Yard worries advice needed?

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Foxtrot Filly

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I have recently moved to a new area and moved my boy to a new yard he has been there for 2/3 months now. (long story short-ish!) I am still commuting for 2 hrs a day so did not have time for him on diy (I have always either worked at yards and he was stabled there with me or had him on diy) I do not have the funds for full livery and he does not do well on grass livery so I decided to have a look around for working livery as he a schoolmaster (I have worked at many different yards and fully aware of what can go on so looked at this with my eyes open and made sure I stated my requirements when I looked round places, but felt I found the right place where he would only be used for 1 lesson a day and have a day or 2 off a week as per agreed when I took him there) I asked can he be t/o all day apart from when in lessons (advised yes) and in at night. When I went to look round yard everyone seemed friendly and owner said just ask and they will do whatever he needs (older boy with few requirements feed, rugs etc) So all seemed well and we moved.

At first all seemed well except that whenever I went up (usually in evening after work when most people had left (riding school closed at 5)) he always seemed to have slightly filled legs at first I just put this down to maybe being in a bit longer than usual but they don’t seem to have changed much in the time I have been there and the few times I have ‘popped’ down in the day he has still been standing in! So it seems to me he is not getting the t/o promised I spoke to the owned about this and advised they will make sure he is put out (but does not seem to have changed) Also now colder weather is coming I have asked for him to be rugged (has thermatex on him at night or l/w polly atm) as he gets stiff if he is cold as older boy. Again when I have been down in evenings he has not had rug on! Again spoke to owned and said would sort. (this was a few weeks ago) nothing changed to tried to get hold of her again by phone/text and herd back nothing! I was away last week with work and previously though he had dropped weight but when I saw him last night he has lost more (he is supposed to have 2 feeds a day and a full net at night) one rare morning I went up as had time at 9 and he had not had breakfast then?!:confused:

So I am at the conclusion that this yard seems to cut a lot of corners and he is just being treated and another poor riding school pony and I am not getting the service I am paying for! Also whenever there are still people at the yard no one seems friendly and if I try to make conversation I get the cold shoulder so to speak. I feel there is no communication with me ever though I have tried very hard to keep up-to-date with the yard o. (there are also other small annoying things going on to but wont bore you with) Then I finally managed to speak with yo yesterday and she seemed to fob me off and also then asked if I could always let her know when im going up! Is that normal? Not in my experience!

I have decided to go and look for a diy yard at the weekend as I am moving job soon closer to home, so thank god can go on diy again until then I will just have to pay out for the services I think. I just wanted to know peoples opinion and see if I was being ‘a fussy livery’? or this yard is just not providing the service promised and I have a right to be cross? :mad:

Sorry for the essay, thanks for reading :) and any advice appreciated!
 
I hear so many stories like this, yards who do not do what they say they are going to do, its taking money under false pretences, move and quickly. The best one i heard of was someone who had paid YO to get the horse vacinated, when he was sold she asked the vet for the certificate and they informed her he had never been done, so YO had pocketed the money! I dont like people who think horses are just items to be made money out of when it puts there basic care and welfare into question. You are a CUSTOMER and you deserve to get what you pay for, and within reason should be able to go and see YOUR HORSE whenever you want, you have caught her out and she doesnt like it. Keep us posted
 
I'd be furious. The fact she's now asking you to inform her of when you're coming up shows she's fully aware she's cutting corners and wants to know when she has to play concerning YO.

I'd get out of there ASAP!
 
You have every right to be cross!! I once had my pony on part working livery/part loan to a girl who rode at the riding school whilst I was working away for 9months. I was shocked when I came back to see him looking in poor condition, dull coat etc, with no back shoes one (he does not do well without back shoes) Needless to say I had him back to ASAP.

PS it is not the norm to HAVE to let them know prior to you visiting your horse, to me sounds like they are trying to cover up their mistakes and corner cutting.
 
