Moving yards help please

[Mollysue]

Hi

I am new to this forum and also only had my pony since April.

I purchased her from my riding school and she is currently kept there on working livery, which was great until a few weeks ago. I had to speak the YO regarding an issue with my tack and since then she has made my life a misery TBH. I dread going down as she is so rude to me. She also talks about the other livery girls behind their backs and is generally not a very nice person. (

So I have decided to move my pony. I would like some advice on how to go about it and timing. I have signed no contract.

I don't know how the YO will react as she is a loose cannon. If I tell her I'm moving and she says "go now then", I'm a bit stuck as I need a van to move.

I thought of telling her on a Friday and moving on a Monday as the school isn't open on a Monday and despite how she has treated me, I don't want to cause a scene. The YO also has my passport, which I presume she has no choice but to give to me if I ask for it?

Any advice would be very much appreciated as I just want to enjoy my pony and am not able to at the moment.

 

[SMIS]

If she is unpredictable like you think she is the safest bet would be to get your next yard sorted and get a moving date then a day or two before you move, or even on the day, tell her you are moving and offer payment in lieu of notice. That way she doesn't feel like her notice period, if she has one or plucks one out of thin air, has been violated and you get to leave without being bullied until you leave.

I was in a similar position not so long ago and gave 2 weeks notice in an effort to be nice as I really liked the yard owner and was only moving to try DIY as all she did was full livery. Her and her daughter made my last 2 weeks so horrible. They glared at me, bitched about me, ignored me. I felt uncomfortable when I was there for those last 2 weeks and wish to god I had just told her the night before I moved and given her payment in lieu of notice!

 

[Mollysue]

Thank you for the replying.

I think I' m going to do what you suggested. I am on holiday soon so I'll tell her on a Friday and move her on Monday.

I have been to look at a yard this afternoon which was fab and I'm going to look at another one on Saturday so once I've picked on I'll sort out a box.

I don't like confrontation but she has been really awful to me and I'm paying her for a service which I'm not getting. Plus she is making good money from my pony which I get to see for about 9 hours a week. My husband says he'll come with me as back up when we leave lol

I bet you're glad you left aren't you. I rather poo pick 24/7 than stay where I am now!!

Once again thank you

 

[SMIS]

You're welcome
Its a horrible thing to go through but be positive and chances are you won't look back once you move.
If she is confrontational and nasty it's awful but at least you have behaved amicably and no-one can say you haven't been fair. If she is horrible she will only succeed in showing herself up and it will probably lose her other liveries.
I think some yard owners forget that they are providing a service and that people are paying for that service!

 

[Lottie9]

If she's your horse legally you should have the passport now. I wouldn't wait until you need to move to ask for it.

You also really ought to give notice if she's still a school horse, as they'll no doubt have lessons booked based on using her and the school may have a case to come back at your for lost earnings.

 

[Mollysue]

She told us working livery girls, she had to have the passport as it needs to be where the horse lives.
I don't see how she can come back to me as i haven't signed a contract, which tbh I'm glad I haven't, none of the liveries have.
I've been down tonight and couldn't ride my pony as she had been used for 3 hours today and just dumped in the field sweating, she was boiling. I brought he in a washed her down and gave her some TLC...I could have cried

 

[SusieT]

I would get the passport before I give notice as she may well hold it legal or not legal! Suggest you say you need it to take a copy for your husbands filing or something similar.
However, I would give notice personally, even if you use the excuse that you're moving her closer to work/home or to a friends yard where its cheaper rather than insulting the yard - as you wouldn't want to be on the other foot with being turfed off with no notice.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Just to protect yourself if she causes trouble and wont give you the passport - remember that the passport is not proof of ownership.

Have you contacted the Passport Issuing Office and got it updated with your details?
Do you know which PIO she is passported with?
Definitely try to get hold of the passport.
Do you have a photocopy of it?

If the details are updated with your info and you know which PIO it is, then you can get a copy if the worst comes to the worst.



