What do i do? Livery increase by 50%

McNally

McNally

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Up until now i have been very lucky in that my y/o only charged me a certain amount for my livery. I paid a third less than the real price. I think that the price i pay is actually all the livery i get is worth, its a DIY yard with no facilities and there are several things i am not happy about but put up with because its nice of her to help me put in this way.
Last September she gave my daughter a pony when hers had to be pts and she lets me keep it there on grass livery for free.
Here's where i am now over a barrel so to speak- I cant afford the new price and tbh object to paying it for the standard of yard....but... if i move i have to pay for 2 horses which i know will cost me more.
The other problem is that i need someone to ride with at the moment so my plan of renting a field is not an option at the moment, unless i had another adult willing to ride one out with me a good few times a week but i dont know anyone willing.

I get a stable with lights and water, turn out (restricted to everyone else but not me so thats a bonus)
My horses field is lovely and big with lots of natural shelter but also has awful fencing, mainly barbed wire
I cannot trust the y/o to do my horses if i go away,but on the other hand she's lovely and i love all the people at the yard- theres always someone to ride with or someone to ride one of mine if i need to get them both out.
Worming routines are rubbish, although mine are currently alone in their field so i am doing my own thing there at the minute.
The yard is on a slight slope which means if you tip a bucket of water in next doors stable it drains through into mine then out my door. I am stabled next to e v old horse with a wee problem so all my stuff stinks (in fact the smell gets up my nose just stood by my stable some days)- this irritates me but again i've put up with it because my y/o has helped me out so much.
What do i do? i fully understand my y/o can no longer do this (just lost 3 liveries and her "proper job") so do i look at it as i am paying this much for 2 horses or as my livery for one has gone up to a stupid amount that i am not willing to pay?
Sorry really long, hope it all makes sense!- its the middle of the night and i cant sleep with this going round my head!
 
nb- The reason i cant ride both myself is that mine wont be left alone and the pony is just broken and really needs a companion on the roads for a while, He is very quiet but i'm sure we will hit issues at some point- ie, when he has to pass his first tractor or field of cows etc and i'm not wanting my 10 yr old to be the first to do that.
If i was in a field with just my two i cant ride both together!
 
So you have had a free pony, free livery plus reduced livery in the other horse but now yo can't afford this you are complaining? If you think the yard is overpriced then move to one cheaper. Yo can charge what she likes it is down To the liveries to accept or go elsewhere. I think it is a bit mean though after all the favours she has done for you to leave now she needs a bit of help! Give her back the pony and then you will only have one to pay for
 
McNally said:
Up until now i have been very lucky in that my y/o only charged me a certain amount for my livery. I paid a third less than the real price. I think that the price i pay is actually all the livery i get is worth, its a DIY yard with no facilities and there are several things i am not happy about but put up with because its nice of her to help me put in this way.
Last September she gave my daughter a pony when hers had to be pts and she lets me keep it there on grass livery for free.
Here's where i am now over a barrel so to speak- I cant afford the new price and tbh object to paying it for the standard of yard....but... if i move i have to pay for 2 horses which i know will cost me more.
The other problem is that i need someone to ride with at the moment so my plan of renting a field is not an option at the moment, unless i had another adult willing to ride one out with me a good few times a week but i dont know anyone willing.

I get a stable with lights and water, turn out (restricted to everyone else but not me so thats a bonus)
My horses field is lovely and big with lots of natural shelter but also has awful fencing, mainly barbed wire
I cannot trust the y/o to do my horses if i go away,but on the other hand she's lovely and i love all the people at the yard- theres always someone to ride with or someone to ride one of mine if i need to get them both out.
Worming routines are rubbish, although mine are currently alone in their field so i am doing my own thing there at the minute.
The yard is on a slight slope which means if you tip a bucket of water in next doors stable it drains through into mine then out my door. I am stabled next to e v old horse with a wee problem so all my stuff stinks (in fact the smell gets up my nose just stood by my stable some days)- this irritates me but again i've put up with it because my y/o has helped me out so much.
What do i do? i fully understand my y/o can no longer do this (just lost 3 liveries and her "proper job") so do i look at it as i am paying this much for 2 horses or as my livery for one has gone up to a stupid amount that i am not willing to pay?
Sorry really long, hope it all makes sense!- its the middle of the night and i cant sleep with this going round my head!
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The advantages seem to outweigh the disadvantages.
You have a free pony -
Worming routine is rubbish - well sort one out just for yourself, if your not rotating the fields its no bother.
Ask livery not to tip bucket in stable so it doesnt drain in to yours, ask her to put more bedding down if it pees that much or ask her to swop stables so you are on the higher ground, she can only say no!
If you cannot trust YO to do your horses when you go away, hire an independant groom.
Out of curiousity how much is she now charging for livery?
 
How much do you pay?

Like horsegirl says, give one back to yo and just pay for the one you ride/keep there. tbh things like a smelly old horse and it being on a slope are trivial to me, barbed wire fencing I don't like, but I put up a strand of electric tape around my field and its worked for 9 years, so thats simple.

