Prices of straw?? Blooming livery bill!!

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WishfulThinker

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I just got my livery bill last week - and still annoyed as a) I was told livery was 260 , no mention of straw on top of that! b) I have been charged £36 for straw for the month!! Thing is that if it is calculated on bales used then I am fuming as at least 2-3 bales have had to be binned as they were mouldy and also my boy has a smaller bed than the rest and I will admit that I only take out the REALLY mucky wet stuff as I feel that clean straw is too fluffy and it always goes through to the hard floor even when its packed in! He is on deep litter now, and hasnt needed any straw in for the past 4 days as has been really clean.

I want to speak to YO about it, but he will prob tell me to speak to YM who deals with it - and she scares me! Am I justified to complain do you think? As I use about 1/4 the amount of bedding as everyone else!! I am considering going on to shavings as he is so clean it will be about 15 a month for them (going by what someone else on yard with clean horses uses).

AND - I am really fuming and don't know how to broach this subject but I took out 280 for my livery bill, I counted it 4 times then gave it to one of the yard staff. It is requested on my bill I pay in cash!! Well I have a note on my bill this month saying I am 17 short!! If I bring it up I am basically saying that someone is lying or a thief! I am going to ask for a receipt or that I will pay via cheque (I don't like that as u never know when it will come out!!).

I don't know what to say?? I hate having to complain about thing to people - like shop owners etc! But as I was never warned about the straw charge I now have to find an extra £40 a month!! And when after everything I only have £200 to live on already its not as easy as snapping my fingers
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£40 a month for straw is extortionate, mine is on assisted DIY for £240 per month inc haylage & straw; the straw we have is quite poor quality generally, but I believe it is poor quality nationally this year due to the poor summer!

If I was you I would go to the Yard manager & tell him that you misunderstood how the livery was calculated, inform him that given the current situation you would prefer to source your own straw/shavings; if he agrees go and buy your own straw/shavings, it will only cost you £10 per month if you dont use many!

ETS: In regards to the cash situation, I dont really know what to say about that one
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Perhaps the first step would be to ask how the straw bill is calcualted? Straw is £2 a bale where I am at the momment - more than last year.

Were you there last winter - I just wonder what the arrangement was then or whether you have any kind of contract that sets out charges?
 
Not there last year - this is 1st winter there. Although I believe at old yard they are now £22 a month for straw - the big round bales. But the quality of these bales we have is truley awful! Some smell like rotten fish - are mouldy to the core, and at the moment the straw in his bed was dusty grey when it came off the bale - as if it had been wet and dried out.

I am going to have to question it, as I take less than 1/2 a big blue barrow out - the others get a full barrow out, sometimes 2 and that has to be replaced, so I do not want to be paying for someone elses straw!

Unfortunately Shavings seems to be the only way to make sure I get what I should be paying for!!

Also no contract - well not written!! The yard however is apparently seeking BHS approval so we will have to have soon.
 
My horse is filthy and is currently on partial box rest - only allowed out for an hour a day. I spent less than £20 on straw last month so £40 seems outrageous.
You should raise both issues, just do it calmly.
 
If there is no written details I would speak to them and explain that you are surprised at the cost of straw, ask how it is calculated and if you're not happy explain you would prefer to buy yours in. Be prepared to spend the time collecting it or paying for delivery and look at the storage area you will be given - often they are quite small which means frequent collection or deliveries. Do your sums carefully before taking action!

I would also ask for a reciept next time you pay - explain you thought that you checked the amount carefully last time so it would be good for everyone to be happy the right amount is there in future
 
Straw here is £2.50 for wheat, £3.50 for barley which is over 100% up from last year so even allowing for 2 bales a week, you've still be grossly overcharged!
I would also have a word with the staff who took your rent money before, just say you want to check how much you gave them, no need to say about the money missing; I'd say something like 'I didn't give you too much money last time, did I, just that I can't find some I thought I still had, wondered if it had been stuck to that' or something along those lines?! You can tell I'm not very confrontational either can't you? In future, I'd keep your money until you can give it to YO/YM and make sure you have a receipt for it too, they only need to sign and date your bill and you sign it too in their presence (that's if you're still going to do cash though).
I hate things like this, I let Mel get away with not paying as she should simply cos I hate being made to feel bad for finding them out which is a stupid - and expensive - thing to do!
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BTW, if you change over to shavings, don't forget you'll need extra bales to make the bed in the first place which will bump the cost up a bit.
 
