Sorry guys... major yard rant! and its a long one!

C

caitlynrogers

New User
Joined
7 October 2008
Messages
6
Visit site
I moved to my new yard in March as my old yard had no winter turnout and my WB gelding Solo couldn't cope with it; he weaves when stabled and gets very naughty to ride.

In most ways the yard is perfect - its a big yard so things can get pretty bitchy but I thought we were pretty much allowed to do what we wanted with our horses. (I'm on DIY after all!) Anyway, turns out I was wrong!

He is living out at present - he may come in at night when the weather gets really bad but mud-permitting hopefully he will be staying out. Its been warm but rainy the last few days so he's been in a rain sheet 24/7 and he's more than warm enough under it - if he had a thicker coat he'd still be rugless but his coat hasn't come through enough yet. Anyway, now the YO is pushing me to put him in a MW overnight because thats what she's doing with the full liveries. I explained my reasons not to to her and her two staff, given that he's fat and feels the heat, and left him in his rain sheet (not to mention that it was 12 degrees last night!) . Anyway I turned up at 8am this morning to find him sweating in the sun in his MW.
mad.gif


I took it off an put him back out naked (its warm and sunny FGS!) and promptly got told off by the YO who wants the horses out in rain sheets. Shes also pushing me to clip him.... why the hell should a horse whos ridden at weekends and hasn't broken a sweat since the mini-heatwave we had in May need clipping?! All the other liveries also have hard feed over the winter so I'm dreading the reaction I'll get when he doesn't get any... lord help me if he gets pumped full of barley behind my back too!!

TBH the alarm bells gave a bit of a jingle a few weeks ago when one of the liveries showed me her rug wardrobe and mentioned that her horses wear 4 layers in winter, but I thought that it would be up to me to decide how to rug my own horse! The worst part of all is, when the YO is changing my horses' rugs behind my back, she's also charging me for it! I am absolutely fuming, so much so that once I left this morning I drove round several other livery yards to ask about moving.
mad.gif


Problem is, very few yards round here offer year round turnout which is essential to my horse. The only other option is to rent a field but then I'd have to find a companion - I can't afford 2 sets of farriers' bills, vets etc. As I said before for the most part my yard is perfect but the YO does like things done 'her way' and the staff, while they understand my POV, aren't really the type to stand up to her. Solo has been so chilled out since he moved here, he's like a different horse and I haven't been bucked off since February either. I really don't want to move but I don't know what else to do.... except maybe cut open his MW and HW rugs and remove half the filling!!!!!!!!
 
I don't blame you for being cross. This over-rugging business sends me wild. Horses have warm coats after all. I suppose when you get up early in the morning it feel cold to a human, so people think their horse needs a rug, then by 10 they are sweating.

I had a TBxWB mare and she used to weave a bit, so I left her out as much as possible. She stayed out without a rug in the day time and just had a rain sheet on at night until November and/or when she was clipped and then it had to be REALLY cold, ie. I needed a coat to keep warm, before she had a thicker rug.

The best guide to rugging is how they are looking; if they are loosing weight then they might benefit from a rug. Stick to your guns.

More horses are over-rugged than under rugged.
 
On the one hand what about taking the heavier weight rugs home with you so she can't put them on?

On the other hand, it's her yard and it's she runs it her way, if your horse is happy there it might be worth just going with the flow and trying her way.

Neither is ideal I know but if you can't find an alternative place to go there's not much else you can do.
 
Hi Solostar and welcome to the forum. I think you need to sit down and have it out with your YO. Perhaps if she understands the reasons behind the way you manage YOUR ned she will realise that she isn't doing you a favour by changing rugs (eg thinking you had forgotten or couldn't be arsed) but that everything you do is BY DESIGN and done for the WELFARE OF THE HORSE. If you have any horsey qualifications, I'd make a point of mentioning them or you could say you have spoken to (fill in a name here of someone knowledgeable eg a BHS/ILPH horse welfare person) in order to get the best and MOST NATURAL life for your horse. If she doesn't back off, you might need to tell her to stop interfering but be aware that she might send you packing. You need to do right by your horse.
 
I'd take the rugs home and have a word with the YO directly.
Make up a story if needed that the horse is prone to sweat rash and you are under strict instructions from the vet not to over rug!
 
Hi, I am quite new on here, as are you I see.

To be honest, I think the yard owner is right and to be fair it is her decision what rug your horse wears..... I think not! (oh course I am joking) I cannot believe she would change rugs and have the cheek to take it upon herself to do this. OK I would understand if you were neglecting your horse and she felt she just had to step in, but this is no welfare issue!

I would say something now to her and again state the obvious that your horse is in very light work, so does not break out in sweat thus not needing to be clipped hence no big rugs.
Whilst my horse will be clipped, she is not yet and is out in just a light T/O it would be stupid to over rug her, what happens when it does actually get cold?
Yes, tell her you are in charge of her horse and explain it, but I would be polite but firm at the same time - When you signed up to this yard did she happen to mention that whilst it's DIY she would have the last say in the day to day care of your horse....? God some people!
Goodluck
 
I cant understand why she is making a big deal out of what YOUR horse wears!
And what a cheek she is charging you!
I would have been fuming too.
I would be inclined to find a couple of acres to rent, cant you get a mate to go in on it with you?

Good luck with what you decide.
 
Again, hard to know what to suggest aside from moving or telling the YO to leave YOUR HORSE alone.

FFS, what kind of horse woman is she anyway? Putting 4 layers on animals that, if not clipped, don't even need ONE!

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Tell her if you want full livery, as she offers that service you will let her know, but until then you will continue to make all the decisions about your own horse.
 
