Cons of putting your horse in a working livery?

[SadKen]

Another 'never again' from me.

My mare worked every day except monday, and I worked from 6am to 8pm on Saturday and Sunday to reduce the livery costs on a yard of 28 - doing almost everything, including leading lead rein kids for 6 hours a day both days. I could ride when she wasn't being used, or on the advanced lesson (for free). This was so rare that I could only really ride for an hour a day at the weekend, and I couldn't go during the week as I was a kid myself and it was miles away as it was a family member's yard.

Worked out after she was sold that we'd got £6 off the livery a week for that. We were paying £52 a week in 1990.

My mare was very fit as a result of the work, I don't think the level of work did her any harm at all and would prefer to do this much with current girl if I had the time. However, she (at about 13.3hh, very heavy cob type) had to carry everyone including a special needs girl who was at least 18stone - she was puffing and blowing going round the school. There were two other plump women who were far too big who also rode her, I told my mum who read the riot act and at least stopped that.

Worst incident re tack was when one of the plump ladies received a monthly visit from aunt flo on my synthetic saddle, and didn't clean it up. At 12, the last thing you want to be doing is scrubbing someone else's period out of your saddle. Urgh.

 

[dianchi]

Worked for me, I took my new purchased TB mare to college with me, in the first week she had dumped 6 numpties and was only allowed to be used in Degree lessons and above for riding.
The two hours a day was only ever 1 hour of ridden work but was stable management lessons in the other, however I would say she was probably only used for 3 hours ridden a week in the end.
It worked for me as having her at home when college was an hour away didn't fit in the day, she was kept fit-ish (they didn't like them super fit) we had comps at the college I could compete in and I could still ride almost every day.
Also meant that I got lessons on her for free!
I did struggle with the management side of things and did keep topping up her hay as she wasn't given adlib, but as I was on the yard a lot I could keep her munching.

It worked for us and gave us a good grounding, also very handy when I broke my leg and no worries that she was being looked after!

 

[Shadow the Reindeer]

I never in a thousand years thought that a Riding School CHARGED for using a liveries horse? I know they keep the horse fit, and what not, but from my experience of having known ex-riding school ponies,who have just abouts completely shut off mentally from the world, due to even just 6 months of being kicked, pulled about in the mouth, repetitive work, day in day out, the list goes on... I would at least think that the Riding Establishment should be paying for the privilege of using your horse, instead of having to go out and buy their own.
I'm sure not all riding Schools are like the few I've come across over the years, I have seen a few good ones, but i'd have to vet the place before even considering putting my horse there, and they'd have to prove they will not allow my horse to loose the will to live in their care.

 

[NellRosk]

Worst incident re tack was when one of the plump ladies received a monthly visit from aunt flo on my synthetic saddle, and didn't clean it up.

:eek3: :eek3: That is horrendous.

 

[buddy's mummy]

not in a million years would I subject my horse to that kind of environment.

 

[Hen]

So many negative responses! I have put two schoolmasters on working livery arrangements this year and not had any real problems. One has special dietary needs which don't fit in with the barn where she is so I supply all her feeds ready made up and she sticks on 'my' keep routine, with regard to feed/turnout/non-ridden exercise. Obviously I have no say in who rides her on booked lessons but she's fabulous with kids and novices and I quite enjoy 'tweaking' things when I do ride her to put things back as I like them. She's managed to compete successfully and win a national championship class while in livery which I fondly refer to as 'anti-training' and I think she enjoys the variety and frequency of attention and exercise. That said, I miss her quite ridiculously so not sure how long it will continue.

 

[buddy's mummy]

Another 'never again' from me.

worst incident re tack was when one of the plump ladies received a monthly visit from aunt flo on my synthetic saddle, and didn't clean it up. At 12, the last thing you want to be doing is scrubbing someone else's period out of your saddle. Urgh.

ewwwwwwwwwwww!!

 

[McCauley]

Mmmmmm it seems quite a few of us have nightmare stories to tell of 'working livery' at riding schools.

Such a shame as i realise some find themselves in a position where they have to, even if it's just a temporary thing.

Well done to the ones that found a decent working livery package where their horse's were/are well cared for and happy as from what i've been reading, they are like Hen's Teeth.

