Livery/ caring for yard owner pony

H

Hanakablondie

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Hi

I took on a sole use yard, it’s 3 stables placed under a barn and about 1 acre ish if that. Part of the shelter floods in the winter which I found out the first winter after moving on in September. He was looking for £400 a month which got down to £300 because of the lack of grassing to support the stables. One stable is for a large horse. Which was fine as I could find another person to help with the cost of the extra… I started cleaning for him to cover my rent and I’d pay some… which this deal worked well but he had other plans and wanted a pony for his daughter when the lady left as the yard is far out from Bristol . It’s out in country side …I offered they could come up and help and sometimes ride mine but I didn’t realise their riding ability (the mum said she could sit a buck etc) my welshy is to much.


So we got a mare we are backing and is doing well.

He wants me to look after it every day and pay for the hay and feed… ( he’s none horsey, mum is (was a horse trainer but they are separated, as she wants nothing to do with this pony , thinks the pony won’t be suitable but she is proving her wrong so far anyway 🤞.)

I no longer cleaning do him now and pay for her hay and feed… I’m a single mom and daughter is Football mad and plays for two teams. He also wants the girls to come up when I’m there and I help with the mare… ( i got myself into a difficult situation not realising the lack of help I would be getting)

Would really love some advice from other horsey people who’ve been in a situation similar on how I should be charging for this etc ? So works for both. My time is limited and have a football daughter to finance and travel around for matches.

Many thanks H
 

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Sorry......... I am not quite sure of the situation here: perhaps 'tis me, but I've read and re-read what you've said a few times now, and sorry but I'm just not getting it.

So have you got this mare ("it) on loan? Or is it yours? Or does the horse belong to the Yard Owner and you are looking after it?

And "he" is presumably the Yard Owner?

Sincere apologies, but you are going to need to explain it a little more clearly!
 
I don’t pay no rent but I have to pay for her hay and feed now… I’m a babysitter and look after the pony… is what he’s after.

He’s home one week and away the next, girls come stay the week he’s there . Him and mum rotate the weeks…
 
MiJodsR2BlinkinTite said:
Sorry......... I am not quite sure of the situation here: perhaps 'tis me, but I've read and re-read what you've said a few times now, and sorry but I'm just not getting it.

So have you got this mare ("it) on loan? Or is it yours? Or does the horse belong to the Yard Owner and you are looking after it?

And "he" is presumably the Yard Owner?

Sincere apologies, but you are going to need to explain it a little more clearly!
Click to expand...
Hi yes sorry it’s a funny situation to explain it 😅🙈


Yes he’s the yard owner , no I haven’t if my own … it’s for his daughters … I have added some extra messages as I couldn’t work out how to edit the post.

Thanks
 
So free sole use of the yard in exchange for looking after his pony (including hay and feed) and baby sitting kids twice a month. If it works for both of you, great. If not, be straight with him and tell him you'd rather pay the total rent, and deduct the costs for looking after his pony.
 
I have to pay for the hay and straw and the feed… I’m only getting 100 for looking after a pony everyday… which only covers her hay… in the deal I’m not getting anything but more stress and work …

My rent was 200 which I don’t pay now but pay for the hay , feed straw for the mare…
 
Hanakablondie said:
I have to pay for the hay and straw and the feed… I’m only getting 100 for looking after a pony everyday… which only covers her hay… in the deal I’m not getting anything but more stress and work …

My rent was 200 which I don’t pay now but pay for the hay , feed straw for the mare…
Click to expand...
You said your rent was 400 reduced to £300. But now it's £200 - which you don't pay.

Seems a fair exchange for looking after their pony.
 
It was 300 if i had another livery but he’s took that place… I had to pay 300, he was struggling to rent it out at 400 , one lady came and didn’t pay him the time she came so he came back to me and offered the yard for £300
 
If I understand correctly-
-You moved onto the yard and started working as a cleaner for the yard owner in lieu of all or part of the yard rent
-There was at one point a second livery on the yard who has now left
-The yard owner has a daughter(s) who would like to ride, you offered the ride on your ponies but they are too much for a novice
-The yard owner bought a pony and asked you to look after this pony. You stopped cleaning for him at this point
-You pay for the pony's feed, bedding etc.
-You ate expected to babysit the yard owners child(ren) when they visit the pony.
If this is the case, I'd agree with Amymay that you can either go back to paying the rent and ask the YO to pay for his pony's feed and bedding, or continue as you are.
I would caution that asking to be paid for pony care in addition to free livery for your ponies may well mean you are asked to leave, but he might (if shown the costs of hay these days) agree to pay for some or all of the hay for his pony.

When he bought the pony, was any of this discussed? Did you have a proper agreement (contract?) for what you would provide in return for your ponies' livery?
 
AmyMay Again said:
You said your rent was 400 reduced to £300. But now it's £200 - which you don't pay.

Seems a fair exchange for looking after their pony.
Click to expand...
It would seem reasonable if there was more grazing and only coming in when the weather was bad, but, if I have understood, there are now 3 horses on 1 acre so there will basically be no grass, so needing hay all year round. This year mine get ~£150 worth of hay each every month, all large horses not ponies, with bedding and feed, a lot more than £200. So it looks like at the end of the day you are looking after an extra horse for free after the expenses.

Look for another option.
 
