Assisted in summer and part livery in winter?

[TealH0rse]

Hi all

I’ve not been a livery before, but will be in the next year or two. The yard I’m familiar with offers assisted diy (turnout and bring in during winter, hay and haylage included, 1x bale shavings per week during winter period) and part (all of above plus muck out 5x a week and an extra shavings per week. Option to have turnout/bring in through summer too but no cost adjustment for this and most people leave theirs out all summer).

The horses live out 24/7 in summer. Would any yard owner actually agree to a livery being on assisted for the summer and on part in the winter? Want to check it’s not cheeky before I ask! It’s a £200+ difference in cost and I won’t need any services during the summer - the only reason I need part in the winter is because I don’t finish work in time for mucking out before they come in.

 

[JBM]

Unsure if they would agree as summers usually when they make their money as winter it’s usually breaking even or small profits as eat much more hay/haylage and more labour costs

 

[[153312]]

Yeah it would be fine to ask, shorter days and less likelihood of horses living out 24/7 in winter mean a lot of people are in the same/similar boat re. work hours

 

[awelshandawarmblood]

I wasnt able to mix packages - as above they like to make money back over summer - when you don't need hay & bedding. So I went DIY & paid added assistance which was cheaper. I'm not on livery now so not sure if things have changed.

 

[Auslander]

I wouldn't allow this on my yard, as I absolutely rinse the coffers dry in winter with hay/feed/bedding - so summer is when my finances recover. My liveries pay the same amount all year round so that I can keep livery prices reasonable.

 

[Barton Bounty]

I would just go DIY with assistance if required. Livery yards really dont make huge profits so its only fair to pay the same amount all year round. ?

 

[mavandkaz]

No yard I've ever been on has allowed this. You stay on the same package all year.
The yards recoup their money in the summer as spread costs over the whole year. Not to mention they have to pay staff all year.

 

[Leandy]

I don't see it is unreasonable to ask, but you may not get! Just don't imply they are trying to fleece you when you ask!

 

[AntiPuck]

My previous yard was fine with this, you'll just have to ask and see

 

[ycbm]

My livery quote in October was specifically on the basis that he stays on full livery all summer but is only brought in during the day for a few hours, but I guess there's no harm in asking, nicely.
.

 

[HashRouge]

Mine seems to allow this, but she's quite new to running a livery yard so may change I guess!

 

[TealH0rse]

Thanks everyone, seems there’s no harm in asking. Unfortunately can’t do DIY and add services on as they have a limit on services each week. Wouldn’t mind as much if it wasn’t such a big difference in price (£350 compared to £550) for the same service in summer.

For those mentioning making up costs in summer - surely many yards lose out doing it this way if liveries leave during spring? Not meaning to sound confrontational, just doesn’t make sense to have a flat rate all year in the hopes that liveries will stay to make it up during the summer. I’d only really be willing to pay a flat rate if the service stays the same every month or the facilities are worth paying upwards of 500 for (many other yards near me keep the same routine year round).

 

[Alibear]

There are not enough yards/space to hop between summer and winter. Also, that would mean they would need more staff to manage more horses over winter and that's not easy/possible to do.

 

[Afon_34]

Thanks everyone, seems there’s no harm in asking. Unfortunately can’t do DIY and add services on as they have a limit on services each week. Wouldn’t mind as much if it wasn’t such a big difference in price (£350 compared to £550) for the same service in summer.

For those mentioning making up costs in summer - surely many yards lose out doing it this way if liveries leave during spring? Not meaning to sound confrontational, just doesn’t make sense to have a flat rate all year in the hopes that liveries will stay to make it up during the summer. I’d only really be willing to pay a flat rate if the service stays the same every month or the facilities are worth paying upwards of 500 for (many other yards near me keep the same routine year round).

You say that like people move yards every year (I know some do however!) If people find a good yard, they stay there.
I think it it common & fair that the price stays the same all year round other wise it'd be low in summer but then the price would be seen as extortionate in the winter.

