7 September 2010

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Reader Rant : READER RANT: I can't trust my yard

Monday 15 March 2010

There has been much said recently about the standards of livery yards and some shocking practices have come to light when I've discussed the subject with my horsey friends.

My own particular concern is yard staff who remove hay from stables because they feel liveries have taken more than their quota.

This has happened to me, and to several horse-owning friends on different yards who have paid for livery packages where forage is included.

Taking this to mean that we can feed hay 'ad lib', we have all made sure our horses have a healthy supply to see them through the night.

At my previous yard, I only found out what was happening because I was running late and turned up to find the yard manager in my stable removing the hay I'd put in my horse's net.

I was shocked – even more so when we found out that it had been happening for a while and to pretty much every horse.

The yard owner's defence was that we had been feeding too much and costing him a fortune, but I can certainly say I was never wasteful with hay.

I don't understand why the yard didn't discuss the issue with us – I would have rather paid a bit extra than have my horse stood in a box overnight with nothing to eat.

You would think that people who run or work on yards would be concerned for a horse's well-being, but unfortunately you can't take that for granted.

Emma James, by email