What would you change about your livery yard?

[Lissie]

Unfortunately livery yards can't please everyone, most people tend to decide what's most important to them and then what they're prepared to live without or with. So what you change about where you keep your horses?

I'd change having to feed the riding school/staff horses in the morning, I don't mind doing the liveries but the rest are in the back barn and it adds on an extra 10/15 minutes doing them all rather than just 5 minutes. Also it's the same people first in the week which means we always have to do it while other people don't. Also there is a rota for the weekend, everyone has to take a turn where you have to be up before 8am to put feeds in for everything then go round and do hayents. Personally I think it should be whoever's first in feeds and you shouldn't have to bother with haynets, it takes ages and if you can't be bothered to get up and feed your horse at the weekend you shouldn't have one. I resent feeding and haying the full livery horses when the yard is being paid £110 a week to do it. But all in all I like the yard, there's no bitchiness, the facilities are pretty good and my boys get their own field which is really important for me after having Charlie in a herd and him being kicked all the time.

 

[Jessey]

I'm not on livery as such but the changes I'd make to my yard, first it would be mine (I would own it) if I did I would make some under shelter space with a solid floor for tacking up, bathing, grooming etc and I'd make a different schooling area which would be 20x40 and on flatter ground with better lighting, I could easily do all that myself for a relatively small cost.

 

[Trewsers]

Unfortunately livery yards can't please everyone, most people tend to decide what's most important to them and then what they're prepared to live without or with. So what you change about where you keep your horses?

I'd change having to feed the riding school/staff horses in the morning, I don't mind doing the liveries but the rest are in the back barn and it adds on an extra 10/15 minutes doing them all rather than just 5 minutes. Also it's the same people first in the week which means we always have to do it while other people don't. Also there is a rota for the weekend, everyone has to take a turn where you have to be up before 8am to put feeds in for everything then go round and do hayents. Personally I think it should be whoever's first in feeds and you shouldn't have to bother with haynets, it takes ages and if you can't be bothered to get up and feed your horse at the weekend you shouldn't have one. I resent feeding and haying the full livery horses when the yard is being paid £110 a week to do it. But all in all I like the yard, there's no bitchiness, the facilities are pretty good and my boys get their own field which is really important for me after having Charlie in a herd and him being kicked all the time.

I don't think that sounds fair at all. I wouldn't mind giving a ready-made up feed bucket to horses stabled on the same block as mine but no way would I be happy tying nets up. It's surely what yard staff are paid to do?

 

[Trewsers]

Okay. Here is what I'd change about my own yard.
I'd like another arena - I miss not having one, it's first on my to-do list for next year. I am going to have to do it cheaper than the last one tho. I just don't have £25,000 spare this time!
I would like the byre re-wired and a decent yard light putting up.
I'm wanting another gate further down the drive nearest to the road, so that when we do eventually fence the rest of the land they can still free range and be safer.
I'd like another automatic water feeder in the other field.

 

[Trewsers]

Oh and did I also mention I'd like the rest of the winter grazing post and railing plus a shower putting in and wash off area in the end pig pen barn......and maybe the yard in front of the byre cobbling and perhaps if I'm really pushed I'd make an extra injury paddock next to the front garden where I could keep an eye on them.....ah lots to do, and no money!lol

 

[Lissie]

I don't think that sounds fair at all. I wouldn't mind giving a ready-made up feed bucket to horses stabled on the same block as mine but no way would I be happy tying nets up. It's surely what yard staff are paid to do?

In the week it's just feeds at the weekend it's feeds and haynets. Yeah I don't think it's fair and considering the YO lives onsite it's a bit lazy. I gave a full livery the wrong feed yesterday morning, I apologised to the owner but did say "I suppose the staff will know what feed has the medication in but at the weekend it could be any of the rest of liveries who won't know" He said the horse had missed the medication a few weeks ago because a livery had not put the tablet in. Sorry but if it's not obvious how can we know! Also if I was paying £110 a week and my horse was missing it's medication because diy liveries weren't aware I wouldn't be very happy surely that's what they're paying the yard to do.

 

[Lissie]

Oh and did I also mention I'd like the rest of the winter grazing post and railing plus a shower putting in and wash off area in the end pig pen barn......and maybe the yard in front of the byre cobbling and perhaps if I'm really pushed I'd make an extra injury paddock next to the front garden where I could keep an eye on them.....ah lots to do, and no money!lol

I'd love a hot shower for the horses would be great in winter! You are living my dream lol sounds like a lovely place.