That is outrageous!!!I would certainly be having a word!!As regards the money,insist they count it and give you a reciept there and then,if needs be write the recipt yourself,take a pen along with you and get them to sign it as you hand the cash over!!
 
Have they charged you by the bale or per week?
the riding school i used to be stabled at in the 90's used to charge £8 per week for straw - regardless of how much your horse was in, how little you used - if you used 'too much' in their opinion - they would take some out! they used to get the big hestons, some of which were pants to put it nicely! if you wanted to be stabled there thou - that was the price full stop. is the place you are at like that maybe? Thankfully when i was stabled there i managed to negociate when i moved on that i got my own shavings, saved me a fortune!
I would def insist on reciepts for your rent if its cash and there could be a trust issue - just a thought - but is this place being run by the books etc - why do you have to pay cash????? is it not going thru the books? in which case does the yard have any insurance???
with the 17 they say is missing - how did you pay? if it was all 20's then how could it be 17 down etc? i would def mention it as you shouldnt have to pay twice!
 
Apart from the fact it sounds as though you are being hideously over-charged for straw - I would be worried about using such bad quality bedding in the first place. Changing to shavings or AN Other may preserve your horses health as well as your wallet. Shame on the YM for allowing such poor quality bedding on the yard.
 
I know!! I was loath to put him in th bed but it was all they had!! The bale they just got rid of was STEAMING moudly to! I did say that it would be bad for them but folk said I was over reacting but I was told that the spores will still be there and get into his lungs - cant remember who told me that though! The bale is in front of the entrance to the stables anyway so all the horses go past it!

Some people do pay by Cheque - some of us dont. No idea why though. I would imagine that if they are employing people and paying tax and getting BHS approval that they would be insured??
 
Paying them cash means they probably aren't declaring it as income!!

I wish these people had actually seen a horse with COPD.... the spores of damp and mouldy bedding are REALLY harmful - you are not overeacting!!
 
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How many will I need for a 12x12 stable??

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I recon you need at least 5 to start a bed off - and then you will need to top up with a further two during the first week. Thereafter, hopefully just one bale a week.

As for the charges, agree with everyone that it is monstrous. And I would pay by cheque in future.

Life and horses is so stressful sometimes eh??
 
Well he is a clean horse, and it will be deep littered shavings. I helped another girl on the yard do her mare and there was the same amount of poo came out as comes out Beaus straw bed - I use gloves to take poo out and really rank straw.

Oh well I will try shavings I think anyway. I don't really have a preferance, but when your in a bad mood its easier to muck out straw and not destroy the bed
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EVERYTHING is stress full at the moment!! Men! Horses! Cars! Money!
 
Beau Personally would change to shavings as you are right about spores etc(been there done that one at old yard!!
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)if you want can get you number of guy that delivers to yard (#5.50 per bale inc del.).
We are ALL on shavings now but must admit J's straw was NICE straw,rarely saw a bad bale.He changed allegedly because some folk were practically clearing out all the straw when mucking out and not just lifting dirty/wet and think some thought deeper the bed the better!!!
Oh and tell them you will pay by cheque or get signed reciept as you need to keep it for your own records(thats what I used to say)
Bet your glad of indoor school this weekend soooooooooooo jealous!!!So miss that!!
 
I think you're being grossly overcharged. Speak to YM. You say you don't like complaining but just do it politely and reasonably and see what happens. As others have said, try to negotiate to buy your own bedding. As far as the 'missing' money, all I can suggest is that you give it to YM direct, or seal it in envelope and sign across the seal. This relies on YM being honest, of course...
 
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