Trouble at livery yard - opinions appreciated

E

EllieK

New Member
May 18, 2004
8
0
0
Billericay, Essex
Visit site
Firstly - hi! I've lurked for a while on here and recently joined so I can post.
As the title suggests I'm having some problems at my livery yard - a bit of background: My horse gets kicked quite often in the field purely because he wants to play and the others don't. Usually they are scrapes and minor injuries but he has had a few nasty ones. Most recently he had a nasty kick to the top of his off fore that needed internal stiching and external staples and a long cause of antibiotics (fed and injected). My vet advised that it was safe to bring him back into work slowly and build him up but that the area would be weak and would take 3 months to completely recover. We have a mixture of grazing paddocks at the livery yard and Oz was able to go out on his own next door to his best friend and all has been fine.

Today my y/m has told me that from tomorrow he must go back out with the herd. I have some issues with this as the three months recovery runs until the end of september so vet advice is to keep him on his own until then, also the herd are out of an evening and Oz is out during the day so he will be on his own for the vast majority of his turnout which he really isn't happy about. I did tell my y/m this and her response was that if he can be ridden he is fit to rejoin the herd and effectively get kicked again. I am not allowed to keep my horse on his own anymore and he must either join the herd or stay in or leave the yard.

Really I would like to know what you guys would do and where you would go from here?

Sorry for the long post
Ellie
 
You can start looking for another livery yard or ask your vet to write a letter to the YO to the effect he has to stay on his own. You will have to pay for it but if she still insists on putting him in with the other horses and he gets kicked again, sue her.
Personally, I'd start looking for another yard, even if it's further away from where you live.
 
I'd tell her she's asking you to go against vet's advice that the vet's advice was for him to have isolated turnout for 3 months while he's being brought back into work, I'd also ask her if she would be prepared to take liability for any injuries he has happen. In fact I'd say that yes he can go out in the herd, against vet's advice only if she does agree to pay for any vets treatment needed as a result of the reintroduction to the herd. Can your vet ring her to reinforce this ? I'd also start looking round for a new yard now.

My mare's been getting bullied in the field, luckily without severe injuries but after the first incident I put her back in the same field as she's much happier in an herd. YO advised me not too, the field she'd been in temporarily was offered to me permanently but I insisted. The next week there was another incident involving Ziz falling/jumping over a 5 bar gate to get away from the bullies, landing onto concrete - if only I'd listened to my YO, her only concern is the horses, she's also worried that people will blame her if anything happens in the field, perhaps your YO should start thinking of that ?

Good luck with it, I know it's difficult.
 
Thank you for your replies!
My vet is also her vet so I will ask him to call her today and reafirm what I have said.
I was origonally thinking about saying that any injuries that occur from him being back in the herd against vet advice would fall on to her but I thought that I may be over-reacting. Having two people with the same opinion suggests that I'm probably not being unreasonable after all! Its such a lovely yard otherwise I really am loathed to leave but at the same time I can't jusitfy knowingly putting my horse at risk.
 
I would look for a new yard. You said he gets kicked on a continuous basis, the last resulting in a three month recovery. It could just as easily been permanent damage turning your rideable pal into a pasture pet, or something fatal.
Obviously something is wrong in the herd. Perhaps you can find a new yard with better friends for your horse. :p The fact that the YM isn't willing to do what is best for your horse is just another reason to move.
 
I would also say that he could go back into the herd but at her cost. If he needs the vet out because of injury then she will have to pay seeing as you don't want him in there. Yes get the vet to ring the YO, she is going against yours and the vets wishes.

Hope it all works out and that your horse recovers fully :) xxx
 
If I was you I would be disputing putting him back in the herd at all, never mind while he recovering. If he keeps getting kicked and injured then its not really acceptable for YO to expect you to turn him out with the herd again and risk him getting injured worse.

Could he get separate turnout with just one, friendly, companion horse? I would have a discussion with your yard owner. I would think as a paying customer you have got some rights to say you don't want your horse damaged thank you very much. If the yard value your custom (if not your horses welfare!) they will sort something out.

