Help. Livery owner kicked me off?

[Horselover98]

Hi.
I am currently at a livery yard DIY. (I go up twice a day)
Me and my YO had a bit if a run in last week about my horses passport. I asked for it back as i need to restart his flu and tetnus jabs, she went nuts! Started asking who my vet was, that my horse DIDN'T need them done etc, generally just being really funny about it and didn't give it to me. I understand that the passport has to be kept with the horse. Doe anyone else let the YO have full 24/7 access to the passport?? (curious)

Anyways, a week had gone by now all of a sudden i am being kicked off in 2 weeks time. I paid a full months livery in advance on monday so she'll have to give me 2 weeks refund. She's screaming at me telling me i owe her money. (which i don't) Where do i stand with this? I am worried i wont get my passport back as she'll say i owe her money or she wont give me a refund etc. Help!

 

[Trewsers]

Do you have a livery contract? What does it say about her giving you notice ie, what time frame? I'd be looking around pronto for somewhere else if you've only got two weeks left where you are. If she really doesn't want to give you the passport then you can still leave and move your horse (technically you are breaking the law I suppose) but what choice do you have? If she's hell bent on not letting you have it back I suppose it's a police matter? I honestly don't know - I hope someone else on here can help. Seems odd that she is against your horse being up to date with vaccinations. How long have you been there? Just a thought - have you tried contacting any organisations like the British Horse Society? They might be able to tell you where you stand legally. Good luck either way, sounds like a very unpleasant situation.

 

[chunky monkey]

Id speak to the BHS or if your horse insurance company have a legal department them.

If she wants you off then she must give you the passport. Its supposed to travel with the horse. So moving a horse without it unless for veterinary/medical treatment would be illegal.
However if she has the passport and you cant leave id be very wary that she doesnt sell your horse. So id move the horse if you suspect she might. Dont tell her what yard your going to though. Its none of her business.

Im not sure whether the passport has to stay with the horse at the yard. I thought it had to be held with the owner. I was never asked for mine when i was on a yard. Maybe rules have changed though. My understanding is that if its requested it should be accesable for presentation to the powers that be within 4 hours of being requested. Not necessarily kept with yard owner.

 

[Skib]

If you are a member of the BHS, I think they have a legal department you can phone for advice.
Can you at least ask to see the passport and photo it with your phone? You could may be explain that it is needed if you are to find a new yard.
I notice you are a new member. This is a small forum and you may find more information about Passports on the H&H forum.

 

[carthorse]

Get legal advice asap, and also look around for other yards straight away. As others have said if you're a BHS member that's your best bet. Advice from any forum isn't what you need, you want specific professional advice.

My yard are required to keep the original passport, or a copy as long as the owner can produce the original within 48 hours if required by inspectors. Legally you should travel a horse with it's passport, but in a situation like this you'd get away without it if you were stopped, particularly if you can show proof that you're trying to recover it from someone who has no right to be holding it.

I wouldn't be attempting to stay there, even if she calms down do you want to stay where someone is acting like that? I wouldn't. You may not find the right yard at short notice, but if you've found somewhere you can then look around with less pressure. Unless your contract says otherwise then paying monthly normally indicates a month's notice, but in my opinion a horse is too precious to risk on a matter of principal.

Good luck.

 

[Jessey]

I’d definitely seek legal advice, and for the minimal cost I’d contact the passport issuing authority, let them know what’s happened and request a replacement passport so that you are legal when you move if she won’t give you the original. You could also let your vets know that she doesn’t have authority to request anything for your horse. And I’d be looking to be gone as soon as possible if she’s being this explosive and unpredictable.

Sometimes yard owners just get weird over what seems a simple thing, many moons ago I rented a yard for sole use. I had 1 horse and 2 ponies there, I put one of the ponies out on loan and let her know as a courtesy before he left and she lost it and gave me days to be completely gone. I paid a set price for the rent so not like she would have been suddenly loosing income or anything, I think it was just the pony going on loan was her favourite and she was upset that he was going out on loan.

 

[diplomaticandtactful]

happened to a friend of mine. she had her two horses in a retirement livery as she had lost her grazing. One of them died - starved and kicked in the head, pts by livery owner without telling her. When she went to remove the second one, the owner refused to give her the passport, said she had sent it back to her by post while she still had the horse. The box driver was able to apply to move the horse on emergency welfare grounds as she was emaciated.

if you are a BHS gold member you have free legal advice option, ditto you may find if you have home insurance there is legal cover. Speak to trading standards as well as if it is a licenced livery yard it will be registered with them. Would get your horse out of there asap - do you have a friend with a trailer who can move it as a favour? Has your vet attended there, could you ask their advice? If you have the microchip number you can apply for a duplicate passport.

 

[Trewsers]

happened to a friend of mine. she had her two horses in a retirement livery as she had lost her grazing. One of them died - starved and kicked in the head, pts by livery owner without telling her. When she went to remove the second one, the owner refused to give her the passport, said she had sent it back to her by post while she still had the horse. The box driver was able to apply to move the horse on emergency welfare grounds as she was emaciated.

if you are a BHS gold member you have free legal advice option, ditto you may find if you have home insurance there is legal cover. Speak to trading standards as well as if it is a licenced livery yard it will be registered with them. Would get your horse out of there asap - do you have a friend with a trailer who can move it as a favour? Has your vet attended there, could you ask their advice? If you have the microchip number you can apply for a duplicate passport.

That's dreadful - those poor horses. I hope that livery yard got closed down.

 

[Huggy]

What a horrible situation. I've never considered handing my passports over to the YO, surprised yours wanted it when you're DIY. I don't see any option other than legal advice, or even the police. Hope you find somewhere, and can resolve this.

 

[diplomaticandtactful]

That's dreadful - those poor horses. I hope that livery yard got closed down.

nope she's still in business, this is what the horse looked like, when she was scored by a vet she was a 1.75, you rarely see a skinny ardennes. the one that died was a 2.5. he was kicked in the head, suspect the horses were fighting over food as he was skin and bone. She never called the owner, had him pts not sure if he even saw a vet....the other ardennes and he went into the place in perfect nick and she came out of the place with her own vet's report as

"vets report from yesterday, shocking....where to start . mange and leg mites , being injected for them next week as they have to order it in . short supply at moment country wide . farrier saw her this morning , feet in a terrible state , dry cracked and just broken off not trimmed in a very long while , no bloods taken today as she has shown improvement in the 6 days at emergency foster home . Has laboured breathing which vets thinks could be due to tree pollen where she is , worse case dust spores due to rubbish hay

He scored her at 1.75 after eating for 6 days , the other vet really has a lot to answer for not even checking her properly . her spine is extremely prominent"

I have seen pictures of her which show her spine is really obvious. She was unfit to travel to her home, and had to be liveried close to where she was taken from and fed and cared for till she was well enough. The livery yard who neglected her were paid in full, and charged for feet being done etc but clearly they never were. She is now back to full health. It is so sad that her companion, who like her was a rescue, was neglected by that bitch and died.