Smoking on yards

swampdonkey said:
I can't believe how holier than thou some people are about smoking!
I am not a smoker but I'm pretty sure that not employing someone because they smoke is very narrow minded and prejudice.
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What, because it reduces the chance of your business going up in flames?

If my business was flammable (timber!) I certainly wouldn't hire a smoker.
 
el_Snowflakes said:
Bit of a sweeping statement there & how on earth does smoking compare to drug addicts using mind altering drugs......get real.
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Because smokers and drug addicts are both dependent on their fix. Smoking may be more socially acceptable, but it's still an addiction with many knock on adverse effects (health, finances etc).
 
i work in an american barn stable set up, with the hay stored at one end, and a wooden tack room opposite. just outside is the muck heap and 2 separate wooden stables. My boss smokes. Everywhere.
Sends shivers down my spine, and I constantly run through my mind how I would rescue the horses. I often find butts in the skip bucket. Grim really, but boss is lovely, I try to turn a blind eye.

At some old riding stables where I once taught, there were no smoking signs up all over - rightly so. Just that the owner smoked. I caught her once filling a hay net, in a barn full of fresh hay on a hot summers day, with lit fag, dripping hot ash. I may have changed colour - shock.

If you smoke, please carry on, who am I to tell you what to do. Just don't come crying when the inevitable fire happens. Not if, when.
 
Just love New Zealand's 'No Smoking' in the workplace or public places laws.

Our pubs, restaurants, malls are smoke free, lovely.

At work ours makers have a picnic table with benches outside. It amazes me how many go off in their breaks for a quick chain smoke.

No Smoking on the yard at every stables I've worked at has been mandatory.

Such a dangerous and smelly hobby, and so expensive, I think twice about the cost of a bar of chocolate, I couldn't waste so much money each week on cigarettes.
 
I am a non smoker and don't normally post but some of these comments are just not right!!

Firstly, I wholeheartedly agree that you should not smoke on yards and that there is a designated place for that however throwing a bucket of water over someone is assault!! Why would anyone find that acceptable?

In relation to comments that are IMO judgemental on adults who choose to smoke. Would people watching someone with obesity eating a fatty meal be as judgemental? That is also harmful to someone's health, can also be an eating disorder, but somehow it's not ok to comment on that.

Just smokers we are allowed to prejudice then.

Apologies, rant over! 😳
 
I agree, throwing water over people is really not on. How about just asking them not to do it?
 
As a bucket of water thrower, it's like this.

1) I saw the smoker was smoking near the stables, so I asked them not to. The second time, I told them not to.
2) I went to YO and said 'So and so has been smoking in the barn. If they do it again I'm going to chuck a bucket of water over them'. They agreed it was a good idea.
3) I said the the smoker 'If I I catch you smoking in the stables again, I'm going to chuck a bucket of water over you'.
4) I caught the smoker smoking in the stable, I chucked a bucket of water over them.

I love my horse. If protecting my horse means I might be charged with assault then so be it.
 
I am also a non smoker and never been one, we have a sign on the gate saying no smoking which includes everyone including tradesmen if they want to smoke they can go out to the car park.

Smoking and the hay barn/ horse bedding are not a good mix.
 
Magnetic Sparrow said:
As a bucket of water thrower, it's like this.

1) I saw the smoker was smoking near the stables, so I asked them not to. The second time, I told them not to.
2) I went to YO and said 'So and so has been smoking in the barn. If they do it again I'm going to chuck a bucket of water over them'. They agreed it was a good idea.
3) I said the the smoker 'If I I catch you smoking in the stables again, I'm going to chuck a bucket of water over you'.
4) I caught the smoker smoking in the stable, I chucked a bucket of water over them.

I love my horse. If protecting my horse means I might be charged with assault then so be it.
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I guess that's fair enough, but still must have been a bit of a shock! I also hate smoking in or near stables so I can understand how frustrating it is, not to mention selfish and dangerous, I guess I would never have the nerve to do that no matter how mad I was about it
 
pebblemania said:
I am a non smoker and don't normally post but some of these comments are just not right!!

Firstly, I wholeheartedly agree that you should not smoke on yards and that there is a designated place for that however throwing a bucket of water over someone is assault!! Why would anyone find that acceptable?

In relation to comments that are IMO judgemental on adults who choose to smoke. Would people watching someone with obesity eating a fatty meal be as judgemental? That is also harmful to someone's health, can also be an eating disorder, but somehow it's not ok to comment on that.

Just smokers we are allowed to prejudice then.

