One for all YO please....

[topclass]

I run a small livery yard and at first just let anyone who needed a stable on this seemed to work but you always get the one non rider who's telling everyone what to do with there horse so a little quite word and it stopped. Had a sort of friend move on with a loan horse from a good friend of mine and her children and omg talk about trouble they nearly put the tractor through the barn roof by starting it up, slashed all my haylage bales, used to just walk into our house and get biscuits from the cupboard and watch telly, finally she dumped the horse on a Friday night by text and told me to tell the girl who owned it she'd finished with it? It was booked in for the farrier and the vet on the Saturday I had to pay for it and when I rang the owner a real friend of mine she went mental as she didnt have any stables free so I got lumbered with a very well mannered horse for 2 weeks at my expense. She has since came back 3 times and acts like nothing is wrong I keep telling her politely sorry not taking on any liveries, no one under the age of 18 as my mum was left babysitting while she went round the block 2½ hours later she has been kicked off every yard I can think off and came around today to beg for a stable again and when I say sorry hun not at the moment she called me a complete cow and how selfish I was with all my land and what kind of friend am I. To say Im astounded is beyond it I didnt say anything further and she left. Question is should I have told her that i got stitched up for 2 weeks non livery a vet bill and a farrier aswell as lost a good friend though it or did I do the right thing

 

[Super_Kat]

I would have told her exactly why!! Cheeky mare

 

[charliecrisps]

Very annoying how everyone (including so called friends) expect a right to your land when you have plenty. Horsey people can generally be funny buggers afterall ... i am one lol

No great loss at losing her as a friend though eh!!!

 

[charliecrisps]

I would have told her exactly why!! Cheeky mare

Completely agree! How dare she!!!

 

[Littlelegs]

The only thing you've done wrong is not invoice her for all the expense she's caused you. And don't tell her you're full, tell her to get stuffed. You sound lovely but don't let people like that take advantage of you.

 

[fatpiggy]

Let me get this straight - your friend the actual owner of the horse came back and you refused them livery and they fell out with you or the loaner came back? I do think you should tell the owner what was going on with her horse and that the reason you don't want the horse there is because she obviously didn't check out the loaner very well. As to taking liveries on in future, I would definitely make enquiries first. Where I keep mine they don't ask any questions and so far we've had two sisters (settled gypsy family at a good guess) who caused a huge amount of ill feeling and trouble and we found out had been on and kicked off many local yards, but YO was prepared to let all the decent people leave in disgust rather than ask the two to go, someone who was dealing horses on the side with someone I knew personally had tack-robbed other yards (stole my saddle amongst others) and had left previous yard owing £00s (and left ours doing the same), a mad woman who robbed us of feed etc and was thown off her next yard with a police escort. Do you get the picture? A few discreet enquiries would have revealed a whole lot of truths and saved alot of hassle and upset.

 

[aregona]

When it comes to managing a yard you have to be straight and honest, no matter how hard it may seem. I have learn't from experience.

All payment is payed in advance! I take livery money a week/month in advance and if they dont pay...out, sounds harsh but you will find you get more respect from liveries as a result. They are told when enquiring the house is strictly out of bounds, i am mean enough that i don't invite people in for coffee because they make a habbit of it, All damages must be paid for, children must be kept under control at all times and the livery is to use only their own belongings unless they have had permission from the person they are borrowing it from but i make it clear if they lend items to others it is done off there own back and don't come crying to me if it doesn't come back.

I know i seem really harsh but i had one of my friends here on livery who is a really nice person but just too messy, used my things and didn't put them back and used to come into the house and sit down watching telly, this was all my own fault for not laying the rules down and once you have allowed it to happen its very hard to stop them doing it.

Maybe put up ''Rules of the Yard'' outside, a list of things that you want to happen, ie children under control and supervised??

If you allow people to take the micky they will continue and its down to you put the ground rules down. Its really hard but you will have a better yard because of it.

Good luck

 

[marmalade76]

The only thing you've done wrong is not invoice her for all the expense she's caused you. And don't tell her you're full, tell her to get stuffed. You sound lovely but don't let people like that take advantage of you.

This.