a livery yard which would you prefer?

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ghostie

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sorry, I have totally done this subject to death, but which of the two would you pick (nothing better availabe so has to be one of the two, believe me I've looked endlessly!)

Yard one

Private yard with 25 liveries. One massive outdoor school and one indoor school. Covered horsewalker. About half a day turnout in summer, a few hours ever day in winter in sacrifice paddock, but also use of a bark turnout pen so they can have a half hour run around and a roll if you prefer not to put them in sacrifice paddocks. Essentially you choose between bark, field or walker. Some off road hacking, other hacking available with a little bit of roadwork on busy roads. Yard is run to an obsessively clean and tidy standard with lots of rules - I know this would bug some people, but I think that side of it has its benefits e.g. own locker, own locked tack area, must remove muddy boots before using toilet, must have your own mug and keep it clean, must tidy up after yourself. I have never seen such immaculate beds in my life :D

Yard two

Busyish riding school with 20 liveries. One outdoor school and one indoor school. Horsewalker but you have to pay extra. 8 hours turnout in the summer, half a day three days a week in the winter - no option for turnout pen or anything although could pay for him to be freeschooled to stretch his legs or go on walker. Amazing hacking with no roadwork required (50 miles of surfaced tracks, plus numerous bridle paths and a private estate to ride around. People seem lovely but have heard rumours they can be a bit slapdash sometimes e.g. not putting supplements in consistently.

Opinions gratefully received - thank you!
 
The amazing off roading hacking would probably sway me!, but then I would have to think about the costs and locality as well so quite alot to weigh up.
 
neither I would carry on looking even if I had to drive further out the lack of turnout on both yards would bother me!

However, if I had to probably the second one
 
I would love to hold out for a yard with more turnout, but it is impossible. I live on the East London/ Essex border and am reliant on public transport for medical reasons. To get better turnout I would have to travel two hours each way to the yard, which would mean only seeing him at weekends, I have tried everything to find a better option including advertising, calling every vet and farrier in the area to see if anyone knows of anywhere and doing satelitte searches on google to look for sand schools and turning up at random houses to ask.

Cost and travel time to both yards are pretty much the same, i guess I can't decide which turnout is a better arrangement.
 
Those that wouldn't because of the turnout, what would you do in my position? I have spent days and many tears trying to find him a better yard, but these are the best I can do. I am So upset about it and feel like such a failure for not being able to solve the problem no matter how much time and money I throw at it ;(
 
If i had to at a push i woild go with the second as the hacking is great and it will sort of balance turn out.......but i would keep looking as turnout is a must.
 
If it was me, instead of just googling for sand schools I'd be finding out who owned every field in the vicinity, & know you don't drive but see if you could arrange a driver one day to go & visit every small private yard too on the off chance they take livery. I can think of loads of yards near me that never advertise & don't have schools but do take liveries. That said, turnouts more important to me than facilities so its just my opinion, all anyone can do is their best.
 
littlelegs said:
If it was me, instead of just googling for sand schools I'd be finding out who owned every field in the vicinity, & know you don't drive but see if you could arrange a driver one day to go & visit every small private yard too on the off chance they take livery. I can think of loads of yards near me that never advertise & don't have schools but do take liveries. That said, turnouts more important to me than facilities so its just my opinion, all anyone can do is their best.
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This. Ask around farms too.
 
It depends what you do with your horse. Personally it would be yard 1 for me. I don't do much hacking and seeing as it sounded like you were wanting full livery it sounds like he would be well looked after
 
I'd be tempted by the first yard as I like high standard places, and like the sound of the indivdual storage etc. I would be put off by the lack of hacking, but am spoilt where I am!

The second yard sounds better re hacking and turnout in summer - in winter it depends on how often you would ride etc on the days where he wouldn't be turned out. I think the summer turnout is more important, but would like some daily turnout.. I would definately have him turned out in the school too as well as riding. The offputting bit is that it is a busy riding school, so you may not get to use the facilities at weekends and evenings and there would be lots of people around all the time..

Depends what things are important to you...
 
Whereabouts are you exactly? I'm in Romford-ish and I can think of at least half a dozen yards (probably a lot more, I don't have my own horse so not really ''in the loop'') in the immediate surrounding area, (Havering atte Bower/Stapleford Abbotts). I don't know what they are all like, but might be able to offer something better if you are nearby? I'm pretty sure next to none of them have websites, if that is how you have been looking some may have slipped through the cracks!

PM me if you would like some names, can't help much with numbers though!

x
 
:confused: Call me a purist if you will, but I really don't understand the thinking behind providing a livery yard without adequate turn out for the horses. They're massive herbivores. They need to be outside, wandering about, eating grass. They can be as tidy as they like but they are missing the point. To me it smacks of greed and I wouldn't take my horse there or anywhere where there wasn't adequate turnout.
 
