DIY yard storage issues!!!!

I'm on a yard with 24 liveries - full and DIY. We get stable, turn out, use of facilities (indoor and outdoor school, off road riding and many other good things) but storage wise, the YO is very strict about us collecting "junk". We each have adequate space in a secure tack room, which is for saddles and bridles only (anything else gets removed). In addition, we have three shelves each measuring about 4 feet wide, by 2ft6 high and deep. Bedding (no straw!) is provided by the yard as required and stored centrally so no-one needs to use their storage for that. Same with hay. We each have three hooks for rugs but only the ones currently in use, which change with the seasons, of course. All others must be removed and stored elsewhere (in my case, in my trailer!). The storage issue has proved to be a mine field at my yard as well, but YO deals with it by ensuring everyone gets as near as possible identical capacity, being clear about the rules and enforcing them rigorously but fairly ... there are folks who would take over the whole yard with their junk if left to their own devices. I think this is about being consistent, firm and fair.
 
Greylegs said:
All others must be removed and stored elsewhere (in my case, in my trailer!).
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I think that's the answer. If someone desperately needs extra storage (ie they have a flat etc) they can buy/ share a trailer? Presumably if the horse needs to travel in trailer the stuff can go in the stable that day.
 
bakewell said:
I think that's the answer. If someone desperately needs extra storage (ie they have a flat etc) they can buy/ share a trailer? Presumably if the horse needs to travel in trailer the stuff can go in the stable that day.
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Yes ...that's exactly what I do! All spare rugs and other clutter is in large plastic storage boxes with well fitting lids and I simply either leave them neatly stacked in the space my trailer otherwise occupies when we go out, or put them in my stable for the day. Its a bit of a palaver moving things in and out, but it does the job.

Also - should add ... note to OP ... my yard has a shed where they allow you to put those large "patio" type storage chests for spare rugs etc, but they charge for the extra space (£8 per month) which is enough to make some people reconsider their storage needs.
 
I don't agree with those who feel they need tons of stuff and have nowhere to store it at home.

At my yard for storage space there is: A tack room with a 4-drawer filing cabinet plus a saddle and bridle rack per horse, upto you how many saddles and bridles you stack on it. Two dustbins per horse for feed. Rugs are kept in the stables or you could put them in the filing cabinet. Mucking out tools are in a communal area.

I keep there: 4 rugs, saddle and bridle, grooming kit, first aid kit, headcollar and rope. Riding boots, hat, whip, body protector,fluorescent stuff.

At home in my one bedroom place I have rugs under the bed, over 10 saddles stacked in a corner, numnahs at the bottom of my wardrobe, a box of boots/lungeing stuff on top of the wardrobe and bridles on a hook behind the door. I achieve this horse-gear-hoarding by not hoarding tons of personal clutter.

I think people have too much stuff in general. Now if I want to buy anything I ensure its a replacement for something, so will have a clear out of anything I don't use if I've been on a shopping spree. How many books/dvds/cds/clothes/shoes/kitchen things/bath towels (or horse stuff!) etc does one person need? Have what you will, but to then complain about lack of storage is "wanting to have your cake and eat it too" IMO.

I have a friend who does the same as me and she has a young child too. All the child's stuff is in their bedroom, brought out to use as necessary and tidy away each day. If it threatens to overflow the bedroom the child's stuff has a clear out. When I lived in house shares you don't have a whole houseful of clutter each or there wouldn't be room to move! I don't understand why so many people live as if they belong in a tv documentary on hoarding. I see no reason for it.

OP decide how much space you want to give each livery (the same amount per horse for all), tell them, then ask any complainers to let you know when they plan to move off. Your yard sounds lovely I'm sure you'd have no problem filling spaces. If running the yard is a hobby for you then it shouldn't be a messy headache.
 
I'm on smart DIY yard and we have a space in the tack room for saddle/bridle and a box underneath for hat, BP, whips etc - mine is a large child's toy box size. Then in the tack room there are 3 swing rug bars each, where you can keep your rugs all year round. The ones in use during the winter are hung on bars outside your stable (horses are stable in a big American barn type stabling). You are allowed a bin or two in the feed room for your feed & stack of buckets and then a tidy little box or drawer unit outside your stable - I have a stack of 4 plastic drawer things from Home Bargains. These HAVE to be kept tidy. Nothing else is to be left about unless it's tidied away. Anything else I store in my shed or garage at home if I'm not using it, like his really thick winter rugs, they take up too much room.

