Is this unreasonable? YO argument

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cluedo

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I livery my two horses on a DIY yard. Its a big 28 box yard but is empty with only 8 liveries there. A year ago it was full with a waiting list. Now its a ghost yard.

The YO is an odd person. She has started padlocking the empty boxes with no explanation. One of the boxes is unlocked because one of the other liveries stabled her other competition horse for a few days last week. With all the snow our yard is an icerink. The YO doesn't put down any salt and I am fed up of supplying my own. There are four of us on our block of 10 stables.

Today because of the ice we mucked out and put the horses in an empty stable as we mucked out. It was far too icy to tie up on the yard. The horse walker is also too dangerous to use.

YO came up to me tonight and had a go about the horses being in the empty stable. I said to her the yard is to dangerous to tie up and it's not possible to muck out in the stable with the horses in as you can't do a proper job with the horses in there. She could not see my point of view and kept saying the stables were not to be used. In the end I said to her that if she salt the yard then no problem, but if she is really losing sleep about us using ONE stable then to charge us all for the small amount of time we use it just whilst the weather is bad. We muck out the box afterwards and after all it is an empty box.

She is a nutjob!!! Words fail me. She has upset so many people they have left in droves .... 14 in one weekend!! So if she upsets the four of us then she will only have 4 liveries. It appears she manages the yard for an absent owner. We give her no grief, are tidy, pay on time etc etc. Am ranting away to myself still.

So... is it me being unreasonable?
 
Sorry I can't offer any advice, other than leave, but I have to ask... what the bl00dy hell did she do to get 14 liveries to leave in one weekend?!

Any way you can get in touch with the real owner?
 
Sounds like a very similar set up to the first yard I was on and I found the perfect solution - I upped and left, 4 of us on the same day! Sometimes it's the only way when you're miserable doing the thing that's supposed to be your pleasure.
 
I don't know the real reason but from what the rumours have said is she had to many horses in one field with inadequate fencing, no grass and was very unreasonable about field rotation etc. All the liveries approached a local farmer and persuaded him to let them stay there and he has now build stables for them and is installing a school in the spring. Another two left at the end of December and said they were fed up with her attitude.

Normally we keep out of her way and keep ourselves to ourselves but tonight I was so shocked at her attitude.
 
Wow... 14 in one weekend?! Sounds like an absolute nutjob! So long as you are leaving the box clean after putting your horse in so that somebody could move straight in, then I don't see why your doing so should be a problem! She's the one being unreasonable!
 
If we could find another yard with a horsewalker and school locally we would be out there in a shot. Our horses can't go out because the fields are so horse sick and muddy. So during the winter they are in. She has a strict worming programme and then will have no problem with 20 horses on 6 acres with no poo picking or field maintenance.

Place is falling into disrepair. The only reason we all stay is the horsewalker and we are pretty much left alone with no yard nutters (other than YM) - there is no one really there to argue with.
 
Is a horse walker really vital when you have turnout?

Are there NO other yards in the area?

I think its a no brainer and the lot of you should move - perhaps together if you all get along well.
 
we would go together as we all do each others horses so its a good arrangement for us all. We really do use the walker when the weather is bad. Three of the horses really are prone to mudfever and unless we can find an arrangement where the three of them can all go out together we don't want the big field lots of horses scenario.

In some ways we love the fact we pretty much have the yard to ourselves and therefore no yard politics but then there are so many things that take the pee.

All the yards around where we are seem to be full to bursting (EXCEPT ours). Anyone know any good yards around Rushden, Raunds, Ringstead Northants? Would really like a small friendly yard with school etc.
 
Have PM'd you
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Not because it doesn't have a school and we really do need a school as a minimum. When its built in the spring then yes it's a possibility.
 
She does sound rather unreasonable. However, I have to say that I dont find it difficult to muck a horse out whilst it's in its stable - and never feel the need to tie it up outside the stable in order to do a good job......
 
She does sound unreasonable, I can understand if people were using the empty stables willy nilly as they please and leaving them dirty then putting pad locks on as a last resort (although very extreme) but like you have stated it doesn't sound like this is the case, you'd think she'd actually care about her liveries and want to make sure she provides a safe surrounding for you guys to work around.

You say she is managing it for someone? can't you go directly to the owner of the yard and express your concerns with them, she's loosing their custom and a good monthly wage what with all those liveries leaving. What happens when you walk the horses across the yard to turn them out?

You really need to get together with the other liveries and have another chat with her and explain that you will be handing your notice in unless she can compromise on the gritting or letting you use a stable.

Yes it is possible to muck out with your horse in the stable but why should you have to do that? why should you have to struggle? mean time I'd just make sure you can grit outside your own stable for the time being.