Apologies, rant over! ��
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Hmmm... well, being obese isn't really harming anyone else but the obese person and the NHS tbh, but smoking affects other people (and the NHS) directly so I think I would be well placed to comment to a smoker about doing it elsewhere that is

a) less dangerous than a barnful of flammables
b) less harmful to other members of society

If I still smoked, I would not feel offended one bit if someone asked me to find somewhere more suitable to smoke. In fact I'd be embarrassed I hadn't thought to do it myself.

If it's your yard, your horse, your stuff then it's your prerogative. Really though I do think there are places where it's safe to smoke and places where it isn't.
 
Actually the person involved was a friend of mine. Yes, I think they were shocked, it certainly seemed to stop the problem. I was genuinely worried for the safety of my horse and wasn't quite sure what to do.

I loathe smoking, but I am happy to respect other people's right to smoke provided they don't endanger my horse doing it. Tbh I'd rather be upwind of it as well...
 
Although not entirely smoking related, I was on a small yard for a while where 1/2 of the shed the stables were in were part of the mechanics yard the owner ran. Lots of hay bales but also lots of vehicles and flammable stuff. The horses stayed in and every night the stables were padlocked at both ends and keys taken home by owners, so no keys to hand if there was an emergency.

My mare was the only grass so was never in. It was one of the particularly stupid bolshy know it all owners who insisted on this ridiculous over security (there was a tack room there but it had its own secure locks). Because the owner wasn't even slightly horsey he went along with it!

None of the liveries smoked, but there were always people milling around on the mechanics yard who did. Needless to say I didn't stay there very long!
 
Went to a show the other week with my boy and saw a woman astride her horse rein in one hand fag in the other, can just imagine the rearing her horse would have done had the ash landed on him!
 
tallyho! said:
Hmmm... well, being obese isn't really harming anyone else but the obese person and the NHS tbh, but smoking affects other people (and the NHS) directly so I think I would be well placed to comment to a smoker about doing it elsewhere that is

a) less dangerous than a barnful of flammables
b) less harmful to other members of society

If I still smoked, I would not feel offended one bit if someone asked me to find somewhere more suitable to smoke. In fact I'd be embarrassed I hadn't thought to do it myself.

If it's your yard, your horse, your stuff then it's your prerogative. Really though I do think there are places where it's safe to smoke and places where it isn't.
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Obviously obesity doesn't affect other people except the sufferer which is why that particular comment was aimed at the judgemental comments (drug addicts, derogatory about someone's personal choice) not the impact on others.

I simply think it is unfair to judge someone based on a habit, there are many habits in this world and I always think smokers are viewed infavorably in comparison to others.

As for the bucket of water throwers, fair warned I suppose
 
Tiddlypom said:
Because smokers and drug addicts are both dependent on their fix. Smoking may be more socially acceptable, but it's still an addiction with many knock on adverse effects (health, finances etc).
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So are people who are addicted to food etc.....To say smokers are inconsiderate though? Very strange comment.
 
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Ok I am currently and forever if I can possbly pull it off, a non smoker.

Previously I my association with horses I have been n/s,s,n/s,s, n/s, s

When n/s I was scornful of anyone smoking on a horse or near the stables.

When s I have smoked holding a horse and on a concrete yard but never on a horse or near bedding or fodder.

I think there are sensible precautions and that most sensible people will impose rules rather more stringent than strictly necessary to ensure Safety. Nothing wrong with that.
 
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Pigeon said:
What, because it reduces the chance of your business going up in flames?

If my business was flammable (timber!) I certainly wouldn't hire a smoker.
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And if I owned a bakery I wouldn't want to hire a fat person but there are laws against discrimination.

I know plenty of people who smoke and work around horses - the common denominator against yard fires and smoking is common sense and ground rules? I don't know anyone( smoker or none) who would wonder around flammables with a naked light.

But then we all know the equine industry is full of people with no common sense.
 
I smoke.... and would smoke in a yard if i was allowed. However, I would never ever! Smoke near hay, bedding, horses or near none smokers... bits of hot fag always falls of so what would happen if the hot ash fell on the horse or hay!! I suppose you have common sense then I dont see the problem.
 
OH smokes, but never near the yard, only in the car park and he knows not to drop the ends on the ground and to step on any ash that makes it's way to the ground. Even though Ned isn't kept in the hard, I left him with no doubt what would happen if there was a fire there because of him!
 
Mike007 Can't understand why you employed a smoker in the first place, friend or no! Not all smokers are inconsiderate, in fact I would think the inconsiderate ones are in a minority. I smoke but have never ever smoked on or near a yard. I would quickly pounce upon anyone who did!
 