No livery no matter how important they think they are has any more storage space than the other - this stops any arguments dead in their tracks. The storage allowance is per horse so if you have more than one, the allowance is adjusted accordingly but that goes without saying.

We all like having a tidy yard so we all like the rules, I think that's the problem - if you have people that don't mind mess then the yard will become a dump pretty quickly.
 
Thanks again for replies so far. To the poster who thinks I am controlling, sorry, but this is my home and if I don't want it full of other peoples c**p then that's my choice! and if they don't like it! then they are perfectly welcome to vote with their feet!, to the other poster who understands my dilemma regarding storage, thank you, it's good to know I am not alone in my thinking. For what it's worth, our brand new building, with wavy fronted internal, plastic panelled stables is 120' by 86' which is a huge area. The stables are housed in an area which is 36x120 which includes 17 stables mixed size 12x12 or 12x14 a toilet tea room and tack room and wash area so I consider this not to be cramped at all!!! Storage bays are in a totally separate area measuring 50x20' again more than sufficient in my opinion and everyone has exactly the same space. The point I was originally making was what the hell do people expect for £3.80 per day??? You can't even keep a cat in a cattery for goodness sake for that price! I just wish people would take a hike if there not happy instead of staying and making my otherwise perfect life a total misery!
 
Also, it's not my problem where people live flat or otherwise, and the fact that they don't have anywhere to store there stuff, I don't have room for it either!
 
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Cheshire Chestnut said:
I'm on smart DIY yard and we have a space in the tack room for saddle/bridle and a box underneath for hat, BP, whips etc - mine is a large child's toy box size. Then in the tack room there are 3 swing rug bars each, where you can keep your rugs all year round. The ones in use during the winter are hung on bars outside your stable (horses are stable in a big American barn type stabling). You are allowed a bin or two in the feed room for your feed & stack of buckets and then a tidy little box or drawer unit outside your stable - I have a stack of 4 plastic drawer things from Home Bargains. These HAVE to be kept tidy. Nothing else is to be left about unless it's tidied away. Anything else I store in my shed or garage at home if I'm not using it, like his really thick winter rugs, they take up too much room.

No livery no matter how important they think they are has any more storage space than the other - this stops any arguments dead in their tracks. The storage allowance is per horse so if you have more than one, the allowance is adjusted accordingly but that goes without saying.

We all like having a tidy yard so we all like the rules, I think that's the problem - if you have people that don't mind mess then the yard will become a dump pretty quickly.
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Yes exactly! This is how i want it at my yard and I don't think there is anything wrong with that. I have one or two very manipulative clients though who are always trying to push the boundaries but I stick to my guns and treat everyone the same and consequently, my ears are permanently burning!LOL some people just don't like rules but I won't apologise for having them as if I didn't, my home would be a total c**phole!
 
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I'll be honest, I wouldnt be a livery on your yard going by the posts. I absolutely love my current yard! Its run with a rod of iron and that is a good thing. But the horses and liveries are put first and I never feel that my YO actively dislikes liveries. I do get that sometimes they drive her mad, but for circumstances that do drive her mad she has things in place to manage it. Poo picking is a good example. We do 5 barrows a week as part of our contract. Some liveries take the pee and dont do their share, so she has fields set aside for those liveries, and if they end up full of poo then tough! They didnt poo pick as per the rules so their horses graze in poo filled fields.

