Decent Livery in Cheshire....

[KautoStar1]

you know, the sort of place that actually does what it advertises rather than taking your hard earned cash & then doing sod all.

Any ideas ?

 

[Adopter]

What area are you in, and is it DIY or full.
Our family has been on full livery in Cheshire at the same place for years, with problems.

 

[Morse Horse]

I would be very interested to hear the replies to this post. We are moving to Cheshire at the end of December and have found what seems to be a really lovely yard but it won't do any harm to know of a few more just incase

 

[MileAMinute]

What part of Cheshire? Also can you poss PM me name of yard, always interested to know yards to steer clear of!

 

[Adopter]

What area are you in, and is it DIY or full.
Our family has been on full livery in Cheshire at the same place for years, with problems.

Sorry this should have read 'we have been on same yard for many years without out problems'. The problem is the predictive text on my tablet.

 

[Tiffany]

Somerford Park is apparently very good and facilties are excellent.

 

[PoppyAnderson]

Whereabouts? There are loads of yards in Cheshire and some to avoid!!

 

[KautoStar1]

Full or part livery south of Warrington M6 / M56 corridor.
Somerford is nice, but its huge and very busy and very pricey too.
I would prefer a smaller yard.

 

[Adopter]

Full or part livery south of Warrington M6 / M56 corridor.
Somerford is nice, but its huge and very busy and very pricey too.
I would prefer a smaller yard.

The complex has a lot of equine business on, but all the different livery business are each separate, so they are able to offer personal services. The big advantage is the naturally well drained land so they have all year turn out.

 

[KautoStar1]

Hi - Somerford is too big for me and while I know the different barns offer different services and the facilities are great, its just too busy 90% of the time. Plus I would spend a fortune in the café and Hope Valley

I’d like somewhere small. But most of all I’d like somewhere were the people who run it a) know what they are doing, b) care & c) treat their liveries as customers. After all running a livery yard is a business and the clients are paying for a service, not doing the YO a favour !!!

 

[ossy]

Hi - Somerford is too big for me and while I know the different barns offer different services and the facilities are great, its just too busy 90% of the time. Plus I would spend a fortune in the café and Hope Valley

I’d like somewhere small. But most of all I’d like somewhere were the people who run it a) know what they are doing, b) care & c) treat their liveries as customers. After all running a livery yard is a business and the clients are paying for a service, not doing the YO a favour !!!

I totally feel your pain! I had to move from my lovely small friendly yard, which offered everything you say, earlier this year when the owner decided to give up liveries. I had no end of trouble trying to find a suitable yard that a, offered all year turnout, even just a few hours in winter!
b, didn't have staff that I doublted very much if they would ever recognise systems of colic, let alone athing else with my horse. c, had something other than a small 20 x40 no flood lit school or d, had any space. I am in and around the somerford park area and stayed well clear of all the
bigger yards around here. I couldn't consider somferford either for various reasons.
I ended up a smallish yard with year round turnout and great facilities. Its relatively new and a bit of a work in progress it certainly wouldn't be everyones choice/cup of tea thats for sure, its very relaxed but I know my horse is safe.

 

[KautoStar1]

Um, this is the problem. You get people with a bit of land and think they can turn it into a livery yard and ‘play’ horses. They don’t have a clue and I am finding a lot of these people. I know it must be a nightmare finding reliable staff though. There must be some nice places out there that don’t charge the earth. Some of the full livery I’ve been quoted has been astronomical - £160- £180 a week and with only limited bedding e.g. one bale of shavings per week. I went to look round a yard the other week that claimed to be ‘Five Star’ livery and bearing in mind it was tea time (5ish) when I’d expect to see horses in clean stables, brushed off with stable rugs on, full nets etc, they were stood in dirty beds, still in field rugs, filthy muddy, no hay. Menage was tiny and surface poor, tack room was tiny, too many horses for the land. Place was new but scruffy already and the people running it seemed to contradict themselves over and over about what was on offer.
I just felt very uncomfortable about leaving a horse in their care from what they were saying and also from what I could see. Definitely not for me that’s for sure.

 

[fatpiggy]

Um, this is the problem. You get people with a bit of land and think they can turn it into a livery yard and ‘play’ horses. They don’t have a clue and I am finding a lot of these people. I know it must be a nightmare finding reliable staff though. There must be some nice places out there that don’t charge the earth. Some of the full livery I’ve been quoted has been astronomical - £160- £180 a week and with only limited bedding e.g. one bale of shavings per week. I went to look round a yard the other week that claimed to be ‘Five Star’ livery and bearing in mind it was tea time (5ish) when I’d expect to see horses in clean stables, brushed off with stable rugs on, full nets etc, they were stood in dirty beds, still in field rugs, filthy muddy, no hay. Menage was tiny and surface poor, tack room was tiny, too many horses for the land. Place was new but scruffy already and the people running it seemed to contradict themselves over and over about what was on offer.
I just felt very uncomfortable about leaving a horse in their care from what they were saying and also from what I could see. Definitely not for me that’s for sure.

