Yard Feeding Regime, Fair??

[kizzywiz]

At our yard we have 3 blocks of stables, we have tried various routines over the years but the one that worked best was to feed by block whoever arrived first in that block. Last winter some new liveries arrived who were unhappy with this as they had 1 horse each in 2 of the blocks. Another livery was always first up Mon-Fri so said she was happy to feed all the horses, I did the weekends. This winter a different lady has been doing Mon-Thurs & me Fri-Sun, so clearly some liveries are having their horses fed every morning.

Over Christmas I have fed them ALL every day since the Friday before Christmas, most people haven't said thankyou & no one has offered to do anything for me in return even when I pointed out that is was rather unfair to expect assisted livery for free every day. I was told that if I didn't like it I should get up later, but I like mine to be fed at a regular time, I was a bit upset as they knew I had a party at my house on Boxing Day so felt they could have put my 2 to bed.

So, what to do, back to work tomorrow & the Mon-Thurs lady is starting a new job & I am really not prepared to do all the feeds 7 days a week. Oh, & when a friend who was staying offered me a lie in on Friday & just did my 2, I got the cold shoulder & frosty remarks because the other horses weren't fed, but surely I don't have to arrange cover for them.

YM is not interested as her block of 3 do their own routine, so advice please & turkey soup for those who got this far.

 

[OFG]

Poor you. No, I don't think that its fair to you.

Not sure what you should do in this situation as I have never had to keep my horses in livery as fortunate enough to have own land.

But, I would be tempted to be stroppy with the other liveries (and me being me, be rather vocal about it all )

Am sure others will be along shortly to offer you some better advice

 

[Ladydragon]

This might sound like a totally daft question but if it's DIY livery why doesn't everyone feed their own horses?

Ours are in an American barn type set up so if they are all in then they all get to see what's going on - but we all feed our own when we get there and before leaving IF they're fed... One lady doesn't give two of her three hard feed as they're just fine and dandy without it... We feed twice a day... One chap feeds evenings only and another lady is like us but gets there earlier in the mornings...

There's no dramas with it... If one of the horses has been left in the field at night and is making a fuss due to an owner being later then one of us will drag it in and throw some haylage in just because it's not nice leaving one out alone... Just helping each other out and someone would do the same for us if we were in a pickle...

But ours would be on their backs with their feet in the air if we assumed someone arriving earlier would dish out the feeds...

 

[Boxers]

I think you should just feed the horses in your block if you are first there. It is up to the people in the other blocks to sort their own routine out. If someone else is on your block before you then they should feed. Don't expect people to put your two
to bed just because you feed everyone every morning. Unless you specifically ask a person to do this then I don't expect anyone is going to volunteer. They don't sound like a very friendly, helpful lot to be honest.

 

[littlescallywag]

At my yard and every other yard I've been on, first up there feeds, that's how it is regardless of how big the yard is.
But if I havnt fed in, I thank whoever has.

 

[Batgirl]

To be honest I think it is the YO problem as it is her yard however if she won't get involved I would just feed my own or ask for payment, in fact ultimatum, either you get something in return (cash, favours) or you stop feeding every bodies.

Sucky situation, you could always get those electrically timed feeders for yours and sod the rest!

 

[Gucc]

If no one else is going to make the effort to feed once the other lady has changed jobs I would be inclined to advise yard owner and put a note up in the tea room to say that you will no longer be feeding other liveries horses in the mornings and they will have to make alternative arrangements. The only way that i would continue to do all feed is to have a reduction off my livery, or else ask the yard owner to charge for this service and I will bet that people will start to get out of bed earlier and see to their own horses

 

[Gucc]

Lol. Cross posted with bat girl!!

 

[flying solo]

I'd feed my block if it was just a case of throwing buckets over doors but if it really bothers you and you feel people are taking advantage then tell them to do their own and you only do yours

 

[HashRouge]

I'd just feed my own if I were you. When I was in high school/ sixth form I used to get to the farm at 6.15am every day to sort my pony out beforehand and so I was usually the first one there. I used to feed all the other horses quite happily although I'm not sure anyone ever really thanked me for it (in all honesty, I think they may have thought it was the YO feeding!). I moved yards when I was 17 and didn't carry it on. The YO used to feed all the horses between 7.30 and 8am but I was always there before her during the week, so would feed my mare and I'm sure the other horses used to wake her up whinnying when they heard/ saw me arrive . I felt really bad, but there were so many animals that I couldn't feed them all and a lot of them were my YO's and I never knew where there feeds were kept or what she did for her donkeys, who were all kept in a barn together. Anyway, I did ask her about feeding them one time and she told me that it was kind of me to offer but that I didn't need to feel like I should feed them all. So I think it is very unfair that you've ended up in a situation where you feel like you have to feed them all!
Perhaps you could go and speak to the YO and explain the situation to her. Or you could speak to the other liveries and just say you don't have time to feed all the horses anymore and could you all sort something else out. How about a rota, and those who can't feed during the week take turns at the weekend?

