Yard Owner removing hay from nets

[Sossigpoker]

How much does the horse weigh and how much do the nets weigh ? It may be that the horse is given way too much and is over weight so YO may be reducing them to more appropriate weights.
Just another possible angle.

 

[clairebearfur1]

I've just moved a yard with my horse a few weeks ago, and have discovered the yard owner has been removing hay from my already inadequate nets when I'm not there. I am of course, now looking for a different yard as soon as possible, but am just absolutely gobsmacked this has happened.

The yard owner is "very experienced" and has owned and ran the yard for decades, which I thought would be a real plus. Having had a very different type of horse/doer (much bigger, different breed and build) before I was a bit unsure as to what to feed this one as I'm used to feeding haylage, and at this yard it's hay. So I followed her advice on what to put in my nets. Stupidly, I didn't realise that what she had told me to feed is actually around half than what is recommended for his bodyweight, but to top it all off - I have discovered she has been removing hay from my nets. I was also told by two other liveries that she is notoriously stingy with hay (this I had noticed) and well known for removing hay from livery's nets as she sees fit - so it all fits.

Has anyone else ever been in this situation? What did you do? I don't feel speaking to her about it is not an option - as by her own admission she has demanded people remove their horses from the yard the same day she has decided to kick them out and I really don't want to be stranded with a horse. It's also an incredibly small equestrian community where I am based, and I'm terrified she will badmouth me to other yards even though I've done nothing wrong.

So all your livery yard horror tales to make me feel better about bringing my horse to this horror show, please!

This is awful! Hope you get another place soon.

 

[Gallop_Away]

That is completely unacceptable and I think you are 100% doing the right thing by moving.

Regardless of whether this horse is underweight/overweight, the YO should not be taking it upon themselves to remove hay. If they feel it is an issue, then it should be discussed with the owner.

As an aside, I like to see hay left in nets the following morning. I know they've had more than enough. Perhaps other liveries may deem it wasteful, but I would rather that than horses stood in overnight for hours with nothing.

 

[Nasicus]

I am not saying this is you, BestSundayDress, but on one livery yard I was on, where hay was included, a fellow livery, who was very precious with her horse, always gave their horse far too much hay, and then emptied at least one net worth of perfectly good hay on to the muck heap each morning. It used to really annoy me to see the wastage - we all paid the same price per stable, but I needed under half of the hay other liveries were using with my two native ponies, and it felt like I was subsidising those with horses!

That drives me bonkers! What about transferring it from a bale (that's probably been vibing in a barn since the previous year) into a hay net suddenly makes it perish over the course of one night!? Unless it's the dregs that have obviously been left because they're a bit crap (chunks of earth, sticks, clumps of questionable identification, you know the sort) then I just top up the net on top of what's already in there, maybe mix it in a bit if I'm feeling fancy. Sometimes, if there's enough I even scoop clean floor hay back into the net, otherwise I just fork it into the corner under the net and pony usually eats that first because it doesn't involve pulling it out the net (aka expending energy). I like mine to have adlib, she's sensible and won't take it as a challenge (unlike a couple previous ones of mine!), but I sure as hell don't waste it!

Now I've had to move back to livery, where hay is provided, it boggles my brain seeing people empty nets into their barrows alongside the mornings muckout, destined for the heap. Especially when the bale is a particularly nice one, seeing that wasted hurts my soul.

 

[Gallop_Away]

My mare and my husband's gelding are particularly fussy and refuse point blank to eat leftover hay (we've tried). My gelding isn't so fussy luckily. If the fuss pots have left a large amount, I usually give it to my gelding to polish off in his nets. If it's just a small amount it goes on the muck pile as I can't be dealing with the faff with only a small amount.

 

[m1stify]

I've heard of this happening - also about being thown out for no reason. I wonder is it the same yard that I am thinking of

 

[wiglet]

My mare and my husband's gelding are particularly fussy and refuse point blank to eat leftover hay (we've tried). My gelding isn't so fussy luckily. If the fuss pots have left a large amount, I usually give it to my gelding to polish off in his nets. If it's just a small amount it goes on the muck pile as I can't be dealing with the faff with only a small amount.

My mare is very fussy too. She will NOT eat leftovers but, she will eat them in the field (go figure). Unfortunately, my current yard doesn't allow hay in the fields because it look untidy... but that's a whole other story...

 

[Goldenstar]

How much does the horse weigh and how much do the nets weigh ? It may be that the horse is given way too much and is over weight so YO may be reducing them to more appropriate weights.
Just another possible angle.

Indeed however the Yard owners in this situation need to tell cilents what they are doing and why .

 

[Irish-Only]

How much does the horse weigh and how much do the nets weigh. This. I don't agree with yard owners taking out hay at all, but for your own justification find out how much the net weighs before it is "adjusted".

 

[criso]

The problem is if the ym is taking out hay, the owner can't make a realistic adjustment/assessment of how much the horse needs as they don't know how much they are eating. OP did say they were working out how much this horse needs.

So you might give a haynet weighing 7kg. YM 'adjusts' and horse is getting 4kg. Horse loses weight, owner thinks 7kg isn't enough and ups the hay.

If the horse isn't eating it all and it's being wasted, then YM should have fed back there was loads left and then the owner could adjust.

 

[LaurenBay]

That is completely unacceptable and I think you are 100% doing the right thing by moving.

Regardless of whether this horse is underweight/overweight, the YO should not be taking it upon themselves to remove hay. If they feel it is an issue, then it should be discussed with the owner.

As an aside, I like to see hay left in nets the following morning. I know they've had more than enough. Perhaps other liveries may deem it wasteful, but I would rather that than horses stood in overnight for hours with nothing.

This ^^^^^

I have always given ad-lib hay and I like to see some left in the mornings. I would be really annoyed if a YO was taking hay from my nets without me knowing.