Then onto proof of ownership.

Do you have a signed receipt from when your purchased her? <--- This is vital
Is she registered at the Vets with you as the owner?
Do you have any other paperwork that has you as the owner (eg Freezemark or microchip paperwork)?

I hope it all goes really smoothly and is trouble free. Let us know how you get on.

 

[KEC]

Leaving a horse in a field in the state you mention is awful OP. Being a nasty person and having an attitude is one thing but to take it out on an animal is completely unforgivable. This would have made me violent! You'll be out of there shortly and it sounds like not a day too soon. Hope it goes as smoothly as poss for you.

 

[Pingypo]

You are making the right decision by moving 100%. I would have a lot to say to that person if I ever met them!!! All advice here is really good so definitely use it! Get a new yard and transport sorted out/booked etc. in advance and then tell the owner that you are leaving. Demand the passport and even reason with her that you just feel you need a change, new opportunities, friends, whatever! Something totally made up if needs be to get that passport in your hands where it belongs... then feel free to say whatever you like to her and cause as much of a scene as you like but just not until you have made your excuses to get that passport!

Hope all goes to plan, good luck!

 

[Pingypo]

You are making the right decision by moving 100%. I would have a lot to say to that person if I ever met them!!! All advice here is really good so definitely use it! Get a new yard and transport sorted out/booked etc. in advance and then tell the owner that you are leaving. Demand the passport and even reason with her that you just feel you need a change, new opportunities, friends, whatever! Something totally made up if needs be to get that passport in your hands where it belongs... then feel free to say whatever you like to her and cause as much of a scene as you like but just not until you have made your excuses to get that passport!

Hope all goes to plan, good luck!

 

[Mollysue]

Just thought I would give an update as to my yard situation.
I have found a new yard a mile from my house and me and my girl are moving!!!
And a bonus is my friend is bring her pony as well as she has had enough too. We are going to tell the YO tomorrow and are moving on Friday.
Thank you for all the advice

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Good luck with the move.

 

[Mollysue]

So we've done it, we've moved!!!! Been at our new yard since Monday and my girl has settled in brilliantly. Luckily my friend decided to move her pony with us so she has her BFF with her. My old yard owner was ok when we told her we were leaving but then since we have left we have found out some awful stuff which happened during the week after we told her. But that is in the past and I am now looking forward to spending lots time with my gorgeous girl.
Thanks to everyone who gave me advice, it is very much appreciated xx

 

[dibbin]

All the best in your pony's new home

 

[applecart14]

We had a meeting way back in November time when all the DIY's were told there would be a change of yard policy, and if anyone wanted to leave they would do there best to help them find somewhere and support them until they left the yard.

I had already by this point decided to move yards after my horse was continually getting chased by out of control dogs in thick mud whilst turned out. I told the YO's mother as she was a more sympathetic towards my horse and I could tell the dogs belonging to her daughter where causing her problems. I told her I would find somewhere but I didn't know how long it would take. She was fine with this but when she told her daughter I was told " you've got a month to leave". It was so sad and unneccesary especially as I'd been at the yard for over ten years to boot!

She told me this on the day of my birthday and instead of spending the afternoon at home with Mum and Dad and a nice lunch I was sat sobbing in my car ringing around all the livery yards in the area desperate to move.

I would be very careful who you tell and ensure that you have somewhere to go first before telling her.

I left seventeen days after being told I had a months notice, and it was one of the worse seventeen days of worry in my life.

Thankfully I found the yard of my dreams, the hacking is wonderful, the YO smashing, and I totally love it where I am, my horse is completely different in attitude and it makes me realise how stressed he was at the other yard, and how I didn't realise at the time. How I wish I'd moved years ago!

You will find somewhere better, believe me, its horrid when you worry about your horse all the time when you are on a yard, worrying about if he is being looked after and treated well, and dreading a call off them to say he is injured or worse.