livery issue- what would you do?

B

bushbaby28

Well-Known Member
Joined
25 August 2008
Messages
1,177
Visit site
we have regular battles with our YO (every couple of months). she's lovely usually and will do anything to help you out like take horses to vets, give free advice, lessons, etc etc.

but then she gets a thought and won't drop it.. this is the recent drama:

she's worried that we wont have enough grass for the winter so wants to rest some fields even though my boys currently in during the day as too much grass!

so she's decided to split one field that currently has 4 mares in and put 5 geldings in the other half. they will be seperated by electric fence (with no electricity running through).

field in question isn't huge and has hardly any grass and both mares and geldings are known to jump/go throw/bulldoze electric fence.

so understandably nobody is happy. she's left me and my mum to tell all 7 other owners and put up fence, as well as help ragwort pick as its got out of hand. she's said they are to be moved by tomorrow or she will do it and charge us for it. (its my graduation day tomorrow)

ended up in tears tonight as everybody was looking us to lead revolution and say they weren't to be moved but what can i do?? when you fight her she will shout and swear in your face, full volume and i'm a very unconfident and unassertive person at the best of time.

sorry for very long message, cookies, strawberries and cream for everybody.

what would you do??
 
Get everyone together and talk to her as a group. Not an all out slanging match but a stating of everyones views. It shouldn't be down to just you to deal with it on your own.
 
Geez, sounds like the kind of scenarios we had to deal with at my old yard! Someone (maybe your mum?) should calmly point out to her that maybe it won't work, as there isn't a lot of grass in there anyway atm, and mares and geldings separated by a tape won't really work, for all the reasons you suggested! Maybe point out too that each horse should really have atleast an acre of land, am I'm presuming the field in question isn't 8 acres?!

If she shouts etc etc just calmly carry on and say that you wouldn't be happy to pay for it as that's not enough land to keep 8 horses on. Any chance of moving yards? Good luck hun!

EDIT- I moved yards and am SO glad I did, current yard is very friendly and well managed, plenty of grass in winter, not too much in summer, all my best friends are there etc etc, defo move!
 
If you can bear to have the horses on the field as described then negotiate with YO that the field is split with 2 fences 4ft apart and both are electrified.
 
why is it up to us- coz we will... and she likes to use us so she doesnt have to put up with everybody having a strop about it.

yeh looking for somewhere else which is a shame coz i love it up there and love the other people. but this is what she does, and it eventually drives ppl out.

good thought about the group. we were talking about it but shes away in ireland until friday and she won't listen. what i've done tonight is text her saying she needs to talk to the others as nobody is happy and we're getting it all instead.

what i think we should do is split field with 2 rows of fencing between the 2 groups to stop them getting to each other and electrify it. the grass will last them couple of weeks and mine need to go on less grass so ok with it. proposed this to other owners but they dnt like it.
 
[ QUOTE ]
If you can bear to have the horses on the field as described then negotiate with YO that the field is split with 2 fences 4ft apart and both are electrified.

[/ QUOTE ]

exactly what i have suggested and YO said that would be ok. other owners didn't agree.
 
Sounds like a right nightmare. Either way you and your Mum should NOT be the ones left to deal with it. Unless the field is large I would be unhappy having 8 horses in one paddock even if it was separated by 2 electric fences. At the end of the day you are all paying this woman for a service and if she is not providing a good service I would move. I know you seem happy there but you have to think what is best for your sanity as horses are meant to be a relaxing hobby and also what is best for your horses... (particuarly as you own a fragile TB!)

You and your Mum deserve a lot better than this. (((hugs)))
 
As an owner of a mare who has just been booted in the face, now suffering a fractured jaw £7500 later on vets bills, if you are not happy, then say so. Electric tape with no electric running through it may as well not be there, as I have recently found out
frown.gif
 
Electric tape with no current is very dangerous as the tape can give a lethal cut if wound round the horses leg. If the boys and girls start trying to get to each other then this could easily happen.
 
Is your yard quite informal? Does your YO tend to leave you to your own devices? Sometimes informality is good, sometimes bad.

At my yard we are left to get on with things ourselves. The rent is very reasonable and we have no facilities but it is in an idyllic location. We do have our own paddocks, however, unless we manage them correctly they would become useless. Keeping them free from ragwort falls on the shoulders of each individual also. We all have our own energisers and tape, purchased by each of us individually.

Perhaps you could consider clubbing together and buying an energiser between you all.

It sounds like your YO has good intentions but perhaps things get too much for her and she flaps a bit.

As for a revoluation, I would be careful. It is her yard and she runs it how she sees fit. As for a revolution, look after yourself, not everyone else. If they have issues let them raise them themselves. I spoke out on behalf of others once and then when the going got tough they backtracked and left me in the complete sh*t - don't get involved on their behalf.

I hope you can sort things out, it doesn't sound like all is lost.
 
to be honest, id be moving if my yard owner was like that, electric fence with no currant is dangerous for the horses. and if youre not happy with where your horses are, tell her, its you whose horse is it and she should provide the right grazing for it .
 
yeh its quite informal as in no consistent rules at all and generally we are left alone if we want to be. but no consistent rules mean sometimes we are left alone and other times she takes over, like this.

hmmm think you are right, electric tape without electricity is like having a piece of string there. also teaches them bad manners and no respect for fencing. and agree its dangerous so will make sure we get a supply up there.

and also think you are all right that got to think about my own sanity. if this was a one off then fair enough but it happens so often, and more often than not it ends up with a horse getting hurt.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top