We have a contract that covers pretty much all eventualities, But she is flexible if you have a valid reason. I also cant imagine her ever being upset about the amount of stuff I have or not. We do have good storage so it works well. She did get cross the day I moved there as one of the other people who shares my container hadnt moved her stuff over as asked. She moved it and was then going to contact the other livery to tell her. The same way she contacted me when I forgot to bring my photocopied passport in after 24 hours. Not udde, but just a reminder :)

I wouldnt want to livery somewhere where the YO posted things like you have, and seemed so resentful of liveries! I pay the going rate to be on the yard, they would earn a damn sight less for running on sheep or dairy cows etc! But I do appreciate its an amazing facility that I can use and I am grateful and respectful of that
 
WinkingWillow said:
Thanks again for replies so far. To the poster who thinks I am controlling, sorry, but this is my home and if I don't want it full of other peoples c**p then that's my choice! and if they don't like it! then they are perfectly welcome to vote with their feet!
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Tbh I'd chuck it. You obviously don't want them there. Then you won't need to deal with anyone's 'crap'... (Which I'm sure they work hard to buy for their horses btw)
 
I'm lucky in that I have a big storage area (although it leaks a bit) but I have a pallet of wood pellets in there, from the sound of it I wouldn't have room for that in most other places!
 
FrankieCob said:
I'll be honest, I wouldnt be a livery on your yard going by the posts. I absolutely love my current yard! Its run with a rod of iron and that is a good thing. But the horses and liveries are put first and I never feel that my YO actively dislikes liveries. I do get that sometimes they drive her mad, but for circumstances that do drive her mad she has things in place to manage it. Poo picking is a good example. We do 5 barrows a week as part of our contract. Some liveries take the pee and dont do their share, so she has fields set aside for those liveries, and if they end up full of poo then tough! They didnt poo pick as per the rules so their horses graze in poo filled fields.

We have a contract that covers pretty much all eventualities, But she is flexible if you have a valid reason. I also cant imagine her ever being upset about the amount of stuff I have or not. We do have good storage so it works well. She did get cross the day I moved there as one of the other people who shares my container hadnt moved her stuff over as asked. She moved it and was then going to contact the other livery to tell her. The same way she contacted me when I forgot to bring my photocopied passport in after 24 hours. Not udde, but just a reminder :)

I wouldnt want to livery somewhere where the YO posted things like you have, and seemed so resentful of liveries! I pay the going rate to be on the yard, they would earn a damn sight less for running on sheep or dairy cows etc! But I do appreciate its an amazing facility that I can use and I am grateful and respectful of that
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I don't think OP has said anything dreadful, she is merely having a rant on an anonymous forum. For all you know your yard owner may do exactly the same thing.
Running a livery yard must be like managing a box of frogs, I'm not surprised people get frazzled!
 
Well on yard I'm on atm, paying a bit more than that I get 2 smallish tackrooms to store my tack, feed, bedding, hay and other general horsey crap in. I only get 2 cos the one that comes with my stable is too narrow to store any more than my hay, straw and feed in. Most DIYs have 1 decent sized one (although these vary from modest in size to blooming massive!)

At a previous yard where I paid £19 per week I got a lockup in back of my stable where I stored my feed, rugs etc, I then had a separate space in the feed room for my straw (used to be in my lockup but the bale size changed and they wouldn't fit through the door!) and me and another livery clubbed together for a tack locker which we put in the tack room and shared.

Both these are DIY.

When I was on full somewhere else I literally had a space in the tackroom for my saddle and bridle, a locker for my stuff and use of a rug rack. No idea how I used to manage (I guess the amount of stuff expands to fill the space you have for it!)
 
Just had a thought.... You mentioned bays... is there any chance of enclosing them and putting a door on? This stops stuff spilling out cos the door has to be able to shut, lets people lock things up if they want and gives shelf / hanging space (plus you can't see the mess then!)
 
FrankieCob said:
I'll be honest, I wouldnt be a livery on your yard going by the posts. I absolutely love my current yard! Its run with a rod of iron and that is a good thing. But the horses and liveries are put first and I never feel that my YO actively dislikes liveries. I do get that sometimes they drive her mad, but for circumstances that do drive her mad she has things in place to manage it. Poo picking is a good example. We do 5 barrows a week as part of our contract. Some liveries take the pee and dont do their share, so she has fields set aside for those liveries, and if they end up full of poo then tough! They didnt poo pick as per the rules so their horses graze in poo filled fields.

