Livery yard help!!!.....?

Question

Some of you may know I've been having problems at my yard for a while now, these were pretty much resolved but now things are starting to come undone as circumstances have changed again. 
When I moved to the yard 3 years ago our livery fee included bedding and hay/haylage, stable, all year turnout. This has now changed and the turnout is every other day through the winter and bedding is no longer included (livery fee has not changed). 
Also, now one of my horses has been retired due to injury so I really need him out every day. My other two are not taking too well to the turnout arrangements either - it is my first winter with my new horse who is used to daily turnout and on the "in" days he stands and looks miserable in his box. My other horse (TB), who I have owned for years, thrives on routine and isn't coping well with being in one day and out the next. This routine has only been in place for a couple of weeks so I appreciate that it will take some settling into, but the TB can't seem to understand why sometimes he goes out and sometimes he doesn't, and he's getting difficult to deal with (he has a few issues anyway and needs a strict routine - something as simple as tea time being late will have him stressed). 
Also, my yard owner knows that money is tight for me, but she has offered her horse on part loan to a lady who part loans my TB (the lady can only afford one) so she is giving my horse up to take the other one. Now I do not have a problem with this in principle as of course now the lady wants to move on to another horse - what has upset me is that the yard owner has done this without first mentioning it to me, or infact mentioning it at all! I just think it's a bit sneaky really.
So, I was going to move my retired horse to a farm nearby which is cheaper as it has no riding arena etc. but of course he doesn't need that - it has fields and stables and a couple of other horses so would suit him. However now I am considering moving all three of them together to another yard with facilities for the ridden ones, but that can better cater for my retired one. Of course the best thing (theoretically) is to up sticks and leave. However, here's the problem - my brother works for the yard owner's husband (brother is self employed and is contracted to him) and also keeps his goats and chickens on a patch of land at the yard in exchange for helping out around the farm doing "odd jobs" out of his work time. So my worry is, that because he is not employed by the YO's husband, but is just contracted to him, that he will get "sacked". His job is his livelihood and he has just bought a house and cannot afford to lose this job, and of course if we were asked to move the goats this would be problematic as there is a shortage of places to keep them where they would be safe. We have looked and cannot seem to find anywhere available to rent in our area and we cannot afford to buy a plot.
What do I do????
(Sorry it's long)

zakiit · Accepted Answer

Hhhmmmm.  I think you should up sticks after giving your notice in and serving it.  This situation is not going to be resolved.  Do you know how some or all of the other livery owners think about this turn out situation.  Perhaps you could have quiet words with them and then go to the YO as a group and tell her what you are feeling.

I thought that they had bought more land to help out with the winter grazing, or was I wrong?

If several of you complain together, she is going to lose money on the yard.  Unhappy owners make for unhappy horses and the situation is not ideal for the horses anyway and unhappy horses make sick horses eventually.

For the horses, try stable toys, mirrors, swedes tied up so that he will have to push it around to grab a hold of it to get a bite, and try to lead them out in hand or ride if you can.

As for the husband and your brother, that should not be a problem.  The work your brother does for him has nothing to do with the livery side of it.  Have you spoken to him (your brother about it?)  How does he feel his position would be compromised if you remove the horses?  Any sensible person would not sack someone because of relations.  I believe that would be unfair dismissal.  What does your brother work at?  Are there no other places he could work?  He could work outside, keep his goats and chickens and stick to the agreement of "odd jobs".

I know what I would do, but I cannot force your hand.  Sorry for your troubles.  You are paying for a service you are not getting.  Do you have a contract with these people?  If not and you do decide to move, get one drawn up with the new yard to cover your back.

Twinkles · Answer

I can certainly understand your problem.  I think you should talk to your brother about it first as although it wouldn't be fair for him to no longer be given the work, as he is not employed by the YO's husband they could just tell him they no longer have work for him.  Does he have a formal contract with the husband or just a verbal one?  If he has a written contract then he may have more rights if he was "sacked" and he could prove it was a breech of contract.  

I don't think I could manage to continue at the stables personally with the turnout issues as like you feel it is important that my horses go out everyday (except for really extreme weather).  I would also feel put out by the situation over the loaning of your horse which personally would fester inside me!  I would talk to the YO and express your concerns over the turnout (not mention the loan incident).  I'd ask if there was any way that a compromise could be made, at least for your retired horse.  If there is no way then I would find somewhere else.  I would be honest with her and just say you do not feel the new situation is best for your horses.  Express great regret about it and that you are sorry to be going, hope you will see how about, all the niceties, blah blah blah.  Hopefully if she is reasonable she will see it is not personal.

On the plus side, men tend not to take these situations as personally as us girlies so hopefully it won't affect your brother.  

Good luck!

Anonymous · Answer

if you are to give notice before you leave and you do give it, there is nothing they can do.
explain it is because you need the turn out etc. you never know the yard might change back to the old routine. especially if most of you are going to leave.
there is laws in-place to protect your brother if he was to get the sack because you left the yard.

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Livery yard help!!!.....?

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