Padlocking horses in stables?

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Ionadiamond

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I have a very small livery yard and a couple of my liveries have started padlocking their stables 24/7 even when their horses are in them. I am worried for 2 reasons, firstly surely this is a HUGE safety risk because without a key nobody can get them out quickly, and secondly it means I don't have access to areas of my own property (technically I rent the whole thing but my landlord can't get access either). So if a water drinker breaks and causes a flood I can't do anything about it until they get there.

Am I just overthinking this or should I put a stop to it?
 
That's what I was thinking. I don't know their reasoning, there's a secure tackroom for rugs etc, the yard gate is padlocked at night and there haven't been any reports of thefts at night. I have no idea why they would padlock them when they're empty either!
 
Simple-as yard manager you go and speak to them and see why they are doing it. Then say its not permitted for the above reasons. Although your logic is flawed. So it's your property although you rent it..but not theirs although they subrent it?
 
I rent the whole yard to do with as I like, I am responsible for everything from insurance to safety, and all liveries sign a contract also signed by me. If something happened to one of the horses it would be on my shoulders, not the actual owner's and if the yard flooded I would have to pay for the repair and damage myself. And it doesn't change the fact that the horses are at risk and the yard owner can't get in if he needed to.
It's like you renting a house and having somebody pay you for a room and locking it so you or the house owner can't get in if there's a fire.
 
if sdomeone paid you for a room I think you'd find it qutie normal for someone to lock their room so you couldn't get in it.. but just pointing out that they do pay money to rent it from you. why do you not just ask them why?~
 
you might want to point out that someone who wanted to take anything out would either climb over door (assuming they dont shut top door which I hope they dont with horses in) or if they are using cheap padlocks a single mallet swing or bolt cutters will easily break it.

Your yard - your rules, point out the fire risk or the issue if you needed vet asap.
 
I know where you're coming from but they don't let the stables as such, they have their horses on livery. Hotels have spare keys for all their rooms even though people pay to use them! I intend to ask but I wanted to know I wasn't being irrational before I ask them to stop because I can't really see any reason to lock an empty stable or endanger a horse by locking it in.
 
I have just read this post & I can not believe that someone padlocks their horse in a stable - I know I do not know the circumsrtances - but where on earth do some people get their ideas from :(
 
Speechless! 1) ther could be a fire, 2) vet might need to come in an emergency, 3) farrier ditto or horse might get cast and need righting (used to have to do this for a fellow DIY on a daily basis), 4) it is really easy to unscrew the bolt and take the whole thing off, including padlock, if you are a thief and turning up well equipped at a time when no-one else is there! So, all the padlock is doing is harm. Tell them the padlocks go or they do. You don't want all that bother.
 
I am guessing it is a security reason, have there been problems with theft at the yard that you don't know about, even small items like hay or bedding from the stables, if they are locking them when the horses are not in as well there may be a problem you are unware about.

I do think it is dangerous to lock the horse in the stable as if they had a colic or something and you need to get the vet at short notice and could not get hold of the livery for whatever reason then it would be difficult to get into the stable as well as fires. I would at least insist that you had a copy of the key so could have access in emergencies.
 
Even if you had copies of the keys, it could potentially, take ages to unlock the doors especially in an emergency situation. Madness!

I do have a trigger hook on my stable to prevent my boy undoing bolts. The trigger hook is easily removed.
 
Madness! I echo the above comments about safety plus if someone intends to steal your horse, a padlock will not deter them when bolt cutters can be used or they can wait until it's in the field and steal it then.

If they're using padlocks to stop their horse opening the door themselves (I'm not sure what your door catches are like) then a trigger clip will stop a horse opening the door.

I would tell them you are liable for injuries as yard manager and you are not prepared to take the risks involved with locking stable doors so either they remove them or they leave.:cool:
 
Livery is not a rental like someone renting a room in a house is. It is a 'licence' which means that they do not have the rights that the YO does with her lease.