 

[Batgirl]

If no one else is going to make the effort to feed once the other lady has changed jobs I would be inclined to advise yard owner and put a note up in the tea room to say that you will no longer be feeding other liveries horses in the mornings and they will have to make alternative arrangements. The only way that i would continue to do all feed is to have a reduction off my livery, or else ask the yard owner to charge for this service and I will bet that people will start to get out of bed earlier and see to their own horses

Lol great minds!

 

[LaurenM]

I feed my block on weekend mornings. If they are not happy, the can feed their own - they should be doing it anyway!

 

[WildRider]

Every yard I've been at has been first up feeds all - HOWEVER, when at a yard with blocks, it was your block only. If there is still someone at your yard who has horses in multiple blocks then I'm sorry, but that's her responsibilty to organise and not yours. Notify that as of 'x' date, you will be reverting to prior arrangements and will only do your block.

As for expecting someone else to do yours Boxing Day, that really is something that would require prior arrangement I'm afraid, particularly as your yard doesn't sound like the most amenable of places. At a yard I was at for several years, I was normally first up and feeding, but I was only too aware that the other liveries wouldn't care about me feeding their boys and girls if I needed a favour. Sadly that seems to be true of a lot of places.

 

[monkeybum13]

1. This is why I think this is a ridiculous rule!

2. Your YO should be sorting this issue out, sounds like you are doing far too much for nothing in return

 

[MiCsarah]

Have only ever been at 1 yard where all horses were fed at the same time. This was because YO owned all but 3. She fed them all at 7.30 each morning

 

[Ali2]

We're a first up feeds yard but we only do our own block. I have a horse in each block so if I'm there first I do both blocks. Works out that there are 4 of us who regularly feed in the mornings. Doesn't bother me really - doesn't take long to throw a bucket over a door (we don't put nets in) BUT if I was doing all the horses every morning then I'd feel put upon!

I'd revert to your previous arrangement. If they don't like it then they can drag themselves to the yard and feed!

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

I feed everything at 6.45 am during the week and the DIY 's leave outside the stable their horses breakfast and i put in on my rounds.


we make both feeds up in feedroom once i fed morning feed i remake up morning feed for next day when horses have gone out,


when i muckout i put evening feeds out and remake up , that wa y when they come in their feeds are waiting unles owner ask me to take it out works well has done since 1996

 

[Rosehip]

Having only ever worked on Full livery yards (and now at a private yard) I have never had this issue personally.
I keep my girls on my own, with a friend renting a field near by. We do each other favours but never take it for granted.
I know that on a DIY yard it is nice to be 'inclusive' and helpful etc, but it is the YO/YM's job to sort things like this out.
Unless there are horses that are total stressheads, I dont see why horses have to be fed at exactly the same time every day (ie at 7am not 6.45 one day and 7.15 the next) and I dont see the need to feed everything all together.
The last yard I worked at, the owners would write on the board/text to say if they were riding that night, if the horses were waiting to be ridden at 'tea time' then they would be left and the owners would put their teas in, there wass never a problem, and one of the horses was a total stresspot.

Just say to the liveries/YO that you are happy to put feeds in IF you are there 1st thing (if indeed you still are) - to your block only - but you wont/cant do it every day.
If you are happy to continue doing the whole yard, then you want a reduction in your livery, or additional help in return.

 

[Gingerwitch]

I think a lot depends on you - if you can put up with a frosty atmosphere - then just feed you own, or your own block.

But you also need to consider that others maybe are not being lazy and would feed all the horses IF they were there prior to you - but its your choice to get there early in a morn, not them demanding that you do - so maybe you should chill a little.

Now if it was happening that i feed everything most day, then i would be rather angry if my horse was left un fed in a morn if i was late up.

 

[sychnant]

I have been on quite a few yards in my time and have never fed anyone else's horses. I feed mine and that's it. Mine never worried if someone else got there first as they knew I fed them. Other people's didn't stress when I fed mine as they knew their owners fed them.

