Livery yard issues am just been grumpy or should I say something to the YO

[Mary3050]

Hi Guys,

So I am unsure if I need to be less grumpy and just get used to it . I really like the yard I am with my ridden gang . Until this one person can onto the yard at first it wasn’t to bad but now it’s starting to be irritating. I find I am avoiding riding at set time due to it .

So this women moved onto our yard at first it was just two horse . But I was aware more were coming . Now she has 8 on the yard with another one arriving this week . She also has 5 kids . So 4 horse are kids ponies . Since the ponies have arrived there are always kids running around playing shouting. My stuff is always going missing ie I leave stuff in the tack room it goes missing never happens previously. I found the kids using my hass brushes after they had been missing a week . When I asked where they got them as they are kept away in a grooming box for competitions with my name on . They said they found them on the floor which isn’t possible . Stuff is always missing whips, sponges, cloths, brushes etc

She doesn’t keep an eye on them when they are riding two are Particularly whizzy and gallops up behind you, rides at you the works .

My tack and equipment keeps getting moved in the tack room and store room as she “need” more space. My jump saddle was left on the floor taken off it’s saddle rack . When I asked why it has been moved the grooms said she did it . So I asked her why she said because I don’t use it so should take it home . I have 3 horses on the yard and have 4 saddle racks . May people have 1 horse and two saddle racks . I use the saddle once or twice a week.

The equines are as bad as the kids . One pony is constantly shouting , badly behaved in the school ie usually everyone rides together she has 2 that are nuts she doesn’t want you in the ring with meaning I get ready to ride and can’t ride. Then one is near the school and gallops up and down. To get my horse out of the field I have to walk through one of hers which I can’t do as it charges and paces at the gate. Then another is out near one of mine the grooms keep bringing him in early when asked why they said well the horse next to it doesn’t like been in on its own and it’s owners coming to ride it .

She seems to think she owns the yard now . Like the other day my friend arrived to practice my dressage test with me . I started warming up . She walked in and said my kids want to jump so can you hurry up . I explained I would be at least 30 minutes I had been in 5 minutes . So she started putting up jumps when I asked her to wait she said she didn’t have time . I said okay but could you not put them on the centre line so I can get down she then proceeded to put bounces up on the centre line .

This had to someone else on the yard the horse is spooky she asked then to wait until she got off to put jumps up and they didn’t the horse took off with its rider and they still didn’t stop . Since she put in the group chat if people want to get jumps / poles out please pop it in the group chat . She has ignored this and continued to do as she pleases .

Should i tell my yard own I have now had enough of the situation and am concerned for my safety too . Or do you think they will not do anything. Since she’s arrived a couple of long standing livery's have gone . My friend left as she said she was fed up of the kids in the school . It’s a meant to be a professional yard ?

 

[Arzada]

Move

 

[Polos Mum]

Do you have anywhere else to go?

Is there any way of separating up the fields / stables so you have a small area to yourself (dosen't fix the school issue but some help)

Her nine are more valuable to the YO than your 4 so I'd not expect the YO to do anything - sorry but that's the reality of it.

She will not change - there is no point wasting energy trying to get her to.
YO unlikely to do anything if people have left already.

If you can't request changes to the layout of yard / fields then I'd be looking for somewhere else

 

[nagblagger]

How well do you get on with the YO?
i would approach them first with concerns for your safety and the childrens' as they are invading other horses and peoples space which could result in accidents and injury, and an insurance claim.
You could ask the Yo for clarification on whether the new owner can has the authority to move your stuff in the tack room.
Does the YO know its happening. If they had taken any of my equipment i would warn them that it stealing, if returned it would have to have been washed thoroughly.
If the YO is not helpful, then i agree with the others, move.

 

[bonny]

Nothing to do.with your problem which sounds unfixable but the nosey side of me is wondering how much it costs to keep nine horses at your yard ?

