my neighbour and only livery has given me 1 wks notice shes leaving!

No wonder their leaving.

Things came to a head on Sunday when for the umpteenth time this summer they took the pony down to mow the grass in their garden.
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Their pony, their choice. How has it got anything to do with you?

My TB is fine when pony is out at shows all day or hacking but is extremely stressed when he knows pony is over the otherside of the garden fence, can hear him but can't see him!!!
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Not their problem - your problem

At 7pm sunday evening they had still not brought pony back so I could not bring mine into his stable otherwise he would have done his nut.
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Crazy. Your horse, your problem to deal with.

Monday morning I go out to put them out and they have been out all night in the torrential rain with no rug on! Theres did but not mine!!!!!
I NEVER go out but went to the pictures for the first time in ages so didn't go back out that evening because I didn't for one minute think they would leave pony in garden and mine out all night in the rain unrugged.
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Surely if the horse is at home you go and do late night checks, no matter what time you get in.

I'm afraid this situation is all of your own making. You simply can't expect others to be responsible for your horse's inability to be on his on in a field or stress in a stable. This is your problem to deal with.

I'm amazed they stayed with you as long as they did to be honest.
 
The other owner can place her horse in her garden to mow her lawn if she so wishes. And if I was the other owner I would be rather annoyed if you fetched my pony out of the garden to put it back in the field.
 
The husband has removed my post and rail fencing to make a gate through to their garden.
Removed all my self filling ballcocks from my three paddocks. So we now have to turn the tap and hose on and wait for them to fill!
Overflown said water troughs numerous times even though we are water metered!
Thrown out perfectly good electric energizers and batteries,because he thinks they are cruel!
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You can't honestly be serious?

And No, I wouldn't get another livery. Just get yourself a companion pony for your rather needy little horse.
 
If you don't have a livery contract laying out who is responsible for what, down to the tiniest detail, then I'm afraid you are asking for trouble.
 
Rose Folly said:
I think a some of the posters are on big or bigger yards, where things are pretty selfish. You pay your money, look after (or not) your own horse, keep your head down, and don't interact with anybody else unless it suits you.
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What a load of rubbish you'r spouting.

This has nothing to do with the size of the yard you're on. I've been on yards where I am one of many, and also the only livery.

This post is about someone who has a horse that can't cope on it's own - and expects their livery to be the horses's babysitter - simple as.

Consideration for others costs nothing. But at the end of the day you can't expect others to run their lives around someone else (which is effectively what the OP is expecting).
 
When you advertise for another livery, make sure you explain the constrictions of only having the two horses together, or maybe get a little shettie as well, just to make life easier. I keep my old mare on a little private yard. I knew when I went there I'd be very much fitting in with the YO but the rent is cheap and it works for us. I'm basically paying for her to be a companion, but a lot less than I'd be paying on a DIY yard.

I think you might just need to find the right person.

Maybe if you are offering low rent and to share some of the management, say, there will be someone perfect who just wants to be somewhere quiet with someone to go for quiet hacks with at weekend. I'm sure there will be someone not far away whom the situation will suit very well.
 
alison247 said:
Yes, I totally agree my horse is my responsibility but both pony and horse come in every night. we have taken it for granted that whoever brings in first, rugs up and feeds the other- this particular night I could not bring mine in as their pony was in their garden.
I have no right to go in their garden and bring their pony back up to my yard.
I expected them to put to bed as we have shared the responsibility over the last three years
Never ever have I expected them to not do what they want with their own pony.
My TB is fine left all day on his own when they are out at PC. He is stressed when he knows the pony is just over the fence.
I have given them subsidised livery ever since my old horse died of cancer as they kept their pony on a normal sized garden and plead poverty all the time!
I gave them every single horsey item I owned inc rugs, tack, stable, field equipment until I felt ready to get another horse- items they still have and still use even though I have had to replace these items for my TB.
The husband has removed my post and rail fencing to make a gate through to their garden.
Removed all my self filling ballcocks from my three paddocks. So we now have to turn the tap and hose on and wait for them to fill!
Overflown said water troughs numerous times even though we are water metered!
Thrown out perfectly good electric energizers and batteries,because he thinks they are cruel!
Removed my robinsons rug rails from the stables and hung drain pipes from the ceiling to hang their ponies rugs up to dry.
Helped himself to my feed, hay and bedding when in dire straits
All without my permission!!! NEVER a cross word has come from me!
What a bad neighbour I have been!
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Adding stuff like this is called drip feeding on some forums...

Having said that, I wouldn't say you have been a bad neighbour, but you haven't really been a great livery provider. The first time the husband did something you weren't happy about you should have nipped it in the bud and insisted he repaired the damage. If they don't like the electric fencing then you tell them it's that or move. If they damage water troughs you give him a bill for the repair. If he damages your fencing you tell him to put it back as it was, or if he won't you repair it yourself and tell them to leave.