 

[KP nut]

I like our yard but it is over-crowded. About 70 horses!! I'd get rid of at least 20 and rotate the fields round more. I'd make everyone pay for trailer parking and allocate a space to each trailer as sometimes you get back from an event and can't park! I'd stop riding lessons at 6pm weeknights to allow liveries a chance to use the arena and I would also restrict lesson times at the weekends for the same reason. I'd have an arena booking system as at the moment it's a free for all and as arena time is so restricted you basically get loads of people in there. Which is why I ride late! But it's a friendly yard with 24/7/turnout and good facilities. And the YO is lovely.

 

[OwnedbyChanter]

I love my yard been there since we moved to the area but I would change:

Bigger fields (land is expensive round here so I understand but still I would want twice the size I have now)
The skips (we have skips to put poo and bedding in but no ramps to them so you have to wiggle them up and lift its really hard work with a full barrow and people let them spill over and don't clean them up which drives me mad)
The school lights (in the outdoor they are rubbish and we have to pay a £1 for an hour which does not sound a lot but in the winter its an extra £20 a 4 week month!)

 

[Gimp]

definatley the owner... shes a nightmare. Aint that right @Wally !!

 

[squidsin]

The cost!

 

[Mary Poppins]

Why on earth are you feeding and haying horses on full livery? That is nuts!

The only thing I would change is the cost. Oh and I would add an indoor school. And a shower. And a cleaner to clean the toilet. Plus I would like the odd show on site so I didn't have to travel every weekend. And perhaps a slightly bigger stable. Plus I would move the whole yard somewhere that wasn't next to such busy roads, and I would ban all dog walkers from our land. I would also like a sitting room. Not much then!

 

[squidsin]

Unfortunately livery yards can't please everyone, most people tend to decide what's most important to them and then what they're prepared to live without or with. So what you change about where you keep your horses?

I'd change having to feed the riding school/staff horses in the morning, I don't mind doing the liveries but the rest are in the back barn and it adds on an extra 10/15 minutes doing them all rather than just 5 minutes. Also it's the same people first in the week which means we always have to do it while other people don't. Also there is a rota for the weekend, everyone has to take a turn where you have to be up before 8am to put feeds in for everything then go round and do hayents. Personally I think it should be whoever's first in feeds and you shouldn't have to bother with haynets, it takes ages and if you can't be bothered to get up and feed your horse at the weekend you shouldn't have one. I resent feeding and haying the full livery horses when the yard is being paid £110 a week to do it. But all in all I like the yard, there's no bitchiness, the facilities are pretty good and my boys get their own field which is really important for me after having Charlie in a herd and him being kicked all the time.

Why do you have to do it? I'd have thought that would have affected the yard's insurance, tbh. Also if I was paying for a service, I'd be expected it to be delivered by the people I was paying!

 

[GaryB]

I would like:
Somebody to ride with. Only one other person hacks out, and only in walk.
More people around - there is normally only me there all day
More bedding provided. I only get 10kg a week of pellets, not enough for most horses
The whole yard and its hacking moved closer to home (this one could be difficult to arrange)

 

[Trewsers]

In the week it's just feeds at the weekend it's feeds and haynets. Yeah I don't think it's fair and considering the YO lives onsite it's a bit lazy. I gave a full livery the wrong feed yesterday morning, I apologised to the owner but did say "I suppose the staff will know what feed has the medication in but at the weekend it could be any of the rest of liveries who won't know" He said the horse had missed the medication a few weeks ago because a livery had not put the tablet in. Sorry but if it's not obvious how can we know! Also if I was paying £110 a week and my horse was missing it's medication because diy liveries weren't aware I wouldn't be very happy surely that's what they're paying the yard to do.

Yes if I was a full livery and my horse missed supplements because they were't actually using staff to feed I'd have something to say! Can't weigh it up really, YO must not be on the ball about it? Most places where I've been a livery it was always up to staff do everything like that.

 

[Trewsers]

I would like:
Somebody to ride with. Only one other person hacks out, and only in walk.
More people around - there is normally only me there all day
More bedding provided. I only get 10kg a week of pellets, not enough for most horses
The whole yard and its hacking moved closer to home (this one could be difficult to arrange)

That's annoying not having enough bedding. One place I was at was stingy with bedding, they provided it, it was weird like dust almost, not proper shavings and we were only allowed one barrow full from their stores in winter. And they wouldn't allow anyone to use straw - so it was either have a not as good bed or pay for something like Bedmax to top up with.

 

[Lissie]

Why do you have to do it? I'd have thought that would have affected the yard's insurance, tbh. Also if I was paying for a service, I'd be expected it to be delivered by the people I was paying!