Sounds like you have a good deal to me depending on how much you pay
 
My honest opinion....au be a little blunt but. If you don't like the yard move, if you can't afford the livery for 2 at another yard than you shouldn't have two. If you cant afford the price increase at current yard than you shouldn't have any.

Just out of curiosity why do you get special treatment conpared to the other liverys? And how come you can't trust yo to look after your horses? Seems a but weird to me
 
With respect, if you can't afford the livery costs then perhaps you should consider selling one, or returning the pony you were given...its not the YO fault if you can't afford things.
 
Yes ok fair enough, It was too easy to say yes to the pony when i had a heartbroken little girl who had just lost her pony.
Its gone up to £150 per month.
I will be able to afford both in the future, we have pretty much found a field to rent cheaply long term where we will build a field shelter so no i cant afford 2 at a yard but i wont be at a yard. this is not a current option due to the riding problem.
I have to move in a year as we are no longer in the area and its costing a lot in petrol and time as its also the opposite direction from my work etc but at the minute my daughter go's to school there so i am driving past twice a day anyway.
I got the special rate as i moved to the yard temporarily years ago when my horse was on box rest- I was honest and told her only short term, i needed a stable and couldnt afford her prices. She came up with the offer herself and i accepted.
The old ponies livery was paid for by her old owner.
I know my y/o doesn't do whats asked when people go away- (they get left in and mucked out the day before the owner gets back)
She is lovely and yes at the moment i am doing my own worming but this is against her rules and has irritated her a bit but everything else at the yard is 2 months overdue worming.
I really am grateful to her for all she has done i honestly am I just dont like to struggle to pay and think thats going to happen.
 
tangoharvey said:
just out of interest, what is the new price> this will help give perspective as to what you are being asked to pay is reasonable or not?
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I think its unreasonable myself- if you saw the state of the yard, Its rundown and probably dangerous in places ( I do my best to ensure mine are as safe as poss obviously and they have never had any injury caused by this) but for 2...??
 
Despite what you might be paying, I think if your unhappy there and you don't feel your horses are in a safe environment it might be ebst to move elsewhere. I understand you may be worried about offending YO but I am sure she will understand your money issues, especially because you had them when you arrived.
But I'd look around before mentioning because chances are all yard prices are going to increase atm because of the financial times so you dont wan to find it's more elsewhere :/ I know how you feel about travelling far, however we have to do this to be able to pay the prices that we pay, otherwise we pay less in petrol for somewhere nearer, but a lot more to keep the horses!
 
If it is dangerous and yo charges to look after horses and then neglects them I would not be there no matter how cheap it was.
 
what area are you in?

i was on a yard that was badly maintained, the owners had no idea at all about horses, wire lying around everywhere and so much more (some stables were crumbling and the others were rickety!)
the YO said i could keep 3 there for £40pw, complete DIY, i didn't stay there very long though as i couldn't move my big lad there (stables were too small) and also it was so poor.
i am now paying 4 times that amount just for one horse but it's so much better and i get hay and straw included, the owner actually knows what she is doing and horses are happier.
 
If you are concerned about the safety of your horses then you need to leave there now. You say it is rundown and dangerous in places, yet chose to move your original horse there anyway. So you can't blame your YO totally, we have to take responsibility for how and where our horses live.

Whatever happens I hope you find something workable for you all.
 
If she needs to put it up, she needs to, and you now have to decide to stay or leave.

I would never pay £150 per month for one horse at a yard with no school. I have paid similar at a yard with a school where hay was included in the price, and there's one near me that's £130 with school and straw bedding (but not hay) included.

If you're not paying for the pony's livery, then that's probably equivalent to £100 for your horse and £50 for the pony out at grass - those prices would seem reasonable as you do have electricity and your horse has a stable.
 
McNally said:
My horses field is lovely and big with lots of natural shelter but also has awful fencing, mainly barbed wire
Click to expand...

I was just thinking when I read this, could you not offer to pay for the livery by making the yard better for the y/o. For example, get second hand fencing from timber yards and build solid fencing ect. This would help her get more people interested in her yard and it will also help you.

Just a thought.
 
Do you think she's put it up because she thinks you are taking the mickey out of her - getting a reduced rent by saying its temporary, then staying, getting a free pony, not following the worming program (should discuss it with her if not happy...) which you know has irritated her.

There is a girl up the road from us, who struggled when her husband left her, so the man who she rents the yard from let her off the rent until she got back on her feet (she has two at DIY). Two years on she still doesn't pay, despite buying herself a new car. She doesn't know that we know that she is rent free, and constantly winges about the repair of the place. I always wonder how she expects him to replace the fences when he has no income from 2/4 DIYs.

Sounds like your yard owner has been lovely to you, and now she is having hard times (lost her job and a couple of liveries) you are deserting her like a rat.
 
I think there is more to this story. Are there other liveries at the yard? If so, what do they pay? If its more than you for the same facilities then just put yourself in their shoes. How would youfeel if you found out your neighbour was paying a lower price than you? Annoyed I should tihnk. It sound to me that you are stuggling to keep a horse. either pay up and stay, move,even if it costs you more or sell one or both animals if you cannot afford them.
 
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