If not I would look for another yard.
 
I would also express that you are not happy to go against the vets advise, and I would also tell her that you hold her responsible for any further injury caused during this period. I would also ask the vet to call and back you up.

I would be looking for another yard asap, a kick can be far more serious than a few stitches and if he is constantly being bullied and kicked its not wother the risk (this is presuming he has been there some time and this is not just settling in squabbles).

J x
 
I knew a horse who was a youngster and wanted to play all the time when the others didn't and constantly had things wrong with him as a result.
At my old yard horses were moved around untill they found a 'like minded' field companion.
I don't think he should go back into the heard.
 
Thank you for your replies!
I think I will have a chat with the yard owner and explain that I'm not happy with the yard manager insisting that Oz goes back with the herd, and that any vets fees from moving him back will be their responsibility for atleast the end of the three months.
Its such a difficult situation as otherwise the yard is and always has been perfect!
 
I wouldnt want to put my horse back in there at all if he is kicked. Even when the isolation period is over the injury will still be tender & at risk of being opened up again, or being injured in another place

I would tell her get you a field with a quiet companion or change yards.
 
We rent a private paddock on current yard for our two - I didn't want them out in a herd (have a mare and a gelding) with others, partly cos Storm is dominant and would probably be the cause of much annoyance from other liveries and partly because I did not want Joe kicking (poor lad has enough problems with his current lameness and treatment). One of the reasons I moved yards to this one was the fact that we could have seperate turnout. If thats not an option for you I don't know what to say - is the yard good in other ways? I'm probably the wrong person to give advice and will most likely be poo pooed for saying this, but if it were me I'd move to somewhere that has the option of a private paddock - where you could perhaps share with just one other livery - not a big herd with kicks. Ok, you can all shout at me now.......
 
I was just wondering if the field is overcrowded and if it is a mixed herd? it could be territorial behaviour if the field isnt big enough for the amount of occupants?
I would stick to your guns and speak to the yard owner, you pay for your horse to be there and you have a right to say within reason what you want for your horse.
 
The horses are seperated in terms or mares and geldings and there are 3 horses already in individual paddocks for one reason or another so its not really like what I'm asking for is a big ask. Hmm. Well I'm going to talk to both y/m and y/o tonight and try to work something out, thank you for all your opinions in this! You've really backed up what I was thinking so I know I'm not asking too much or expecting too much from my livery yard :eek:
 
How about post a tape a bit off in with the herd for the time being. But I agree with the others. I would be looking for another yard. No matter how nice it is. Your nice yard really doesnt suit your horse.
 
Good yard owners tend to suggest different turn out options before things get to this stage. Your horse may annoy the others, but given that he gets kicked regularly - whatever the reason, some alternative safer arrangement should be made. I'd move yards and I'd only be giving a month notice if she agreed to the safer turn-out during that period.
 
It sounds like you just need to stress to the YM how important it is to you & your horse to stay out of the herd - if only til she recovers.

I can understand why YM wants to put her back out with them. If one person has an individual paddocks then there would be murder with others for preferential treatment:rolleyes: Perhaps offer to pay extra for individual turnout then the others won't have much to b****h about :D

If they don't see it from your point of view then yes start to look for other yards & keep her in in the meantime. I think if you suggest that they pay any costs thru injury - you will only be laughed at!

I had a youngster who was out in a herd who was always being kicked. It ended up being expensive for me & a learning curve for him! Luckily he was fine but had to learn that not all horses will put up with being jumped on & pulled about:D

Hope you manage to get it sorted tonight:)
 
Well had a chat to y/m and she wouldn't budge on the issue so I put him out in the herd field with a pony that is new (most of the herd are out at night so its not too problematic at the moment) but they really disliked each other and after an hour and a half still hadn't settled with each other so I moved Oz back to the paddock and have spoke to the y/o. The y/o is going to speak to the y/m today so its kill or cure really - either the y/m agrees to keep Oz seperate or I'm off to another yard.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
newrider.com
Top Bottom
Back