Livery yard owners - what are THEIR obligations? Any thoughts?

FestiveSpirit

FestiveSpirit

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I have been on my current yard for about 7 years now, and have seen it develop greatly during that time. Lots more stables have been built, but no extra turnout has been allocated, so basically the yard is very overstocked now
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The YO told me that I had to move my horse to a new paddock last w/end so the one he has been in could be rested - fair enough, no problem with that. But the paddock he has been allocated is totally unsuitable - very very rutted and poached from being used over the winter - and my horse has now lost 2 shoes in a week and is lame behind
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YO simply says that all other paddocks are either being used or rested, so has offered me a scruffy little paddock where my horse will not be able to see other horses properly, so not sure he will settle
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Do YO's have ANY responsibilities to provide decent facilities? I have a long livery contract which outlines lots of things which I have to do, but nothing about what YO should provide/do etc
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I am on the point of finding another yard now - I am a good livery, I always pay promptly, poo pick my field, clean up after my horse on the yard & in the schools, fork my muck up properly on the muck trailer... all the things we get nagged about... but because I only have one horse and dont pay YO shedloads of money I am at the bottom of the heap for field allocation it seems, even though I have been there for so long
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We have it written into our contract what my YO/YM has to provide us with .

I don't think they are obliged to provide anything unless its in the contract .

Sorry to hear your having a rough time - yards can be a nightmare at times
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TBH my yard has been a nightmare for a while, I only stay because my trainer
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(well, OK, instructor really!) is based there and I bought my last two horses from them.

I guess it is a YO's perogative to give any decent paddocks to her friends/those who pay most, but it really is starting to p*ss me off - I keep up my side of the deal and do all she asks, surely a decent safe paddock is not an unreasonable request
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This is the problem with many yards too high a ratio of horses to pasture.
In many yards pasture and fenciing are not maintained regularly or correctly.

I am afraid the only solution is to walk with your feet.

A yard owner has a 'Duty of Care' for you and your horse while on their premises or while you are employed by them so if you or your horse are injured as a result of the yard owners negligence then they may well be held liable.
 
Thanks for this reply Peter, it confirms what I had suspected unfortunately
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I have dug out my livery agreement and it simply states that the YO will "provide a stable for your horse and a field in which it may be turned out with others or by itself"

That is their only obligation in the livery contract
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Off to find another yard I guess....
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A lot of yards dont care/dont want to know so long as they get your money every week and theres no flexibility whatsoever. TBH Id give anything to have my own land even if its rented. Its usually the case of if you dont like it leave. Im so fed up with them Im ready to throw in the towel its really getting me down.

I hope you sort it out.
 
if you do need a new yard, i dont know where you are, but we have an extra stable on my yard, and we have just moved on to new grazing which is lovely
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PM me if you want to know more and are in the area obviously

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Do you like the yard you are at? If so I would speak to your YO before moving. Tell her how you feel and she may be able to better accommodate you.
 
Unfortunately there are way too many livery owners who think they can get away with anything, and its often the most reliable clients who suffer as they're generally the people who care most for their animals and so don't like to rock the boat!! They certainly do have an implied duty of care, but if there are no specifications in your contract, you probably have little practical recourse apart from voting with your feet.

I would support Tia's suggestion of having a chat first though.

My horse is on full livery because of where/how I work and I've had some bad experiences ranging from him not getting fed properly to nearly being stolen by one YO and needing a police escort to get him off the yard!!
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[ QUOTE ]
Would they harrow and roll the paddock for you?

[/ QUOTE ]

To me that would be the simple solution but getting anything done on the yard is getting increasingly difficult - YO now has a small son, and spends all her time with him. Understandable, but it means DIY gets taken to new limits - if you want ANYTHING done you do it yourself
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But thanks to everyone for the feedback - I did speak to the YO tonight and have agreed another field. Bob will be sharing with two others - not ideal as he loves company so much he is always reluctant to be caught
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- but a much better field thankfully and it actually has some grass (a rare commodity at our yard
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I'd tell you to come to ours if we had any room! We have all year turnout, winter AND summer paddocks (they are actually green!!
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)

Wait a few months and there will be a brand spanking new livery two minutes away, DV can travel to teach you and they have even more grazing than my yard (Plus I can nosey on you and Bob from my kitchen window
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I had already considered that Henmeister - are they having a decent sized school put in by any chance? I am wanting to move around August/September as a couple of my friends (including the one with transport...) will be leaving our yard around then
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I think it is going to be 60x20, from the plans I've seen it's going to be fab - the stables are going to have rubber flooring and wall covering!

They are just waiting for the planning permission to go through (still! although some progress has been made!) and then they will be cracking on.
 
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