Other livery’s saying you should do your horse Christmas Day , Boxing Day and Christmas Eve ?

I would speak to YO too. Apart from anything else, if I were at livery I would have satisfied myself that YO was competent and careful. I wouldn't want some randomer doing my horse for 3 days!

I would text back to the livery that I was arranging cover with the YO.

Over Xmas, when at livery, they would offer skeleton care, so feeding and skipping out. I would therefore have to go and ride/turn out and muck out. Or arrange for someone else to. I would not necessarily expect full service on Xmas day, but the other days I would.
 
I'd tell your friend to ignore the meddling livery and ask the YO directly her plans for the yard over Christmas as they've recieved a text from said livery. I wouldn't be surprised if the YO knows nothing about the 'plans'.

I'm on part livery (full daily care but no riding) and fully expect the yard to continue this arrangement - I wouldn't be impressed by being asked to look after other liveries horses on Christmas Day.
 
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Yep I'd reply with thank you for your suggestion/concern but Yo and I have arranged Christmas care for my horse as usual.
I would also just check YOs plans for Christmas cover directly with them, no mention of other liveries text.
 
Red-1 said:
I would speak to YO too. Apart from anything else, if I were at livery I would have satisfied myself that YO was competent and careful. I wouldn't want some randomer doing my horse for 3 days!

I would text back to the livery that I was arranging cover with the YO.

Over Xmas, when at livery, they would offer skeleton care, so feeding and skipping out. I would therefore have to go and ride/turn out and muck out. Or arrange for someone else to. I would not necessarily expect full service on Xmas day, but the other days I would.
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Yes I totally agree I mean like my friend helps her out sometimes. YO is there to over see etc it’s only a favour kind of thing. I would necessarily says it’s cover as it’s not like the horse is just full livery. It’s there on a competition livery paying a lot of money. She pays for care 365 days and no where in the contract or has she ever been told she must go do her horse Christmas Day never mind others. Also if my horse went away from schooling I wouldn’t be happy if I was expected to go do it Christmas Day. Just because she lives a 25 mins drive away why should she go do her horse that is supposed to be done by the YO xx
 
Pearlsasinger said:
All your friend needs to say is 'sorry, I have already made my arrangements with YO'. I certainly wouldn't be giving the bossy livery my personal info, or discussing family matters with her.
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100% this!! I wouldn't be explaining the story at all. livery has no right to ask or suggest you do anything and you don't owe an explanation. I'd be polite but say as little as possible and put a smiley face after it (that covers everything!)
 
paddi22 said:
100% this!! I wouldn't be explaining the story at all. livery has no right to ask or suggest you do anything and you don't owe an explanation. I'd be polite but say as little as possible and put a smiley face after it (that covers everything!)
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Haha love the smiley face bit will have to do that my self ! She just gonna put I will arrange with YO thanks
 
It would be great if all the owners came in and did their own horses! But some really wouldn't have a clue where to start - except for "One end bites, the other kicks" kind of thing ???

I've never been on a livery yard over xmas as mine have always been at home but I have worked every xmas for the last 16 years. Nothing is skimped on everyone just works in double quick time because they want done and home!
 
Elf On A Shelf said:
It would be great if all the owners came in and did their own horses! But some really wouldn't have a clue where to start - except for "One end bites, the other kicks" kind of thing ???

I've never been on a livery yard over xmas as mine have always been at home but I have worked every xmas for the last 16 years. Nothing is skimped on everyone just works in double quick time because they want done and home!
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Haha yes I agree would be a great laugh watching them try to put a headcollar on there ridiculous expensive imported warmblood. When I when to visit my friends horse. One of the owners was there pulled up in a white Tesla. Both her and daughter looked like they had stepped out of Holland Cooper advert. Mother crapped her self when the horse sneezed ? .
 
The Texter sounds a sticky beak organiser ignore deal with YO only. If you pay for the service you should receive the service. I just can't get over why people think it is acceptable not to muck out and look after horses over the Christmas period its beyond me.
 
What a strange situation. I think in these circumstances I would just confirm with YO that all services would be provided as usual over the Christmas period and ignore anyone else. I certainly would not want my horses cared for or handled by other liveries who might not know their requirements (feeds, which horse has soaked hay, what boots / rugs to use etc). If YO had a problem over the holidays I would expect them to contact me directly, but this does not sound like it is the case.

Where I am the only change is that they are usually brought inside 1 hour earlier on Christmas Eve.
 
Winters100 said:
What a strange situation. I think in these circumstances I would just confirm with YO that all services would be provided as usual over the Christmas period and ignore anyone else. I certainly would not want my horses cared for or handled by other liveries who might not know their requirements (feeds, which horse has soaked hay, what boots / rugs to use etc). If YO had a problem over the holidays I would expect them to contact me directly, but this does not sound like it is the case.

Where I am the only change is that they are usually brought inside 1 hour earlier on Christmas Eve.
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This, I would check to confirm arrangements with the YO and I wouldn't want my horse being cared for by someone who may not know how to.

Yards that I have been on have operated pretty much as normal at Christmas (i.e. if you're full livery, your horse is done as normal on Christmas Day), although at my current yard, we try to turn everything out over Christmas if the weather is dry to make life a bit easier. Most liveries turn up anyway to do their own horses but it's not an expectation.
 