We have a contract that covers pretty much all eventualities, But she is flexible if you have a valid reason. I also cant imagine her ever being upset about the amount of stuff I have or not. We do have good storage so it works well. She did get cross the day I moved there as one of the other people who shares my container hadnt moved her stuff over as asked. She moved it and was then going to contact the other livery to tell her. The same way she contacted me when I forgot to bring my photocopied passport in after 24 hours. Not udde, but just a reminder :)

I wouldnt want to livery somewhere where the YO posted things like you have, and seemed so resentful of liveries! I pay the going rate to be on the yard, they would earn a damn sight less for running on sheep or dairy cows etc! But I do appreciate its an amazing facility that I can use and I am grateful and respectful of that
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How do you know your YO doesnt?
 
Our yard is fantastic for storage - we all have individual tack rooms you can enter from the back of the stable to keep your stuff. If that's not enough you can pay to use part of the barn for hay/bedding or pay a reduced fee on an extra stable.

Its lovely because really prevents any stuff going "walkies"
 
saddlesore said:
Tbh I'd chuck it. You obviously don't want them there. Then you won't need to deal with anyone's 'crap'... (Which I'm sure they work hard to buy for their horses btw)
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You know what you are absolutely right that's what I should do! but the thought of all the elderly horses that have been here for years having to move is what stops me!
 
Boulty said:
Just had a thought.... You mentioned bays... is there any chance of enclosing them and putting a door on? This stops stuff spilling out cos the door has to be able to shut, lets people lock things up if they want and gives shelf / hanging space (plus you can't see the mess then!)
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Unfortunately there isn't this option but tbh most people are great and keep everything in order.
 
If you really want to stop offering livery, then stop. Horses will settle elsewhere - if that is geniunely unhappy & it is the only thing stopping you.
 
At my current yard which is DIY, I have a large space to keep everything, I supply boxes feed bins etc to keep it all in. And I have a saddle rack and bridle peg in the tack room. Other liveries have either, a saddle and bridle peg, a large shelf in the tack room and a large space in the feed room for hay and bins, or they have a saddle and bridle peg, small space in the feed room for bins and an other space outside stable for stuff. It all varies as to where your stable is really as we are in old farm buildings. I'm more than happy with my space and actually have a good chunk of it not in use.

I have been to other yards and examples of space were - saddle and bridle peg and small area underneath that for stuff. There was only about 4 of us on that yard where it was built for 10 stables so we actually spread out to other parts of the tack room which wasn't being used. The next yard again was stabled for 9 bit there only was 3 of us so our Yo gave us a corner of the tack room each so again ample space.

I think a decent sized area is good enough , anything in excess could get kept at home or trailer. It also depends on how people store their stuff too, I have all my rugs in the one big garden storage box.


ETA- I like the idea of charging more for extra space. Also £26/£27 is quite cheap where I am, I paid that in the place where I only had a saddle and bridle leg and small space under that.
 
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i run a livery yard and in my experience the best thing to do it allocate everyone the same per horse and stick to it otherwise liveries will spread out their stuff. and then also leave stuff at the yard that's broke/old rugs etc just because they can rather than taking them away to skip. everyone here gets- a pallet per horse (pallets are a good way of providing a sized area) for feed bins etc. they can put a chest box/locker outside their stable if they wish. then in tack room get a saddle and bridle rack per horse and a shelf with 3 staorage boxes on in the tackroom to lock away other bits. tends to work well and everyone keeps their things where they should
 
horsehappy said:
i run a livery yard and in my experience the best thing to do it allocate everyone the same per horse and stick to it otherwise liveries will spread out their stuff. and then also leave stuff at the yard that's broke/old rugs etc just because they can rather than taking them away to skip. everyone here gets- a pallet per horse (pallets are a good way of providing a sized area) for feed bins etc. they can put a chest box/locker outside their stable if they wish. then in tack room get a saddle and bridle rack per horse and a shelf with 3 staorage boxes on in the tackroom to lock away other bits. tends to work well and everyone keeps their things where they should
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Yes this is almost exactly what we do now, but as you rightly say, some people just don't want to throw away the old knackered stuff, they just hoard it and then it starts to encroach on to other areas. To all the people who have written negative posts, I am guessing you have never ran a DIY livery yard before? You have to be controlling to a certain degree or chaos ensues. Also to the posters who have said I should just pack up because I resent my clients, that's actually rubbish. If I resented them so much why on earth would I keep pouring money into improving my facilities. If every yard owner who had a gripe with their liveries closed down, I'm betting that would account for about 90% of yards around the country so where would you all be then??! It's so easy to criticise when you have had no experience whatsoever of dealing with these type of issues isn't it? I have no problem at all with the majority but what really pees me off is when people come on to my yard knowing exactly how things are then proceed to start trying to change things. That was the point I was originally trying to make.
 