I think you've become too reliant on them for a companion for your horse, and maybe because of that, you've let them get away with murder. It was never their responsibility to keep their pony in a way that suited you and your horse though. So now, there are loads of rescues that would happily look at homing a little pony with you. However it sounds as if separation anxiety is likely to be an issue, so I'd be inclined to take some time off work to deal with that right from the day the pony arrives. Practise separation regularly throughout the first day. And bear in mind that said pony might get upset when you take your horse away as well, if they are going to spend long periods of time together.
 
In view of the fact that the situation was starting to turn sour and not really working out, it's probably a good thing that they've given notice.

If I was lucky enough to have my own yard I wouldn't really want to share - I like to do things my way, other liveries rarely have the same ideals and standards as yourself.

As others have said, the easiest way would be to have a companion pony from a rescue centre to keep your horse company. If it's a hacking partner you want then you'll have to advertise - am sure there will be someone out there BUT, be upfront and honest about your horses needs right from the start.
 
WelshD said:
To be fair its not their fault that your horse cannot cope on his own for a day with the pony over the fence and unless its usual I would not be expecting them to put my horse to bed for me, they pay livery after all

I'm sorry but you come across as pretty unreasonable
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This. TBH, if your horse is so stressed about something as simple as that I'd be thankful and keep him on his own for a while for him to grow up. Sometimes having two is the wrong thing to do, they get too attached and difficult to handle at times like this. You might find he's a much calmer horse if he only has you to rely on.

However, I wouldn't be too happy that you didn't check them that night last thing when you came in, it's such a basic thing to do when you have them at home there's no excuse, not like you have to get the car out and travel to them, they're on your doorstep, it only means you putting your head over the door and if you had done that your horse wouldn't have been left out in the rain; that wasn't the livery's fault but your own and there's no way to justify that, it was your mistake.
 
I AM on a " big" yard and very happy. Utter rubbish to say everyone on big yards " keeps their head down, no interaction" . Marvellous to quote personal opinion as fact.

At my yard, there are different groups of people, it's very very sociable and no one there keeps to themselves. Lots of dogs and goings on and lots of wonderfully nosey liveries who act as an extra pair of eyes on the horses.
 
I must confess that my initial thoughts on reading this thread were that the liveries were pretty decent giving you a week's notice OP instead of just moving the pony.

I wouldn't sleep if I thought there were a danger my horse were out/alone/rugless on a horrible night, if I had assumed it had been cared for, but wasn't absolutely sure. I have texted liveries a few times in the evening just to double check that my assumption they were doing horses was correct.
 
Nothing to do with being selfish or yard size rose folly. As a two horse owner, nobody ever has to do anything for mine. But, I frequently find myself having to bring in for the one horse owners, then find the stable not done so throw in hay, water etc. I don't have two so I can provide a companion service. One of mine doesn't do being left alone, so I view it as my responsibility to deal with that problem, not everyone else's to fit in with me.
 
honetpot said:
Obviously most people have been on bigger yards. One of the reasons to have the hassle of having a livery, and it is a hassle, is not the money,its not worth £15 a week, is the company either human or equine.
Even if it is the YO responsibilty to have a companion for her horse, its only good manners the livery to be aware of the horses distress and do something about it. I have been on a bigger yard and if my pony was going hunting and had to be kept in overnight I would bring in his field companion in, feed him, turn him out and muck him out in the morning as I knew if he was left over night on his own he would get into a stew.
Go and find a nice old brood mare or youngster, a lot less trouble.
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I'm not on a bigger yard. I keep mine on a very small yard on my own at home. I make sure that they have appropriate company and each one (including my new 5 year old) has also learned to cope with being left while the others are out and about. I do leave mine in though with hay/haylage as I don't want the limited grazing I have trashed by them running up and down the fence line.

I think it's all about the OP taking responsibility for her own horse and situation and not assuming someone else will sort things out when she has other things on.
 
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Now is your chance to put right all the livery's husband did that you didn't like. Put the fence up again, electric fencing, ballcocks. Hopefully, they might see for themselves what they actually did and realise they were in the wrong.

Then go out and find a lovely pony, perhaps one who can be ridden, advertise for a sharer or loaner and you hold all the cards to how you want things to be.

It sounds to be they got complacent and you did not want to say anything for fear of upsetting them and its bitten you on the backside. It was always going to happen, they did not know their boundaries, sadly that is down to you but your need for someone to ride with outweighed the need to say anything, obviously.