Now, thank goodness, I have mine at home so don't have to get involved in yard politics Personally I would say, if it's DIY, then do it yourself. Why should one person have to feed everyone's horses just because they get there earlier? Especially when people don't even say thankyou

 

[Batgirl]

If no one else is going to make the effort to feed once the other lady has changed jobs I would be inclined to advise yard owner and put a note up in the tea room to say that you will no longer be feeding other liveries horses in the mornings and they will have to make alternative arrangements. The only way that i would continue to do all feed is to have a reduction off my livery, or else ask the yard owner to charge for this service and I will bet that people will start to get out of bed earlier and see to their own horses

Lol great minds!

 

[aintgotnohay]

why do you feed other peoples horses if its diy?feed your own.dont understand why first up feeds everyone elses horses??? they not your horses so dont worry.i only feed mine when i go up ive not got time to go and feed everyone elses never have.

 

[nuttynugget]

I am at a yard with the "first up feeds" rule and I find it has its benefits..

Normally during the week I am first up at least once/twice and by the time I feed all and unlock gates my horse is finished and ready to be turned out! and if I'm not first up he is ready to be turned out as has already eaten.

Also, at the weekend I'm not first up. One of the liveries comes at 7am so this means when I get there I can tack my horse up and hack

Although, if I was you OP I would only be feeding your horses block not the whole yard! our yard is seperated into 2 and I would never feed the other yards horses as well and I don't expect them to feed mine. If all feeds are ready and left outside the stables it takes hardly any time to chuck the buckets over.

 

[mystiandsunny]

I was on a yard like that once - had to get there half an hour earlier than normal every week day in order to have the time to chuck feeds (and sometimes hay) over doors. I refused to go in (didn't want any accidental escapees) so would only put feeds/hay straight over the top - no nets, and no walking in and tipping buckets into mangers. Some time later when my lot were in once more, we weren't part of the morning feeding regime. I didn't mind doing it for the others (not so many horses) but if I wasn't up first, my horses didn't get fed until I arrived (medical issues with feeds). They made dopey eyes at other people but didn't trash their beds/doors/stables as they soon got used to the fact that until THEIR mum arrived, breakfast would not be served.

Do your block, advise YO that you just don't have time for more, and get her to put a notice up advising each block that they need to do their own set of horses whoever arrives first.

 

[naza]

Personally, I think now the other liveries are just taking advantage, knowing that you will go up and feed their horses.
Does it take much to put the bucket in the stable if the foods already made up? no it doesnt.
But i do think its the principle that they are taking the biscuit a little bit here!
If i were you i would just feed your own from now on, unless any others are willing to do favors back.

 

[kizzywiz]

Thanks everyone for all the replies. I agree that we should all just feed our own, & for years thats what we did until new people arrived with new ideas. We had the first up feeds & then the other livery & me got fed up with it, so the block system was made until the ladies with a horse in each block arrived, created a fuss & the livery who was first at the time said she would do them all, so now thats what everyone expects.

Perhaps I should have asked for mine to be put to bed on Boxing Day, but I kind of thought someone might put themselves out as I had been doing something for them, so yes I should have been specific & asked. Yes it is my choice to go up at 7am, so if I were later, then yes mine would get fed, but definately there are those who could make an effort but don't as they know their horses will have been fed.

Therefore, from tomorrow I will revert to feeding my block, so my 2 & 1 other & if anyone complains I will just say thats how it is as I am a paying livery not a groom!

Thanks again everyone!

 

[Snowysadude]

We are on a DIY yard with a first person up feeds rule. 9 times out of 10 I am the first person up and I don't mind but all feeds are made, outside the door of the horses stables with covers on which I just rip off and chuck on the floor again so it doesn't take that long! We have 18 horses, if feeds are not outside the horses don't get fed simple as.

It does have its benefits though as if I cant be the first one up for whatever reason I don't have to panic and it stops the horses kicking the door and whinnying etc so the lady that lives on site (has nothing to do with the yard but literally lives in the middle of it!) doesn't get too disturbed in the mornings .

 

[lachlanandmarcus]

First up feeds rule can be illuminating tho.....we had it at a yard I was on but a newish livery seemed to be only feeding her horse, spending ages in the barn and then going.

All was revealed (literally) when another livery arrived after her and found her Doing It on our precious hay bales in the barn with a scaffolder from next door.

She was asked to leave the yard when it happened a second time (!) tho not sure whether for not throwing the feeds in or for contaminating the forage Im not entirely sure...

 

[James6]

I am always the first at the yard and it only takes 5 mins to put the ready-made feeds in each of the 9 other stables. If the feed isn't made up, I ask the owner to either leave it outside or I won't feed! Works fine and all horses happy. Mine is ready to go out by the time I have done the others too!

 

[shadowboy]

I don't understand why horses all have to be done at same time. 5 are in out of 12 on our yard and they get fed as and when their owners come up. That way these issues never arise.