Slightlyconfused
Go away, I'm reading
This is the same as me. Up there twice a day but in winter I pay the yard to bring in. Also occasionally swap favours with other liverys.
DIY livery
- Thread starter Honey08
- Start date
This is the same as me. Up there twice a day but in winter I pay the yard to bring in. Also occasionally swap favours with other liverys.
Tiddlypom
Carries on creakily
OP, stick to your guns re offering DIY which means what it says, if that’s what you prefer.
Have a back up top end pricing of services in case of genuine emergency and your livery can’t get to the yard. Maybe £10 per bring in, £5 to put in one feed, another £5 to hang up a hay net or to refresh water. Priced so as to deter them from asking you to do their horse ‘just this once’, which soon becomes expected of you.
Have a back up top end pricing of services in case of genuine emergency and your livery can’t get to the yard. Maybe £10 per bring in, £5 to put in one feed, another £5 to hang up a hay net or to refresh water. Priced so as to deter them from asking you to do their horse ‘just this once’, which soon becomes expected of you.
Pinkvboots
Well-Known Member
When I offer livery at home I do offer to feed in the mornings and I didn't mind turning out or bringing in because the horse was in the same field as mine so they all go out together.
I also don't want someone rocking up really early each morning waking us up so I just did it for my benefit really, so most of my liveries just come up once a day.
On yards I have been on or run someone normally feeds the whole yard breakfast or different people feed a few but that's sorted out amongst liveries.
We used to do a rota at one place so everyone did it.
I also don't want someone rocking up really early each morning waking us up so I just did it for my benefit really, so most of my liveries just come up once a day.
On yards I have been on or run someone normally feeds the whole yard breakfast or different people feed a few but that's sorted out amongst liveries.
We used to do a rota at one place so everyone did it.
Honey08
Waffled a lot!
Thanks everyone. You’re right, I really need to stay firm at the beginning. I don’t mind a freelance coming at all, it’s what I use for mine if we’re away. I don’t mind sharing days once things are established, I just don’t want to get tied, I have so much going on as it is. Mine stay in their turnouts, so turning out takes minutes, whereas liveries in the past have had stable boots, rug changes, muzzles, masks etc so turning a few out ended up adding nearly an hour onto our morning..
Wishfilly
Well-Known Member
Yeah, when someone else brings mine in, I fully expect he will stay in his turnout all night (unless I've made a complete mistake with rugging, if he was sweating up and it was a welfare thing, or soaked through, then I'd hope they would take it off for me!). If someone else is turning out, I will leave him in the turnout I want him to wear overnight. Feed all made up, with a lid on, just ready to be chucked in.
I think if you agree to favours/swaps, then just make it clear exactly what you will do/would like done for yours. I wouldn't keep score in terms of swaps, but would probably want them to do yours a few times before you do theirs? So if they want e.g. a night out on Friday, then you ask them to bring in for you on Thursday, or turn out Friday morning or similar first? But I would make it very clear this is an occasional thing, and if they want e.g. a weekend away they need to pay a freelancer and suggest yours?
No experience of being a yard owner, but in general in life it's easier if you are clear with people and have really clear boundaries? Otherwise people quickly lose sight of what is acceptable, I think?
Honey08
Waffled a lot!
Yes. I tried to have clear boundaries last time, but to be fair lockdown kicked in straight after they arrived, and things had to change for isolation etc, and it was easier me to just do most things. Going back to normality was then hard as everyone had got used to it! I also had a couple of liveries that it turned out were notorious. Now I will ask around before I say yes.
Wishfilly
Well-Known Member
Is it worth asking for references? I've never actually had one taken up but when looking for a new yard I always offer!
Honey08
Waffled a lot!
I had thought about it, but my friend owns a feed store, a few of my friends are freelance grooms and instructors- and between them and my hay suppliers they seem to know most people!
sportsmansB
Well-Known Member
When I have been DIY before the only thing which was included was throwing in a made up breakfast so that no horses were left hungry
Everything else was either favour trades or chargeable
Arguably bringing in so that one wasn't left alone but you can set a time that needs to be done by so that it is clear when they are taking the p**s and just leaving you to do it
Everything else was either favour trades or chargeable
Arguably bringing in so that one wasn't left alone but you can set a time that needs to be done by so that it is clear when they are taking the p**s and just leaving you to do it
humblepie
Well-Known Member
We feed round so whichever livery is up first throws all the feeds in. That works well.
HappyHollyDays
Slave to 2 cats and 2 ponies
I’m totally DIY, just two of us on the yard with 2 horses each so we are totally independent of each other including turnout, farriers and vets as we use different people. Mine aren’t even on the yard in the summer so we rarely see each other. The only thing we due mutually is share a hay supplier and a freelancer on Mondays so we get a morning off. In an emergency we will always help each other out but it has to be a real emergency.
