To think this house sitter was bloody cheeky?

[Littlefluffyclouds81]

My DM recently got a house sitter for 10 days whilst we all went on holiday. She had used her once before and all seemed fine. She seemed very professional - took detailed information about all the animals, signed contracts, she is fully insured etc.

She was supposed to sleep at my DM's house each night, although my DM was aware that she would need to pop back here and there to exercise her own dogs (she lives with her parents).

She was paid over £600, and for that she had to look after 2 dogs and feed a cat. There are also 2 horses at my mum's, my mum's horse who is a big cob, and my daughter's pony. She wasn't expected to do anything with the horses.

While we were away the house sitter emailed to ask if it would be ok if her partner's kids came to meet the horses. My DM said that was fine. When we got back, my mum had a good chat with her and the house sitter said that the kids had come over and groomed my mum's horse, but not my daughter's pony because she was grumpy (she is grumpy).

I was the first to go into the tack room, and noticed that the bridles weren't in the right place. I didn't really think anything of it. But today my DM said that there is grease on the bottom of her saddle, from where the saddle pad hasn't been put on properly and it has rubbed the horse, which she wouldn't do. Also her bridle had been done up all wrong. The stirrups on both saddles were at different lengths to how they'd been left by Us. She suspected that the house sitter had taken the kids riding on our horses. This was confirmed when she went for a ride around the village today and a neighbour (who has booked the same house sitter) said that the house sitter had emailed a picture with the kid sat on her horse!

Not only is riding someone's horses without their permission incredibly rude, it is also a really stupid thing to do. She knew nothing about our horses, they could have had any kind of quirks, and putting 2 kids on them (when she doesn't appear to know much about horses herself) was just bloody dangerous.

Not only that, but my DM said there's no way that the bed was slept in for 10 nights, so she suspects that the house sitter had left the dogs overnight which she wasn't supposed to do.

WWYD? I absolutely think that something should be said to the house sitter, but my DM is veering towards leaving it, and just locking the tack room if she uses her again! She was paid a lot of money, and in my opinion, took the piss.

[Littlefluffyclouds81]

I think we are all collectively shuddering at you, actually Beetroot. Do you know what collectively means?

[beetroot2]

personal insults again

[PumpkinPies38]

Shuddering at beetroot and the thought of knowing him/her in RL.

[beetroot2]

Yes, the housesitter did cross a boundary in taking the horses for a ride. You however have gone too far and become vindictive and nasty. Not a good trait.

[beetroot2]

Dont want to know you either pumpkin

[sykadelic]

beetroot so by your logic if I parked my car out the back it's perfectly legal to drive it around? What glass houses exactly are you talking about? You think because the sitter was supposed to check on the horses that means she's entitled to do what she wants to/with them? What sort of crazy world are you living in?

No-one is this obtuse in real life surely so the only explanation is that you're a troll. I'd suggest everyone ignores that poster from now on.

[beetroot2]

????

[JessicaRabbit3]

OP I'm in utterly shocked that the house sitter would do this it's definitely out of order ignore beetroot there always seems to be one idiot at least on one thread. If she did this with your horses makes me wonder what else she's doing when she house sits e.g looking through people's stuff. Fact of the matter is she's untrustworthy and to house sit she needs to be trusted. I would warn others especially if you live in s village.

[Inertia]

I expect your mum will be furious- it's lucky that neither the children nor the horses were hurt. It shows appalling lack of judgement on he part of the housesitter. Can your mum claim on the sitter's insurance for the equipment which has been damaged?

I stand corrected about having someone look after the horses- I imagined they needed quite a lot of checking on/monitoring of food/ cleaning up after (am not horsey at all).

[miwelaisjacydo]

I'll Housesit in your mums house for £600 OP. I promise I would absolutely not go anywhere near the horses too!
On a serious note I would never have her at the house again!

[JudgeLionelNutmeg]

I don't own horses but I'd be furious too. What is wrong with some people? Shockingly unprofessional behaviour as well. I hope your mum gets an apology from her, OP, but I suspect the house sitter is the sort who will claim not to understand why you're so upset and will accuse you of over reacting. Bit like someone else on this thread

[Bifflepants]

WTF? I'm on a house sitting website. Last year I house sat for 2 weeks, looked after an elderly dog with arthritis and middle of the night incontinence. I cleaned the house, changed and washed all the bedding and left them a home cooked meal for their return and didn't expect to be paid a cent. I can't believe people get paid this much to house sit!