Thank you all for taking the time to read my essay :p and all the advice!

I thought I wasn't being a fussy livery and this was not on! fingers crossed I find somewhere nice with space at the weekend!
 
I think you are very patient to have waited so long for the YO to rectify things.

Sounds like your new job has come just at the right time for your boy - leave and don't look back.
 
Some more advice please?

I have no contract verbal or written at this yard (I did ask about getting one drawn up but not herd from them yet again)

What are veiws on giving notice as my boy is not being looked after how I want can I just leave without notice?

I pay a month livery in advance so paid till end of september.
 
Stuff the notice period! They've had your money for months, for nothing. Your horse is losing weight, you need him out of there. There's nothing they can do about it if you just leave. I'd take all rugs etc home day before, get taxi to yard, then go for a ride and don't come back! They sound like the kind of money grabbing people who'd try to block you in until you paid for the notice period.
 
You are right to move your horse ASAP - regards the notice period. you have no contract so you are not required to give any notice. A contract is there to protect both parties, so whilst the client can leave with no notice, the yard owner can equally kick you off with no notice too! It works both ways.
Under normal circumstances my conscience would tell me to give them a couple of weeks notice out of courtesy but given how they have not been looking after your horse, even under specific instructions from you, I would say sod them and just go....however - I would make sure my possessions were off the yard first and only tell them on the day you go to collect your horse - otherwise I would have concerns about how they mis manage your horse even more during your notice period. Have a wise head on and think this through carefully, given they are obviously slightly deceptive in their approach. Good luck, hope it all goes well.
 
I am a yard owner and would normally say give a month's notice, but in your circumstance, you need to get your horse out of there now. So stuff the notice period. It is just terrible how so many yards treat the horses of paying clients. You hear about it time and time again.
 
Also if you try to give them less than a month notice (because you pay monthly) I suspect they'll be funny about it. And since they're already cutting corners you can almost guarantee your horses standard of care will drop further once they know you're leaving. I hate yards like this. If you have access to their feed room I'd give him a feed whenever you're there to try to stop him losing any more weight before you leave. Same with making sure he has enough hay and straw. I wouldn't bother mentioning anything not right when you visit, the yard owner clearly doesn't care and will just carry on ignoring you and maybe even try to charge you extra for using more feed/ hay/ bedding.
 
You definitely aren't fussy and have been much more patient and forgiving of these yard than I would.

Mine is on full livery and I know he is looked after very well, fed adlib and the YO will do any little extras you need without question.
 
poor you and poor your horse, your not being fussy, your paying for a service and trusting these people and they are abusing and cutting corners which is unacceptable! Find your horse another yard and move a.s.a.p. at the weekend if you can!
 
Surely it's time someone invented a phone app that lets you have a camera in your horse's stable and you can log on at work and watch what's going on. I'd quite like watching the lad go about his day even on a yard that's perfect!

Why can't someone invent this! I won't even claim royalties.
 
smokey said:
I'd be gone, no notice. Hope you find something more suitable soon.
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Agreed - breach of (verbal) contract as they haven't been providing appropriate care. They's be getting no notice from me, and I'd be leeting them know how disappointed I was that they weren't able to keep up their end of the deal.
 
SadKen said:
Surely it's time someone invented a phone app that lets you have a camera in your horse's stable and you can log on at work and watch what's going on. I'd quite like watching the lad go about his day even on a yard that's perfect!

Why can't someone invent this! I won't even claim royalties.
Click to expand...

My dad has an ebay business, at one point they had stock of Astak Mole IP camera's, that you could hook up to your home computer, to do just this. They were really popular amongst the horsey community, and are apparetly really easy to set up. He's in Aus, and only had limited stock (so this isn't an add) but you could look into something similar, they were REALLY popular!
 
move your poor old boy asap and make sure you tell the YO when you leave that you are going to let all and sundry know about how she runs her working livery yard. do not delay, he could lose more weight and become really ill if you leave it.
 
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