what would you do? Opinions really appreciated

[CautionToTheWind]

I'm in a bit of a pickle at my yard. I love it there, Holly's been there most of her life and my barn is cosy and basically private, the facilities are great and there's always someone to talk to and its 5 minutes from my house. But I'm having a few problems and I was just wondering what you's would do in my situation. Get a cuppa ready.

Firstly. My barn is tucked away in the corner of the yard, a lot of people don't know its there. It's only a 3 stable barn, shared by me and a man with two horses. He's lovely, we get on really well and it works brill for me because I like my privacy but I don't like to be lonely. However, in the past couple of months I've been having trouble. I've let my "neighbour" borrow my wheelbarrow for since about August times as he seems to no longer have one of his own. But since Holly's been staying in at night our mucking out schedules have been overlapping and it seems its me who's getting stuck (the owner of the wheelbarrow!). Over the past few weeks I've been coming to muck out and finding my wheelbarrow in one of his stables and I've had to use my skip bucket and just skip out (I'm a perfectionist with my stable, so its been a little irritating). I have even tried mucking out at different times but he works shifts and he always seems to be using it. I feel a bit silly for complaining though, Holly hates weeing in her stable so it usually only needs as much as a skip out, but I would prefer to have my wheelbarrow nonetheless. I was a bit annoyed too because I pulled up to the yard one day and found my wheelbarrow abandoned in the middle of the yard, and its a pink barrow so most people know its mine so it looked like it was ME who did it... but it wasn't! Whats even more annoying is my neighbour mucks out for someone else who has a perfectly acceptable wheelbarrow... but because its at the other end of the yard it seems it can't be used. My wheelbarrow is gradually getting poo all the way up the handles because his horsies a er...a tad messy and I really don't appreciate it but I can't really do anything because I told him I was okay using my skip - But I know I only said that because I thought he'd be getting a new barrow pretty soon.

But that's not the last of my problems. Today I came to the yard to find my pink feed bucket outside my barn. But not only was it outside, it has been eaten out of and the person who used it didn't even clean it out. I usually leave my bucket round the side of my stable with my straw, and nobody needs to go that far into my barn unless they're going to my shared tack room. I know it wouldn't have been my neighbour, because he sets out his feeds for the day every morning, plus I know he'd put it back in its place (he did put the barrow back after leaving it in the middle of the yard!) My tack room is shared by me and my neighbour and a lady who used to have one of the stables in my barn (even though her new stable has an attached private tack room). I doubt it was her, because she has no need for it. So I'm really annoyed that someone has been in my stuff and not had the decency to clean my bucket or put it away. I've locked all my belongings away in my tack room even though it seems every man and his dog knows the code.


What would you do with either of these situations? I really am in a pickle and with people now searching my stuff and everything and as a new horse owner and a very uncontroversial person I really don't know what to do that wont make me hated by all!

Thanks to anyone who replies, I really really appreciate it!

[ness]

Its very difficult-but I think I would just give some pretty big hints,rather than coming out and saying you don't want him using your stuff!
You could say 'Oh, you've got it, again!' and make big sighs, etc. Or about the bucket-'someone used my bucket today and didn't wash it out after them!'
not very subtle, but some people need it in big letters!

[Squid]

I'd be upfront. Something along the lines of, I know I said you can use my wheelbarrow but when I'm here I really need to use it myself or something like that. Also maybe put a note in your tack room saying I know your stealing my stuff kind of thing. Maybe even just so they know not to take the Mick.

[lil_legs]

If when.I got down there e was using the arrow I would say something like are you going to be long with the barrow because I really need it. And then drop in something along the lines of is there any chance you could get your own because we seem to be clashing our times and while it wasn't such a huge deal in the summer its getting difficult now its winter.

Your getting to the point and being polite about it. If you get on well he shouldn't be offended and would probably be embarrassed he hadn't realised it was a problem. As for the stuff I would just ensure everything is popped away in a box where nobody has any business going into and see what happens there.

It'd be a shame to move over these things because it sounds that in other ways its perfect for you. these tlpeople probably don't even realise what they are doing, liveries tend to be a bit thick like that. If you lend them one thing they tend to borrow anything and think thats ok.

[Spockky boy]

Originally Posted by Squid

I'd be upfront. Something along the lines of, I know I said you can use my wheelbarrow but when I'm here I really need to use it myself or something like that. Also maybe put a note in your tack room saying I know your stealing my stuff kind of thing. Maybe even just so they know not to take the Mick.

What she said!

[amandaco]

id say to the man
hi X, as my horse is in at night now so i will to have my wheelbarrow back :smile: .he should say (sheepishly) ok thanks for letting me borrow it.

as for your things- prehaps mark them and try to keep them locked away? if it got a problem eg things getting used all the time id say something or leave a note on the items saying they arent available to 'rent' to other people.....

[zoes87]

agree with the "are you going to be long?" hints about the barrow. as for stuff being taken/used, could you not change the combination to your tack room? Or put a note up just saying you don't mind people borrowing your stuff but could they return it as it was found?

[eeek]

I think it would be a shame to move over a relatively minor problem - though I can see this wheelbarrow business would be VERY annoying.

I'd be tempted to say, next time he's using the wheelbarrow when you want it, 'Oh, you've got the barrow again. Don't worry, I'd hate to interrupt your mucking out, but as I'm in a rush would you mind doing my stable when you're done?'

Or just drop a few heavy hints as others have suggested. Or look for a broken old wheelbarrow free, and give it to him as a present. I think he would get the message then.