Access to your horses on a livery yard

[minkymoo]

Our yard has restrictions but tbh, I've never really noticed them. I used to be up there at 6 to muck out or ride before work and more often than not we'd stay & have a beer in the summer and a get together. If you're competing and need to be early or late you'd let the yo know anyway so it's never been an issue.

Surely it all boils down to manners? I've only ever knocked on yo door when I've wanted to chat about something important (report back on what a vet has said & about selling my horse) and have been invited in and given a cup of tea. That all said, my yo is often around and everyone knows when her day off is so it just isn't ever a problem.

I am finding many of the responses from both sides just weird and am very glad I'm on such a great yard with a great yo!

 

[micramadam]

Our yard is supposed to be open from 08.00 to 10:00 but in reality we can go at any time. The gates are locked before and after those times but the owner told us where the keys where if we needed to go outside of the opening times which is mainly when we are competing. Owner is actually very laid back about it as long as everything is locked up and lights out when we leave.
Was a godsend when Ruby was ill last winter cos I was checking on her at 23:00, 03:00 and again at 07:00. Owner even got up one morning and took Ruby in the trailer to the university hospital at 4 in the morning. Was the last time he saw her.
Because it is so relaxed, all the owners are relaxed as they not rushing about trying to fit everything in in a short space of time, there's no bitchin, no thieving and we all help and support each other looking after horses when others are on holiday of a horse is sick. Great yard, is an absolute tip with farm machinery everywhere and not many facilities but we all love it!

 

[SO1]

I don't know what time the yard opens but it shuts at 9pm which is normally reasonable if you got delayed by 15 minutes or so then I am sure YO would not mind and most people are very quiet and respectful. I think it sometimes depends on what sort of people you have on the yard, I can understand if you have a group of people who socialise at the yard till late when they have finished their jobs and that could be annoying as they could go elsewhere to do that.

I also think if you are on DIY yard where the YO does not offer a late night checking service there needs to be a bit more flexibility. If your horse has been unwell then you might want to stay a bit later to check they were ok and as long as you are quiet and respectful then I don't see a problem with that.

I think how a YO runs their business is up to them including opening hours but they do need to be honest with clients so people can make an informed choice when deciding to come to a yard or not, it also nice if they can be a bit flexible to account for emergencies and unusual circumstances for example if someone had qualified for a big championships and that involved getting back a bit later than normal or setting off a bit earlier than usual.

 

[Queenbee]

I'm on a yard that has no restrictions... In the sense that I've never been told of any and never witnessed any... Essentially I don't mind the idea of a general restriction... But would strongly be opposed to, and ignore any restriction that stopped me going up to my horse any time of the day or night if he was ill... But then I'm very lucky as I know my yo would never expect that. My caravan is kept at my yard, and I know that if I needed to stay there, I would be welcome, as it is I often stay till about 8 - 8.30pm.... If my horse was ill, nothing would stop me being by his side

 

[Spring Feather]

Hehe SF that is almost as bad as random people from the internet you have never met turning up and inviting themselves to stay xx

Loved having you stay! You are such a load of fun and fitted in a treat :smile3:

thats ridiculous - one yard we were on the yo had a fairly open house policy, you knocked and went in to try and find her. I always felt so uncomfortable just walking into her house, never mind havign a shower etc!

Wouldn't have been so bad if I did run an open door policy but I don't! My normal liveries knock on the door and wait till I answer it.

How on earth did she get into your house?

My door is never locked; I don't even know where the keys are. No one where I live locks their doors so it's not unusual, it is however unusual for people to just wander in and have a shower!

 

[Fides]

My view is that if you cannot fit your horse in around your lifestyle then the horse should be on assisted/part/full livery. No everone's lifestyle or finances fits with having a horse - no matter how fantastic the dream is.

But livery yards closing on Sundays - that's just ludicrous...

 

[MS123]

My yard is open from 6.00- 21.00 during the week, and 6.00-18.00 at the weekends. If horse is ill/ if your competing outside of those hours then YO will make allowances. I'm on part livery though (7-day), so those times suit me. YO lives on site- her house/ yard, her rules.