PS I am a horse lover and owner, and I would never ride someone else's horse without permission.

[WellErrr]

Just see this. I'd be fucking incandescent if someone did this with my horses.

She needs the riot act read. I would also be looking to get money back from her, and I would make sure everyone knew what had happened.

[HazelBite]

I wouldn't pursue it from the insurance angle, very difficult to prove and a bit of a grey area, however a bad review on her website if your DM wants to put the boat in.
She was incredibly irresponsible, you don't mix children with anyones animals unless the owner is present. I t is so dangerous, especially with horses.
I think with this one you will have to leave it to your mother, I.m sure she will make her feelings known to the house sitter.

[londonrach]

Yanbu and im shocked anyone can think anything else. Im another person who very happy to house sit for 10 days for £600. I might pat the horses noses from the other side of the fence, check water and standing up straight but can inform you wont do anything that involves anything else. They big unpredical animals. Im used to dogs and no way would i approach a dog i dont know. If this was me id be furious. You left this person trusting them to do the duties you paid them for. You need to warn other people as if she does this on your property whats she doing on others? No way would i ever, ever use her if i heard from my neighbours whats shed done!

[PrancingQueen]

Ignore beetroot.
She's a GF and has been doing this on at least one other thread last night.
Sad.

OP, YANBU. I'd be furious.

[prettywhiteguitar]

I would be really really angry at this and certainly turning up at her house to talk to her about a breach of trust.

Any service like this just doesn't work unless they are trustworthy

[Elephantslovetofly]

She must be pretty naive to put photos on Facebook if she doesn't want you to know what she's done. Perhaps she doesn't see that what she has done is wrong?

She sounds ignorant to me. If she claims to be horsey, perhaps she thought she knew enough about them to take them for a ride, although this does not excuse her behaviour - I don't think she should have ridden the horses without explicit permission

I would write and ask why she took the horses out without permission. I would also ask her to remove the photos, particularly if she is using them to promote her business. Perhaps point out that the equipment hadn't been used properly either. Tell her you won't be recommending her to friends

Would be interested to see if she apologises for taking the horses out, or admits that it was stupid and inappropriate

[Momamum]

So the jolly japes with the horse(s) , her boyfriend and boyfriend's children wasn't solely confined to the field but she rode a horse she hadn't had permission to ride, round the village too? and this demonstrates she can be trusted to house/pet sit, just how, please?
Not on, any of it
You say you can't leave a review or comment on her Facebook page, but please consider writing her a formal letter detailing in all ways she's abused her position of trust and why you'll never use her or recommend her to anyone ever again.And keep your copy of it.

Ps bonified gave me my first laugh of the day

[tallulahturtle]

I have just read everything and I would be incandescent with rage that someone would ride my horses without permission, its an absolute no no in the horse world and indeed the regular world too. It is also dangerous, my horse is a psycho in the wrong hands. Privately owned horses are often nothing like what the horses are like in riding schools.

I would be upset and worried about the hats too and you are not being prescious about the saddle. My saddle wasnt cheap either and I like to look after my stuff and the fact that someone has plonked it on and gone for a ride , I would find that extremely disrespectful.
What is it with some people, they see you have a horse and they think they have the right to use it.

Just be glad she didnt fancy taking the horses out for the day in your mums lorry/trailer as from the sounds of this woman she would be too thick/ignorent to think this was wrong too.

I think if your mum needs a house sitter again, I am also available. Also lock that tackroom, my saddle is not insured if not behind fort knox!!

[Veterinari]

Please keep us updated OP. You have every right to be furious. What a stupid and dangerous thing for her to do

[StillStayingClassySanDiego]

I know absolutely nothing about horses but I am aware that they can be unpredictable and nervous. What was this daft woman thinking?

I'd be very pissed off in your (and your Mother's) shoes at the breach of trust and the house sitter's stupidity.