kids at yard

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Sounds harsh but kids are like dogs, should be on a lead, or shut in a stable.

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Couldn't have said it better myself!!
 
I'm all for kids being up at the yards. If they have been brought up to be sensible around horses it holds no problem!

As this has been previously said... how are you we going to get a future generation of riders if we refuse to let them near horses?
 
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One had a toy machine gun which he was firing very noisily and scareing the horses and even when his "owner" told him to stop several times he just ignore her, she had to tell him that I was going to smack him to get him to put it down (not that I would by the way).

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Now that makes me REALLY angry. Why should YOU be the bad guy, just because the stupid woman is too afraid to control her own child? Why didn't she give him a smack herself, if she thought he needed one? I am sure you'd never smack him, but can you imagine the carnage if you actually did?

*hates wimpy parents who are frightened to discipline their own brats*
 
I do admit though that children have a bad habit of 'borrowing' things and I do believe that the vast majority really do intend to put them back. I don't mind people borrowing things if they do return them in the condition that they were taken in!
 
I don't have a problem with children being on my yard providing the parents keep control of them at all times. Many of my liveries have children who often come to the yard. There is only one who lets her teeny tot wander around unsupervised, well she thinks she is supervising him, but I don't. I do tell him off gently when he is doing something which concerns me, and generally this is enough for the mother to take notice and attend to him. I would go so far as to say I don't particularly like this child being on my farm as he has had a couple of accidents so far; purely down to mother being a bit dopey with allowing him to do certain things with her horse. The little lad is only 3 but very very small for his age and she allows him to do things which I do not find acceptable.

On the other hand, my daughter has lived on a livery yard for the whole of her life. She has grown up with shouting "get to the fenceline NOW!" and so she has very quick reflexes in moving out of danger and has never had any accidents with handling the horses or being in the field with them. BUT I am always there and keep my eye on all the horses and where she is in the field in relation to them all. I know all the horses on my farm very well indeed, as does she, so no risks are ever taken where she is concerned.

Sooo I'd say it totally depends on what type of a mother you are. If you are like me then no I'd not have a problem with your child being on my yard; if you are like her then yes I would feel very nervous about your child being on the yard without me around to do the proper supervising.
 
At my previous yard they ran wild, kicking footballs against stables, runnning round the sand school, swinging from fences, the list goes. At my new yard we have a slighty older lot 10 yrs and up who are lovely, really sweet with the ponys and polite in the school, funny enough its the slightly older girls who are bit full of themselves.

The kids will be moving yards soon as their yard is being re built so will have to see if the Adults can behave in a mature manner
 
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I just don't think a yard full of horses (some who are unpredicatble) tractors and various machinery is the best place for kid.


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Does that include the children of farmers? My daughter has never had an accident and has lived on my stables/farm for the whole of her life. I think I know what you are saying; it basically comes down to the difference between farm children who spend every day of their lives being fully aware of the dangers around them, and children who live in towns or country houses with no such dangers around.

You'll generally see a huge difference between farm children and other children. Farm children are soooo quick off the mark in response to any alerts. They are also far more aware of what goes on and what can happen. On my farm, my daughter has a number of restrictions; being around the tractors and the machinery is one of those no-no places.
 
We have a lady that comes to our yard and she has 3 children (one of which is horsey and does help her mum, although still doesn't stay with her all the time and does cause trouble!)...and the other 2 that are a lot younger! They just come and run around the yard and she doesn't watch them. The YO, YO's Mum and myself have told her on more than one occasion that she needs to supervise her children!

We then have a couple of other people that bring their children (both young children) and they look after them and make them follow them everywhere, as well as the fact that they know the yard rules!

