Yard is making my horse and myself ill

[Shysmum]

I seriously think you are in the wrong sport, and if it's making you this unhappy, perhaps you should think about selling your horse and moving into something else ?

I have MH problems, and my horse is my reason for living, honestly he is. (Hubs a close second, lol).

 

[Honey08]

You still haven't given an area so nobody can really help you, even after 60 posts...

 

[Dancing Queen]

OP - Move, not just yards but everything - Job, house etc. May sound drastic but if your lifes ambition is somewhere where you can school in readiness for competition then what else can you do?????

 

[rockysmum]

OK, just done the calculation for you.

15 kids to 3 adults. Ratio of 5 to 1

Why not suggest that the adults get an hour of prime time school 1 day out of 6, the other 5 days preference goes to the kids. That would be fair.

 

[Feathered]

Actually this is a serious thread otherwise I would not have posted.
There are no other yards because the other yards in the 20 mile radius I can work within are the same. .

Why do you have to stay within this 20 mile radius?

 

[EllenJay]

Actually this is a serious thread otherwise I would not have posted.
There are no other yards because the other yards in the 20 mile radius I can work within are the same.

You see - this comment is one I can not believe. I have lived and worked in a number of different counties - and within a 20 mile radius there is always at least one good yard. You may have to pay more for it, but your posts have not mentioned money.

Look around for something that you do like and move

 

[Ibblebibble]

Actually this is a serious thread otherwise I would not have posted.
There are no other yards because the other yards in the 20 mile radius I can work within are the same. Farmers with no idea of the needs of serious competing horse owners only chasing the money.
There are no professional yards.
I am at my wits end here. I have worked on yards here and abroad and have run yards and the ignorance here is stupefying no one wants to learn or ride properly and the parents treat it like a creche, children are dumped for the day at the yard as are their dogs. Over the past year it really has become untenable.

i know your location says back of beyond but not a single decent yard in a 20 mile radius? really ??? where on earth do you live?
if there are no decent yards is there the possibility of renting a field? ideally with a yard nearby with a school you could rent, although it is not impossible to school in a field if you have to you know.

 

[rockysmum]

You still haven't given an area so nobody can really help you, even after 60 posts...

Would they want to?

 

[Honey08]

Like I said before, your only option is to move. Also drop the attitude, I would not put up with your nasty, arrogant oppinion on my yard. Your other options would be, put up and SHUT UP or sell your 'Competition Horse'. Simple.

You're not coming across that lovely yourself......

 

[Littlelegs]

It's news to me that you need a pro yard to be able to compete. If you're a 'serious competing horse owner' why do you need the farmer owner to understand your needs? My yo/farmer knows very little & it makes no odds to me. And as a word of warning, you are coming across as having exactly the attitude that provided endless amusement for myself & friends in our teens. We delighted in provoking a reaction & behaved our worst round anyone making out they were 'a serious competitor' if the evidence appeared otherwise.

 

[4leggedfurries]

Actually this is a serious thread otherwise I would not have posted.
There are no other yards because the other yards in the 20 mile radius I can work within are the same. Farmers with no idea of the needs of serious competing horse owners only chasing the money.
There are no professional yards.
I am at my wits end here. I have worked on yards here and abroad and have run yards and the ignorance here is stupefying no one wants to learn or ride properly and the parents treat it like a creche, children are dumped for the day at the yard as are their dogs. Over the past year it really has become untenable.

I cant believe that, even when I lived in the deepest darkest depths of Wales there was always a yard around! One yard was a 60 mile round trip, but I still did it for the health and happiness of my horse.

I seriously think you are in the wrong sport, and if it's making you this unhappy, perhaps you should think about selling your horse and moving into something else ?

Agree ^^

Like I said before, your only option is to move. Also drop the attitude, I would not put up with your nasty, arrogant oppinion on my yard. Your other options would be, put up and SHUT UP or sell your 'Competition Horse'. Simple.

Agree ^^ I think where ever you end up, you will ALWAYS find something or someone to complain about...

