I've taken on too much,haven't I?

Cazza525

Cazza525

Well-Known Member
Joined
31 July 2009
Messages
1,188
Location
south west devon
Visit site
I'll try and make this brief. I have a pure welsh B of my own and a 27yr old pony companion. Both low maintainance this time of year. I own my own land (7 acres and currently have 3 stables and in the process of building another 3. I have 2 kids,14 and 2 and an OH who works away in the week and is incredibly supportive.

Anyhow, for the first timee last August I took my kids away for a few days and employed a girl I knew from the area to look after my 2 ponies. It worked out well.

This girl started making noises about getting her own horse again but couldn't keep it at home (she lives rent free in a cottage by her dad, whose got a small amount of land and some stables). The reason she couldn't keep at home is because of a legal battle with a neighbour.

So, I thought,I could do with a hand and some company,so I told her she could bring a horse over with me. She wasn't working at that time so I said she could keep it there for nothing as long as she sorts mine out when I struggle.

She went and bought a 3yr old TB,straight off the track.Needless to say she is a lovely natured horse, but suffers from separation anxiety,big time.

Then in October a friend of mine rang uo saying one of her liveries was struggling with their new horse as it kept going lame. I thought that I could do with another horse to keep TB company and would make it easier to have 2 groups of 2 .

Well I'm regretting all of it now. Original TB is a nightmare,typical youngster careering around and trashing my fields. The next TB I took on is a sweetheart. Very quiet and has come sound now. I sais I would keep him till the end of Feb.

I have now run out of grazing really due yo this harsh winter and young TB tearing around. They are both starting to look poorer, even though they are fed 3 times daily,ad lib haylage and field shelters.

I just feel that because of my generous nature my ponies are being neglected. I know they're low maintainance but I feel bad.

Its kinda got worse by the fact that the original TB's owner is now working. She has offered me nothing for keeping her horse, but is making noises about putting her in foal!!

The other TB can go back whenever.

Am I being taken for a ride or what! I only wanted a bit of help, and instead have doubled my workload!!
 
If it's not working out for you, you are under no obligation to continue. It's your land and you can do whatever you want with it.

Can you give the two TB owners notice? If you want to be really nice about it give them a month which is plenty of time to find something else. If you feel bad about asking them to leave find an excuse, e.g. say your husband is not enjoying having other people around and would like more privacy or something!

Seven acres with two ponies on should recover really well come spring!
 
Is the origianl Tb owner still helping you out, or is it all role reversal? If the latter, I suggest you give her a month's notice that you will be charging her due to said role reversal, which she can like and stump up or leave. Asuming she will still help out if you ask, don;t over charge, but it is only fair she pays something. I would also clearly tell her that you can not ahve any more horses, and therefore if she breeds, she will have to go elsewhere.
If you find it hard being blunt face to face,leave her a note, clearly addressed and where she can't miss it!
smirk.gif
 
Tell the first TBs owner that you dont want a foal at the yard because it will be the only one with nothing to play with. Its plain cheeky in my veiw to expect you to keep both! A right off the track TB wasnt a very good choice of horse unless she has the time/patience and more importantly the experience to re school it.
The other horse will go home soon but that leaves you with the problem of company for the TB again. Hope you get it sorted, maybe its time to think about what YOU want and let others solve their own problems for a while.
 
If it was me in your situation, I would ask her to start paying a contubtion to the livery, As after all she is now working. And also try and advice her not to put her mare in foal lol.

Dont let yourself get down about it, and tell her that you are going to need to rest your fields, and maybe section off a part of a field so you have one big field but half it so your 2 can be in one side, and the TB can be at the other. And just rest your fields for a little while. Failing that could u not put her horse in with yours? you might not want to though as its still a baby.

Hmm its tricky and my advice would be useless as I dont have my own place and have no experience in it all lol!

But I really wish you luck for what ever happens. Just dont get yourself down about it! xx
 
1) sounds like you feeding alright, my tb mare lost weight in this cold weather.
2) Start charging rent £30 per week and no you don't need a foal.
3) fence half your feild off and plan for your own hay crop this summer
 
Sorry i had to chuckle when i read this because i did a very similar thing last summer. I asked a freelance rider to help me bring my horse back into work after an injury and after a couple of months she asked if she could bring her horse to live at mine (similar set up to you....7 acres) I agreed as I thought it would be mutually beneficial..ie I would have someone to ride out with, she could help out occasionally and she would have her horse closer to her home and share my grazing. I also said she didn't have to pay but could help out occasionally instead. Her horse was a 4 yr old, nice but much higher maintenance than any of mine and guess who ended up looking after it, and rescuing it regularly from flying into fencing, getting caught up in rug etc etc. When the owner helped me out in return, it was quick as possible mucking out, wrong feeds to wrong pony, she just seemed to want to rush everything and i ended up doing more work to sort out all the mix-ups.