One of the first said children was running up and down outside the arena yesturday pretending at horses (which is all vetry well and sweet)...but at the time I was in there riding and jumping, and I do have a horse that can sometimes be a little jumpy! YO's Mum asked them not to run about while there was someone in the arena (because they could scare the horse) and then YO said that once I had finished riding they could go in the arena and play at horses and jump a little jump and all sorts....but they still carried on! Then the father of one of the well behaved children (his wife has just started sharing a horse at the yard) was running round with his tot on his back pretending to be a horse for her (which was adoreable to watch)....to which the first child started to SCREAM "canter, canter" at and smack him round the back of his legs with TWO whips! Argh....and when YO's Mum said that she should stop she just looked at us blankly!

Rarghhhhhh Ok rant over, sorry!

Kids are fine on the yard as long as the respect the rules and the parents supervise! We do have a LOT of lovely kids (of all ages) that come to the yard, whether to ride or not, and it's lovely!
 
Doesn't it make you want to bang your head against a brick wall!!!!!!
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Yes Happybus, it really does!

But I just remind myself when things like this happen...we do have some LOVELY kids that come up and some do enjoy helping me to groom my boy (I just have to watch them coz he can be funny if they go near his tummy)
 
I take my 4 year old Lad up to the yard with me most of the time when i havent got a babysitter.

Now he will walk around within my sight and as he has been brought up around horses since he could walk he knows what he shouldnt do (run around them, stand behind then etc...) He does point out to me when i stand behind a horse and i get told off.

He loves going up to the yard and will help me muck out, turn out, and sweep the yard most of it takes twice as long when he is "helping" but i think its good for kids to learn things like this as i feel it teaches them responsiblity. He loves being around the animals so much he is learning to ride a 15.2 tb (not ideal) but i have nothing smaller and if he is happy to be that high up and still enjoys it i will keep it up.

If something was to happen and he was to get injured (he has been nipped once) its just one of those things and he will learn from it (he has always feed from a flat palm since).
 
On one ocassion one of the mums was leading her youngster whilst pushing her pushchair with toddler in it, youngster spooked and dragged pushchair whichwent over, thankfully no damage other than mum looking very embarassed.
 
Everyone knows how I feel about kids, they would still be sweeping chimneys if it was up to me!

I just get really hacked off with parents who leave them unsupervised. I pay a fair whack for 2 neds at livery and it's my hobby, salvation and chill out time. I don't want to spend it watching other people's kids out the corner of one eye like an unpaid minder.

No, I would not see them come to any harm but I shouldn't have to watch them in the first place!
 
makes me want to bang my head against the wall all these crazy parents giving the rest of us a bad name! if i have to take my toddler to the yard i normally make sure he is asleep in teh car (so co-incide his naps with muck out time) bribe him with a box of raisons to sit in his car seat. I try so hard not to bother anyone else at the yard and i think they seem to know that as they always make an effort to say hello and say how good he is, although being 2 he will scream sometimes! It aint easy but there are good sensible mums out there.
 
I take my 2 boys aged 6 & 9 up to the yard only when I have to, I consider myself to be a strict parent and always try to supervise them,but at the end of the day they are children and whilst don't get in the way of others, they are there trying to help and I suppose some non child friendly liveries would consider that they were a hindrance.
That said I get annoyed at people bringing dogs on to the yard and they get in the way and make a damned mess.

But yes kids can be a pain, but as someone said , if they are keen to learn its the best place to do it.
 
I'm pretty tolerant of other people's children and don't mind answering endless questions. However i do think that they need to be supervised by their parents and their parents should take responsiblity for them.
 
well i have just moved from the same yard as blackhawk and another member on here she left just before us with her friend aswell and one of the main reasons we left was due to the ammount of kids on the yard.
Its more of a nursery at that yard than a livery yard and they just take your things run riot be it on foot or on ponies.
So yes it would change my opinion on a yard if it is taken over by kids the new place we are at has a couple but thats fine they are neat well behaved and dont steal your brushes etc.
 
I think children should be allowed onto the yard as long as someone is watching them and small children are not left to walk about on their own. I found a small child behind my horses legs on sunday just before I was going to work. I'm a nurse and have to resusitate children at work, I really do not want to do it my spare time as well.