I think it's always been like that, it's a yard rule so I suppose if you didn't do it you wouldn't want to be on the yard. A bit annoying as it's either me or another woman who are up first so it's always us doing the morning feeds in the week. I don't think the other people appreciate that it does take a little longer than just sorting your own. (every minute counts at 6am in the morning when you have work to get to) I think the theory behind it is they would have to pay the yard to feed if it wasn't done and it keeps all the horses quiet in a good routine. Then the staff start at 8am, (personally I think they're really lucky to start at 8am where horses are concerned) The staff then turn out 90% of horses meaning the liveries don't need to come up in the morning as they are fed and out. I don't really mind chucking feeds over in the morning as it stops the door kickers etc. It's the weekend rota that annoys me, I think it should be the same first one in chucks feeds over but shouldn't have to hay it takes too long. I also don't see why the back barn of riding school ponies and staff horses should be done because they don't see the others fed so shouldn't set them off. Another 10 horses are going in here so it will be interesting to see what people think.

@Mary Poppins I presume it's because we can't feed the all the otherhorses and just leave them until the staff arrive slightly later as there would be door kicking etc. The YO's house is right next to the barns so she can hear them kicking and lets just say it doesn't go down very well lol!

@Trewsers I'd say the YO is very on the ball and this is her way of free labour in a way. The diyer's have fed the full liveries meaning her staff don't have to start until later as the horses have been fed and hayed thefore she doesn't have to pay them as much. I'd be fuming if my horse was having it's medication messed up because other liveries were feeding. Especially at £110 a week they could be on Somerford for £125! I also be annoyed if my horse wasn't out until 9.30 and in at 12pm but that's another story

 

[Lissie]

I like our yard but it is over-crowded. About 70 horses!! I'd get rid of at least 20 and rotate the fields round more. I'd make everyone pay for trailer parking and allocate a space to each trailer as sometimes you get back from an event and can't park! I'd stop riding lessons at 6pm weeknights to allow liveries a chance to use the arena and I would also restrict lesson times at the weekends for the same reason. I'd have an arena booking system as at the moment it's a free for all and as arena time is so restricted you basically get loads of people in there. Which is why I ride late! But it's a friendly yard with 24/7/turnout and good facilities. And the YO is lovely.

We have the riding lessons problem too, I don't ride until 6-6.30 so it's not too much of a problem as usually only 1 lesson on by then but on Saturdays all day is taken up.

 

[Lissie]

I would like:
Somebody to ride with. Only one other person hacks out, and only in walk.
More people around - there is normally only me there all day
More bedding provided. I only get 10kg a week of pellets, not enough for most horses
The whole yard and its hacking moved closer to home (this one could be difficult to arrange)

Is the bedding included as part of your livery? Could you swap for something else? I have straw and pay £9 a week per horse so £18 for me but that's unlimited so at least means my horses always have big beds.

 

[squidsin]

I think it's always been like that, it's a yard rule so I suppose if you didn't do it you wouldn't want to be on the yard. A bit annoying as it's either me or another woman who are up first so it's always us doing the morning feeds in the week. I don't think the other people appreciate that it does take a little longer than just sorting your own. (every minute counts at 6am in the morning when you have work to get to) I think the theory behind it is they would have to pay the yard to feed if it wasn't done and it keeps all the horses quiet in a good routine. Then the staff start at 8am, (personally I think they're really lucky to start at 8am where horses are concerned) The staff then turn out 90% of horses meaning the liveries don't need to come up in the morning as they are fed and out. I don't really mind chucking feeds over in the morning as it stops the door kickers etc. It's the weekend rota that annoys me, I think it should be the same first one in chucks feeds over but shouldn't have to hay it takes too long. I also don't see why the back barn of riding school ponies and staff horses should be done because they don't see the others fed so shouldn't set them off. Another 10 horses are going in here so it will be interesting to see what people think.

@Mary Poppins I presume it's because we can't feed the all the otherhorses and just leave them until the staff arrive slightly later as there would be door kicking etc. The YO's house is right next to the barns so she can hear them kicking and lets just say it doesn't go down very well lol!

@Trewsers I'd say the YO is very on the ball and this is her way of free labour in a way. The diyer's have fed the full liveries meaning her staff don't have to start until later as the horses have been fed and hayed thefore she doesn't have to pay them as much. I'd be fuming if my horse was having it's medication messed up because other liveries were feeding. Especially at £110 a week they could be on Somerford for £125! I also be annoyed if my horse wasn't out until 9.30 and in at 12pm but that's another story

I'd be really surprised if this didn't affect her insurance though - it suggests to me she might not be insured at all, or not correctly insured to run a commercial livery yard, which would be a worry. You can't have random people handling other people's horses without their permission. If the staff at my yard got one of the other liveries to bring my horse in for me while still expecting me to pay £6 for a random, untrained person to handle my horses, I'd be furious. Who is liable if anything goes wrong? I'm betting she'd blame you.