You are quite right on all counts there. And it gets worse the closer you get to the various conurbations.

 

[DressageCob]

Kelsall Hill do livery. As do Arderne Hall in Tarporley if that's not too far

 

[KautoStar1]

Edenwood, Kelsall & arderne are all just a bit too far away from home, but thanks for the suggestions. I was thinking somewhere around the Knutsford / Lymn area. small private yard would be preferable.

Ossy - I think I know the yard you mean and if so a real shame it closed down to liveries - lovely place and lovely lady who ran it.

There are lots of places but very few I would trust to look after a hamster let alone my horse.

 

[buddylove]

Have you had a look on the cheshire horse forum?

 

[noodle_]

good luck!! the words decent, cheshire and horse livery dont come up in the same sentence often!!

im lucky where i am (private yard), but bigger livery yards are a nightmare!!!

in lymm theres burford?? livery i think....hatton way - new house livery etc... im slightly more north than that so can tell you where to avoid no problem lol

 

[mightymammoth]

as others have said have you tried http://www.cheshirehorse.co.uk/ or http://www.*******.co.uk/?p=search&postcode=cheshire&category=0

 

[KautoStar1]

Yes checked out cheshire horse & ******* and all the usual suspects are there. Most of them I wouldn't touch with a barge pole. its not that I am massively fussy, but I do expect certain standards of care - safe fencing, no ragwort, clean and tidy stables, feet picked out, horse checked over, a regular routine. I've had experience of some awful places, which on paper and even after discussion with YO / YM tick all the boxes, but the minute they have your cash, the care drops and/or the goal posts move. Why is it so difficult. I'm not asking for my horse to be schooled to Grand Prix level, just be cared for in a safe and clean environment by people who take pride in the job. Its just very annoying.

 

[noodle_]

oh i know! tell me about it lol!!

im lucky where i am, my horse is safe and happy - but full livery in this area is a nightmare...

northfield is st helens way (i think..)
new house do full
bold heath EC?

try facebook too.... theres some groups on there which may be able to help?

 

[Cheshireway11]

I am on Somerford and it's great, I agree with your worries but it's not as busy as you think. The weekend was very quiet in fact no one was in the arenas at all I had my pick! I've moved recently from a yard that said they had everything but it turned out to be nothing what they promised ... Do a lot of research!

 

[Tiffany]

I know a good yard in Cheshire, Hyde/Stalybridge border with good facilities. They have a couple of vacancies at the moment for full or part livery. PM if you would like more info.

 

[Cheshireway11]

Have you tried a place called Ryecrof Stud? Some people have said its ok but some not sure

 

[KautoStar1]

Tiffany – Hyde / Stalyvegas is too far out for me – from work and home, but thanks.


Cheshireway – I shall refer you to my earlier post on this thread about my recent-ish visit to the yard you mention !! That was my opinion based on just one visit. In addition, their advert description didn’t meet up to reality, although they were full of ‘we’re going to do this and that and the other – cross country fences, jumping fields, new full size outdoor blah blah’. I’ve since spoken to other people who all got the same feeling, but the biggest concern seemed to be the general standard of care and lack of knowledge. Definitely a place to avoid, IMO.
There are too many of these amateur yard owners about – had a pony when they were 6 and thinks that qualifies them to provide care (usually at a huge fee) to other peoples horses. Its hugely frustrating.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Have you looked at the October edition of Equitrader? There are a lot of Cheshire livery yards advertised. Good luck with the search.

 

[Cheshireway11]

Oh dear Kautostar1 it doesn't sound good at all!!

 

[veryhungryhorse]

I usually lurk here, but saw this thread and felt compelled to respond and well well, it didn’t take long for Rycroft Stud to be mentioned in less than glowing terms. KautoStar1 you are so right in your observations. Definitely a place to avoid.

KS1 – pm me if you want the details of a very nice quiet private yard around the same area.

 

[Mia1]

Very hungry horse please let me know of the yard you recommend.

 

[Smudgit]

Arley Moss is great. Fantastic facilities, though the hacking is limited

 

[dollface]

Our yard is fab but no staff as it's full DIY but us liveries help each other out so works great. Been there over 12 years