I also get fed up baby sitting teenagers who are left at the yard from 9am until 9pm. I go to destress from working in a&e and really dont want to look after children when I'm trying to chill. If they are with parents or adults,its not a problem.
 
i avoid taking my 3 & 4 yr old to the yard if i can possibly help it.they are a nightmare and after 5 minutes usually find themselves shut in a stable. there isnt any young kids on our yard,most of them are 14 & 15 yr olds (4 of them ) and surprisingly they all get along. one liveries mum brings her 2 & 4 yr old and whilst the 2 yr old can be a bit whingy he is supervised and is actually pretty good where the horses are concerned.the 4 yr old is brilliant,( she rides herself and can even jump) she knows exactly how to behave on the yard.
 
Our yard is a nightmare at the moment.. Most of the kids are in their teens so are unsupervised when they are up there..

If they are not running around screaming at each other then they are taking over the tea room dont get me started on the mess they leave or the fact that half of them ride out with no hat or high Viz.
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I'm lucky cause our horses are at home. I had two choices when my 5 year old started to want to come outside.

1. Not let her

2. Teach how to behave around horses and machinery.

She now knows where to stand when tractors start up so she is safe. She knows what to do when horses are coming on and out of stables.

She also has a shetland that she cares for and rides, she can turn her out safely and groom her on her own.

Our lot are also more used to noise, bikes, scooters etc which makes it also alot eaiser when you encounter these things out on hacks.

I know we are lucky because we have our own place but I think having children making noise can be an advantage as lonh as they are safe. It is akso far better for them than sat playing computer games or watching tv.
 
Hmm, I take my 5yo to the yard every night. She's lively and chatty, and quite often gets out of my sight. Normally she's 'helping' someone and asking questions, I drag her away unless the people insist it's okay with them - fortunately they pretty much always do.

I never ask anyone to look after her, and in fact I've had several liveries offer to look after her for me. Saying she's no bother and it's nice to have a little one around. I've only once actually taken one person up on the offer (I don't feel it's anyones responsibility but mine) but I've been told to just make sure they are around repeatedly (including tonight - the lady is a granny herself) and she'll look after her.

I'd be devastated if people were foul to me because of her, and she is pretty well behaved. The YO has a problem with some of the other kids who come up, I worry and keep asking him to tell me if theres a problem with mine - he insists that she's fine and no bother - he takes her on the tractor with him, she learns about the cows, and knows what she's not allowed to do with them. She's like a farmers kid more than a normal one - goes about sweeping for people and shovelling up straw etc with her tools.

So people ARE semi babysitting her, but when I ask her to come to me, they say - no she's fine.

I'm a single parent, can't leave her locked in the car every night, she has her pony there, she doesn't run behind horses, she's not allowed to run around. She isn't noisy doesn't scream.

I 'think' I've struck a good balance, and am lucky in the other liverys/YO
 
I have to bring my son to the yard as I don't have anyone to watch him when he's off school (my OH's family all work and all my family and friends live in 3000 miles away Canada!). I'd prefer not to bring him as I can't ride when he's off school but I don't mind bringing him as he's getting real life experience being around the ponios and is learning to respect his fellow living creatures.
I find it annoying though, how people think that ALL kids are prone to running amok and the prejudice you get from non-kid people sometimes. I always get comments on how well behaved my son is (he's 7) and he has enough sense to be calm around the ponios. He brings his toys to the stables (LOL, mainly Dr. Who figures or StarWars) and plays in the shed or in the field.
 
I am all for having children at yards if supervised and well behaved.

The last yard I was at a mother bought her 12 year old child his very first pony from YO, then at the weekends she would drop the rest of her children off at the yard and pick them up in the evening. None of these children had even had as much a riding lesson between them.
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On the other hand there were some very responsable children of 13-14 who's parents would drop them off to do their horses.

YO had a little girl of 3 herself and would leave other youngsters to look after her while she went about doing her own things
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Not only was it unsafe for all the obvious reasons etc...but there was a man eating horse on the yard who would easily pull a child over her stable door given half the chance.

I have now moved.
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