 

[Leandy]

I would absolutely address this with the yard owner! Whether they do anything will depend on how well they value their reputation for running a professional yard but at least give them the heads up what is going on and that this is the reason people are leaving so they have the chance to put it right. There is no downside in mentioning it. Either way if nothing changes it sounds as though you need to find somewhere else. You are entirely reasonable here and this other family sound like a nightmare!

 

[milliepops]

i would also raise with the YO. Saying this woman's 8 horses is worth more than the OPs 4 is one way of looking at it... the other is that the woman with 8 might leave and take a huge amount of business at once, and in the meantime is driving away other long term clients.

if you don't try you won't know if it would make a difference. assuming YO doesn't care then i would be looking to move, because that would be driving me crazy.

 

[Archangel]

It sounds hideous. I would leave.

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

I hate that attitude that the more horses you have in a yard the more entitled you are. It’s a shit attitude we all pay for our livery at the end of the day and I have just as much right to use the facilities as someone else. If the YO doesn’t have a word then I’d take it as free rein to sort out your own stuff.

I’d have taken the jumps down, if any of my stuff moved I’d be taking back or putting back. Chain your saddles to your racks, Get a large garden storage box and lock it. Write your name on everything and I’d put a sign up saying if you take my stuff it’s theft and you will call the police. Out up a camera at your storage, I HATE when people have this attitude. They think they are entitled to more and I take great delight in ensuring they don’t get it.

 

[TheSubwayDino]

Let the YO know, if they dont do anything, id just leave

 

[nagblagger]

Do you 'book out' times for the arena? If not maybe start, with YO permission - while you look elsewhere.
This horse owner needs to learn horse etiquette and yard boundaries.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Nothing to do.with your problem which sounds unfixable but the nosey side of me is wondering how much it costs to keep nine horses at your yard ?

Yes!! I was wondering the same

 

[twobearsarthur]

You’re not being grumpy. I would rather not have a horse than deal with that! I’m not a child person anyway, I can’t stand people moving my stuff never mind using it and all the other things you describe I would have already lost my mind. Without sounding like a Debbie Downer I can’t see anything changing even if you speak to the yard manager. The children aren’t all of a sudden become well behaved, the mother isn’t all of a sudden going to be less of a pain etc.. and the yard owner isn’t going to want to lose the price of 9 horses. Sorry my advice would be move.

 

[AmyMay]

I only skimmed. That was enough.

Absolute nightmare. Move

 

[Fred66]

Talk to the yard owner and make it clear that you are not happy with how the arrival of the new livery has impacted on you. If possible canvas other liveries to see if they are impacted in the same way.

Don’t compromise!!
If she comes into the arena again when you are using it then say no and mean it. If she continues to put jumps in inform her that you will remove them and you will be 1/2 hour in a clear arena.
Inform groom that if her horse needs company then she has 7 other horses bring in one of them.
If you find them using your brushes then bill her for each brush (cross contamination) and inform her that borrowing without permission is theft.
If she moves your saddle then inform her you will bill her for any damage.

EDIT: Tell the yard owner she has already lost two liveries and is in danger of losing your 4 horses as well, it won’t take many more leaving for the yard to be worse off

 

[[153312]]

she's monopolising the entire yard. It would be fine if she was paying to rent it privately but she's not - tell YO what you've written here and say either it's sorted or you leave.

 

[HappyHollyDays]

Sounds an absolute nightmare and my idea of hell. Got to wonder if she has ever done a flit without paying from previous yards as 9 must cost a fortune each month. If I was a YO I wouldn’t have somebody with that many horses, it’s too much of a risk if they stop paying.

 

[Irish-Only]

How awful for you and the other liveries. The trouble is, as mentioned by others, she is providing a lovely livery income. BUT, it does sound as though if you are thinking of leaving then probably others are thinking the same? Maybe a collective approach might work, but if not then sadly you need to move on. Life's too short. Good luck.