 

[Olly's crew]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transactional_analysis#Why_Don.27t_You.2FYes_But

 

[Marydoll]

Move or negotiate, but if you feel that bad, and to me it sounds like hell on earth
Id be outta there like ussain bolt

 

[Elsiecat]

You sound so spiteful, why would you swear at children? I'm 17 and I know far better and have done for years. If you have no respect for them then they'll have even less for you. If the school isn't big enough for you to do your training, then it still won't be big enough even if that YO kicked all the 'spoilt princesses' off the yard.
The very fact that you STILL haven't provided your town tells me that you have no desire to move from the situation. I'd advise you do though, as with the behaviour on your part you've described you'll fast get labelled a bully.

 

[4leggedfurries]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transactional_analysis#Why_Don.27t_You.2FYes_But

Interesting reading

 

[riding_high]

you said in your original post something along the lines of.......
because you can't school your horse won't hack out.
why won't it hack out now that you haven't been able to school? i would have thought that if you hacked out on a regular basis your horse would be fine hacking out now and it would mean you could get away from the kids on the yard for a couple of hours and you could do some schooling then.

have you got transport? if so why not rent a school once or twice a week depending on finances, again you would get out and about and also be able to focus for that time.

 

[Dancing Queen]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transactional_analysis#Why_Don.27t_You.2FYes_But

Thank you - very interesting and enlightening!

 

[horseandshoes77]

well i just dont get why you cant compete because your arena is not top spec etc.... i school out hacking or on a local council field...i also keep three horses on a basic of three stables and grazing no extras....but i manage and tbh my horses do better when we get out to compete cos they are use to being schooled with noise, grass cutters, kids etc.....if ur not happy move...i dont believe for a minute theres nowhere else...if you and your horse are having problems just going into an arena with others working etc how will you ever manage a busy warm up area ??

 

[amandaco2]

Why on earth are you still there???you pay to be at a yard so go somewhere you get what you're paying for???

 

[mandwhy]

Thats very interesting olly's...

Well I don't know OP, I'm sure you don't mean to be spiteful, I personally don't really like livery yards as I just like having freedom and being able to school and do whatever when I like (takes enough to muster the will sometimes, don't need outside factors other than weather!) so I have a field and get on just fine with it

Surely all the horse owners within 20 miles radius are not on these few rubbish yards? Find them and speak to them! You will find somewhere if you compromise - you are currently compromising on all the things most important to you by the sounds of it.

 

[LBertie Wooster]

Not all children/teenagers are like that. Neither me or my friends are as you describe. I moved from a yard which wasn't great and school wasn't well maintained and the y/o girlfriend gave me hell and shouted/swore at me freely, for no reason other than she hated me and she ruined my confidence so I didn't want to go and look after my horse so be careful that you are not doing that to the children. If you are then I hope you are ashamed of yourself as if it was your child being shouted and sworn at and their confidence being shot down like nothing, how would you feel?
Since moving I have got my confidence back and took a look at myself aswell as having a friend who has given me the confidence to give someone like you hell if you where to do that to me now.

If you are that bothered you'd do right by your horse by moving, maybe having to go further/ pay more than you would like to or you'd find another way. You can not be that bothered if you are sitting here writing abut it rather than taking action.


If you don't like what I have just said then I'm sorry for some of what I said but not all.

 

[dominobrown]

OP What county do you live in? I know of a lot yards in Cumbria if you live there. If you mention a county there will be a lot of people could give you a head's up. Unless you live in the deepest darkest bits of Scotland or Wales I really don't see how there are no yards. There may even be a small private yard where someone keeps there own horses who might be willing to take on a lodger.

It sounds as though you just want to moan and complain, but not actually do anything to improve the situation?

 

[natalia]

How the hell do you expect to be able to go round a Xc course on your own if your horse won't hack out? Sounds like you have as little knowledge as the kids on the yard!

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

You say there are no yards within 20 miles?

2o miles that's about 25 minutes driving as the crow flies.


I used to live in Barns London and drive to wexham and Fulmer to see my horse. 20 miles it was and 30 mins and this was twice a day

Personally I would rather:

1. Drive further and be at a nice yard
2. Driver further and hack good facilities
3. Driver further and have better hacking
4. Drive further where my horse is happier

Than have the horse on the door step in a yard where I am not happy and nor is the horse

 

[horsemad32]

You need to sort yourself and your horse out. Get there for 6am each morning and give it a go in the school, so at least he'll go in it on his own and trot round. Ditto with hacking. You'll never compete if your horse won't go where you want him to, regardless of any other considerations.