Don't have them back, move on and start afresh.
 
alison247 said:
Yes, I totally agree my horse is my responsibility but both pony and horse come in every night. we have taken it for granted that whoever brings in first, rugs up and feeds the other- this particular night I could not bring mine in as their pony was in their garden.
I have no right to go in their garden and bring their pony back up to my yard.
I expected them to put to bed as we have shared the responsibility over the last three years
Never ever have I expected them to not do what they want with their own pony.
My TB is fine left all day on his own when they are out at PC. He is stressed when he knows the pony is just over the fence.
I have given them subsidised livery ever since my old horse died of cancer as they kept their pony on a normal sized garden and plead poverty all the time!
I gave them every single horsey item I owned inc rugs, tack, stable, field equipment until I felt ready to get another horse- items they still have and still use even though I have had to replace these items for my TB.
The husband has removed my post and rail fencing to make a gate through to their garden.
Removed all my self filling ballcocks from my three paddocks. So we now have to turn the tap and hose on and wait for them to fill!
Overflown said water troughs numerous times even though we are water metered!
Thrown out perfectly good electric energizers and batteries,because he thinks they are cruel!
Removed my robinsons rug rails from the stables and hung drain pipes from the ceiling to hang their ponies rugs up to dry.
Helped himself to my feed, hay and bedding when in dire straits
All without my permission!!! NEVER a cross word has come from me!
What a bad neighbour I have been!
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I think they have done you a favour in leaving.. Why not contact Equine Market Watch and ask if they have a companion availiable for long term loan
 
Think your well rid, yeh your horse ur responsibility but I had my boy on a big yard and most of us looked out for each other trying never to leave a horse out alone and if we knew a certain horse usually came in and was rugged and fed we'd have contacted the owner or just bought bit in and did what was neccarsary. But onwards and upwards I've jut been looking on blue cross and RSPCA sites and they have LOADS on there needing good homes, I'd try that option and then just look for some local people to hack out with then you've got no-one else to worry about but still get a hacking companion ;) good luck with it all.x
 
I would say they have got away with a lot. £15 for DIY is cheap.

Like many small from private property ,many things are allowed to slip just to keep the peace.

I am sure the OP has brought the neighbours pony in on a number of occasions ,we all help each other.

I have had liveries that have done things I do not like, have used my things and assumed that was alright. They have not stayed long as I do not like people I can not trust.

The things that have been wrong at the OP yard should be paid for, the fencing ,the ball cocks etc. A bill should be presented to the livery.

The OP wanted to have a rant and some of the replies have not been very nice.

I would say to the OP that if the land would take it and there are enough stables that they do get another livery (helps us all to pay the bills) either with 2 horses or get a companion plush 1 horse on livery.

To start with I would get a companion pony , there are a lot out there so that the TB is not left alone. This will give them time to find the right livery for them. I would then make sure that the contract that is written up is carefully done.

Do they pay you weekly or monthly ,up front or behind
 
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I'm not getting caught into who was right/wrong in this situation. And the OP has been given lots of advice on what to do next.

....but I can't help but chuckle that if these people go to a reputable yard with a proper contract they will have a shock coming to them if they start altering fencing, rug racks & throwing energisers away ;)
Not to mention I'm sure they will have to pay more than £15 a week & the inconvenience of not having the pony on their doorstep.....


.....how will they keep the grass down in their garden :D
 
Maesfen said:
This. TBH, if your horse is so stressed about something as simple as that I'd be thankful and keep him on his own for a while for him to grow up. Sometimes having two is the wrong thing to do, they get too attached and difficult to handle at times like this. You might find he's a much calmer horse if he only has you to rely on.
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:confused: Are you advocating keeping a horse without equine company so that it is easier for the owner? So that the only company the horse has is it's owner? Really?

OP I think your first post gave rather the wrong impression which is why you received such negative feedback. Many horses would be exactly the same as your boy. That does not mean he is 'needy' or naturally 'stressy'. He is a horse FGS. My mare would be exactly the same as would all but two of the other horses on my yard. I would get your own companion pony and then take your time over deciding whether or not to take on another livery.
 
Archiesmummy said:
Now is your chance to put right all the livery's husband did that you didn't like. Put the fence up again, electric fencing, ballcocks. Hopefully, they might see for themselves what they actually did and realise they were in the wrong.

Then go out and find a lovely pony, perhaps one who can be ridden, advertise for a sharer or loaner and you hold all the cards to how you want things to be.

It sounds to be they got complacent and you did not want to say anything for fear of upsetting them and its bitten you on the backside. It was always going to happen, they did not know their boundaries, sadly that is down to you but your need for someone to ride with outweighed the need to say anything, obviously.

Don't have them back, move on and start afresh.
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I agree with the above, let them move on to a livery yard where they will need to travel further, pay more, play by the rules of the yard, and pay full livery when they go on holiday. Either find a new livery and have an agreement of who needs to do what each night, and then text each other if something needs to be done differently on a certain day.
Or do what I do, I bought myself a young companion and then sold on at 3 when it was ready for breaking and then buy another youngster to do the same with a few years down the line.
 
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