 

[ebonyallen]

I have known of this in other yards but we are very lucky and really are allowed to come and go anytime that we wish. The gate is locked when they go to bed, and if we are there first we know where the key is hidden and just open up and go in. Its the next best place to having your own yard

 

[mightymammoth]

Ours isn't restricted but at the same time I respect it's their property and home so I wouldn't turn up at ten at night without a text to say I was going up and if that was ok.

 

[chestnut cob]

Ours has no official restrictions but it is a small private yard where YO lives (basically has her horses at home plus a couple of liveries) so we are all respectful of this. In winter when they are stabled I tend not to go up before 7am unless absolutely necessary but YO really wouldn't care - she routinely tells me off for not riding enough before work in winter, and that if I have to ride in the dark at 6am I should! Everyone tends to be gone by about 6.30-7pm in winter, if as late as that. It's a bit different in summer as they're out 24/7; it's rare for anyone to be there before 8am in summer and everyone is gone by 8-9pm (9pm being absolute latest if you've ridden really late one evening after work). She doesn't mind people coming up v early (ie, I was there at 5.30am on Sat for a competition) or back late if you've been to a comp, as long as you let her know and just use common sense about not making noise or being there later than needed.

 

[diamonddogs]

Our YO lives on site, and there are three gates from the road to the yard, only the yard gate being beyond the house. The last off is expected to lock all three unless directed otherwise, and if you're going up very late (to check on a sick horse for example) or you're sitting up with a sick horse you're expected to let them know when you arrive and when you leave, which I don't think is unreasonable, specially as the security lights are very bright and obviously it would worry them if you just turned up unannounced.

Otherwise, no problems at all - I wouldn't go to a yard that put restrictions on visiting times.

 

[bouncing_ball]

I've just left a yard that opening and closing times - which I found perfectly reasonable. Those working there have lives too. Opening at 7am and closing at 8pm in the week or 6pm on weekends. Arrangements made in advance for those competing and never been a problem. Workers deserve some peace and privacy too

That works fine if you live and work close to the yard, and work 9-5 hours. Those that commute longer distances to work or work longer hours, will struggle to ride / look after horses within those time frames.

I need to leave yard by 7.50am latest (having ridden), and rarely get to yard before 6.45pm, depending on the day wanting to ride, possibly both horses.

 

[Blurr]

My view is that if you cannot fit your horse in around your lifestyle then the horse should be on assisted/part/full livery. No everone's lifestyle or finances fits with having a horse - no matter how fantastic the dream is.

But livery yards closing on Sundays - that's just ludicrous...

I think people are managing to fit their horses in around their lifestyle, once they find a yard with the right opening hours. If people are prepared to get up at 4.30 am to see to their horses at 5.30am before work to fulfil their childhood dream, what's the problem? You might not be prepared to do that, but plenty are. Without them, there'd be a lot more horses looking for homes. Perhaps it's not ideal, but nor is life, on the whole. We make the best. As for assisted/part/full - I for one have horses because not only do I love horses, but I also love the work they entail and the relationship you get with them by taking care of them. I don't have them to pay for someone else to have the enjoyment of them. I don't get why you'd want to deny that dream to people, what if your circumstances change? Will you sell yours if you cannot fit in your narrow parameters?

 

[montanna]

I am on a full livery yard, hours we are allowed on are 7am - 7pm. This is relaxed in the summer however - often down til 8.30pm+. YO is absolutely fine if you are running late/at a show/vets/farrier/back lady etc! Just need to write it in the diary or let them know beforehand.

We are all v.respectful of them, their house is onsite after all, and they deserve some privacy!

 

[sunleychops]

I dont think there is any time we have to be there after in the morning, Im there at half 6 some days and in the summer earlier to ride to miss the heat!

I think its 9 to be off the yard by ideally, Obviously if horse is pretending to die like he often does we can pop up every few hours no problem at all

 

[Jsye]

My yards new summer opening times are 6.15am to 8.30pm
Yard owner lives on site. I think she's changed the times are a few were starting to take the p*** staying down until 10pm on a regular basis.

I totally understand the opening times as they live on site very close to the stables but I'd say 8.30 is a tad early especially for those who don't finish work until 7pm.
Though I'm sure she is quite lenient with the cases of an ill horse or other circumstance. Her number is on the opening times board for anyone who needs access outside the set times.