THEN - grab a friend or two, and start looking for a field to rent if it's really that bad. Plenty of people BE with no facilities at all, and a flat grassy field is 100x better for the horse than a too deep, rutted sand arena with kids everywhere. Ring round local farmers, you'll find something, and then you'll be in charge and life will be nice and peaceful once more!! You can use the extra money you'll have to hire decent arenas and xc courses when needed, have more lessons, go to more shows etc.

 

[SpottedCat]

OP - SarahJane on here competes to BE advanced/3* without an arena. You need to get
Over the idea that you need posh facilities to compete - you don't. Last winter I moved yards to a brilliant place. Yes, the school is only about 18x36, and it's on a serious slope. I can't put a course up in it, but that's ok, I can still have a couple of jumps. In the summer I ride in a field there and build a course there. I've led the dressage more than once this year at 100open level. I box up for lessons to jump courses.

You don't sound particularly knowledgable about what is required to compete!

 

[Honeylight]

I just want to say that you need to be careful. I was accused of bullying & subversive behaviour by some of the other members of an artists studio. I had been a little outspoken in meetings, I thought I was doing the right thing. I also said something negative about one of the other members & it got back to them. I was asked to leave quickly & I have been blacklisted at all the local studios, quite unfairly, but it's happened. I have had to put all my work in store, expensive & I cannot work. However they are paintings not horses. The whole accusation thing made me ill & put me in hospital. As I said be careful, these things stick & chinese whispers become shouts in small specialist communities.

 

[Vizslak]

Actually this is a serious thread otherwise I would not have posted.
There are no other yards because the other yards in the 20 mile radius I can work within are the same. Farmers with no idea of the needs of serious competing horse owners only chasing the money.
There are no professional yards.
I am at my wits end here. I have worked on yards here and abroad and have run yards and the ignorance here is stupefying no one wants to learn or ride properly and the parents treat it like a creche, children are dumped for the day at the yard as are their dogs. Over the past year it really has become untenable.

Look, sadly thats life and none of your business really, it doesnt matter what others on your yard are doing or whether it fits in with your ideals, they pay the same money as you and if the YO has no problem with the way they use the yard there is nothing you can do. You will not find a yard where everyone fits in with how you think they should be riding, training, caring for their horses, they just dont exist, occasionally on a big yard for a short period you will get a large collection of like minded people but large yards, however good have a large turnover of horses/people through them and things change quickly. You either need your own place or learn to live with the fact you cant change other people and nor is it any of your business to. Go up the yard, get on with your horse and your business and stop complaining. Start enjoying your horse and doing what you want, you seem to me like you are making a bit of a rod for your own back. If you really hate it then move, you havnt given the other yards a shot, you might be very happy at one of them, although I have to say if you dont change your attitude slightly its unlikely you will be really happy anywhere.

 

[Ebenezer_Scrooge]

I was on a big yard with children and I found that engaging with them & being supportive really helped. I used to really enjoy it..helping them in schooling, jumping & taking them on hacks...helping them on show days.

 

[annaellie]

I agree with other posters you don't appear to want to change your situation. There are ways around things, I was on a massive livery yard with tons of kids who were galloping, jumping and arena totally full. My horse had extreme behaviour issues bucking being his fav pastime my days that horse could buck.
I warned kids time and time again not to get close they failed to listen and in coffee room went on how good they were to miss it :-(

While they galloped past I could feel my horse tense up and get even more excited and act a prat than usual.
Because of extreme issues on ground not many livery yards wanted him on yard. Only one yard would have him on certain conditions and had no spaces. While waiting for space I waited till 8 or 9 in the evening to school him alone and as his behaviour improved and was more safer I started going in school with kids because he had to get used to the chaotic area as let's face it a lot of shows can be like that

There is always a way around these issues just try to open your mind for a solution

ETA if you ranted and swore at my children I wouldn't take kindly to it all but if you come to me and voiced concerns about there riding I would have a word and keep my eyes on my kids to ensure they were not disrupting others