Who to believe?

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zoeshiloh

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www.stowmarketanddistrictridingclub.com
It appears when it comes to loaning out horses I have no luck! I do all the checks I can - references, yard checks etc, regular visits.

I have just been to visit my pony (the one who went missing on loan). She is now with a local rider, who is very talented but can't afford a horse, so we are helping out with a few costs.

Well, another woman at the yard came over and asked "are you Willow's owner" and when I said yes, she proceeded to tell me that the girl hadn't been looking after the pony, had left her without water, was only going to the yard about once a week etc.

Knowing how bitchy yards can be, I took it in, but gave the girl the benefit of the doubt, as the pony looks well cared for, the field was clean etc.

Then when I get back to the yard where my horses are, it turns out another livery from the yard where pony is has visited and left me a note (I have no idea how she knew where my horses are kept). I call this woman (who sounded like a kid) and was told the pony hadn't been looked after for weeks, and everyone else was having to do it. Alarm bells were ringing, but then this girl said a few things that made me doubt her; she went on about feeding the pony (definately does not need feed and I told loanee as much - apparently everyone at the yard thinks loanee being cruel because pony isn't fed). Then something about loanee neglecting her as she was left out without a rug on, so another livery put her HW rug on the other night (HW rug on a pony that only ever wears a rug when it snows!). Then this girl said "her feet are awfully short and need trimming" ???
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Why would short feet need trimming? I had just seen the pony and her feet were fine (farrier due this weekend).

I then find out this girl and the woman I met on the yard are best mates. Is this just bitchy girls ganging up on the new livery with the talented pony, or is there something more to it? I spoke to my loanee and she insisted things were ok. We are planning to do some random checks over the next month (my OH and I) to keep an eye on things.
 
Probably jealousy that the new girl has a nicer pony. CAn you talk to the YO where she's kept and double check the doubting duo? Might find they're known for it.
As the pony looked well cared for and the field was clean it'd take a lot of time/effort to tidy up to scratch if you were coming so maybe a visit or two at shorter notice/during the daytime when loanee at school/college/work perhaps?
 
What a difficult situation...
Are there any other liveries, or a YO that you could talk to? Other peopes opinions on how the pony is being looked after would probably help you in working this whole thing out?
Ditto the random checks though, lots of those!
 
How awful.

Why not have the pony at your yard, and let the girl loan from there???? That way you get to keep an eye on it, and she get's away from the nastiness....
 
I would talk to the YO, not the other liveries, and certainly not a bunch of other kids. If the pony looks well cared for and the field is in good condition, it sounds as if someone is making up nasty stories to try and spoil things for your loanee.
 
Funny thing is one girl said YO had put this livery on her final warning as she was neglecting pony, but I bumped into YO when I went to check pony, and he said nothing to me - we even had a bit of a farming chat. I didn't ask him about pony (as girl hadn't mentioned that when I saw him) but I will ask him when we go down there next.
 
If you are happy with what you see, then I would take it all with a pinch of salt.

Perhaps have a quiet word with YO....do a few unannounced checks and keep a close eye.....but TBH sounds a bit like jealousy.

The thing about saying she is cruel not feeding, and then putting rugs on when you know your pony doesnt need them smacks to me of 2 people who know less than they think they do sticking their noses in TBH.....
 
what would worry me is that altho it could be mostly bitchy yard stuff, is there an element of truth behind it? they could be exaggerating but what made them start up in the first place??

I would go down there with some very specific questions eg does she check horse every day, how often does she ride, is she keeping the field clean etc. and anything else which is important to you. I would ask both the loanee and the other two these questions and see if you can get an accurate picture of what is going on.

The accusations they have made against the girl do sound abit thrown together

Keeping fingers crossed it works out for you this time
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Sometimes I can go weeks without seeing certain other liveries, simply because we go down at different times due to work etc.

We had a couple of busy-bodies who basically- if they didn't see you ride/muck-out etc etc....as far as they were concerned it didn't happen......possibly an element of this?
 
I think you need to talk to the YO, the loaner and do a spot check tonight. Once you have done all that only then you can make a true decision on what action to take.

I sometimes go days without seeing any other livery so what Poppy moo indicates could also be true
 
I think you need to speak to YO.

I can go days without seeing my YO and other liveries as he works for a couple of hours elsewhere in the morning (which is usually the time I'm down) that said, if there's ever a question that needs answered or a problem to resolve then obviously I'm at the end of the phone.....
 
Just keep doing random checks on your pony and the new person, and ignore the rest of the chin waggers, if they were that concerned about the ponies welfare why are they running round telling you tales, they should be telling the girl who is careing for the pony and the YO in first instance, if they where that bothered.
 
I can go for literally days and days without seeing another livery - one of them asked me recently if I ride every day - I do, just not often when people are about! I would ignore the gossip and speak to the YO - if you think the pony looks happy and well cared for, and the info re feet etc is wrong, I'd suspect this is all bitching for whatever reason (and it may be nothing to do with horses - when I sold my mare the buyer was contacted by someone telling her not to touch with a bargepole, sadly for that person the buyer already knew everything she had to say and then some as I am not in the habit of being dishonest, so it had no impact at all!).

