Livery Yard bedding dilemma....advice needed....what would you do?

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WelshTilly

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As above could really do with peoples advice / opinions on a situation......

I moved onto livery yard in May with my mare and 8 other boxes no contract and all liveries were using paper bedding bought of YO. I followed suit however mare was really wet :rolleyes: when being bought in at night so started looking at alternatives .......meanwhile some liveries left and new ones arrived with 2 horses who started using different bedding.

I then broached the YO about moving onto a different type of bedding with another livery and their 2 horses...YO was really positive and didn't see a problem as saw the benefits and said we would need to use the paper bedding up In the front barn (30 bales) As the other paper in the back barn was up for sale privately ......meanwhile me and livery ordered a pallet of new bedding expecting to change onto new bedding once all the bedding in front barn was used up. However the goal posts changed and YO Alluded to all the bedding in the back barn had to be used (100bales) as well which was the stuff up for sale privately ...

Meantime we were stuck In limbo thought best to tackle face to face and we eventually got chance to speak to YO today who stated that all the bedding had to be used prior to changing to our new bedding as otherwise the rent would be increased :confused: (didnt state by how much)...unfortunately I wasn't there but Livery spoke to them....having worked it out this would mean we wouldn't get to use our new bedding till spring :eek: mean time I have forked out upfront for a load of bedding which is just sat there and I cant use :(.... Or I pay more in livery however we are already paying the higher end of livery costs in the area....

I can see it from the YO point of view that they supply the paper and they would be losing money as their would be 3 less horses needing paper however the fact they were positive leading me to spent alot of money upfront on bedding and then changed tact is more than frustrating to say the least. Ive explained the benefits and even previosuly suggested they bougth the new bedding in and provided as an alternative thinking that it would give them an opportunity to benefit from.

I just want what's best for my horse and me but without out upsetting the apple cart...I'm half tempted to just switch anyhow however im currently that upset and angry i could just move yards however the other half of me and my mare are both settled and like the yard and people and in most other respects are fab so any advice would be greatly appreciated as to how you would deal with the situation.....

Apologies for waffling and rambling but I'm so angry and it's only fr****g horse bedding lol :o! But when you work hard I want more time to enjoy with my horse than to be mucking out And her to be laid on saturated bedding....hot chocolate,marshmallows and squirty cream for anyone who has got this far ...:D

K x
 
What is the new bedding? A few liveries on my yard use paper with shavings to good effect, could you mix the paper and new bedding?
 
Hi Bbh - it's wood pellets, We suggested that as a half way house to the yo but apparently it was a no go they want us to use all the paper ...:(
 
Well you still will be using all of it, just at a slower rate as it doesnt suit your mare. Im sympathetic with the YO in the sense that it does need to be used up, and paid for, but not in the chopping and changing.7

It is reasonable of her to ask for the paper to be used up and also reasonable of you (given the change in approach) to state that this is fine and agree a certain quantity you will buy per week but that you can supplement that amount with your own bedding.

Ultimately as with all livery/YO quibbles, it depends who blinks first in a way. Since YO can say my yard my rules and you can say, if rule doesnt suit, I leave.

Personally I would take the mix of bedding argument fairly far but in the end would prefer wet bed to making my horse move home. But it's also true to say that if you feel YO has been unfair by letting you buy bedding and then changing her mind on the back barn stuff, it will colour your view of them as a YO and may mean you dont stay as long at the yard as you might do in the future - that;s a risk they will take by sticking to their guns
 
I am really sympathetic with Yo and feel i have been reasonable in my approach and as you state l&m it's the chopping and changing that's annoyed me and I feel aggrieved at this and as you so eloquently put it 'coloured my view'.

It's frustrating having spent out the money on new bedding with the Yo knowing, I wish the goalposts were set correctly from the start and not changed as I now feel aggrieved particularly given the fact they have thrown the rent increase in as a way of using the new bedding yet the other livery has not had their rent increase and yet they are using different bedding in 2 stables.

The other thing to note is that other liverys (3) intend to stay on the bedding provided by Yo so it will continue to be used up.

We did broach use of a mix but they weren't happy as I understand from what my friend said think I have a few options.....


1. Continue to use paper bedding till spring and Stop moaning....:p
2. Have a meeting with Yo about using new bedding and explain above and discuss reasons for rent increase and fairness of applying to all liverys on alternative bedding.
3. Discuss with Yo potential of using a mix ....
4. Sod it and Use new bedding
5. Move yards

Gah damn the politics .....I really don't know what to do ....:confused:
 
i think it depends on what type of livery you are on and what is stated in your contract?? personally i hate paper.. messy wet etc unless on whopper beds.
 
100 bales divided by 8 horses is 12.5 - so used in no time, i'd imagine. But If you really don't want to use it I'd just give a token financial settlement towards it. Paper bedding is cheap isn't it? So it shouldn't be much.
 
Do you get a certain amount of bales per week/month. You could try to use more by putting more into the stable and saying you need to use more as she is so wet. Hence the change of bedding.
 
amymay said:
100 bales divided by 8 horses is 12.5 - so used in no time, i'd imagine. But If you really don't want to use it I'd just give a token financial settlement towards it. Paper bedding is cheap isn't it? So it shouldn't be much.
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Hi Amy may 3 horses are already on a different type of bedding so 100 bales is between 5 horses - 20 each I'm currently using 1 bale a week although some weeks 2 if she's really wet .... We estimated on the yard that it would take us til mid / end of march to use up by which time the winter and worst of mucking out will be done so defeats the object of switching my mare looks like I'll have to broach mixing with YO :rolleyes:....

Wish is was cheap we pay £5.50 / bale will be increasing to £6.50 for stuff in back barn, my new bedding is cheap at half the price ....
 
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lwvtb said:
Do you get a certain amount of bales per week/month. You could try to use more by putting more into the stable and saying you need to use more as she is so wet. Hence the change of bedding.
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Unfortunately not bedding isn't included in livery we have no contract either i have only been at the yard since may and as I understand paper has always been used by liveries avalible to purchase from YO £5.50 / bale and when we start using stuff in back barn price increases to £6.50 ....My new bedding I've managed to get for half the price which is the same as the other bedding the other liveries are on .....
 
As you are DIY with no contract to purchase bedding from the YO , they have no right to dictate what bedding you use, if other people are not buying the paper I would just stop using it.
It is not your problem if they have bought more than they can sell and it is not fair to increase livery prices because of their mistakes. Will they put everyones livery up or just you and your friends.
 
be positive said:
As you are DIY with no contract to purchase bedding from the YO , they have no right to dictate what bedding you use, if other people are not buying the paper I would just stop using it.
It is not your problem if they have bought more than they can sell and it is not fair to increase livery prices because of their mistakes. Will they put everyones livery up or just you and your friends.
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You put it far more succinctly! The people using alternative bedding have not had their rent increased therefore I feel it was said as a putting off tactic which isn't fair however I need to clarify this and how much with YO and then discuss about the other liveries.... I'm normally a very decisive person but trying to be quite tactful as this is a very cliquey yard (like most) and am only 1 livery a lot of the others have 2 or more horses therefore am in the minority if you catch my drift!! :p
 
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