SMOKING

[Dovorian]

Although I do not smoke myself I have no objection to other so doing but in the right place! In my opinion that should not be anywhere on a stable yard! I have frequently seen other liveries standing just outside the barn door - nest to the much trailer (straw!!) puffing away. As everyone knows, opening your mouth to voice concern at a large livery yard is usually enought to start a fire!!!!

What do you think to my plan of action - I've made up a poster called 'FIRE', it includes 6 cuttings from the press detailing fires in which horses have been killed. I then simply wrote - please don't smoke near stables, can you be sure that your discarded cigarette doesn't re-ignite hours later - it only takes one bit of straw to blow away...... if the worst happened HERE, can you be sure it wasn't your fault?

I don't want to be the target for a verbal attack, but I feel strongly about this. Am I going too far?

 

[soxsmummy]

are you the yo or ym

 

[BayJosie]

No I don’t think you are, and I completely agree.

There are a few smokers on my yard and although they do it in the carpark well away from the stables it still really gets on my nerves. Can’t they wait until they get home? I always think the smoke must be harmful to the horses as well, if it gets on their lungs and I just think it’s really rude to smoke on a yard where I keep MY horse and I don’t smoke. It drives me nuts.

Rant over.

 

[Flicker]

I think that if people are doing it away from the yard and horses then that is probably ok. At our yard there are loads of metal buckets full of sand in the car park and no smoking is allowed unless you are stood next to one of them. Doesn't really bother me one way or another - it's their lungs. But seeing someone sat on a horse smoking just looks awful, I think.

 

[RedAdair]

I can't believe that people would smoke somewhere so close to flammable things especially when it could put their horses at risk. I personally do smoke but I always smoke in the car park away from everything on gravel and ensure it is fully put out before throwing away on muck heap (usually dunk in water). The people who do this should not take offense to you asking them to smoke away from things. It is in their best interests as well as yours to ensure everyone is safe. That said I know how some people can be and saying something may cause offense leading to an atmosphere.
I think your sign should get them to think. Perhaps you could try "creating" a safe place for smokers to go that is out of the way and suggest they smoke there instead?

Does the YO not say anything about this? Personally if I was YO I wouldn't want my place going up in flames so would be very strict on where people could smoke. You should address this with YO backing if possible.

Good luck

 

[scrumpygus]

I dont think you can make enough fuss about smoking at stable yards - i think anyone that has ever seen a disaster and tragedy that is a yard fire wouldnt dream of lighting their fag anywhere near stables or muck heap. I know you obviously want to approach it nicely rather than make enemies or have people bitch about you but it is totally unacceptable - perhaps you should speak to the y.o and see if they will support you putting up the poster then it hasnt come directly from you. Your absolutely right in what you are saying - smoking near a muck heap - what nutters - when i used to smoke the amount of times i set bins on fire cause i thought a fag was out and hours later i discovered it wasnt - fancy that being your stables? no way !!

 

[teddyt]

It is all too easy to shut the door after the horse has bolted so to speak. If you feel strongly about something i think it is fine to voice your concerns before an incident takes place. It only takes one tiny ember to start a fire and i think the horrific consequences of a fire are more than enough to justify your intervention.

 

[itsme123]

Have you spoken to the YO or YM about it?? many yards I know have special smoking areas (one has a simple chalet style shed, with coffee / tea making facilities and ashtrays).

I think you should speak to the YO or YM and if they don't agree about your idea of no smoking on yards and you feel strongly enough maybe time to move??

FWIW I'm a smoker who has smoked on many yards, but at the yard we're at (private) we're not allowed to smoke at all (for insurance reasons) and whilst at that yard I have no desire to smoke... i don't even think about it!

I wonder how many yard's insurance policies would be invalid if a fire was started by a cigarette??

 

[ladyt25]

I actually have never understood why sooo many people connected with horses smoke considering that they spend so much of their time on yards where there is so much around that is highly flammable and the fact of the potential devastation that could be caused. It has always been something that has confused me to be honest.