My OH mare is unrugged at present - she is hairy and warm enough - rain doesnt bother her.....if she gets rugged now she will be the size of a trailer in the blink of an eye. My horse, on the other hand loses weight easily and doesnt like the rain, so although its pretty mild hes in his 'rain mac' and thats more than adequate.

Yes, its her yard - BUT its your horse, you are paying for DIY livery and that means you pay for her help WHEN YOU ASK FOR IT!!!!.
You know how to manage your horse......over-rugging can be bad for your horses health - he could get hot/sweaty/dehydrated and not to mention fat....each horse has different needs, and to just MW each horse on the yard regardless of this is not acceptable IMO.

Tell her in no uncertain terms you do not want his rugs fiddled with ...its a welfare issue IMO...put it in writing if you must....I'm massively annoyed on your behalf, can you tell!!!
smirk.gif
 
Thanks for the answers everyone, I will attempt to stand up to her and probably recieve marching orders
frown.gif


I think half the problem is that I'm a relative novice - he's my first horse and I've only been riding 3 years. If I'm honest I am overhorsed and everyone knows it but I love him to bits and as such have tried to find ways to manage him instead of give up and buy a plod
smile.gif


The YO knows it though and is convinced she knows best, hence my problem!
 
I'd tell her to sod off, maybe in a nice way if you feel lilke it. It's your horse and you pay YO to be on DIY livery, not full or even part. Your horse welfare is your decision unless there's neglet, which is a different matter all together. Surely under your contract it should say something about this in some form?
 
Tell the yard owner that you will rug your horses as you find appropriate (nicely)buy a rug chest and lock them up so she's can't get her mitts on them when you get your bill with rug charges on ask her what they are for as you have never asked for this service
mad.gif
interfering people wind me up your horse you pay the bills you are the customer end of!!!
mad.gif
 
Talk to her in a polite way, explain you reasons, if she cant accept what you want for your horse or you cant live by her rules (so to speak) you need to move before things get heated and you dont enjoy going to the yard etc.

Besides your on DIY so she has no business in telling you how to manage your horse....unless in extreme circumstances where she may feel that the horse is not being cared for and does indeed need rugging and feeding etc but thats a different situation.

Do the other liveries do exactly what they are told, perhaps the YO is used to getting her own way? hence why she pehaps feels she not in the wrong by expecting you do follow the lead?
confused.gif


Hope you find a solution.
smile.gif
 
I think she is forgetting whose horse it is! Certainly take home warmer rugs - but you shouldn't have to! You pay for stable and grazing - any extras presumably are requested and billed accordingly.Don't pay for what you haven't ordered.You wouldn't pay Tesco,if they delivered a load of groceries because THEY thought your cupboard was bare! You need to clarify this issue asap,before the unpleasant atmosphere (it WILL happen!) and your resentment overshadow the great facilties. Believe me,your chilled horse won't stay chilled much longer if you are so angry! I have heard of yard politics forcing people out - been there,got the T-shirt - but never anything like this. BTW, if you are being billed for rug changing,IMO that includes lightening rugs,if a horse becomes uncomfortable due to rise in temperature. At least with renting a field you have the final say on most things.Even then,there are points to consider.
1) would need to be a big field if two,or even one, horse is out 24/7 all year,or you will end up with no grass in the spring.
We rent 12 acres,and our three are out all the time.The only bits that poach,ie gate,trough,haytree,and "gossip corner" would poach whether they were out all the time or not.
2) you have no one other than landlord to deal with. If his attitude to field and fence maintenance is not the same as yours,you will find yourself doing lots of extra work.Make a contract setting out your expectations, rent to be paid,and his responsibilities.
3) make sure it is down to you to accept any other inmates.nothing worse than suddenly turning up to find strange horse out with yours!
Good Luck - it is great to be self regulating,but you may miss the companionship of a yard,plus the back up from friends if you are ill,or want a weekend away.A field sharer is a good idea,try and find someone who thinks like you.You may end up with a new friend,and someone to share the poo picking.You don't necessarily need to get another nag,and all associated bills, of your own!
 
If I was in your position I would tend to mention that I did not want a MW rug on my horse and that should be the end of it.
You pay DIY livery which is for stable and grazing, nothing else unless you ask for it.
I would also mention that the charge for rugging him up is unacceptable because I didn't ask for this service.
Yes she might ask you to leave and the atmosphere might change but if you don't do something now then it will never stop, you will never be happy there and its not worth that Good luck
wink.gif
 
Take your MW home and I would have very strong words with your YO and say that your horse is a good doer. If you find him sweated up and coliced under a MW you will be forewarding the vets bills to her. Secondly, do not pay for the rug change. You did NOT request it she did it off her own back therefore you shouldn't have to pay.
Take your mediumweight home and have strong words with the YO. If it were me I would be on the phone asking her how dare she? She doesn't know your horse and your horse is NOT on full livery. Stand up for yourself and nip it in the bud before it gets bad!
 
M.O.V.E!!!!!

Come on - don't let some Yard Owner dictate how your horse is cared for. The purpose of a DIY scheme is to rent the stable and the field. If the Yard Owner is rugging your horse and doing things without your expressed consent she is mishandling your horse and to charge you for it is simply a joke.

Get out of there, it is clear she is unable to accept your requirements and does not understand how a scheme like this works and you should not suffer because of it.

She will go bankrupt if she carries on like this - its ridiculous.

The Yard Owner needs to sit down and reacquaint herself with her duties and position - in particular the implied duty of care and skill she commits to when running a yard in this manner.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top