Nightmare Livery Yard Q - Regulations??

[rcm_73]

My friend has been keeping her horse on a really badly run farm trying to be a DIY livery yard. Are there any regulatory bodies she can contact or complain to as she has photographic evidence of such things there as asbestos roofing in the stable block, cat and dog faeces not cleaned up, worm ridden cats (about 20), falling down barbed wire fences, gates tied shut with string (not on hinges), dangerous machinery and rubbish lying about. She was left traumatised after her horse got wrapped up in a makeshift fence and is refusing to pay him a months rent she 'owes' as she feels he did not fulfill his obligations when supposedly running a business. There was never any contract of any sort but somehow he still manages to keep some liveries there, mainly people that can't afford to rent elsewhere. It seems criminal that these places can exist as the farmer has no knowledge of equines and doesn't seem to care much for their welfare.

 

[Vicki_Krystal]

If it is that bad then why did she move there in the first place?

 

[Cliqmo]

Sounds like hell! I don't know anything about regulating bods though, sorry

 

[bugaboo]

If was that bad she should have never moved there,aslong as he has liveries willing to pay he will be up and running

 

[emma69]

Environmental health will have something to say if there is exposed asbestos in the roof.

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

Ha ha ha - sounds exactly like the livery yard I left for horse welfare reasons. I think there are plans afoot to license livery yards but I expect they will be just a "code of practice" in the first instance, with no real teeth. Could your friend maybe offer to be the farmer's eyes and ears and notify him of dangerous situations that COULD end up with him having to PAY OUT A HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY - sometimes you need to hit people where it hurts in order to get wrongs righted and in the pocket often gets results where nothing else would. The asbestos is certainly notifiable to Environmental Health. Cats not properly cared for (5 freedoms apply to ALL living creatures) could be reported to the RSPCA or Cats Protection League (different name now, sorry). But otherwise I guess the only answer is for your friend to move her horse before he sustains a really nasty injury. Why does she stay?????

 

[rcm_73]

Basically they said as they were starting out all the jobs would be done but nothing has been done. All they have done is built more makeshift stables and moved more people on that shouldn't really have horses. They started doing 2 for the price of 1 boxes and turning out, feeding, mucking out (for free) ad hoc for lazy people that come up only a few times a week. Basically they are desperate to keep the ones they have there as nobody else is moving on and have given my friend hell for moving of there, they tried to stop her taking her stuff and blocked the yard with round bales of silage in the hope of stopping her from loading her horse up.

 

[Spook]

Tell your friend to get a grip!!!!!! and have a long cold look at her situation..................... she has 2 options stay or move...................the horse belongs to her(unless I've misunderstood) so she can do as she wishes with her own property, ie. horse!!!!!

 

[canteron]

Ring Consumer Direct, this is a government body and while they don't know much about Livery Yards, I believe that under the Sale of Goods Act 1982(?) the service he is providing is not 'fit for purpose' so you don't have to pay.

If you google 'Consumer Direct' you will find them and they are very easy to talk to.

Also, try the BHS and WHW for, arent' they trying to get yards regulated? They should be able to advise whether there is an offence over the latest Animal Act that came in last year.

Lastly, go to the DEFRA site and really search and you will come across the government charter on keeping horses, which may help.

Sorry, lots of work for you, but good luck!

 

[SNORKEY]

I thought all livery yards had to be bhs registered these days, or is that just riding schools?
Anyway id just move or have a friendly chat to explain that the conditions are'nt safe for animals.

 

[Nudibranch]

Er, I'd vote with my feet and move yard? I don't think there are the same regulations governing livery as riding schools, and if your friend goes down the refusing to pay route with someone who clearly couldn't care less about their business, she is just going to end up with more problems than she already has. Sorry it's not very helpful but it sounds like moving is the only sensible answer.

 

[cariad]

All riding schools have to be licensed and are inspected annually by the local authority and vets in order to keep that licence. One of the criteria for getting a licence is that they have to have adequate insurance, so if you use a licensed school, you should be secure in knowing that there is insurance in place.

That is not however, relevant to the situation here, which is all too common. Livery yards are not yet required to be licensed though it is on the back burner (very far back) as an issue for DEFRA via the Animal Welfare Act 2006. They can apply for either or both BHS and ABRS approval. But it's the old story. Those that apply for approval probably don't need it as they will be well run and those that need inspection and approval to come up to scratch won't apply.

I think there is a case to made for "cheap and cheerful" yards for those on a budget, but that does not mean dangerous and poorly run and maintained. Yards like that rarely improve and mostly just get worse. Horse owners must vote with their feet and hooves and just not go there, or leave as soon as it becomes apparent what it is like. The owners cannot stop you leaving! As long as people give yards like this money, they will go on taking it. Sorry to be hard, but if this is the best you can do for your horse, or is the only option available in that area, then you may have to seriously re-consider horse ownership until the situation improves.

I do feel quite strongly about this, as horse ownership and riding is supposed to be a pleasure and you hear so many gripes about livery yards and half the time both horse and rider just seem to get no pleasure or fun out of it at all. I know that there's always two sides to everything and you'll always get those who moan, no matter what, but they can't all just be serial whingers, surely? Sorry for the sermon, I'll get off the soapbox now.

 

[MrsMozart]

Just dipping in and out.

There is a contract, even if it isn't written down. There are implied terms even in a verbal contract.

But rather than go that route, vote with feet and leave. If no paperwork or accepted routine that it would be reasonable for friend to have known, then no rent payable - I'm assuming here that it is in lieu of notice period if friend has already left.

Having seen a view yards over the last couple of years, it sounds like the majority of them to some extent

 

[FRESHMAN]

I just dont believe these sob stories. Any person that puts a horse into such a livery yard deserves all they get. Unfortunately the horse doesnt deserve it. Everyone has eyes, but they tend to have selected blindness when they hear of a cheap livery rental. Then, when something goes wrong, it is always someone elses fault. If you can not afford to keep an animal in a reasonably safe environment then dont have one. Simple as that. It really winds me up seeing complaints after the event.