please give any advice or opinions but dont be to nasty as im a bit fragile

M

madeleine1

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 June 2010
Messages
1,745
Visit site
i resently moved my horse bk to working livery for the winter and i totaly trust the people who look after her but after a summer by myself making nearly all the desicions myself it is a bit of a shock to the system to no be in control any more.

she has to do 4 hours a week for them. and i get the £120 deal for £50 effectively as she does the 4 hours for them.

she went bk to them on thursday and she did an hour on friday night for them and an hour for them on sunday, and without my knowledge but i didnt say no i suppose they lunged her on saturday. if they didnt lunge her on saturday i would have ridden her tonight. i dont no if i should have planned better or is it up to me if she is lunged. they could have rung and asked me.

now i know it is probably me being pathetic but i want her clipped this week and i dont no how to ask about it or how much it is. i also want her worming but i dont no what there rules are on the yard for that.

i always feel like im fussing and asking to many questions of the staff. i have only asked 3 or 4 in the last 5 days but i have so much more i want to dicuss to put my mind as ease. i just find it so hard to talk up.

please be gental with me as im a bit teary at the moment
 
Why not sit down with the yard manager and have a chat over a cup of tea? Any manager worth their salt won't mind and will only have the best interests of you and your horse at heart. You have every right to know when your horse will be exercised, wormed and clipped!
 
Firstly, sending you a big hug..... keep your chin up, you'll get it all sorted.
I suggest you make some time to have a cuppa and a pack of tissue :-) and sit down and write down all your questions and arrange to speak to the Yard Manager about the finer details - I'd be honest and tell them you are new to this and want to know how the process works and would like to cover it off in a single discussion - don't ask the grooms or staff, go straight to the manager.

You need to find out exactly whats included in the reduced Livery fee.
Your horse is used for 4 hours per week (which I personally think equates to quite alot in terms of monetory value against your livery ) - and that only leaves you with 2 to 3 days to ride (I'd be tempted to give her a day off too)

I would expect the Yard to have a worming regime, so ask them when this is and whether they add it to your bill, or if they do it as part of the deal.
Shoeing - I assume is still arranged and paid for by you.
I would ask whether you can agree the days she is ridden by them and by you, or at least agree a weekly schedule so you know when you can plan to ride.
Also what kind of Insurance cover do they have? you need to check that they have their own cover in the event of any accident whilst they use your horse, and also what happens if injured, who's liable for vets bills etc.
Ask whether they are able to clip, and if so how much and when? it's in their interests too so she doesn't get too sweated up over the hour they use her.
I'd also suggest a basic contract, or at least a written breakdown of what the reduced livery also includes - especially the points above.
And don't feel bad, she's your baby, and it's like going to a new yard, where you don't know the rules of the road, and leaves you feeling unsure.

Try not to be upset, as far as your horse is concerned, she's got a stable, food and turnout, and she won't be bothered about the finer points :-)
And don't feel you are being a nuisance, you are being a responsible owner with the well being of your horse the most important thing.
Also to add, take a friend for some Dutch Courage, and to make sure you ask all your questions.
 
Last edited:
huge hugs

Firstly I would expect they have a worming programme also I would expect to know in advance roughly when the horse would be free for me to ride, lunge etc.
Take a box of biscuits and ask YM for a chat and a cup of tea. Explain you just have a few queries that you would like to sort out, just so you know what's what
 
i know some of the details but i think i wil tomorrow morning set down some more of the rules and find out some more information. i think im just so affraid of upsetting people. thank you very much for your advice ill read it a few more times and make a list and then go and talk to the managed/head boy tomorrow
 
madeleine1 said:
i think im just so affraid of upsetting people
Click to expand...

It's a shame you feel this way, she's your horse, and remember you are still the Customer.
I'm sure you're not upsetting people.
Lets face it, how many times do we all come away from a discussion thinking - oh if only I'd said this or that (trust me I'm a dab hand when it comes to Job Interviews, and all the things I forgot to say). There's also been plenty of times i've been sitting in a meeting, and asked what I persieve to be a dumb question, only to hear half the attendees agreeing with me - hence I've learnt never be afraid to ask anything.
I'm sure when you've sat down and put all your questions on paper you will start to feel better about it, and hopefully a bit more confident (basically you need to prepare what you're going to ask, and by putting it on paper you have the full Agenda in front of you).
So remember, don't think any question you have is a silly question, no matter how small.
Any question is a perfectly valid question, so make sure you get answers to every one, and if you are not happy with an answer, or its a bit vague, tell him. I'd also suggest writing the answers down too.
I know it's easy to tell you this on a forum, and the reality of sitting down with someone is very different, and thats why i'd explain to him you are new to this hence the list of questions that you have, and the need to get it clear in one go so you don't have to keep coming to him..... and really do make sure you go through every one :-)
Good luck, i'm sure you'll be fine x

