you come across as very sensible, nice, down to earth and generally a good egg!

I can see how hard you have tried with your horse but truthfully I'm not sure he is making you happy at all. I don't really know either of you so this is only cyber opinion but he is clearly not an easy character and sounds very much like a horse who needs a professional type yard environment where he has a strict routine, is on a busy yard where all the horse do much the same thing. I have come to realise that the DIY yard is a very hard environment for horses and they require an exceptional temperament to cope with it. Many young horses simply don't and actually quite a few older ones too.

I think with you not being well and him being tricky you are over thinking some things and generally finding him very stressful which he is maybe picking up on. There are lots of horses out there who could give you a lot of fun, be easy to handle, ride, compete etc and are not bothered by yard changes, field changes and so forth.

Please don't be offended, this is not meant to get at you or say you are not capable at all, just from reading your posts and following your journey with this horse I do wonder if you are perhaps not suited that well.

Hope you get things sorted.
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Honestly, you seem like a really lovely person and a very good owner, but is he the right horse? I've been there and done that with the wrong horse, and its made so, so, soo much worse with a medical condition. I dont have the same condition as you, but some of what I do have, has exactly the same symptoms as you. I have gifted my high maintenace horse to his loaner, and the feeling of relief is unbelievable!

My current horse is soooo easy to manage, I honesty could tether him to a roundabout with a bucket of water and go back in a week and he would be fine. Obviously I dont do that, but it means that with a good level of care he absolutely flourishes and I dont ever have to worry. I know its very hard to give something up because your health isnt right, but it might be the best thing you have ever done :)
 
Pearlsasinger said:
Something of a contradiction, surely?

FWIW, if the YO chooses to go into the field when the owner isn't there, the owner cannot be considered to be negligent/held responsible for any action of the horse whether that results in injury to the YO or not.

We don't have automatic waterers in our fields, we have trugs, which we have been known to have to empty because various birds have committed suicide in them. Did you ask YO if she had had to empty the trough for some reason?

ETA, I am pleased to hear that you are beginning to feel better yourself.
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Haha, yes it could be seen as contradictory! As a weanling to 2 yr old he grazed in company and had separation anxiety. Moved yards and put him in individual t/o so for last 3 years he's been very settled with that until going into this particular paddock. I'm sure we can agree (?!) their personalities evolve as they get older and now he's quite blasé about other horses company. He's a funny little onion.

No, I didn't ask YO why. Mine is a trug too. RIP birdies.

Thanks, really starting to feel better. :)
 
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