Magnetic Sparrow said:
Actually the person involved was a friend of mine. Yes, I think they were shocked, it certainly seemed to stop the problem. I was genuinely worried for the safety of my horse and wasn't quite sure what to do.

I loathe smoking, but I am happy to respect other people's right to smoke provided they don't endanger my horse doing it. Tbh I'd rather be upwind of it as well...
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IMO it was really the YOs problem to sort out and shouldn't be left to a fellow livery. A YO should really not be sanctioning the act of one livery throwing a bucket of water over another. It's certainly not the way our yard is run.
 
I have a strict, and I mean STRICT, no smoking rule anywhere on my property. I'm sorry but I hate smoking, it stinks can be dangerous if people are stupid and I'm asthmatic and found it affects my breathing. Quite frankly I can't believe there are people that would smoke on a horse or even near a horse! ID&h it affects my breathing then surely it could affect the horses breathing and therefore their performance. I don't hate smokers and if they want to slowly damage their lungs that's up to them, but don't do it near me and force me to inhale your second hand smoke. One of my liveries other half lit up as soon as they arrived, despite me having no smoking signs and no smoking in the contract, I told him we don't allow that here, he then found out about the toilet And hid in there for a fag, luckily I had a gut feeling that was what he was doing and caught him out, having to tell him not to smoke through the toilet door!! Thank fully they left not long after as didn't appreciate being told what to do on my property!! Needless to say if he'd done it again the horse would have been tied outside the gate.
 
Illusion100 said:
I've smoked around horses for nearly 2 decades, never caused a fire.

Smokers don't have a *duh, never knew a fire could start from a lit cig* attitude, we tend to have general knowledge too.
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Ha! You may, but there are some, possibility highlighted in this very thread, that the "general knowledge" stick missed on the way down.

Incidentally, a barn on our yard went up in flames because of teenagers, smoking somewhere behind the metal shed (possibly a hang-out the brigade said). It took three engines all day to control the straw fire. The woods were cleared and replanted with bramble and fenced off but all it takes is that one in a million chance to happen and you lose something.

What if the cows were next door? What if no-one saw it and blew the car up and the diesel tank? There are three more barns and then the house.
 
You would think anyone who has watched black beauty would be smart enough not to smoke in a hay barn! I am an ex smoker but i never ever smoked on or near my horse/stables. There is nothing more disgusting than seeing someone spark up on the back of a horse.
 
RunToEarth said:
I'm not a fan of smoking on horses, I think it looks grotty but as far as I can see it isn't particularly dangerous.

Smoking near flammable things and in stables is obviously stupid.

Around the side of an arena/car park etc I can't see a problem with.
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I think smoking on a horse makes you look like such a knacker! But I DO think it is dangerous - wait until a hot rock from your fag falls down onto the horses withers or drops between withers and numnah & I think you can see how it would be pretty dangerous not to mention damaging to the horse.

Or if the fag falls out of your mouth... plus isnt riding supposed to be a high enough risk sport as it is without adding in smoking into the mix!
 
I'm shocked to think people smoke near bales of hay/horses etc. I wonder if anyone who does so, stops to imagine the sound of horses screaming as they burn to death, or the stamping/door kicking of terrified horses trying to get out of stables that they're locked into? Can anyone imagine the burning smell, the burnt hanging off skin of a panicked horse in agony?

Sorry to be so blunt and graphic, but the horses are at our mercy and it distresses me when I hear/read of fires where horses have been killed.
 
I am a heavy smoker and do smoke on my own yard - however I am stood over the drain and don't smoke anywhere near stables, hay, straw etc. Butt ends are always dunked in water and dropped down the drain. I am very conscious of not doing it on anybodys elses yard without asking where the smoking area is first.

Every yard I have ever worked on allowed smoking, this isn't down to my choice of where I work, as I wasn't a smoker for 2 of these - the YO on one of a very well known showing producers yard used to smoke while skipping out and filling hay-nets, the lads in the racing yard used to canter up the gallops with a cig in their mouths when the boss wasn't on site and every hunting yard i've worked on, the lads/lasses used to smoke everywhere - some the instances i've seen are frightening and even for my poor lungs, i have cringed at the owners of racehorses happily wandering into the straw barn and dropping a still lit end on the floor.

I've found generally, the higher up the ranks of competition yards/the more well known professional trainers/producers, the more smoking is permitted or accepted more as a 'way of life' with horses. Every boss I have worked for smoked both on or off the yard, while riding out.
 
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