PS - if you think of anything else at a later date, don't feel you cannot ask because you've already had a conversation about things :-)

PPS - I'm a project manager and have to have conversations with people every day, and generally get stuck in to understand the detail, so sorry for the long winded replies, but hope it helps
 
Last edited:
its ok i really appriciate the long and detailed answers. its a bit wierd sort of situation and it the riding school she came from and the yard manager is someone i have had lessons along side for years but never spoken to much more then od comments about what we were doing on lessons. i know how to ride to a much higher standard then my yard skills and i think he assumes i know more then i do
 
Sorry you are feeling down and emotional. Hopefully things will sort themselves out soon. I agree with the others. Ask YO if you can have a word and just be honest and ask if you can discuss how things work so that going forward you know where you stand. They may want to clip her but havent had a chance to ask you yet. x
 
just try to remember that she is YOUR horse and you are paying to keep her there. you need to discuss things like what happens if they want to use her for a lesson but you are planning a show or something. it just needs a little chat and you will probably find its all sorted. it may be easier if they and you can specify days or times if possible that she can or cant be used and that way at least both sides know where they stand. I know thats not always possible but at the same time, I wouldnt want to feel like i cant go and do something with my own horse without their say so. good luck...you will feel much better once all sorted.
 
kazhar said:
just try to remember that she is YOUR horse and you are paying to keep her there. you need to discuss things like what happens if they want to use her for a lesson but you are planning a show or something. it just needs a little chat and you will probably find its all sorted. it may be easier if they and you can specify days or times if possible that she can or cant be used and that way at least both sides know where they stand. I know thats not always possible but at the same time, I wouldnt want to feel like i cant go and do something with my own horse without their say so. good luck...you will feel much better once all sorted.
Click to expand...

yer i dont want to have particular days as i might as well get a share and i pay £50 a week so think i should be able to ride her most days, she is fit enought and healthy enough to do two rides a day a couple of times a week. i really appriciate all the comments and help people are giving
 
I'd agree with the suggestions so far - and I'd ask for a weekly planner that you and the yard manager fill in so that you can see at a glance when she will be used.
I'm sure the yard manager has been just waiting to find the time to make everything clear and will be glad she has an owner on the yard who is responsible and considerate ( maybe you are being just a little too considerate!):)

Remember that the yard owner must have felt you and your horse would be an asset to them, or they wouldn't have entered into the agreement in the first place.
 
i agree with all the comments, particularly that at the end of the day its your horse, your the customer and she is yours for you to enjoy, and yes she is at working livery but she is there for your enjoyment as much as the other people riding her. I agree about getting some sort of rota or diary going, you could say, i would like to ride her mon, wed, thur and fri for example then they could work round it???? have a chat with the manager over a cup of tea, as my mum always say, if in doubt put the kettle on!xxx good luck.xx
 
thank you for all your help.

i went and asked the yard owner for a chat.

she told me which memebr of staff to tell about her needing clipped and so me and that member of staff are going to clip her on friday and its a bonus of my livery, yey. :D

shes added her to the wormer list and she says she will tell me when it happens and the cost. (shes says its not as much as normal wormers because of the bulk buy.

and she says im more then welcome to pop in every couple of days to sort out whos using her when and if i need her perticular days then i only have to mention it and as long as she has done some work that week it would be more then ok as she is my horse.

also some of the people who used to know her when she was there before says she is much better behaved then before, i think a summer in 2 acres of lovly grass was what she needed. (the riding school doesnt have much turnout).

again thank you for all you encouragement
 
I was just wondering earlier today whether you had seen the YO. Sounds like it went well and you must feel so much better for knowing now what is going on. Now you can relax and not worry x :)
 
MardyMare2 said:
I was just wondering earlier today whether you had seen the YO. Sounds like it went well and you must feel so much better for knowing now what is going on. Now you can relax and not worry x :)
Click to expand...

definatly it was much better to just talk it though and its nice to know i can talk it through. i knew it was a good yard but it gets better by the day :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top