9tails
Well-Known Member
I'm on a DIY yard. The yard sells hay to us, does fencing repairs, pushes up/removes the muck heap, maintains the stable barns and levels the school. There are some that ask favours of others, ie. put in breakfast or a net, bring in or turn out, but we have a couple of people that do those things for money. One barn, the first person down feeds them all, I'm pleased I'm not in that barn - the whinnying and door kicking would drive me mad. I turn out and bring in my own plus her field mate, because mine has separation anxiety so it's a favour to my horse and not the field mate's owner.
webble
Well-Known Member
Its also a pain when you are always the first one down
MiJodsR2BlinkinTite
Well-Known Member
"Proper" DIY YO here. Everyone does their own here. Everyone knows where they stand.
abbijay
Well-Known Member
I'd be very tempted to come up with a price list of chargeable extras in the event that they can't attend. And I'd price them high enough that they wouldn't want to use them unless it was an emergency. That way they can have no expectation that they are entitled to favours. I'm thinking £5 bring in, £5 turnout (no rug or boot changes allowed), skip out £10, £5 to fill and hang haynet... The idea being they will never want to use it but in an emergency and if it were a genuine emergency (in hospital, stuck at the side of the motorway broken down and unable to get to you) then you can always offer to waive the charge as a gesture of good will.
Fieldlife
Well-Known Member
Still too cheap I think. A freelancer would cost a lot more.
And yes having back up in case of genuine emergency is priceless - e.g. I was on way to feed horses and another car lost control and wrote my car off. Being able to call someone and say please can you sort horses tonight is priceless.
BUT being back up is a tie, unless you are either being paid very well or swapping favours and getting them to be your back up too.
Personally I would start with yard offers no services and no back up and you will need cover from friends and family or freelancers if you are unable to attend, see how liveries pan out BEFORE offering any flexibliity.
My yard owner comes to my livery yard about once a month, so definitely no services offered!
LouisCat
Well-Known Member
Me 
no services whatsoever so we have to rely on each other as friends when we need the odd night off or to go away.
no services whatsoever so we have to rely on each other as friends when we need the odd night off or to go away.
minesadouble
Well-Known Member
We have a large DIY livery yard, 65 horses, we don't do anything other than supply grazing, stable, facilities, hay and straw.
The liveries themselves help each other out a lot, either for the return of the favour or payment.
At the start of each Winter a couple of liveries usually put a post on offering services with a price.
It works very well.
The liveries themselves help each other out a lot, either for the return of the favour or payment.
At the start of each Winter a couple of liveries usually put a post on offering services with a price.
It works very well.
marmalade76
Well-Known Member
Yep, we have to top, chain harrow, roll, repair fencing, cut hedges, remove muck ourselves too (it's a rented yard rather than DIY livery) but my YOs would top up hay/water or bring in in an emergency.
In a DIY situation liveries need to sort out sharing chores and jobs with other liveries rather than expecting the YO to do it.
In a DIY situation liveries need to sort out sharing chores and jobs with other liveries rather than expecting the YO to do it.
9tails
Well-Known Member
Is your pricing right? Because if you're getting slack jaws from people coming to see they may be expecting more for their money.
Merrymoles
Well-Known Member
Total DIY here but "buddied up" with friend so I do mornings and she does evenings through the week and then we mix it up a bit at the weekend.
Only exception is that first person down chucks the morning feeds in but there are only five horses so it's no biggy and we all do it if we are first down.
Only exception is that first person down chucks the morning feeds in but there are only five horses so it's no biggy and we all do it if we are first down.
Polos Mum
Well-Known Member
I feel for you, we've had a few people here over the years. not even DIY - rent a set of fields and stables only.
But the "could you just" start coming and eventually you're holding the horse for the vet and unloading hay deliveries. When you are at home and around it seems harsh to say no but those 5 min jobs really add up and 5 min jobs stretch out into 10 min jobs and so on ...
I think a price list, no matter how expensive, suggests you're OK to do it - when you aren't. Somehow you need the thick skin to say you never what to go near or touch their horses at all
Best of luck.
But the "could you just" start coming and eventually you're holding the horse for the vet and unloading hay deliveries. When you are at home and around it seems harsh to say no but those 5 min jobs really add up and 5 min jobs stretch out into 10 min jobs and so on ...
I think a price list, no matter how expensive, suggests you're OK to do it - when you aren't. Somehow you need the thick skin to say you never what to go near or touch their horses at all
Best of luck.