On full livery and suddenly told my horse has to drink from automatic water feeder not bucket

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Riding2020

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To be honest this place has wound me up a few times without saying anything on the basis the staff aren’t overly friendly. You can walk past staff say hi and get ignored or a rude dismissing final acceptance of your there. I pay a lot to be here. My horse is funny about automatic water feeders. Even the people I bought him off who ran a full livery yard did water buckets for him. I do also since having him. I’m also glad I do, as there’s been horse crap in his automatic water feeder since the first week. Which has never been cleaned out. His water bucket is repeatedly old water with crap in it and a few inches full. I come today to fill it and get shouted at from a distance in front of other people that he’s not to have a bucket. It’s old fashioned. It doesn’t work like that here. He has to learn. Bearing in mind I made it clear when viewing his little quirks.
tbh I think I got the brunt of someone’s bad mood perhaps and I was around to let off steam on. We all have days like that. BUT I’m paying through the nose here. He’s a really well behaved horse. I don’t expect this after also having to suck up the fact the staff are generally dismissive and rude. I’ve lived and helped run in the past a DIY yard and I’m not demanding if anything a bit meek compared to people that just pay for lesser livery at other places. I know for certain when I do move I’ll leave early and would have left over weeks of paid livery given for nothing.
Why is it these people sometimes forget the paying customer in these situations. Sorry had to vent!
is this normal that apparently in 2020 a horse shouldn’t be so old fashioned to prefer a fresh bucket of water a day??!
 
I'd move, it doesn't sound as though you like the place much anyway.

We once had our cobs on a yard with automatic water feeders. I told them it wasn't a good idea and sure enough within a week they were turned off and they had buckets... They'd repeatedly flooded the place by sitting on them.
 
I was on a yard with staff like this and tried to say things nicely to improve things which weren't going well. They had no respect for me at all and it wasn't until they pushed me to my limit that I shouted back one day, I felt awful about it but from then on it was as though they had personality transformations. Big lesson for me, don't be meek and nice, if you need to be strong don't be afraid to be, with some people its the only way to get any respect. Of course you can use a bucket for water, its your horse!
 
Sorry but regardless of how much I pay and how many buckets of water were put in, there is no way I would leave any animal, especially my own horse in a stable with poo in the water drinker day after day. I would have raised it on the day and cleaned it myself.
The only thing being spited here is the animal regardless of if it will drink from the waterer, the smell must be horrid.
 
Is there no other yard around? I wouldn’t stay a moment more than I had to on a yard like that. I’d have mentioned the dirty water too. But more than anything, I’d have replied immediately to the shouting person that I was a paying client on this yard and do not expect to be shouted at across a yard in front of other people. If they had anything to discuss could they please come over and do it like a mature adult.
 
Abby-Lou said:
I would not accept rude staff, you are in effect paying there wages, I think I would have bitten back
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Sorry staff often respond to how they are treated, I have seen many folk treat yard staff like third class citizens, even when they are on their break, day off or have finished they are still seen as the general dogsbody to have numerous questions or instructions given. They are usually on minimum wage and the majority work hard to look after the animals to the best they can and get into trouble with some of the yard owners for doing this, don't get me wrong some are lazy and rude, but sometimes owners do not take account of the fact that complaints should be made to the owner or manager not the yard staff.
 
I would have complained about the rude staff by now, let alone the water situation which I’d be very cross about. Speak to the YM and explain that you did say he doesn’t like automatic waterers so don’t expect to be shouted at by staff about it. Ask if they’ll inform staff he’s to have a bucket. If she agrees then keep an eye and make sure it’s done and If she refuses then leave. It’s just laziness on their part imo. An automatic waterer means they don’t have to bother with it, which may not be the YM’s idea at all.
 
I would just ignore the comments and continue to give your horse a bucket of water.
However your complaint about there being a horse poo in the drinker since day one... Is it the same poo all along and would you not just clean it yourself? I couldn't leave my horse in a stable with poo in a drinker, and even if paying a huge amount if livery it would take me 2 minutes to clean it out. Lead by example.
 
The yard I was last at decided to charge extra if people used a bucket instead of an automatic drinker, I paid the extra as I wanted to monitor my horse's drinking.
Doesn't sound like you're happy there so time to look around I'd say. Amazing how many yards treat their customers like shit.
 
Why on earth would you leave poo in the drinker, it doesn't take long to clean it.
I find that if you are nice to the staff they are more willing to help you. Offer to make them a brew next time you are down at the yard.
 
Having been a yard manager on a large full livery yard I can see the frustration from both sides. We had automatic drinkers in all stables and at one point we had about 15 + horses out of the 30 that had water buckets as well as their auto drinkers. We tipped away over 3/4 of every single bucket everyday as the horses used the drinkers not the bucket. But alot of owners insisted their horse ‘wouldn’t use the drinker’ or ‘was scared of the drinker’, but the left over bucket said that wasn’t the case. It was so frustrating , the wastage was immense! But as that was what owners wanted and they were paying a pretty packet for their livery that’s what they got! As well as the water drinkers being cleaned out daily as the stable was mucked out. This was standard practise! If you’re unhappy with the standard of your horse’s care then you need to have a meeting with the YO and YM and discuss the issues you have and also talk about the staff if you’re not happy. We wouldn’t tolerate staff being rude to clients but I also wouldn’t tolerate owners being rude to my staff. Just because owners ‘pay their wages’ doesn’t mean they should disrespect the staff! If you have an issue with a staff member address it with their higher authority to sort.
 