Eventually I suggested she moved the horse to a nice, local DIY livery stables for winter, as my stables were abit small for her horse (17hh), which was true. She wasn't pleased and in the end i had to ask many times before she eventually left.....so i know exactly how you feel, I for one will not be so ready to offer free livery again...shame though because it could have worked out so well for both of us..big lesson learnt for me!
 
We had seven acres for about 11yrs, it was divided by electric tape into 4 and we used to rotate smaller fields every month so each bit got a good long rest. It worked well and we had 5.
 
I would say that the two TB's need to go. Could you give them notice. I would say to her that you need to save the grass for spring for your two. Maybe then you could tape some off and make your own hay too?

I think it sounds like she is taking the mic a bit now she is working and not offering to pay you anything!

I hope you get it sorted but remember it is your land and your ponies so do what's best for you and for them!

Good luck
x
 
Yes but you still have the winter to get through and if the youngster is churning it up you will have nothing for the spreing and summer. I pay £39 for 10kg of grass seed each year for my two small winter paddocks that my 4 churn up how much will you have to pay, also weeds tend to come up quieker than grass and you will have to roll the ground otherwise it will stay as divets.
 
I would give the girl with the TB notice that you either want some livery or she helps you out with your guys like before. If your keen on the other tb then a herd of 3 can work out,i have 3 and they are fine together. I ride and lead 2 and my friend rides the third out. I must admit i recently took on the 3rd (had 4 at one point but 1 has gone to a friend of mine) and have noticed the fields are a lot worse,you can really notice it now esp after this bout of snow,vvv soggy fields!
 
They are not your horses but are causing you trouble, I think you have got to be tough and tell 1st or both they will have to move or pay. Whichever YOU want.
Good luck
 
It sounds tough going! I would definitely ask for some rent from tb girl now she is working, and am suprised she hasn't offered. Can i ask why you were building 3 more stables? Is it or was it to bring in more liveries?
If it is too much i would put your own ponies first and you have the right to end the arrangement. Just give a decent amount of notice.
 
Hiya,we're building 3 more stables because I have planning for 6 stables,tack room and feed room. I have a passion for ponies and show in hand. I never really anticipated having liveries.....I actually like my own company,just could do with a hand now and again
 
now that the owner of original tb is working she can put it on livery somewhere else. if she has to deal with it tearing around and being a general lunatic, then she might decide not to put it in foal.
it's your land and if you feel you are neglecting your ponies, then it's your choice to give the tb owners notice to find livery elswhere.
Hope you manage to get it all sorted.
 
I have a couple of things to add to my original post!

The young TB's owner has supplied me with 2 big bales of haylage because her dad does favours for the local farmer. Could I add to that that if it wasn't for the TB's being there I wouldn't need it anyway as my ponies live on fresh air.

She also gets free feed from the local feed merchant. I still buy for my 2 littleuns (only on a handful anyway). Basically she has got all the hardfeed for nothing for the TB's.

Also, she says that she has got 2 liveries arriving at hers v.soon and her dad says she can have the money!

I got her the job at the local pub!

I really get on with her and don't want to fall out!!

Bloody hell,what a situation!!
 
Just be honest with her - her horse is wrecking your fields and taking out too much of your time to care for her - and can she please go home! tell her the other TB is going at the end of Feb so you think that would be a good time for hers to go too. In instances I think that absolute honesty is a good thing as then there is no room for misunderstanding! you are't being nasty. Just say the truth which is, while 7 acres should be fine, the fact is that her TB is not coping with this lifestyle and is ripping everything up....
 
[ QUOTE ]
Just be honest with her - her horse is wrecking your fields and taking out too much of your time to care for her - and can she please go home! tell her the other TB is going at the end of Feb so you think that would be a good time for hers to go too. In instances I think that absolute honesty is a good thing as then there is no room for misunderstanding! you are't being nasty. Just say the truth which is, while 7 acres should be fine, the fact is that her TB is not coping with this lifestyle and is ripping everything up....

[/ QUOTE ]

I think i'd do this too.

I just wanted to add that you did offer her free livery in the first place, and it doesnt sound like you said it was only free while she wasnt working. Maybe she just hasnt considered that she ought to offer to pay now she is working??

Even so, I still think you'd be better off getting rid of both TB's and keeping the place just for your own ponies.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top