AmyMay Again said:
You said your rent was 400 reduced to £300. But now it's £200 - which you don't pay.

Seems a fair exchange for looking after their pony.
Click to expand...
If he was to put the pony on full livery yard he’d be paying over 500-600 . Livery place would charge £15 a day to look after it… on a daily basis…

My 200 rent and paying for the hay etc means I’m paying the £300 … so technically in the deal, I’m not getting anything out of it but hard work and stress…
 
SpeedyPony said:
If I understand correctly-
-You moved onto the yard and started working as a cleaner for the yard owner in lieu of all or part of the yard rent
-There was at one point a second livery on the yard who has now left
-The yard owner has a daughter(s) who would like to ride, you offered the ride on your ponies but they are too much for a novice
-The yard owner bought a pony and asked you to look after this pony. You stopped cleaning for him at this point
-You pay for the pony's feed, bedding etc.
-You ate expected to babysit the yard owners child(ren) when they visit the pony.
If this is the case, I'd agree with Amymay that you can either go back to paying the rent and ask the YO to pay for his pony's feed and bedding, or continue as you are.
I would caution that asking to be paid for pony care in addition to free livery for your ponies may well mean you are asked to leave, but he might (if shown the costs of hay these days) agree to pay for some or all of the hay for his pony.

When he bought the pony, was any of this discussed? Did you have a proper agreement (contract?) for what you would provide in return for your ponies' livery?
Click to expand...
Yes most of what you said was right… No as I didn’t know how to charge for it etc. why on asking on here for people opinions on it… we got the mare 14 months ago…
 
nutjob said:
It would seem reasonable if there was more grazing and only coming in when the weather was bad, but, if I have understood, there are now 3 horses on 1 acre so there will basically be no grass, so needing hay all year round. This year mine get ~£150 worth of hay each every month, all large horses not ponies, with bedding and feed, a lot more than £200. So it looks like at the end of the day you are looking after an extra horse for free after the expenses.

Look for another option.
Click to expand...
Mine are 14.2 and 12 hh , his is 14.3 on the acre and that’s what I’m trying to explain that there is no grass really… I’ve got the field in half atm so half is rested. I’m paying over 40-50 a week in hay. Let alone feed and the time to care for it said pony…
 
Hanakablondie said:
If he was to put the pony on full livery yard he’d be paying over 500-600 . Livery place would charge £15 a day to look after it… on a daily basis…

My 200 rent and paying for the hay etc means I’m paying the £300 … so technically in the deal, I’m not getting anything out of it but hard work and stress…
Click to expand...
Ah, ok.

I'd just move tbh. It sounds like a dreadful set up as you have no grazing.
 
Hanakablondie said:
Yes most of what you said was right… No as I didn’t know how to charge for it etc. why on asking on here for people opinions on it… we got the mare 14 months ago…
Click to expand...
That makes it a little awkward, as you have established a bit of a status quo in those 14 months, but in your shoes I'd probably work out exactly what the hay/bedding etc costs for the pony, then go in and have a discussion (the hike in hay prices after last year's harvest might provide an excuse for raising it) about how much the pony costs vs how much the agreed rent was.
If you don't want to move, you may find you need to compromise a bit and, for example, offer pony care with him paying for the hay, even if it would cost him more to have a freelancer/put the pony on full livery.
If you're happy to move yours if need be, then you can negotiate a bit harder!
 
as
SpeedyPony said:
That makes it a little awkward, as you have established a bit of a status quo in those 14 months, but in your shoes I'd probably work out exactly what the hay/bedding etc costs for the pony, then go in and have a discussion (the hike in hay prices after last year's harvest might provide an excuse for raising it) about how much the pony costs vs how much the agreed rent was.
If you don't want to move, you may find you need to compromise a bit and, for example, offer pony care with him paying for the hay, even if it would cost him more to have a freelancer/put the pony on full livery.
If you're happy to move yours if need be, then you can negotiate a bit harder!
Click to expand...
i have once already and he went off as I was still cleaning at the start and paying for the pony. Till shortly after the hike on hay price, I’ve got this deal where I don’t clean anymore but it’s still to much on me as I have to make time for his children ( one the oldest isn’t keen on the hard work but the youngest is)


It’s coming out of my pocket to much now , it’s a great deal for him. I’m losing work time now and I have more stress with having to find time for the girls. Which i didn’t think about when he was saying about getting one and the deal… he was expecting me to clean and pay for the pony at the start …
 
Hanakablondie said:
as

i have once already and he went off as I was still cleaning at the start and paying for the pony. Till shortly after the hike on hay price, I’ve got this deal where I don’t clean anymore but it’s still to much on me as I have to make time for his children ( one the oldest isn’t keen on the hard work but the youngest is)


It’s coming out of my pocket to much now , it’s a great deal for him. I’m losing work time now and I have more stress with having to find time for the girls. Which i didn’t think about when he was saying about getting one and the deal… he was expecting me to clean and pay for the pony at the start …
Click to expand...
In that case I'd start looking for other options, as it doesn't sound like he's going to be amenable to re-negotiations.
 
SpeedyPony said:
In that case I'd start looking for other options, as it doesn't sound like he's going to be amenable to re-negotiations.
Click to expand...
I have been, I could find livery yard with cross country course and a school for 147 per stable. Wanted to find some options on the deal to put to him . What others would charge if they was in the situation
 
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