 

[Bobthecob15]

We are part livery but we do get a discount over the summer if we poo pick the fields ourselves ? £9 a week discount which definitely helps! Haha

 

[Fieldlife]

Thanks everyone, seems there’s no harm in asking. Unfortunately can’t do DIY and add services on as they have a limit on services each week. Wouldn’t mind as much if it wasn’t such a big difference in price (£350 compared to £550) for the same service in summer.

For those mentioning making up costs in summer - surely many yards lose out doing it this way if liveries leave during spring? Not meaning to sound confrontational, just doesn’t make sense to have a flat rate all year in the hopes that liveries will stay to make it up during the summer. I’d only really be willing to pay a flat rate if the service stays the same every month or the facilities are worth paying upwards of 500 for (many other yards near me keep the same routine year round).

Strange logic. The really good yards tend to be in short supply with waiting lists. I think they’d soon catch on

It costs a lot to ensure there is sufficient grass for horses to live out half the year and have day turnout all winter.

Those only offering day turnout all year have lower land costs to bear.

I value turnout for my horses, as typically the more the happier they are as long as land and care is well managed.

 

[TealH0rse]

Strange logic. The really good yards tend to be in short supply with waiting lists. I think they’d soon catch on

It costs a lot to ensure there is sufficient grass for horses to live out half the year and have day turnout all winter.

Those only offering day turnout all year have lower land costs to bear.

I value turnout for my horses, as typically the more the happier they are as long as land and care is well managed.

My logic is that the stable, grass care and turnout is the same for both liveries and those on DIY. In fact, the horses are in herds together regardless of what livery they’re on. In terms of actual services, it doesn’t make sense that a yard wouldn’t discount if somebody is not using the services which make the difference between DIY and part for 6 months


I can understand the position of making up costs from winter, but the reasonings relating to grass care or turnout do not make sense as DIYs get the exact same service for their lower fees.

 

[TealH0rse]

You say that like people move yards every year (I know some do however!) If people find a good yard, they stay there.
I think it it common & fair that the price stays the same all year round other wise it'd be low in summer but then the price would be seen as extortionate in the winter.

Certainly don’t mean every year and thought that would be obvious. People leave at various times, I’m merely saying that those who do leave would surely cause a huge profit loss and the yards which do maintain the same routine year round for the same price would surely make no profit if this was the case?

 

[DeliaRides]

Our yard is one bill for actual yard (stable/haylage/bedding/arena/field etc.) and a separate bill for livery services which is fully pay as you go, you just tick on a list every week the services you need. It is run by a very good team of freelancers who are also stabled there (and you aren't really supposed to have your own freelancer on to do livery services for you), and works well. I guess they have less work in summer, I don't know! We only moved there in early December. But I think the difference is that it is a separate business, so the yard itself makes money on what it provides and those charges are year round, and the freelancers run a separate business together which must work for them.

I mention it because it's not an uncommon set up round here, when we were looking for yards to move to there were several that worked this way, and it sounds like something like this would work for you.

 

[ycbm]

I can understand the position of making up costs from winter, but the reasonings relating to grass care or turnout do not make sense as DIYs get the exact same service for their lower fees.

The sense is that if you don't pay the same all year round you'll have to pay 50% more in winter.
.

 

[TealH0rse]

Our yard is one bill for actual yard (stable/haylage/bedding/arena/field etc.) and a separate bill for livery services which is fully pay as you go, you just tick on a list every week the services you need. It is run by a very good team of freelancers who are also stabled there (and you aren't really supposed to have your own freelancer on to do livery services for you), and works well. I guess they have less work in summer, I don't know! We only moved there in early December. But I think the difference is that it is a separate business, so the yard itself makes money on what it provides and those charges are year round, and the freelancers run a separate business together which must work for them.

I mention it because it's not an uncommon set up round here, when we were looking for yards to move to there were several that worked this way, and it sounds like something like this would work for you.

This would be perfect. Unfortunately livery around me is either DIY only or the yards have rules where you can’t add on too many services each week.

Sounds like a lovely yard!