If all the others are doing there’s over Christmas then she should to, us staff deserve a break and entitled owners should be prepared to do there own horses!
 
CouldItBe said:
If all the others are doing there’s over Christmas then she should to, us staff deserve a break and entitled owners should be prepared to do there own horses!
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Good grief. I sincerely hope none of my staff feel this way!!

I want my liveries to enjoy their horses and their lives. They pay to have their horses looked after, my staff are compensated generously for working at Christmas, and we have a lovely time listening to Christmas music, eating chocolate and mince pies, and drinking Buck’s Fizz from 4am. Liveries are always welcome to come and see their horses but I wouldn’t dream of asking them to muck out, and if my staff were rude enough to imply that the owners who pay their wages are ‘entitled’ they would be sacked on the spot!
 
CouldItBe said:
If all the others are doing there’s over Christmas then she should to, us staff deserve a break and entitled owners should be prepared to do there own horses!
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Why? If you go to the pub on Christmas day do you pour your own drink and wash your own glass? Are you not paid for working at Christmas?

If owners pay for a service then yes they are entitled - entitled to receive the service that they pay for. And what does the fact that others wish to do their own horses at Christmas have to do with any other customer of the yard?

If you do not wish to work at Christmas I suggest that you find a job where it is not required.
 
CouldItBe said:
If all the others are doing there’s over Christmas then she should to, us staff deserve a break and entitled owners should be prepared to do there own horses!
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I have worked every christmas for the last 16 years looking after other people's horses! It is what I get PAID to do! If I wanted the day off I could take it off (we work a bit of a rota at xmas - you work xmas you get new year off and vice versa)

If you don't want to work xmas then take it as a day off - unpaid or as holiday! No one is forcing you to work it and to be honest owners are paying for their horses to be looked after. Not have some spoilt little brat whinge and complain about the job they chose to do because it doesn't suit them that day!

Where I work we all go in, graft our backsides off and go home with nominated people to feed at certain times of the day. Every horse is mucked out, every horse exercised is exercised whether it be on the horse walker or ridden out and all of the youngsters go out in the field for a few hours.

Whilst up the thread I mentioned how funny it would be to get owners in to do their own horses it would actualky be far.more carnage than it's worth!

If you don't like your career choice and the working times/hours/days then chamge careers before your attitude sours the whole yard.
 
CouldItBe said:
If all the others are doing there’s over Christmas then she should to, us staff deserve a break and entitled owners should be prepared to do there own horses!
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How are Buzz and Winnie these days?

Don’t worry, folks, it‘s a forum regular with yet another username.
 
It's a nice thought, but it sounds like the livery is just trying to be teacher's pet. Has anyone even asked the YO if they want to leave their yard in the hands of their liveries?They might not trust them to run the place!
 
I've known of yards where owners are asked to muck out over the festive period if they would like, but there's no expectation that they will and certainly only for their own horses, not others!
If it is a competition yard I can't see that the majority of owners would be suited to mucking out? And the YO should have a professional set up and imagine it will be yards as usual, maybe with no frills/extras.
If your friend wants to do her horses and YO doesn't mind I'm sure the gesture will be appreciated. But I'm equally sure that it probably isn't expected. Certainly wouldn't be expecting to do more than your own horses in this scenario though!
 
Your friend sounds a bit too nice.
The other livery feels entitled to make rude comments to her and now she has arranged for your friend to possibly do half her daughter's work (as her daughter is working at the yard to get a discount, will she be claiming your friend's work as part of it?).
I would have to ask her why she is being so rude to a full paying customer when she makes comments about your friend being spoiled... but I have no qualms being rude back those days.
 
My horse is on full board and the staff get Christmas, boxing day and Easter off work. The property owners take over duties on these days. Clients are never asked to help out however if you want to clean your own stable the rate is slightly cheaper. Clients would never be asked to handle other peoples horses because of insurance reasons I would think.
 
CouldItBe said:
If all the others are doing there’s over Christmas then she should to, us staff deserve a break and entitled owners should be prepared to do there own horses!
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One owner out of 11+ horses. They are there on a schooling , competition livery . Many of the owners live more than an hour or more drive away or wouldn’t know on End from the other. If you worked in a hospital would it be acceptable to ask relatives to come care for patients on Christmas Day because you deserve a break . Entitled owners pay a premium rate shouldn’t be expected to do all the other livery’s horse to !
 
Griffin said:
This, I would check to confirm arrangements with the YO and I wouldn't want my horse being cared for by someone who may not know how to.

Yards that I have been on have operated pretty much as normal at Christmas (i.e. if you're full livery, your horse is done as normal on Christmas Day), although at my current yard, we try to turn everything out over Christmas if the weather is dry to make life a bit easier. Most liveries turn up anyway to do their own horses but it's not an expectation.
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Now I could not cope with that unless the horses were out 24/7 all year or only come to stables if the weather turns really bad. I hate the turn to overnight grazing and much prefer it when it's back to the day time turn out. I know what the ponies prefer..... but I worry to much about overnight pony raves and the boys foing raids on the girls - to be fair it's usually the girls raiding the boys lol !
 
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