Livery yard politics

At my last yard there was one livery how used to chain and padlock everything as she was paranoid people were using it. We weren't at all. She used to take her tack home with her everyday as she thought we would use it. She would hang her headcollar in a certain way with the rope tied in a certain way so she knew if it had been moved. She didnt agree with the left to left rule in the menage. Her rule was, if she was first in the arena then she had right of way at all times!
She would park her car miles from the yard and then sneak into her stable and sit there so she could listen if any of us were talking about her - which we didnt! It was so ridiculous it was actually quite funny.
 
Well ..... here goes ...

Ex yard that I was on - the in-fighting got that bad between 2 girls - and the fact they tried to make other liveries "choose sides" that it split the rather large yard in two !! There was those who liked "A" and those that liked "B" - it all got rather pathetic - and we are talking adults here ! This was about 5 years ago now.

Well the upshot was - that it became so bad that the girls tried to do the following to each other .... you wont believe this ...

1. A put a hidden tape machine into B's stable to try and record anything that was said !

2. B offered another liveries husband (not involved with this at all) a generous amount of money to cut A's brakes pipes on the Horse wagon - needless to say the chap told her to go to hell and reported it to the YO.

3. B tried to put a screwdriver through the radiator of A's wagon.

4. Tack was stolen from B and tried to be sold on .....

5. Chunks cut of horses / ponies manes.

6. Feed stolen, hay spoiled ....

Oh believe me - it was a nightmare ! Anyway - in the end the YO turfed the pair of them off ..... the yard is now lovely - all friends - usual gripes about people borrowing wheel barrows / shavings forks and not emptying or putting them back ... but at least everyone are all "friends", and I love popping back there for a cup of tea and a catch up on the gossip from time to time - its a great yard where most people would help you rather than do you a bad turn .... so glad the other two were told to sling their hooks !
 
My yard is really nice and I think it is cos it is a riding school and livery and there is a mixture of full and DIY's. Our YM is very firm but helpful she is very professional and does not get all pally with the liveries so there is none of that feeling of favouritism, her priority is the welfare of the horses. I love my yard.

The DIY's don't ask each other to do favours if you need something extra done you ask the staff and pay. All the liveries have some help from staff and don't come every day and when they do come they come at different times so people don't tend to get involved in other people's business though are friendly and would notice if something was wrong with your horse. It's a very professional yard rather than a group of friends all hanging out together although some of teenagers hang out - there are only 4 though.

I have been at yards which not like this and were rather scary and dominated by teenagers who used to drink and smoke around horses and some more bossy individuals rather than the YM.
 
Oooh goody I can vent my frustrations!

I'm leaving my current yard because:

* YO told me to p*ss off on Sunday. A complete over reaction on her part and was very nasty.

* School is hardly ever raked and is unusable 90% of the time.

* One rule for those in the 'clique', another set for the rest of us.

* They've doubled the price of my haylage and increased the price of a bale of shavings twice even though they bulk buy in summer when prices are cheaper.

* I have to battle with a really nasty horse to get my horse in/out and YO will not do anything about it.

* I was charged for having to redo my whole bed even though it was guttering on the stable building that had broken and flooded my horses stable.

* They've allowed a herd of gypsy cobs in an adjoining field rendering the farm ride unrideable unless you want to brave a stampede of horses with a randy stallion.

* I'm sick of YO bitching about a friend of mine on the yard.

* Stable leaks when it rains

* Stable leaks when frost melts

* Stable leaks if it's remotely wet at all

Phew! That feels better, pmsl.
 
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