What would you do?

What would you do?

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teddyt

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If there was a horse at your yard that was on box rest and wasnt mucked out also being left without hay and water, what would you do?
 
Give the owner an ultimatum. Care for your horse, or i'll report you for neglect.
But really your YO is not doing his/her job properly if they are allowing it to happen.
Perhaps a word with them (but politer!) is needed too. If its DIY they may be unaware of the problem.
 
Is it your yard as you are the YO or is it your yard as you are a livery there?
If the former, muck out, feed, water and charge for it or ask owner to do it, if no improvement give notice to leave.
If the latter, water, hay and have a word with the YO, maybe in the reverse order though...
 
I'd inform the yard owner and state your concern asap. if it was me (and I'm a soft touch when it come to horses) I'd probably give him some hay and water but definitely write down how much you give him so you can get the hay back.. I couldn't see a horse being left like that. However, I would try and put the onus on the yard owner to act.. Hopefully they will - and promptly.
 
Assuming you are the YO. Make sure the horse has hay and water, when the owner does arrive talk to them about it, and let them know you have fed the horse, but this behaviour is not acceptable. Ask the owner if they want to pay you to muck out etc. If they don't want you to muck out, tell them they need to be around by a certain time to look after their horse, if they are not you will do it, but will charge them accordingly. If after this chat the owner either refuses to pay, or still repeatedly doesn't turn up give them notice.
 
Always difficult to prove when you're not there ALL the time but if it was definitely being neglected I would give it hay and water and talk to Y.O. although as already said, they should be aware of situation.
 
Im not the YO. The YO where it is doesnt seem that interested. Thats to say they know about it but the situation is still the same.
 
I'd do the horse myself. But then i'm like that. In my last job i did the horses on my day off as i knew it wouldn't get done if i didn't do it and they wern't on box rest.
 
Speak to YO first, if the horse was kept on a commercial yard. If a small yard, with just a few liveries, speak to owner. Give them the chance to improve, if not, I would report them to a relevant welfare society. Must admit, I would also make sure horse had water and hay in the meantime.
 
Its been going on for several weeks and has happened before. The owner doesnt seem concerned. I have mucked him out and given hay and water because i cant leave it any longer.

I was just interested in what people would do because when i first joined this forum i was absolutely slated for saying i would get involved when someone asked a similar question. I was told that it was none of my business and i shouldnt interfere. Obviously views have changed!

Well i have found myself in this situation now but i cant just let a horse suffer with nothing being done. I have decided to give the owner until after the weekend then i am going to report it. I really dont think the YO will do anything, they are not overly horsey and they want the rent money.

Thanks for your replies everyone.
 
Report it without a doubt. There is nothing worse than apathy. I wouldn't stand by and watch an animal being neglected or cruelly treated. If that makes me an interfering old bag, then so be it!:)
 
My fat cob is on box rest for a tendon injury, some days it looks like he hasn't been mucked out for weeks (he has started box walking) but I do muck him out twice a day every day.

He is on a diet so has his hay spread out over a 24 hour period so yes, there will be times of day when he's not eating for a couple of hours in between nets, if he was eating constantly for 24 hours a day he'd be seriously obese.

He always has water, a friend who is at the yard at different times to me checks this and he has a massive tub trug full.

My cob is neither neglected or cruelly treated and if someone posted this regarding my horse I'd be quite rightfully fuming, for you not getting your facts straight first.

The reason I'm telling you this is that on a large yard where people didn't know me and were only there at different times to myself (I work odd hours) I can easily see how this assumption might be made.

I would recommend that you speak to the horses owner, offer to top up water and put additional hay in if appropriate, then speak to your YO if things do not change and finally contact a welfare organisation if you are really concerned.
 
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I would report to the YO as I think it is their responsibility to ensure that all horses are cared for and if not, then the proper action taken.

Mucking out and food and water is general, basic care and should not be neglected!
 
Does the horse appear to be dehydrated (take a pinch of skin from the neck and see how long it takes to go back to the normal position or a similar test)? If not, it would indicate that the horse is getting water when you're not there? What sort of weight is the horse? How can someone not muck a horse out? That's one of the best bits (if it's on straw! :D)
 
One of the owmen on our yard has 2 horses but she doesn't get down the yard til nearly 10.30am some days. I normally chuck some hay in if they are making a fuss and check water. They're not neglected but personally I wouldn't want to leave my horse that long.
 
blazingsaddles said:
I wouldn't stand by and watch an animal being neglected or cruelly treated. If that makes me an interfering old bag, then so be it!:)
Click to expand...

Thats how i feel.
Tabitha- i understand your point but thats definately not the case here.

I dont think the horse is getting adequate pain relief either so imo it is neglect, rather than things just not being done perfectly. I dont know if its dehydrated but the buckets are frequently dry and full of dirty bedding. Before i mucked out the bed was filfthy and soaking wet, no clean straw left.
 
Ignore my first post then as I thought you were the YO! I would report it again to the yard owner, listing your concerns. If the YO still does nothing about it report the YO. Even though it is not the YO horse, it is on their land, therefore their responsibility and they have a duty of care towards the horse.
 
Something similar happened at my yard & a group of us stepped in and mucked out the stable (the horse was being fed & getting limited turn out due to her kind neighbouring livery owners but stable was disgusting). Caused trouble when the owner found out (think she would have been grateful, took a group of us ages to clear the stable out & put a clean bed down) but since then things have improved and she is down to the horse every day.
 
Teddyt I would have your exit strategy planned and fully in place before you do anything. The YO should be doing something in the absence of the horse owner bothering to do it. Seeing as how this is not happening, then I think there are 3 options available to you.

Turn a blind eye to the situation and do nothing
Sort the horse out at your own expense
Report the idle buggers

I totally understand how you feel BTW, woman on my yard's idea of checking her horses is to slow down as she drives past... I am desperately looking for somewhere else to go.
 
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