 

[Quigleyandme]

Grumpy? My blood pressure rose just reading your post. I couldn’t put up with such rude, entitled behaviour for a day. In the short-term I would be locking up/chaining up all my tack and equipment and posting a sign to the effect of “You and/or your cabal of undisciplined brats are not entitled to move or use any of my belongings and if you do don’t be surprised if I drop kick your stuff into the nearest ditch.”

 

[Shilasdair]

Yard owners always take the side of the person giving them the most cash - so will side with your nemesis.
I'd leave if I were you.

 

[Sossigpoker]

Once a person is an entitled shitbag with demon kids, they won't change whether YO talks to her or not. So I would just look for somewhere else and grin and bare it until then.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

I'm a YO myself albeit just a piddly little DIY set-up, but the principles are the same: everyone has the right to be there and no-one should take precedence over anyone else. And whether you've got one horse or twenty horses on the yard it matters not coz everyone's money is the same colour and no-one should presume more importance or status than anyone else. Or steal/move anyone else's stuff. Period.

You need to talk to your YO. Tell them exactly what is going on and that you are not happy. Write it down.

If your YO listens then perhaps suggest a period of "seeing how things go". Say a week. If they get all p!ssy about it and won't listen to you then sadly you may have to seek alternative livery.

It makes me cross when I hear about stuff like this going on at yards, puts all of us YO's in a bad light. However if YO isn't aware, they can't sort the problem, so you need to talk to them soonest.

(word to the wise: cast your eye around for other livery in the area in case you find yourself having to move).

 

[skint1]

You could raise your concerns with the YO, but then you've got to to think if she's this brazen now, what's she going to be like if she finds out you've complained? If the YO doesn't want to get involved or you don't feel you can raise it, the best you can hope for is that she doesn't pay the rent and gets thrown off quickly. You often find in situations like this one that they're serial movers because of non-payment, do you know if she's moved around a lot? If so, that could be in your favour. I feel so sorry for you, it's really not easy when a place you've loved changes and you're not sure you belong anymore.

 

[Fred66]

Yard owners always take the side of the person giving them the most cash - so will side with your nemesis.
I'd leave if I were you.

Not true. In the long term if you have a bad livery then they cost you money and you can end up with them having the YO over a barrel as they can trash your yards reputation

 

[Leandy]

How long has this person been at the yard OP? Do you/yard owner know the history? Sounds exactly the type to do a moonlight flit owing money in the not too distant future. Hopefully not but may be worth you riding it out for a period to wait and see, if you can possibly bear it. May be worth asking the YO what they know, just as part of your discussion.

 

[luckyoldme]

I would let the yo know, it probably won't make much difference to you but over time more people will leave for the same reason.
I hate that shitbags like this woman always seem to win but life is to short to fight them...one day she will meet someone who has a sad enough life to waste it on fighting the bitch.

 

[canteron]

Can you group together with other liveries …. But have a plan of what systems/rules you want before you go.

I suspect the yo knows she annoying and is just hoping she doesn’t have to do anything?!

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

OP, you aren't close to the borders of NW Surrey, NE Hants or South Berks are you? Just this lovely family sounds a little familiar......

 

[Chianti]

The yard I was on set up a calendar on gmail that people have to fill in if they are going to use the school. If you want sole use then you have to pay a small fee. If you don't you're expected to share. What tends to happen is people put on when they're going in -in the hope others won't go in as well- but they have no right to ask you to not to. This was started after another livery told me I couldn't go in to lunge when she was schooling. The YO over heard and set up clear rules that everyone - by and large - kept to. With regards to the other bits I would lock everything up that you can- padlock your saddles to the racks and get a grooming kit you can lock. You can talk to the YO but unless she'd deaf and blind I would have thought she knows what's going and and is choosing to ignore it. Could you go where your friend has moved to?

 

[Mary3050]

Move

I have thought about it but the yards around here don’t off the standard of care I want/nee. However I have thought about it