 

[Cowpony]

Reading some of this I realise how lucky I am with my riding school. I pay £50 a week, which includes all feed, ad lib hay and bedding. I have my own stable, which is admittedly used by others when my pony isn't in there, but I have priority. She's out at night and in during the day, but at the moment she's off work so out 24/7. She's quite forward, especially when jumping, so she's not used for novices and she is ridden a lot by the yard trainees. The school use her for a maximum 2 hours a day, but in reality it's less than that, and if they know I'm riding one of those hours is mine. I'm quite organised and tell them exactly when I will be there, so the only time I get up there and find she's being used is when there's been a mix-up between the office and the yard, which doesn't happen often. I have a great bond with my pony because I'm the constant in her life and spend a lot of time grooming, doing ground work etc as well as riding, so I don't think I miss out on that either. I think I need to be more appreciative of my RS!

 

[wench]

It depends on the horse and the riding school.

As per usual in here... if your horse isn't kept on DIY, and you let anyone else ride your precious little baby... your mad!

I had one of mine on working livery, which was fine, until he was used for a jumping lesson after having three weeks off work. He then went onto full livery.

 

[SadKen]

ewwwwwwwwwwww!!

Yep! I was utterly mortified, and I wanted to BURN THAT SADDLE!!

IMHO the YO should have had to clean it, since the woman herself waddled off home.

It depends on the horse and the riding school.

As per usual in here... if your horse isn't kept on DIY, and you let anyone else ride your precious little baby... your mad!
.

I'm more than happy for other people (including novices, if supervised by someone I trust) to ride my horse! She's so good, that part would be fine. If YO where I am now wanted to use her for lessons, I'd have no problem with that at all. In fact, I think it's good for horses to be ridden by a range of people, unless they are a serious competition horse.

Just would want to be sure that nobody got on who was too heavy. I do have an issue with that.

 

[Grinchmass]

Sadken id have been sending the yard the bill for a new saddle. That is disgusting and completely out of order.

 

[PollyP99]

This is interesting, a new yard locally has advertised for working livery, its 77 per week and they pay for everything as well as do everything as required. They use the horse for a max of 8 hours per week and you can choose when you ride. For someone like me with a full on job and long commute, a fat horse that could do with more exercise and one that can be a tit and could do with more handling it is quite tempting. I get the downside completely and no one would sign up for such without a full vetting of the place but I think it has its place.

As a child our ponies were on working livery and I still rode very week, we paid nothing, ponies were lean - that defo worked. This was a top notch well know yard though.

 

[PolarSkye]

Honestly? I think it totally depends on the horse AND the livery yard/riding school. Some horses thrive in such an environment - if they are well cared for . . . others (like mine - deeply suspicious of "strange" riders and sharp/quirky) would hate it.

Good riding school horses are worth their weight in gold - they have to be kind, accommodating, patient and safe. The upside to having your horse on working livery (assuming the horse has the right temperament) is that it is cared for, ridden regularly, sometimes schooled by staff, etc. The obvious downside is that you don't have access to your horse whenever it suits you . . . you will likely be limited to X many lessons/rides per week and will have to book those sessions ahead of time.

I have several friends whose horses are on working livery - and it works for them because they work full time and really lack the knowledge, the time and the inclination to take care of their horses day-to-day, and it works for their lovely/patient/kind horses. It wouldn't however work for me or my horse.

P

 

[khalswitz]

I have several friends whose horses are on working livery - and it works for them because they work full time and really lack the knowledge, the time and the inclination to take care of their horses day-to-day, and it works for their lovely/patient/kind horses.

Totally this. I think one thing that has been overlooked is that for owners with less experience, a riding school could be a great place to have your horse as they will manage it, and you know it is getting good effective care when you may not have the experience to provide that on your own. You can learn what is required of horse care.

When you don't have the time or experience, working livery is an alternative to full livery with schooling - much cheaper as the RS is benefiting too, but a good alternative for those with less income, experience, time and with a horse who suits a RS (not necessarily meaning bombproof either!).

About lots of other people riding your horse - I found this massively helped my old boy in hunter showing, as he learned to go for anyone, and when you had a poor ridden judge he just took them along for the ride, and therefore always moved up the line after the judge's ride!

I think you do have to trust the RS and RI you are dealing with, but it can certainly work. I would possibly consider doing it again if I still had a schoolmaster, especially now my work hours are long and inconsistent, but I would prefer to pay something and have a little more control next time.

Also to add, for £30 a week working livery at a RS, one of my friends has her horse's routine vet treatments, dentist, worming, shoeing and clipping included, plus bedding, hay and hard feed. She doesn't have to worry about any of those things.