Noone should be locking horses in a stable. If there is a theft issue then YO has the right to be informed and to take appropriate action like CCTV, patrols etc. From a safety perspective the horse is much more likely to burn to death because noone can get it out than it is to be stolen (esp in a climate where horses are being given away!)

Ask them to remove the padlocks, if it isnt done, take a pair of bolt croppers to them and return the pieces to the livery client (poss with notice to quit)!
 
pansy said:
I have just read this post & I can not believe that someone padlocks their horse in a stable - I know I do not know the circumsrtances - but where on earth do some people get their ideas from :(
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Neither can I! :confused: :( Takes a horse being a 'possession' to an unacceptable extreme. Safety is paramount with all living creatures. What if one had severe colic for eg. :confused:
 
Can't believe someone would do this. :eek: Even if they are locking the doors to prevent horse theft, a thief could get the padlocks off in seconds.

Mind you, there are some strange horse folk out there :rolleyes:
 
Black Beastie said:
Simples ask them why then ask them to remove the padlocks.

Your the YO your yard your rules Simples :)
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Agree with this.

Its a new one on me (I'm a DIY YO) and I don't know what the owner expects will happen if there is a fire and the horse can't be got out; or the horse colics one night and the vet can't get in to get access to it???? OR if there is another emergency like flooding, power problems etc.

The only way I would consider allowing anyone to put a padlock on their stable door is if they gave me a key as well, on the understanding that I as YO had the right to enter the stable.

But far simpler to say "no" IMO. If owner doesn't like it she can go elsewhere - better that than you as YO having to stand and watch/listen to her horse burning to death if something awful happens and not being able to do sweet FA about it. IF its being done because horsey has learnt to unlock said stable door, then for heaven's sake there's better ways of dealing with it???
 
Thanks everyone, now I don't feel like I'm being unreasonable! I think I'll allow them to lock stables when there's no horse in it as long as I have a key, and to ban locking horses in fullstop!
 
I would also suggest that if anything happened to their horse because it was padlocked in the stable their insurance company might no cough up!
 
Somebody mentioned theft on the yard: it's not likely because there is only me and 4 liveries and I spend a lot of time there. All the girls seem to get on really well. Padlocks went on within a week of them moving to the yard. They also drilled locks onto big (expensive!) storage boxes that I provide without asking my permission, but that's another issue altogether!

Tammytoo I'm not sure they even have insurance, but the yard is insured and I'm pretty sure my insurers wouldn't cough up the cash if they found out there were padlocks. It makes me worry that they wouldn't pay for any damage if there was a fire and because I lease the yard I would have to pay out of my own pocket to rectify the damage.
 
Madness. Only thing they'll stop is getting the horse out in an emergency. As said, a real thief would remove the door, & a small time haynet stealer would just climb over the bottom door. I've had a few escape artists, even one that can do most kick bolts & never even considered a padlock.
 
Are these liveries young? I can remember thinking my pony was the most important and impressive pony in the whole world and wanted to lock his stable so no one could steal or touch him when I wasn't there. I was put straight right away that this would not be acceptable. I accepted it and 35 years on am very glad someone responsible talked some sense!!! Ridiculous.

Fires happen, but lets face it, rarely. More commonly one of the stabled horses might need veterinary attention in the absence of their owner. Colic? Choke? Etc. What would these liveries expect the vet to do, climb the door? Daft.
 
Depends what you class as "young" :P the "main offender" is about the same age as me (I'm 21).

Although problem seems to be solved because I gave her notice today for a list of other reasons including refusing to pay livery because she had vets bills and telling me I was breaching my own contract by not keeping her horse safe at all times (my youngster broke a fence and made her already extremely lame horse run round).
 
You have made the right decision - I can't believe that some people can be so irresponsible & refusing to pay livery - what do they know they have locked their horse in a stable - better off gone
The horses are never a problem - its some of the people they bring along with them that cause all the problems x
 
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