Christmas on livery yards

The only livery yard I was on that changed for Xmas day was only open early AM for you to muck out ect
And they fed at night and put hay in that you left outside the stable, there was no turn out, they lived on site and wanted a day to themselves
 
We have half the staff in from 8 - 10am and we feed, muck out etc but don't turn out, the horses are left with plenty of hay and then in the afternoon/evening we (the family) feed, skip out and hay. On Boxing Day the staff are in till 1pm and the horses are all turned out for the morning and the family do them later again. New Year follows the same pattern but the staff that were off at Christmas work, the family do both! It might be different if we were a smaller yard but we can have up to 33 horses in.
 
Has varied at the yards I've been at - I've always been on 5 day livery. I'm dependent on public transport and with family abroad usually not around. It makes christmas a slightly stressful time of year.

Yard 1 no cover at all. About 4 of us had bought horses in the previous couple of months and several had planned to be out of the country so huge panic about a fortnight before christmas. It was a big yard with lots of people so we were able to organise it amongst friends.

Yard 2 no cover but friend did my horse Christmas day and i did hers new years day.

Yard 3 cover but for a higher rate.

Yard 4 business as usual

Current yard no cover at all. Complicated by the fact I now have 2 horses and it's a small yard so it's a bigger ask for favours. Luckily someone on the yard is happy to make a bit of money at Christmas and I pay well over the usual rate.

I know of some full livery yards who charge extra for these days but the money goes directly to the staff as a bonus.
 
I run a small livery yard - 8 boxes with DIY, Part & Full liveries. I charge double for any extra duties that I have to do on Christmas day and Boxing day. The horses all go out as normal. It is only me, no other staff, and I have my 4 to do as well so will definitely be there!
 
I am on 7 day part livery so everything apart from grooming and riding.

Xmas day will be the same as usual for my pony. He will get turned out at about 7.30 but he may stay out a bit later, he normally comes in at about 2.30-3pm, so those who are working and catching in and doing evening feeds can go and have their xmas lunch without having to rush back. They make up extra haynets the day before so that cuts down on some work and those who are Assisted DIY or 5 day part livery will do their own horses.

My family don't live locally and the only time we get together is xmas so I am always away for four days at xmas so being on part livery where xmas is included is a big relief from the days when I was on DIY and relying on friends for help.
 
My lot (all full livery, albeit grasskept) get exactly the same care as they get every other day of the year. They don't know it's Christmas. If any owners want to come and help, I won't say no, but essentially, it's business as usual
 
I generally think it is fine for yards to offer no service on Christmas Day so long as this is clear to the owners from the outset. Springing it on people last minute really isn't fair! Although that said, I need to check what the deal is on my yard as I now live at the other end of the country to my parents and am planning on spending Christmas with them. I think it will be business as usual as ponies live out so only need feeding, and they are on grass livery anyway, but I'd better check!
 
I'm on full livery and have to muck out and bring in on both Christmas Day and Boxing Day (without any discount on my bill for doing so) also the same would apply on New Years Day but I am away and will be charged an extra £25 for the yard to sort him out on top of my full livery bill :(
 
I am on part DIY (YO will throw in feeds etc. and check on them) and on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and NY and NYE they will do breakfast feeds.

Yard is open from 9am-7pm (I believe) so it is up to us to come and do them as usual, and we can take as much or as little time as we want, but there's no full livery so if you're away you have to find someone else who would be able to do them on the yard.

I live a 15 minute walk away, so it's not too bad for me! I found last christmas I was able to get mucked out, feeds done and ride for about half an hour (as well as walking there and back again) in under 2 hours.

Last year YO said she would do nets/dinner feeds when she went to lock up and do checks for anyone who asked for them to be done. If she can't do it this year, I'll probably pop down to do it myself.

We usually are notified in advance about christmas and NY arrangements but generally they're usually the same :)
 
Current (Part/Full) yard doesn't turn out on Xmas, Boxing or NY day. Liveries can t/o and bring in if they wish. Any extra muckouts are charged at an inordinate rate to deter their over use which I can understand.
There is only 1 member of staff on and once morning chores are done they can go home for lunch before coming back to do afternoon chores but they don't get paid any extra despite us paying around £15 for extra muck outs - I would like to see at least most of this money go direct to the staff that is doing the work but hey-ho that's why I'm not running a livery yard.
Previous yard was smaller but we used to pay a £10 per day supplement for normal routine to continue on Xmas/Boxing/New Years Day. I didn't mind paying except the YO described it as her "little present from all of us to her".
 
If your yard is full livery and people pay full livery all year round why would you then sting them for what to them is a standard service?

If it's DIY/Assisted/Whatever and they ask for livery on bank holidays then yes, I'd hike the price up for the premium days - like any store paying for ppl to work bank hols.
 
Flora said:
Do yards that offer full livery on yards at christmas, just carry on as normal, with normal charges? I run a yard and just treat christmas as another day, therefore I don't have a christmas, but I am reading that most yards treat it differently. Is this the norm?
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Well I am part livery so everything done for the owners (everything but tack cleaning and riding)

I carry on as normal all through Xmas as what's Christmas to me !!! I have to work all through Christmas so its normal working days here, I don't like Christmas anyway so i don't mind.

The only difference here is they stay in Christmas day so enables me and my hubby to go to my family for Xmas lunch then back to normal on Boxing day

People say what you doing for Xmas?? I say working what else!!!!

or

Did you have a nice Xmas?? I say must have missed it as I worked every day
 
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I provide all liveries with a full price list with the livery contract. This includes exactly which days are charged at higher rates. I also do a group email about a month before asking if any services are required on those dates and have the price list attached to said email.
 
Current yard turnout but only till 1 and are charging dIY'ers 5 times their daily rate should they need assistance.

I'm assisted livery but can't see how I can get around not having to go to the yard twice to either turnout:bring in and skip out later in the evening. Imagine a rank stable after 19 hours of standing in.
 
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