Do I be honest about why I'm moving my horse?

[G3entlemanjack]

Current situation - smallish yard, wonderful location, very quiet, good facilities. Turnout is good but grazing non-existent. I'm on assisted DIY and my problem is that the lady who runs the yard largely works on her own and she cuts corners where she can. So for example - leaves him in his outdoor rug overnight for ease instead of changing to his stable one, I have to ask for every specific thing rather than a common sense approach by her. This is things like rug changes, check his water bucket if she keeps them in for the day. She claims to skip out the stables if they're in and clearly doesn't bother.

She charges £15/day for ad hoc care and literally does nothing other than usual turnout/bring in, put his haynet up and do his water. No mucking out/grooming whatsoever, though she claims to.

Her communication is shocking, I regularly cannot actually find my horse because she switches fields randomly and it's a fairly big site, they aren't all near each other. I don't know day to day whether he's out or not (makes a difference to when I go up to sort his stable out).

The final straw was yesterday. I noticed that he has actual sores on his face because she's been using a leather headcollar which is far too small for him and she's put it on tightly. Despite the fact that he has another perfectly good headcollar hanging up outside his stable. I put it all together and realised that I don't actually trust her with my horse. So I'm moving him. My dilemma is do I say the above? Or do I not give a reason at all?

I'm moving him this week to a much better yard which will suit him and me more. I'm not actually under contract so there's no notice period, but I will do the right thing and pay her a month's livery in lieu of notice.

Animal welfare. I'd definitely tell her, and I would be furious that my horse was poorly treated enough to have sores.

I'm guessing that she has other horses at her yard? How are they?

I would say, I think. Possibly after moving the horse. She needs to know that you've been unhappy with care.

If there's no chance you want to move back, be brutally honest.

I wouldn't give all the gory details, just say you've gone for better grazing.

I had one yard owner who insisted on putting a rug on my horse. She hates having a rug on and has enough natural padding that she doesn't need one.
I didn't have any rugs kept with her yet she still put her own rugs on her.

Infuriating!

Horse world is bitchy and cliquey enough. I would just say it was the grazing and leave it at that, anything else just feeds the gossip machine and could get around your new yard that your potential trouble..

I would just move but say it's because of the grazing if you feel you need to give a reason.
However I would take photos of the sores with a time date stamp app so if she kicks up a fuss for any reason you will have them has proof if you need to give her a few home truths .

I would play it by ear.

Tell her you are leaving and see what she says. Ok that's great see you later. I would keep photos and say nothing.

Makes it difficult and becomes awkward, then yes I would raise it.

Ok, thanks, good advice. I realised after I wrote that post that I could have summed it by just saying she's not professional! The grazing issue is a good one to blame. I should also mention that just after I joined the yard, 4 liveries left in one week. They all had solid reasons when I asked them about it, but a horsey friend said to me "There's a reason why they all left within a week."

I certainly don't want to get into any sort of argument or disagreement, nor do I want to badmouth her. I think the problem essentially is that she doesn't want to be running a yard, she wants to be eventing as a career. And whilst she's won a lot, I think we all know how vanishingly rare those opportunities realistically are! She's young, 22.

I'm becoming more irritated by the number of things I'm remembering that she has compromised on purely to make her life easier. She doesn't actually care about the horses.

I'm going up to the yard later to bring him in so I'll speak to her then and keep you all posted.......

I wouldn’t say anything to her today, leave it until the day you leave TBH. And if you’re giving one months notice then she has nothing to quibble about.
As others have said just go with the lack of grazing as the reason.

If she's mistreating horses, you really need to report her.

Why not report her to the authorities and prevent another horse being abused? Get pics of your horses injuries.

If you’re being respectful enough to pay a month and you’re moving your horse v soon, I’d say, politely, on leaving that the yard is a bit disorganised and it doesn’t seem good for the horses.

Why wouldn't you say why you're moving?

I agree with other posters you really should report her, she is neglectful and has caused your horse injuries and pain, this in unforgivable.
I think you should tell her about the real reasons you are moving too. She is not fulfilling her responsibilities and needs to know this.
I hope the new place is much better.

Sadly the authorities won’t do anything about a sore face, there’s a FB campaign to close down a licenced Riding school giving lessons on horses that make toast racks look fat and council/charities ABRS etc are doing nothing. Only thing is you could report as an unlicensed business for planning / rates or HMRC as it’s probably cash in hand

Use the grazing as your reason and keep it all polite and reasonable until you've got your horse off site (and your deposit back, if you paid one). However, make sure you have photos of sores, dates/times of other incidents, etc. Factual as possible.

Then when you've gone, send her a polite, factual email or letter explaining the issues you have had and stating that, although you didn't want to mar your last weeks at the yard, you think it is only fair to let her know the full picture. If she replies, do not respond.

However, if four other people have already gone, you can be sure that word will be spreading. If it's anything like our area, her reputation will be damaged anyway.

I'd tell her you're moving because it's not working for you and if she asks why I'd tell her. You aren't moving because of the grazing issue, this seems the least of your worries and with the dry spring we're having is an issue lots of places.

Leave then rate her business with photos...

I would wait until I had moved then decide how much you are going to tell her tbh.

You don't want things to be awkward while you still have to go.

In the circumstances I would actually only pay 2 weeks notice as well. She has taken the piss.

Am an experienced owner and have always relied on yard owner doing for me. My yard owner is marmite, yard doesn't have the best facilities and there are other niggles. However my ponies are very happy and very well cared for even if I don't attend for weeks (didn't go for 3 weeks at start of lockdown, ponies immaculate and happy when I went back).

The rug thing wouldn't bother me tho. Modern technology means outdoor rugs better left on overnight. They trap a layer of warm air which you lose when you remove, they are waterproof so if horses lies in poo or urine it won't soak through and they dry much better on a warm body than over a stable door.

Get your horse and all your stuff safely out, then if she asks let her have it with both barrels. She is neglecting horses she’s being paid to care for, and it’s not good enough. And while I wouldn’t rush to badmouth her around the place, if anyone asked me about her yard I’d have no qualms about being completely honest with them.

But get your horse and equipment safely away from her first. Anyone who can leave a horse with injuries from a head collar clearly has no qualms about welfare and might well do something like ‘accidentally’ leaving the gate open.

Move your horse first, for sure, to be on the safe side. But then I don't see why you wouldn't tell her, or tell others if they ask. Not saying you have to take out an ad in the local paper, but wouldn't you want this not to happen to other horses if you could stop it by saying something?

You absolutely need to tell her, but not til after your horse and equipment are out. You don't need to be unpleasant about it, just factual.

I certainly wouldnt tell her truth, and if it was necessary only after your horse and all your equipment there has all been moved. And dont tell her where your new livery is, in case she tells them any untruths.

I would keep it simple, grazing issue, and leave it at that. You can give reviews to anyone who asks but never put it in writing.

This woman is not treating this horse properly, he has sores on his face. Why are people suggesting that she is not accountable for this?

Disclaimer - I am not in the horse world so there may be reasons for this that I am not aware of but I can't imagine what. My sister is very involved in horses, so I know it can be tricky to navigate, but I can't imagine her keeping her gob shut if anyone was mistreating her horses.

As you're not sure I wouldn't say anything to her at all until you have moved out, and waited for the dust to settle, to see how you feel about it, although presumably you won't get the chance afterwards.