Livery rant

Z

zoon

Well-Known Member
Joined
13 November 2008
Messages
2,349
Visit site
Sorry, I need to vent. I have Haylage included in my livery. We pay the same all year round and have Haylage provided for 6 month of the year. Meant to average out over the year, but I pay way over the odds I think. Everything else about yard is great, not perfect but everyone is very nice and there is plenty of grazing and a good school. We are not allowed to provide our own forage.

Haylage this year has been awful quality, hay looks ok currently but next batch might be awful. Not that I am allowed to use the hay as YO has lots of crap Haylage she wants to use up first. So paying over a grand a year for Haylage that my 2 won't eat (they sniff it and walk away, it looks fine but obviously something dodgy about it as they are both greedy sods). So paying all this money and getting nothing in return. Not allowed to provide my own so looks like I am going to have to leave.

Shame as very few yards in my area that are any good and I really like this yard other than this forage issue. Most of the other liveries also moan about the hay/Haylage, but the issue never changes. YO makes a lot of money from the Haylage and hay despite claiming she just covers her costs so guess this is why we can't supply our own. She claims it is because there isn't enough room, but I can find plenty.

Had to rant, think ill be posting a livery search post soon... :(
 
Think the only thing you can do is get together and go and talk to her. If you have a united front, she may listen! Alternativly, drive round and knock on doors, that how I found my current place.
 
I have a massive empty shed I could fill with hay, but why should I have to pay for hers and not use it and supply my own as well? She won't let anyone pay for stable/grazing alone and not have hay included.
 
Sorry i assumed that she would...people are odd.

If everyone else is annoyed i think a yard meeting is in order, failing that you may need to relocate. No point putting your horse's health at risk.
 
If she won't discuss this and come to an agreement, you will have to leave. If a horse will not eat forage, there is something wrong with it - and you have to put your horses first. In the meantime, I would tell her that until it is resolved, you have to bring your own haynets up, or even use her hay.

But is as a YO she is prepared for liveries to use contaminated haylage, I would be off there like a shot.
 
The haylage might not be actually contaminated - it could be something like the additives they put in to prevent mould - used loads now but a lot of horses dont like the taste. Also this years forage crops have been utter rubbish in most of the country unless you pay £££££££££ for the small proportion of good stuff that was got. So I wouldnt jump ship unless you know for sure you have a guaranteed source of good quality affordable forage.

When we had some awful hay once on our yard and it was part of the part livery and my horse was losing weight and just wouldnt eat it, I bought horsehage a bag at a time and fed him that. I didnt get any livery discount but TBH my horse was more important, and the yard was good apart from that aspect so that by itself didnt make me jump ship, tho it would have been nice not to have been charged.
 
My annual cost of haylage PER horse is nearly £800 and so £1 k for two is a very good deal. However, it's no good if your horses won't eat it.
 
Wagtail said:
My annual cost of haylage PER horse is nearly £800 and so £1 k for two is a very good deal. However, it's no good if your horses won't eat it.
Click to expand...

^^ This. That being said I've had the cheapest haylage in about 3 years and didn't struggle finding it and good quality.

Most yards I've been on it's an option. I wouldn't like to have to use yards but if I went in knowing it, I'd accept.

Probably worth looking elsewhere for a place where you get your own haylage, bear in mind as Wagtail has shown though... your costs will probably go up.
 
By contaminated I mean there is "something" in the haylage that is causing greedy horses to walk away. This is what horse do in the wild to protect themselves if something is not edible.

The haylage may be ok for cattle, and it might be worth suggesting this as a way for the YO to get rid.
 
I have my own land - horses are only here as both are youngsters that need starting and I don't have anywhere to ride at mine and can't get any planning permission. They were at mine before I moved here and I spent about £400 on hay for the 2 of them a year. That was last year feeding ad lib.
 
The others seem to be eating it, but aren't keen on it. They are all stabled at night though so have no choice. Mine are out 24/7 fed Haylage in field so at least can pick at a little grass.
 
Twinkle Shy said:
confused now... At the end of the day this is NOT a money issue, it's a feeding a horse to keep it healthy issue :confused:
Click to expand...

Why are you confused?

Yes at the end of the day I just want something my horses will eat. Money is only an issue if that doesn't happen so I am paying for something I am not receiving
 
Sorry but i'd have had to do something by now, my horse's health always comes first, your YO is putting you horse at risk from COPD, botulism etc, letting him eat that bad haylage. Your better off asking the YO to allow you to feed him hay.
If Yo won't allow it, then vote with your feet, i'm afraid :(
 
Forage seems to be a problem for quite a few people. I'm wondering what is up with the YOs?

Ours is more a lack of it, which last night happened for the second time in a week - nothing to feed the horses with. Once again, I spent £6 on haylage for my 2 which will be knocked off this months livery!!

Hope you get it sorted soon!
 
Of course it's a money issue, but that is second to feeding inferior forage. If it was me, i'd be buying Horsehage first, so you know the horses are safe, and then arguing the cost/ whether you stay second.

I don't mean to sound blunt, but colic can kill. Your horses are telling you something very important.
 
Last edited:
So just to be clear, your paying £5 a day for Adlib haylage - bargin.

As for is edibility, you can tell by how it looks and smells if it's ok.

I think your only option is to move them back home, where you can source your own forage.
 
I'm just going on what I've spent in the past, maybe I'm mistaken.

But all I'm asking is for something to feed my horses - they won't eat Haylage, I am not allowed to supply my own (if caught bringing in forage I have been told I will be asked to leave) not am I allowed to use hay until the Haylage issued up.

Feel like I'm being forced out.
 
amymay said:
So just to be clear, your paying £5 a day for Adlib haylage - bargin.

As for is edibility, you can tell by how it looks and smells if it's ok.

I think your only option is to move them back home, where you can source your own forage.
Click to expand...

Looks like wrapped hay, smells strongly like marzipan
 
It's not a bargain if it isn't eaten, would be better for the YO to let liveries source it themselves, can't be making uch profit on £5 a day anyway? Why can't you have your own OP, has YO said? (is it a storage issue, for eg)
 
zoon said:
All she says is it is part if terms and conditions of her yard
Click to expand...

could you not keep them at home and box to a school? I'd be looking elsewhere tbh, I'm not saying she doesn't have the right to make money, but surey on £5 a day she can't be making much, hence it's poor quality stuff she's expecting you to feed.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top