Since the YO also mentioned nothing, I'd be highly suspicious of the motives of the two who are coming to you - after all a pony with no water looks pretty terrible in a pretty short space of time and you said pony looked fine....
 
Definitely speak to the YO and do a few random checks. Perhaps next time you visit offer the pony water and see if she drinks. As you said to the caller, cannot see the problem of a pony without a rug, unless of course she is clipped, mine certainly won't be rugged until it goes a lot colder.
 
Let us know how your call to the YO goes after lunch and good luck.
Ditto many of the above posts. I rarely used to see anyone on my last yard as I was first there in the morning and last there at night.
 
I have just re-read your original post., and it was this statement that made me think that these people have got it wrong

[ QUOTE ]
Then when I get back to the yard where my horses are, it turns out another livery from the yard where pony is has visited and left me a note (I have no idea how she knew where my horses are kept). I call this woman (who sounded like a kid) told the pony hadn't been looked after for weeks, ,

[/ QUOTE ]

Weeks indicates a long term problem and your new loaner of the pony has only had her for about 4 weeks there abouts.

Something just isn't right about what these people are saying. Are you sure that they have the right horse?

Also you have said that you are still covering some of the bills for this pony so your spot checks should be enough to confirm that the pony's welfare is taken care of.

The more I read your post the more I think that someone is causing trouble where there isn't any
 
It sounds to me like know-it-alls shouting their mouths off because your loanee (at your request) does things differently from how they do and therefore they are right and she (and you) are wrong. I would definitely speak to the YO as they have no right to be feeding a pony that you have specifically said isn't to be fed - what if they give it laminitis. My elderly mare hasn't been wearing a rug at night either - nature has given her a nice fuzzy layer to cope with the cooler nights but it has hardly been cold. I only rug against the rain. Given that your loanee has only had your pony a short time, I would think it was highly unlikely that she hasn't been up and riding regularly. More likely, they just haven't seen her - could she be deliberately avoiding them? Some owner-liveries think they are vastly superior to liveries who aren't the actual owner.
 
Agree with the other posters, what these two women are saying sounds like rubbish and in fact they sound a lot like the group of bitches at my old yard. If they didn't see me muck out, as far as they were concerned it didn't happen.

IMO it sounds like they are purely trying to [****] stir, but to be on the safe side do some random checks to see whats going on. Depending on the YO you might have to take what s/he says with a pinch of salt as some can be as bad as the liveries, and if you're satisfied with the way this girl is lookng after your pony then I'd suggest you tell her (kindly) what they've been saying/doing and help her find a new yard.
 
would it not be simpler to have the pony back at your yard and have the girl loan him from there. this would solve the problem of anyone who was trying to cause trouble for the girl, and it would also mean that you could oversee the girl and the pony together and give any support that she might need. im sure that this would also put your mind at rest.
 
would it not be simpler to have the pony back at your yard and the girl loan him from there. im sure that this would make the girl feel better as it cant be nice if she is aware of the others trying to make trouble for her. it would also mean that you could oversee the two together and give any support needed. you could also see how dedicated she is and it would put your mind at rest.
 
I had this about 4 yrs ago when i loaned a horse, he was an ex show jumper who had been retired due to mechanical problems.
He was a BEAUTIFUL looking horse, very talented and exception temperament. Far too good for a novice like me :rollseyes:

I don't work and would go up at 9ish when everyone else was at work, so didn't see other liveries for weeks on end sometimes.
I got a call from the horses owner saying what on earth is going on, a livery had called her anonymously, saying i don't see him, i don't ride him to his full potential (!), i use a schooling whip to get him in from his field etc etc.

After explaining that i DO ride him only no one see's me (expect YO who completely backed me up), and yes i did take a schooling whip with me once, on a Saturday when other where around, when he was being an arse and someone on HERE said to give him a smack to make him walk on, and we had no problems since.

We had a good chat and a laugh, she completely trusted me, she was happy with his condition when she saw him (before the call), she only lived a mile away, and drove past his turn out nearly everyday.

Basically, what i am trying to say is believe with your eyes and talk to the YO, not what silly little girls are saying.
 
Sounds to me like they dont like the girl with your pony tbh, girls can be so bitchy, I would just do a few regular checks.
Oh and this woman that rang you can't have a clue about feet
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[ QUOTE ]
it would also mean that you could oversee the girl and the pony together and give any support that she might need. im sure that this would also put your mind at rest.

[/ QUOTE ]

But to be fair, it doesn't actually sound like the girl DOES need anyone overseeing her. The pony is in good condition and being well-cared for, so why would it need to move home?

Personally, i would speak to the girl loaning it and suggest that she looks for a nicer yard that isnt crammed with silly jealous children.
 
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