Dont believe i owe this money for horse share.....what do you think?

squirehorse

Not sure if this is the right board but......About 2 years ago i decided to 'share' my horse with a newly made 'friend'. The verbal agreement was thus: We would share 50% of all costs and 50% of all horse care in return for Mrs O (i shall call her) riding when she liked. Soon after we moved my horse to a new yard where we both laid down £50 each deposit and another £54 each for the first months livery. Shortly after (about 18 months ago) Mrs O only ever started paying me for half the livery costs, i was left to pay for all the hay, farrier, Vets and worming ect (probably to the tune of almost a grand over time), mainly because i am a bit of a mug and failed to ask her for the money as she failed to offer it (and as it is my animal i felt most responsible!)!
Anyway things started really deteriorating about 6 months ago, she was letting people visit my horse, ride it without my consent and was changing tack over without me knowing. She then went 'awol' for a couple of weeks leaving me in the lurch (whilst pregnant!) not knowing what was going on and having to take care of a 100% of the tasks, she also claimed she couldn't then do weekday checks as her employment came first! Finally she got in touch and i explained that things weren't working out and i was considering stopping the share. It then turned out that after saying this she went over my head again and arranged for someone i never knew to drive my horse out in a carriage. I found out in time and put a stop to it and then formally announced to Mrs O that the share was over! We NEVER had any formal or even written agreement or contract (yes i know, more fool me!), only ever a verbal agreement.
She has now demanded her £50 deposit back and the full payment for livery for the month of June as, according to Mrs O, "i terminated our agreement mid month". In which case the deposit and the full months rent would only come to about £104, the deposit and half the months rent would only be about £75 - a pathetic amount! Id also like to add that she ruined my tack by not looking after it and not using the saddle cover i asked her to use and has also failed to return a couple of bits of tack she claims she hasnt got. Ive informed her i could argue she in fact owes me £100's for hay, Vets, Farrier ect she failed to pay over the last 18 months or so. She has said if i dont pay her within a month she will take me to the small claims court. I am heavily pregnant and unemployed as i got made redundant in December, (although i run a small animal boarding business which enables me to keep my beloved horse - i dont claim benefits at all!). I dont need the stress and i believe she is doing this out of spite only. I cant believe she can this petty. Does she have a leg to stand on, do i have a leg to stand on!!?? Many thanks for any opinions or help! I dont believe i owe her this money one bit!

R_P_W

i think you should break your post up into paragraphs. Then people might read it and respond....I gave up after about 8 lines!

ineed

I don't think she has a leg to stand on. You had a verbal agreement she would pay other costs so you could counter claim for the cost of hey, vet bills etc. she also damaged your property (tack) and it sounds like she tried to steal your horse? Inform her you will counter claim against her. If she proceeds I think you have a good case.

squirehorse

just stressed and wanted to get all details in.

ineed

This might help you,

http://www.aboutsmallclaims.co.uk/other-party-counterclaim.html

http://www.contractsandagreements.co.uk/law-and-verbal-agreements.html

And this one has a letter template, just change it to reflect a verbal agreement,

http://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/making-a-complaint/taking-a-dispute-to-the-small-claims-court/sample-letter/

Raksha

Try the Pet board, there are plenty of horse shares on there

DVardysShadow

Crossposted https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4104437

I suggest all answers on this thread.

Time_to_face_the_music

Now it's on another post too?

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4104569=

I think the last one may be the best.

Good luck with getting it sorted

tallyhoh

I dont think she has a leg to stand on but thats just my opinion, I would be inclined to say "take me to court" she has to pay to do this

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

It'll cost her more than seventy five quid to get it to court. And she knows this.

Especially if she believes that you will cross claim for all the things she hasn't done/damaged in the period.



It's just bluster.

Wirenth

In the meantime, ensure that the livery yard knows that she isn't to go near your horse.