Just realised I edited the OP and removed the info / background and reason for asking about information sorry.
Had to move horses recently as a short-term, temporary measure due to issues we had on our land which needs considerable work and just wasn't safe so I was lucky to find someone only a few miles away that had space and offered to let us move in straight away.
Lovely little yard only 5 or 6 stables and I got on well with the YO and his daughter (both live on site) but from the day we moved this one woman was a particularly unpleasant and consistent pain in my arse. First week she was away I had a very quiet, hushed friendly heads up about her from the YO and another lass on the yard about her being very direct, blunt, just saying whatever she thinks and it tends to upset people. She's a qualified instructor and then talk of how she won't stand for nonsense and God in Heaven she soon put that horse of hers straight and got that attitude out of him... The more he talked the more I was sure we'd be unlikely to end up besties so I'd give her a wide berth and very little to work with over and above a civil, friendly polite sort of thing.
From the first day she did the weirdest things almost daily i.e. going in and out the stables, dicking around moving water buckets from one side the the other, re-hanging hay nets, putting on head collars or taking them off – just random stuff.
Twice I've seen her crack her own horse right round the face for nothing and it was far too casual for my liking. I don't care, criticise or jump in with any opinions about how people treat and handle horses but it showed she is quite happy to casually, almost effortlessly whack a horse in full view of everyone and I don't want her anywhere near mine with that attitude.
Then one night when it was forecast -2 and I bobbed back down just to do last checks, make sure they warm, settled and they weren't in the stable. She'd decided to just turn them out all night – naked and without a reason or a single word. This sort of thing carried on and I spoke with the YO but it wasn't tackled then one morning earlier this week she couldn't help herself.
Stomped over telling me I'm not feeding one horse enough and she's “had” to go in and give him extra hay and take the net away from the other who is far too fat and she had a duty of care to report horses whose owners are not providing them with suitable care...
That got my attention. I knew she was a self-employed instructor, had a reputation and fondness for bullying which nobody dared challenge and ordinarily she wouldn't bother me but citing a professional duty of care, pulling rank and accusing me of all this shit I just wasn't having it
Gave her several reasons why she can't justify anything, why her behaviour and conduct has been so appalling it placed both at even greater risk. One has a diagnosed condition, takes meds daily and the other has been steadily losing weight since I got him.
She of all people knows you can't go round feeding horses and turning them out / bringing them in or deciding to do as and when but she made it even worse using her professional qualification to throw her weight about even more.
Scuttled off and has since been very quiet but I wanted to know if she - even as a self-employed / freelance / private riding instructor or otherwise - is still bound by a professional duty of care and requirements and responsibilities.
Lot of uncertainly and I think much depends on if, how and in what way she offers her services but when I do know anything more helpful I'll update.
Sorry for the confusion I forgot about having edited the original post.
