Should I say anything?? (really long)

[Firewell]

I went away last night and left my horse in the hands of my livery yard to look after. Now I pay a premium to keep my horse at this yard (£200 DIY + £15 per day for them to look after horse when i go away). The yard manager is lovely and very very experienced and I trust her with my horse. However she is poorly at the mo and had someone else looking after the horses this weekend.

My TB comes is during the day at the mo and out at night. Shes a good, polite girl but is sensitive and likes to be kept in her routine.

I left strict instructions for her to be turned out last night and brought in today, I left what rugs for her to wear, boots etc.

So I turn up this evening to do her and turn her out and shes still in her field??? A lady at the yard upon question said she didnt want to be caught this morning so they had left her in the field?? Now I have told them to take some food to catch her as she can be funny with strangers but with food she'll love anybody! I was told they hadnt thought of trying food??

I caught her and brought her in, she had been upset and galloping around, she had pulled her shoe half off ripping her hoof, she had ripped her rug, was covered in dry sweat an had pulled her overreach boots off

.

When i got her into the yard she was upset for a few mins and then fell asleep, she was knackered

.

Now I dont know wether im being unreasonable but im really angry!

The thing is they didnt even feed my horse this morning either!?
The thing is my horse is easy to catch with food and if they had put her brekfast in the field she would have come straight over and they would have been able to catch her.

Do you think i should say something to the yard manager?

I always say any problem whatsoever to call me, if they had called I could have said to use food.

What worries me is what if I had been away for a week? How long would she have been left in the field with a ripped rug, twisted shoe and no food?

Do you think I'm I overreacting? Not sure if to say anything

 

[The Original Kao]

i would say something.
you are paying for a service and not getting it.
i look after around 15 horses, 1 is a sod to catch, but if he's to come in then he gets caught, even if we have to get the lunge line out and corner him.
i wish he was food orientated

 

[longtalltilly]

I don't think you are at all! You pay for a service and therefore your horse should be cared for how you wish! (It isnt like this is just friend doing her to help you out)

I agree with your worries and think you should have a chat with the yard manager!

 

[Flame_]

If this is typical of how half-heartedly the yard tends to "look after" horses, kick off!

If its a one-off and they mainly do a good job and are trustworthy, it would still be worth a quiet complaint to the YO to give them a shake up.

 

[shell1978]

You have every right to feel angry. I would to! And yes I would deifinately be speaking to the YO, and would not be paying them any extra either!
What numpty's not even trying to catch her with food!

 

[Paint it Lucky]

I think you should tell the yard manager, at the price you're paying you'd think the staff would be better at their job than that, it does worry me that they didn't notice her being distressed, presumably to twist a shoe she must have been running around a lot. It is also bad that they didn't feed her breakfast this morning. You're right, if you did go away for a long time this would not be acceptable.

 

[Tornado951]

I agree with the others - you need to have a quiet word. Not too emotional or anything, just let them know.

Otherwise, it's "thin end of the wedge" and "slippery slope" stuff

 

[SecretSquirrell379]

Definitley have a word. Its not like you asked a friend to look after her, the yard are meant to be providing a service and that is not good enough. The YO needs to know that whoever she has entrusted to look after her yard while she is poorly is not providing an adequate service.

 

[dwi]

You need to say something to make sure it doesn't happen again. YO would probably be glad to know and then speak to the member of staff because they won't want unhappy liveries and distressed horses. Not thinking to try catching the horse with a feed, especially when they were due a feed anyway is a bit dim to me, I'd be worried about the experience and horse sense of the staff TBH

 

[custard]

Yes, you should say something, I'b be blooming fuming. This has always been the issue for me with livery yards, owners are often fine but the staff they employ, don't get me started!

 

[Firewell]

phew, Im glad you all agree with me. I'll take her quietly to one side and explain nicely that Im upset by the incident.

It is a lovely yard in many ways but this isnt the only incident that has upset me. My horse cut her leg in the field by getting it caught in some baggy wire fencing (thankfully just superficial). I asked if they could do something about it but the comment I got was 'oh, what a pain to have a horse thats always getting itself injured'. I ended up putting temporary electric fencing around the perimeter and putting boots on to try and stop it happening again.

Oh dear, maybe I need to start lookig at other yards. Shame everything else is perfect (facilities, hacking, decent dressage instructor on site!)

Thanks for putting my mind at rest that im not just being a neurotic horse mummy!

 

[kerilli]

i would definitely say something, you need to speak up for your horse and yourself, you are paying for a service you didn't get. you are definitely justified in feeling upset, i'd be livid.