decent liveries -where are they??

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ajb

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I have a small private yard in Kent with genuine all year turnout and offer full very special full livery (only 7 horses on 18 acres) but despite advertising in all local tack shops/horsemart all the people I have had enquiring have been total time wasters to non shows to people wanting individual turnout(which I can do) and then saying an acre and half per horse isnt enough!!...rant over but are other YO finding it hard to attract decent horse liveries.im despairing of finding someone 'normal' who wants their horse out all day every day of the year regardless of weather, decent safe fences, on well maintained fields that are poo picked every day in well cared for and in small groups...it seems most want fields of mud, multi sex groups of turnout in barbed wired fields and limited turnout to say a few hours as they want to be able to ride without having to get their horse in!!!...anyway rant over if and feel better for that and if anyone knows someone looking please send them to me!!!!
 
Perhaps it is your location? Where abouts are you?

Do you have a school, good access to hacking?

Are you very expensive?
 
well im 5 mins from J5 or 6 of the M25 so really good for show centres, have a lovely floodlit weather school , hacking opposite the yard and really great sandy soil but just cant seem to get anyone that isnt a time waster to respond..!!! as for price i charge 400 in the winter and 350 in the summer if they are out 24/7 and thats for bedding, feed, in and out and rug change, feet picked, leg washed etc so not sure but that seems ok for my area as im pretty close to Croydon/London...hmmm maybe just need to be more patient but have never had a long gap before.....
 
ha yes sorry I do all the mucking out, supply haylage etc etc basically everything but ride and clean tack...and cant and don't want DIY as its my income and cant afford to do them, plus have had DIY in the past and on a small yard its too much hassle, they don't turn up at getting in time and I end up doing, there stables arent ready so I end up sorting as cant leave horse with no hay etc so assisted only!!!..
 
I can see what you mean, it possibly is the current economic climate and people tightening their belts where they can.

Sounds like you give a great service, hope you find some nice liveries soon.
 
Your place sounds lovely (especially the grazing!) but would be well out of my price range (even if I were in your area) We can only afford DIY or assisted at best and you are quite right that can be problematice on a smaller yard. I'm sure you'll find some good liveries soon.

How long have you had the yard?
 
Hi, your yard seems quite nice indeed and the price for the area seems fair as well. I think as it has already been mentioned that it is mainly due to the economic climate. The yard I keep my horse at has also 2 or 3 stables free which had never happen before, it used to be very difficult to get a space there, and the YO didn't even need to advertise. But there are more than 30 horses at that yard so the YO is probably not feeling the pinch as much as you do!
Also I think you mention you offer full livery but then you say you do not exercise the horses so maybe there is a misunderstanding here. Full livery for me means all the usual stuff + exercising.
Be patient, things are picking up, hopefully you will have normal people joining your yard soon.
Good luck.
 
Have you tried looking to see if you can find comments about your yard on forums? Or see if there is anyone locally you can trust to find out what the local gossip is?

Your yard sounds great. Its a bit expensive, but for all that service and the location probably reasonable. There almost certainly is an element of belt tightening - especially around here (I'm about 45 mins to an hour or so from you depending on exact locations.) We're one livery down and normally we have a waiting list so there is definitely a restriction. But there is still riding money out there. So it seems to me - if you don't mind my being frank - that there may be another reason.

It could be that in your area there are a lot of places offering similar service at similar prices so you are just all chasing less buisness. If so you might need to find a way to stand out from the crowd - if you can. But is could also be that your yard has picked up a bit of a reputation from somewhere - usually a disgruntled ex livery. Now I'm not for a moment saying any reputation is derserved - they usually aren't. But local word of mouth is really potent.

If you can find out if there is anything causing people to avoid you then you can set about dealing with it. Buisness is just too scarce just now for the older style "live it down" approach. Local farriers can be a good source - or perhaps local vets. Maybe a chat to some pony club or riding club mums? Ringside gossip is quite good. Sidle up to someone who looks about right for you and ask where they keep their horse - can they reccommend a good yard locally. Don't let on who you are - simply say your looking to move your horse. You'd be amazed what you can find out. But do be careful not to get offended or upset by it. Try to see it is a buisness opportunity and a chance to correct the misapprehensions - rather than as a personal attack. (Harder than it sounds I know!). But times are tough just now, and we need to get tougher if we're going to rough it out.

Good luck
 
Maybe you should give your liveries a choice on to - you sound perfect for me if i was in your area but i prefer mixed herds turn out as with my horses i get far less trouble as the mares tend to keep the over zelous boys in order and its much more natural.
 
thanks for all replies...im very flexible so happy to mix mares etc but cant with my lad as hes very dominant and loves the women a bit too much...not had any ex liveries leave for a reason really more they have married, moved away etc so not aware of any 'reasons' and being a small yard of only 7 horses cant imagine im source for forums I(not that i would really know where to look) ..ive always had a waiting list before and ironically last year had 3 people fighting over the space I had but stupidly took back a llivery and she has mucked me about and now the horse been sold hence the space so i guess its patience and all that. I really want the right person as we are a small group and all get on well socially etc at the moment....no holidays this year then!!!
 
The yard I am on which sounds very similar to yours opened with new management in about October last year with 12 boxes and it is really taking ages to fill.

I don't think you are expensive for where you are at all. The lowest full livery with facilities similar to yours around here is £92 a week all year. Where I am at the moment it is £107 a week and we are much further out of London.

I think people are either actually feeling the pinch or are being cautious about their spending because of current political and financial uncertainties.
 
The set up sounds good but a lot of people want flexible DIY/Part/Full livery. People can keep horses for much less than £100 a week doing some of the work involved and if you offered different livery options at various prices I'm sure your yard would be full.
 
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