Good Luck but lets hope she doesn't come on this forum and see your post lol....otherwise your chances of sorting it our are even slimmer!

smile.gif
 
This morning box was padlocked and the shavings fork she lent me had 'disappeared'. One of the other liveries is also very upset about the ice everywhere and the state of the fencing etc. She has the phone number of the owner and is going to call him. She did call him a few weeks ago and he came down to see the yard.

We really do keep ourselves to ourselves. My two horses aren't really going out at the moment as there is absolutely no grass in the field and the fencing is so bad. The horses kick in his field because they have nothing better to do. So, all we do is use the school, hack and use the horsewalker.

I'm sure we can find another yard but there are few yards about which have no bitchiness (mainly cos no-one there though). But I'm sure there must be some around.
 
I haven't read the other answers but my advice is to leave. If she is not concerned about all those empty boxes she will not be concerned about keeping you happy either. If she is generating less income through lack of liveries that will ultimately mean less money to plough back into the yard and other things will deteriorate.

IME there are quite a few ' fruitcake' female YO's. They are particularly bad if insecure about their man around female liveries, and it seems they spend so much time with horses they forget how to deal with people.
 
A YM driving away a YO business..... seems a little odd especially if the YO has not queried why his livelyhood is deminishing.... perhaps she wants the place for herself
 
Hi Angua

No she def does not want the yard for herself. She has an ancient old horse that when she goes will not be replaced. She is only on the yard to do her own horse and then goes. YO did query liveries leaving and she told him that it is down to the credit crunch. Most of the liveries that have gone have gone to the farm down the road and they are happy to wait for a school as they mainly hack. With better facilities I am sure the yard would have better horses and clientele. It is a lovely yard in a nice location.
 
But who is responsible for maintaining the fencing? Surely the owner is? Also the fields? Who maintains those - again the owner??

So whilst she may be difficult - surely many of the issues are down to someone else?? Ie the person responsible for maintaing the fields, fencing and yards?
 
Ah I am not 100% sure whose responsibility it is for fixing things. I think she is responsible for arranging it to be done, but then I have no idea of the arrangement of who pays for what. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to work out that the yard is not paying its way with so few liveries.
 
Certainly sounds time to move either way. And a horse walker is absolutely no reason to stay I would suggest.

Good luck, sound like a nightmare.
 
Hum,

I would move and I would also make the YO aware what the YM is doing and why his yard is now empty.

Yes there is a credit crunch but that is not enough to almost totally empty a yard
 
I'd leave, easier said than done but I'd start looking for somewhere else, ice or no ice if the fields poorly maintained and the fencing is rubbish and you cant even turn them out anywhere for a bit fo fresh or or stretch their legs...its not a yard I'd want to be on, now I see why most of them have left!

In the meantime you'll just have to make do, good luck.
smile.gif
 
As you have the YO numbers I would call him and arrange to meet him as a group, then have a meeting beteen yourselves to sort out all the things you want to raise so you don't leave anything out. If it was my business I would want to know why people are leaving, where they are going and why. If you arrange to meet him - without YM there - you will have the opportunity to put all your concerns to him as well as what you like about the yard and make the point that you are all keen to resolve the problems and want to stay. If he has got any business sense at all he will listen and do his best to resolve things and turn it around - its for his benefit as well as yours. Right now i'm sure he can't afford to lose anymore business - and would rather have a full yard which = income for him. Also by talking to him without YM there you can give him information and details she is clearly holding back - ie others have left cos she's a nutter not money and they are happily down the road handing over money to someone else. If I was him I would sack her, run it myself until all issues had been resolved and yard had settled down (and filled up!) before employing another YM, and would remain more hands on to stop things from going downhill. In meantime look around for other options because that may end up being the only way out.
 
i was at a yard with a ym. but it was the yo who was responsible for the fencing and bigger maintenance. ym was responsible for daily running and general upkeep, but if something big needed doing, it was down to yo. thankfully they were very nice.
 
Go above the managers head and put you concerns to the owner!surely he is going to want to keep money coming in..on the other hand the owner mite be useless 2 14 ppl leaving in one weekend and the owner BELIEVED it was because of the credit crunch..im thinking their either an idiot or just not intrested in whats going on..still mite be just dey were not paying attention..i seconds slinkyunis idea of meeting owner as a group to so they will no its a serious problem..
 
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She does sound rather unreasonable. However, I have to say that I dont find it difficult to muck a horse out whilst it's in its stable - and never feel the need to tie it up outside the stable in order to do a good job......

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That was my first thought as well. I always tie up my 3 year old in the stable to muck out and my box is always done properly.
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However, if you are obviously not happy then Id def look for somewhere else.
 
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