Back to diy we go

LPL said:
I think you're all mental hahaha I have the choice of keeping my horse at home and he's still on full livery. I hate mucking out. I hate bringing him in and turning out. I hate filling hay nets and water. After wintering both mine on DIY last year I will try my hardest to never go on DIY ever again. My poor boys were out at 6am and back in - last at 6pm in the knee deep mud by the gate waiting for me. Less time for ridingand grooming because I was constantly **** shoveling. Stressing about vets/farrier/dentist visits whilst I'm at work because there's no one to stand with them. Bloody awful.

But I'm really not that precious about my horses/ who brings them in or whether they have the wrong coloured buckets. As long as they are fed, watered, warm and safe I'm happy. But wouldn't it be boring if we were all he same hahaha
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The bucket thing is a big problem for me with full livery. Its not about having the wrong colour bucket, its about having the wrong bucket which has a metal handle for my horse to get his leg stuck in, the wrong bucket which is broken in place of my brand new one or the wrong bucket which was just used by the horse who has just contracted a virus no one is aware about yet...

I belong on DIY, with a bit of assistance if possible :)
 
I can see both sides to this. I run a yard where everyone is on part livery (everything except exercise, tack cleaning and full grooming). Those things are available but paid for separately. I do my very best to follow my clients wishes to the letter. Some are happy for me to make all the decisions (such as which rugs to use or which feed etc.), others want a lot more control. I don't inform owners of every single rub, scratch, bite etc. I inform them if I am concerned or if it needs treating by myself or them or by a vet. Occasionally you get an owner who does want that and I soon know about it. They will say something such as 'I think **** has been bitten, I can feel a lump under his fur.' That kind of thing. And if they are that type of owner then I will inform them of anything I notice within reason, but most are not so worried about every nick and scratch. OP, if you are that type, then why not just ask the YOs to inform you? Most YOs don't want to bother clients with everything that is not significant. The bucket thing would be a problem for me. I like to use my own that are all the same size so they can be cleaned, stacked and carried easily. I would not be happy using all different types of buckets for the horses. I do have different colours of the same feed buckets so that horses receiving medication always have the same ones, and that competition horses also have the same ones. And yes, metal handles are an absolute no no too.

On the other hand, I personally would prefer not to have my horses on full livery because I know what short cuts COULD be taken and how horses COULD receive less than optimum care. I am very careful to treat all horses in my care like I would my own, but I know that not all yards would be the same. I tell my owners to come up any time without letting me know so that they can feel relaxed that their horse is receiving the best of care. I know that is what I would want to do if I had to have a horse on full livery again.
 
I ought to be considering part livery as I'' (hopefully) changing careers which will involve shift work.

But I just can't. Unfortunately I worked for a while on the WORST livery yard ever (in Bracknell... pm me if you want a heads up).

People paid nearly £1000 a month for ther horses there for them to be given the bear minimum of hay, people could pay extra for more hay but they weren't given it, horses rarely went out and if the owner asked to turn them out after they came up, we would be instructed to bring them back in as soon as they left the yard, if part liveries paid extra for their horse to be ridden, the yard owner would rearrange tack to make it look as though they had and then not do it, the ones who were ridden were lucky to have 20 minutes round the block.... needless to say I didn't last long.

So DIY it is. Luckily between me, my partner and a sharer for my older horse I think most days can be covered, and I can pay for someone to turnout and bring in on my yard if need be. Although to be fair mine will live out from March - November so then shifts wouldn't be much hassle and be silly to spend a fortune on part when I'd prefer them out!
 
Ahrena said:
I ought to be considering part livery as I'' (hopefully) changing careers which will involve shift work.

But I just can't. Unfortunately I worked for a while on the WORST livery yard ever (in Bracknell... pm me if you want a heads up).

People paid nearly £1000 a month for ther horses there for them to be given the bear minimum of hay, people could pay extra for more hay but they weren't given it, horses rarely went out and if the owner asked to turn them out after they came up, we would be instructed to bring them back in as soon as they left the yard, if part liveries paid extra for their horse to be ridden, the yard owner would rearrange tack to make it look as though they had and then not do it, the ones who were ridden were lucky to have 20 minutes round the block.... needless to say I didn't last long.

So DIY it is. Luckily between me, my partner and a sharer for my older horse I think most days can be covered, and I can pay for someone to turnout and bring in on my yard if need be. Although to be fair mine will live out from March - November so then shifts wouldn't be much hassle and be silly to spend a fortune on part when I'd prefer them out!
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you should report this yard to BHS or somebody as its not fair on the owners and the HORSES -you can't sit at home and know this is going on and be ok with it??
 
Update for everyone who wished us good luck with the move! Yesterday went perfectly and she's already settling in :) counting my lucky stars that she's so nosy she practically walked into the trailer on her own.
 
Tbh it doesn't sounds like a professional well run yard to me... maybe a better choice in used would have worked out well for you.
 
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