 

[suzyseymour]

You should speak to the yard owner and ask them to ban smoking on the yard. I smoke, but I sit on my car to smoke when I'm on the yard. Unfortunately 3 yards that I have had my mare on have had major fires including one that was caused by some teenagers smoking, sat on the hay pile. It is very scary when your yard goes un in flames, and not worth the risk.

 

[RLF]

Have you put any No Smoking signs around the yard?

 

[itsme123]

[ QUOTE ]
I actually have never understood why sooo many people connected with horses smoke considering that they spend so much of their time on yards where there is so much around that is highly flammable and the fact of the potential devastation that could be caused. It has always been something that has confused me to be honest.

[/ QUOTE ]

just because someone smokes does not mean they smoke around horses. I actually have a bit of a LIFE away from the yard, and if I choose to smoke in that time then that's up to me.

It's like saying ANYONE who works (and therefore cannot smoke in the workplace) shouldnt smoke on a night out... because they can't smoke at work.

Not everyone lives and breathes their whole life on a yard.

If mental arithmatic is too confusing try using your fingers.

 

[Fizzimyst]

[ QUOTE ]
I actually have never understood why sooo many people connected with horses smoke considering that they spend so much of their time on yards where there is so much around that is highly flammable and the fact of the potential devastation that could be caused. It has always been something that has confused me to be honest.

[/ QUOTE ]

I smoke, and I spend a lot of time at the yard, but I also spend a lot of time away from it too.

I dont smoke round my daughter, I dont smoke round my horses, I dont smoke anywhere near the stables or the barn. If I am smoking at the yard I go across the lane and up the road. I get some strange looks occassionally standing in the middle of nowhere, almost like I am about to jump out and flash someone

 

[Flame_]

I think your plan's rubbish.

You have no authority to dictate to other liveries how to behave. If you want it made a rule that people can't smoke near the stables, and it would be a sensible rule, you need to discuss it with the YO/YM. It is their place to either make it a rule or raise the issue with the other liveries.

 

[muddy boots]

You definately need to discuss with YO or YM, although your points are valid you can't go making rules without consulting with them, afterall thats their job.

I smoke, but agree that care is needed.

 

[weebarney]

I used to be on a yard where the yard owner would be grooming a horse in the stable with one hand and had a tab in the other. And the tab always would be put out just outside the stable door. I always dreaded getting a phone call to say the place had burned but luckily it never happened and horses now live on smoke free yards.

 

[NikkiF]

There's only me and the YM who smoke at our yard, we have a little area where we go with a permanent bucket of water for dropping the ciggies in.

Absolutely agree with not smoking anywhere on the yard, near the muck heap etc,etc.

 

[ladyt25]

Charlie & Fizzimyst - fair dos maybe you don't smoke around the yard but, in my experience it seems horse-riding and smoking goes hand in hand and I just think, considering the fact of the amount of flammable elements on a standard yard it never seems to make sense to me taking the risk TBH.

 

[itsme123]

what did the YO say BTW?? or did you move yards??

 

[Fizzimyst]

If I was that concerned about a fire breaking out because people were smoking near hay etc on my yard, and the YO didnt stamp it out straight away my horses would be on a lorry and off somewhere else I'm afraid.

 

[Fizzimyst]

[ QUOTE ]
Charlie & Fizzimyst - fair dos maybe you don't smoke around the yard but, in my experience it seems horse-riding and smoking goes hand in hand and I just think, considering the fact of the amount of flammable elements on a standard yard it never seems to make sense to me taking the risk TBH.

[/ QUOTE ]

Taking the risk of what exactly? Smoking? Or smoking around the yard?

Not everyone who smokes, smokes around their yard. I think you've just experienced a lot of thoughtless smokers.

Bit like the way people are surprised when I explain YES I am a single mum and I work a full time job, pay all my own bills, my own childcare and have two horses because round here so many single mums sit at home all day claiming benefit long after the kids are at school.