To be honest I went back to his stable. Had a think to contain myself and rang her on her mobile saying I couldn’t quite hear her fully (said politely) but to make a point for her to repeat such ridiculousness. I’m not a pushover when it comes down to things. Even if polite at first contact and may seem a pushover because of said politeness. I think I’ll leave but due to pay the next months upfront beginning of next month.
 
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Horses_Rule said:
Having been a yard manager on a large full livery yard I can see the frustration from both sides. We had automatic drinkers in all stables and at one point we had about 15 + horses out of the 30 that had water buckets as well as their auto drinkers. We tipped away over 3/4 of every single bucket everyday as the horses used the drinkers not the bucket. But alot of owners insisted their horse ‘wouldn’t use the drinker’ or ‘was scared of the drinker’, but the left over bucket said that wasn’t the case. It was so frustrating , the wastage was immense! But as that was what owners wanted and they were paying a pretty packet for their livery that’s what they got! As well as the water drinkers being cleaned out daily as the stable was mucked out. This was standard practise! If you’re unhappy with the standard of your horse’s care then you need to have a meeting with the YO and YM and discuss the issues you have and also talk about the staff if you’re not happy. We wouldn’t tolerate staff being rude to clients but I also wouldn’t tolerate owners being rude to my staff. Just because owners ‘pay their wages’ doesn’t mean they should disrespect the staff! If you have an issue with a staff member address it with their higher authority to sort.
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unfortunately it was the yard owner who did this this evening. My boy drinks only from the bucket and often left with an empty bucket or an inch of two days old non refilled bucket sludge at the bottom. I’m super polite and not in any way demanding ever. He’s not always cleaned out properly. Like I said no water. His water feeder has had horse crap in it and a brown sludge the la at few weeks. It’s really not on
 
Gloi said:
Why on earth would you leave poo in the drinker, it doesn't take long to clean it.
I find that if you are nice to the staff they are more willing to help you. Offer to make them a brew next time you are down at the yard.
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They’re young kids fresh out of school. Aren’t very talkative and don’t like to be bothered whilst doing they’re job half heartedly it feels.
 
MiniMilton said:
I would just ignore the comments and continue to give your horse a bucket of water.
However your complaint about there being a horse poo in the drinker since day one... Is it the same poo all along and would you not just clean it yourself? I couldn't leave my horse in a stable with poo in a drinker, and even if paying a huge amount if livery it would take me 2 minutes to clean it out. Lead by example.
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I do. And I’m paying full livery. They don’t and haven’t from day one.
 
Amymay said:
Presumably you cleaned the sh!t out of his drinker, and refreshed his bucket?

Give notice and vote with your feet if you’re unhappy with the service .
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Yep whenever I go up. You’d think I’m not even actually getting full livery service it’s a joke
 
My horses have always loved automatic water drinkers , but then they are always clean at my yard , but they seem to prefer the fact the water is fresh .
if you are not happy with the yard or the atmosphere find a new yard .
 
lannerch said:
My horses have always loved automatic water drinkers , but then they are always clean at my yard , but they seem to prefer the fact the water is fresh .
if you are not happy with the yard or the atmosphere find a new yard .
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Mine are the same. Fresh running water as opposed to water that has been sitting around for a few hours.
 
Riding2020 said:
I do. And I’m paying full livery. They don’t and haven’t from day one.
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You need to just leave. You aren't happy with the service they are providing, but you remain there by choice. If what you wanted wasn't provided from day one then you are unlikely to change that. There are probably lots of yards that offer what you require.
 
Riding2020 said:
unfortunately it was the yard owner who did this this evening. My boy drinks only from the bucket and often left with an empty bucket or an inch of two days old non refilled bucket sludge at the bottom. I’m super polite and not in any way demanding ever. He’s not always cleaned out properly. Like I said no water. His water feeder has had horse crap in it and a brown sludge the la at few weeks. It’s really not on
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Really sorry that’s the case! I agree it’s not right they are leaving your horse without clean water. Do you have a contract? Usually in the contract of full livery it states that your horse should be provided with fresh clean water at all times? You could go down that road or just talk with your feet. If your YO has that attitude then perhaps the latter is the only option. If there’s somewhere you could move your horse to great or perhaps it’s time to start looking? I feel for you as there’s nothing worse than worrying about your horse when you’re not there, full livery then turns into very expensive DIY and it is really stressful
 
You're clearly not happy with the yard, and I wouldn't be either. Don't know what it's like where you are, but lots of the full livery yards around here have spaces as clients have moved to DIY during lockdown, so you might find you have a good choices and are able to move quickly.
 
I had automatic water drinkers and turned them all off and don’t use them because I like to see how much each horse has drank - all well saying it’s outdated but there’s certain things that shouldn’t go out of fashion (unless you have the metres on each one obviously).
I wouldn’t be happy about it, nor happy about the way you were spoken to by staff.
 
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