My little moan for the day

[Tinypony]

This weekend a really nice lady has come to livery with us, with her nice sensible little cob mare. It is this lady's first horse, and she is a bit of a nervous owner, they suit each other really well. She's had this pony for about three weeks, and until now kept her at a big livery yard. Why has she moved to us? Because from the moment she got the pony the snidey comments started. Comments about cheap ponies, mad woman, that she was afraid to ride... and that was just the adults. When the teenagers followed their example it got to the point where she didn't want to go to the yard and enjoy her new friend. She had a little dabble with some gentle natural horsemanship stuff (which is great for people who need some confidence), and had a grown woman riding nearby making comments to her horse (Like "What IS she doing now?" about what she was doing. When you type all this out it sounds like something you'd get in some mad comedy sketch doesn't it? But it happened.
Well, their loss is our gain, because the lady is really nice, her pony is very easy, and we're all getting on very well. It just irritates me to think about the way she was treated though, she just needed some people to befriend and support her, and encourage her out on some little hacks. Nobody needs to be put down, especially when they are learning. What's wrong with being kind to someone who is setting out on the exciting experience of horse ownership, rather than seeking to undermine them?
My moan is... this is why so many people say they don't want to be on big yards, you hear so many people telling similar stories of being unable to fit into the clique in a new yard, which is double difficult when the YO joins in as she did in this case. What a wierd community the horsey lot can be sometimes.

 

[dozzie]

Well I am pleased she has found you! It sounds like your yard will encourage and help her rather than undermine her.

 

[NeilM]

Sounds like the YO needs a course in customer service and business management.

If you undermine and insult a paying customer they leave, you therefore lose that income...sounds about right

 

[A1fie]

I have to say what a lovely post!! I know it's your moan for the day but I thought it was lovely. It's nice to see such a friendly attitude. I'm a new rider and don't yet own my own but have just started sharing and I've come across some people who were just like you and some that made me feel so rubbish and stupid for not knowing much.

I think your lady is lucky to have found a nice yard.

p.s where I go now is lovely and it's nice not to feel embarassed to ask questions

 

[Tinypony]

Ah, what a nice lot you are! I was sitting here stewing a bit about what had happened to these two at the previous place... and you've turned it into a positive. You're right, it is a positive for all of us. We just let her get on with looking after her pony today, but hung around and chatted, gave her some tips about how to groom hairy ponies (ie HARD!) and made a joke over how she was putting her bed back down - by doing it for her.

We are the local horse hippies, and (whisper) we are steeped in good NH practise, but hopefully that is what makes us laid back and the horses nice and relaxed. We'll have her hacking out in no time - and we'll even let her use a bit.

 

[Spot_the_Risk]

He he, some liver people are truely foul! Still, I believe that what comes around, goes around. Sounds like she has gained, and you've gained too. Fab all round, I just hope the nasty people haven't knocked her confidence.

 

[Tinypony]

They have - but we are good at confidence, so all will be well.
How could you be nasty to someone who brings wonderful Cadburys choccie biccies anyway? They must be mad!!

 

[chestnut cob]

People are strange....a friend on my yard had a comment made a while back by another livery that her horse's bridle was worth more than she could have paid for the horse (coloured Irish cob)!!!!!!

Even if you think something like that, you don't say it!

 

[Natch]

Isn't the horse world a strange one. I know there must be a lto of bitching and cliquiness in loads of sports but I'm sure the horsey world has mroe than its fair share.

 

[annunziata]

in my experiance its down the them being jeleous I am glad she found you good luck and I know how she felt!!!

 

[pottamus]

It is why I would always move heaven and earth to rent a field and not have to go onto a livery yard...the horse world is full of bitches.
I am gld to hear you are making the poor lady welcome, what a refreshing change.

 

[Zoobie]

Its sounds lovely where you are, its sounds like she will flourish with you.

 

[poppy43]

I hope their is someone as kind as you at our new yard.We move this afternoon. Fingers X.

 

[simsav]

I am so pleased I have just moved to a smaller yard!! I have only been there a week but I don't miss the nastiness I heard at the old place - even the YO's joined in!! I am so much happier at new place! Well done to the lady for moving!!

 

[Gorgeous George]

I am so glad this lady has now found a nice yard with friendly people. Once I was watching a dressage clinic at my first yard and commenting on how good they all looked and the yard groom said 'yes, especially as you and George can't really do dressage'

- I so wanted to send pics of George and me with our dressage rosettes

! It really knocks your confidence though especially when you are a new owner and just trying to get things right.

 

[showqa]

You know, this is one aspect of the horsy fraternity that I seriously dislike. SOoooooo judgmental and unfriendly at times, and there's no other way of putting it. Instead of encouraging people to fulfill their potential, far too many people are out to assert their own perceived sense of greater authority/success/better horse, etc etc. The thing that always amuses me too is that it's usually those that frankly are not so hot in the saddle that do this - REALLY knowledgable and experienced people are more than happy to pass some of this on and help a newbie rather than making them feel unwelcome. People can be just horrid - that's why I prefer furries!

 

[Tinypony]

Wouldn't it be nice to be able to publish lists of the unfriendly livery yards? That might encourage some YO's to review their behaviour and that of their liveries.
Well, we've had another nice day, and a bit of work was done with the lovely pony and her mum is still happy. So I'm happy and don't feel moany any more!

Poppy - good luck with your move, I'm sure it will be great at the new place!

 

[htobago]

Gosh - people can be so horrid! Poor lady, she sounds so nice - really shocking that people could be so unpleasant to her and her pony. And the other stories on this thread about insulting comments, etc. are shocking as well. I do wish people would keep their beastly snobby thoughts to themselves.

Thank goodness this lady found you Tinypony! Your place sounds lovely, and she'll get lots of help and encouragement from you.

 

[htobago]

[ QUOTE ]
I am so glad this lady has now found a nice yard with friendly people. Once I was watching a dressage clinic at my first yard and commenting on how good they all looked and the yard groom said 'yes, especially as you and George can't really do dressage'

- I so wanted to send pics of George and me with our dressage rosettes

! It really knocks your confidence though especially when you are a new owner and just trying to get things right.

[/ QUOTE ]

For a groom at the yard to say this is not only nasty but also exremely unprofessional! If I ran a yard I would fire any employee who was so rude to a client! The YO/Stud Manager where my boy lives would do the same - it is just not acceptable.

Golly, the more I read these threads about livery yards, the more I realize how very lucky I am to have found such a friendly, pleasant one. Even though my little stallion is a noisy, hyperactive, attention-seeking nuisance, no-one there has ever said a bad word to me about him.