I would want more turnout than that. Personally neither (I'd rather just have a field than either of those turnout options)

If life or death the second one.
 
door knock, stop people when you see them out hacking, even approach people in the local tack shop and ask where they keep there horses - very few places actually advertise on the internet
 
Neither due to lack of turnout, but if I had to choose between the two and there was no other option I'd go for yard 2 because of the hacking.
 
Neither - turnout would be my main priority and neither yards offfer enough. Limited turnout is OK if you are going to exercise EVERY day - I can not commit to that much.
 
If i was forced to choose between the 2 and my horse was good in traffic id say 1, i find a yard with well established rules and high standards has less hassles. A riding school at 2nd yard would have any number of people raking around, especially as your description of the management is a bit hit or miss, but if your horse is not good on traffic, obviously the second is better
Tbh neither are ideal for turnout so if you can, keep looking
 
ghostie said:
Those that wouldn't because of the turnout, what would you do in my position? I have spent days and many tears trying to find him a better yard, but these are the best I can do. I am So upset about it and feel like such a failure for not being able to solve the problem no matter how much time and money I throw at it ;(
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I don't know what the answer is - but you need to think "outside the box". Some ideas are:-

What about a sharer who has the yard and facilities and you can visit/ride/etc once or twice a week.

What about moving to a more rural area and commuting to work?

Horse has to come first.
 
ghostie said:
Those that wouldn't because of the turnout, what would you do in my position? I have spent days and many tears trying to find him a better yard, but these are the best I can do. I am So upset about it and feel like such a failure for not being able to solve the problem no matter how much time and money I throw at it ;(
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Don't get upset about it. You'll sort something out :) I would suggest you take him to whichever you yard you prefer as a short term measure (assuming you need to move now or you wouldn't be worrying about it?) and then you'll have time to cast around for something with more turnout. It isn't going to kill him in the short term (or even in the long term of course!) and it will take the pressure off you knowing he has somewhere to live. Then you can ring round/etc in your own time.
 
Depends on what you like to do when riding?

If you hack more than school then yard 2 would be better. If you school allot and not much hacking then yard 1.

However if yard 1 has comps etc then how much time would you get to use the schools, do they have a rota to when you can use the school or is a free for all so how much schooling would you get to do? Therefore go for the hacking as well as a school which is yard 2 again.

Depends if you and your horse like a relaxed yard or do you prefer the stricter style of yard management? Some people get annoyed by the over bearing yard managers and others would like their YM to be more involved and take on their YM responsibilities.

Turnout is bad on both yards but i understand that in your area turnout on any yard is at a premium so it's good to see that both yards take their paddock maintenance seriously.

Why don't you go to both yards and have a tour with the YM, try and chat to the liveries and get a feel for what they are like. You don't have to like everyone but so many people move to yards and hate going to see their horse because of the other liveries.

See if others on the yard have the same interests, no point moving to a yard and then moan there is never anyone to hack out with or they are always getting in the way of you training for an event?

A yard choice is too personal to expect forum users who have never seen the yards or know what you need/want to make decisions...but i would go for yard 1 :D:D
 
ghostie said:
Those that wouldn't because of the turnout, what would you do in my position? I have spent days and many tears trying to find him a better yard, but these are the best I can do. I am So upset about it and feel like such a failure for not being able to solve the problem no matter how much time and money I throw at it ;(
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I do understand - I'm a fair bit further east then you - and even if you go to a 2 hour commute into London as I have getting every day turnout especially in winter is nearly impossible. Those not in the South East really don't understand how much land has been converted into housing in the last 10 - 15 years and just how far commuter land stretches outside of London. Also, most of Essex is on clay (suck your boots off and knacker tendons type clay) which means that a large proportion of the already limited available grazing is unusable for 6 - 8 months of the year. It is normal in this part of the country for their to be NO T/O at all from October to April and YO boast about having the facility to turnout while you muck out for 30 minutes as if that is something wonderful! Yards with 20 stables and 5 acres are far from unusual. It's so bad that my 2 retirees are 70 miles away on retirement livery just so they can live out, not by choice I will add, it was the nearest reliable 24/7 TO I could find. Nor will I have another horse while I still live in Essex - I can't find anywhere that I would want to keep one.

FWIW OP I would go with Yard 1 assuming that your horse is ok in traffic. Bad/slack management scares me especially if you wouldn't be the only person handling your horse.
 
What a difficult position for you ghostie. I think jesstickle ,akes a good point - for for the one that fits best for now and gives you the best 'feel'. Summer is coming so turnout not too bad for a while. And once you get into the area I'd be surprised if you don't hear about loads of other yards in the area that you could move to. I found my first yard because it had a website but I've found sooooo many since then, just from being in the area and knowing horsey folk. Shame you can't come to south herts - loads around here I could recommend with year round turnout.

But I also know that turnout isn't ideal in your area so you have to do the best you can. Sharers could help keep,him exercised too. Best of luck whatever you choose :). You know you and your horse best so go with your gut!
 
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