WinkingWillow said:
Yes this is almost exactly what we do now, but as you rightly say, some people just don't want to throw away the old knackered stuff, they just hoard it and then it starts to encroach on to other areas. To all the people who have written negative posts, I am guessing you have never ran a DIY livery yard before? You have to be controlling to a certain degree or chaos ensues. Also to the posters who have said I should just pack up because I resent my clients, that's actually rubbish. If I resented them so much why on earth would I keep pouring money into improving my facilities. If every yard owner who had a gripe with their liveries closed down, I'm betting that would account for about 90% of yards around the country so where would you all be then??! It's so easy to criticise when you have had no experience whatsoever of dealing with these type of issues isn't it? I have no problem at all with the majority but what really pees me off is when people come on to my yard knowing exactly how things are then proceed to start trying to change things. That was the point I was originally trying to make.
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It's usually a small % of people that cause trouble. Set you boundaries then if people can't accept them they should move (or be given notice)
 
If you don't want a variety if opinions then don't post on an open forum. It's also clear that storage is NOT your only issue. You resent what you charge and subsidising hay ( no idea why you do this!) and seem miserable with the liveries in general. That is the impression that all your posts give.

No I don't think you need to be controlling. I think you need to decide what you want to charge and what you want to offer in return.
 
I'm on a totally DIY yard and it's £30 per week. For that week get a stable, grazing in post and rail fields, acres of off road hacking but no school. Storage wise we all have our own feedrooms which are a generous size - mine is actually a converted pony stable. In this we store feed, hay, bedding and everyday bits that we need/use (lunging stuff, cooler rugs, bandages, travel boots, brushing boots etc). There is a tackroom for saddles and bridles and then a further storage area where everyone has a plastic chest to store rugs, saddlecloths and other bits in. Boot rack for boots, hat rack for hats, rug room for rugs in use. Plenty of storage and if anyone was messy or left stuff lying about, the YO would kick them into touch immediately.

Your set up sounds lovely. I would tell the liveries who are taking too much room to sort out their stuff and get rid of what they don't want/need or as someone else said, charge them for extra storage. My YO runs the yard strictly - you wouldn't wanna upset her! You are the YO not their friend - be tough with them and tell them how it's going to be.
 
wiglet said:
I'm on a totally DIY yard and it's £30 per week. For that week get a stable, grazing in post and rail fields, acres of off road hacking but no school. Storage wise we all have our own feedrooms which are a generous size - mine is actually a converted pony stable. In this we store feed, hay, bedding and everyday bits that we need/use (lunging stuff, cooler rugs, bandages, travel boots, brushing boots etc). There is a tackroom for saddles and bridles and then a further storage area where everyone has a plastic chest to store rugs, saddlecloths and other bits in. Boot rack for boots, hat rack for hats, rug room for rugs in use. Plenty of storage and if anyone was messy or left stuff lying about, the YO would kick them into touch immediately.

Your set up sounds lovely. I would tell the liveries who are taking too much room to sort out their stuff and get rid of what they don't want/need or as someone else said, charge them for extra storage. My YO runs the yard strictly - you wouldn't wanna upset her! You are the YO not their friend - be tough with them and tell them how it's going to be.
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Thank you. I think I am quite tough but try to be fair also and as previous poster said it's usually a small number who spoil things for everyone. I come on this forum saddlesore to let off steam and because I like to find out how other yards manage things as it's always good to get new ideas etc. I am open to other opinions which everyone is entitled to but it doesn't mean I have to agree with them!! Have I hit a nerve with you or something?
 
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