DIY yard storage issues!!!!

Hmm. I can see both sides to this. I don't like mess and current yard has great storage - communal areas for feed, tools, grooming kits and rugs, barrows stored under muck trailer, secure tackroom with one saddlerack per horse plus enough room beneath for first aid kit etc. One poster has made me think that there is room in my bit for a two-drawer filing cabinet for numnahs, bandages, boots etc which would help to keep everything tidy. Hay and bedding kept in barn because, while we are all DIY, we pay for hay and bedding and can use ad lib. It's not massively smart but it works well.

However, last yard had a rug store, feed room and a tackroom, all in unusued 10x10 boxes so space was very tight as there were six or seven of use using them. Everything else had to be kept in a 3' x 8' bay which was a bit of a nightmare as hay could only be bought in large bales generally and these had to be dismantled to get them in. The bays then ended up packed with loose hay, all bedding, all mucking out tools and anything else which didn't come under feed, rug or tack (eg travelling boots, grooming kit, wash buckets etc.) Filling haynets meant moving barrow, bedding and tools out every time. I used to fill as many nets as I had but then you were in danger of them rolling off the general pile into someone else's space.

I know this is a general rant WW, but is there anything your "good" liveries are doing in terms of storage that the "bad" ones are not? For example, do the tidy ones hang their tools on the wall or use storage boxes for rugs etc?
 
OP why not just give notice to the few manipulative liveries who keep wanting more more more?

Are you allowed bonfires in your area of the country? It would be an easy way to get rid of all those unwanted ripped rugs.
 
At my current yard we buy our own hay and shavings in, so luckily I have quite a bit of space - I have 2 pallets in the barn for hay and shavings so I can store about 21 bales of hay and 15 or so shavings at any time. In tack room we all have a saddle and bridle rack and one shelf per horse. Our feed room is a standard 12x12 stable and three of us share it. I'd say I'm lucky space-wise!

Last yard I was at we had the width of one dustbin in the feed room, the width of one bale of hay for hay and straw and an old metal shipping container for tack. Main issue was, apart from no safe tack room, you had to buy your hay from owner and it would only be delivered once a week. When the horses had to stay in almost 24/7, the width of one bale of hay is hardly enough to store a week's worth of hay and bedding.

Rugs I am likely to use are outside stable on a rug rack, ones I'm not using are packed away in storage boxes and kept in feed room and hay barn until I need them.

So a long answer, but in short I would be happy with just having enough space for hay and bedding for one week if I was buying direct from yard.
 
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Sugar_and_Spice said:
OP why not just give notice to the few manipulative liveries who keep wanting more more more?

Are you allowed bonfires in your area of the country? It would be an easy way to get rid of all those unwanted ripped rugs.
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Maybe manipulative was a bit on the strong side but you get my drift yes? Never satisfied with what they have even though they knew this was how it was when they came and always trying to coerce me into offering more in a roundabout way. I'm probably a bit slow too so at first I font realise it's happening, it's only afterwards when I've has time to think I'm like, hey hang on a minute!lol! Bonfire would be a great idea! But not sure if it would be allowed? There is a tip 5 mins down the road though that almost all of them have to drive past to get home! I've probably made things sound a lot worse than they are, but I do tend to over think think sometimes.
 
We have bedding (straw), hay and feed provided, so individuals don't have to store that themselves. For everythign esle we have a rug bar on the front of the stable door, and a tack locker which has two shelves and two saddle racks and bridle hangers.

All tools are in a communal area.

Everything which I can't fit in my lockers (I have 2 as I have two boxes/horses) goes in a plastic box on top of my lockers. All spare rugs are kept at home in the attic, though I keep an "emergency" stable rug/ rainsheet in a clothing bag ontop of my second locker.

Considering that my stables are 9ft x 8ft, I'm always bemused when people say they store things in their stables!
 
WinkingWillow said:
Maybe manipulative was a bit on the strong side but you get my drift yes? Never satisfied with what they have even though they knew this was how it was when they came and always trying to coerce me into offering more in a roundabout way. I'm probably a bit slow too so at first I font realise it's happening, it's only afterwards when I've has time to think I'm like, hey hang on a minute!lol! Bonfire would be a great idea! But not sure if it would be allowed? There is a tip 5 mins down the road though that almost all of them have to drive past to get home! I've probably made things sound a lot worse than they are, but I do tend to over think think sometimes.
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If you're not realising what's happened until after the event then I'd say they *are* manipulating you. I just think you're being too nice about the whole thing. As I said in my first reply, nobody needs to own tons of stuff and live like a hoarder, they choose too. If they spill over their storage areas they need to have a clear out either at the yard, or at home and take their excess stuff home.
 
Storage an issue at home? O.o
I live in a one bed flat. I have rugs stored in the bedroom, saddle, bridles, bandages (in drawers, hung on the door etc!) in the lounge, with a stack of saddlecloths under the saddle on it's rack. Horse feed in the kitchen in large plastic boxes from Ikea. It's not a big kitchen! Grooming kit lives in the car. We store next to nothing at the horses, because we simply have a field. Only wet t/o rugs stay there & some medical supplies. I have 3 horses. Anything not in use is cleaned, packed away neatly in a large plastic box, and the boxes are stacked in the bedroom as it's most out of the way, or in the set of 'horse drawers' which are just the colourful plastic ones from Hobbycraft. Bits/bridles hang as it's easier. They take up no space realistically.
Really, we don't notice it. Everything has it's place, yes, our home is 'horsey' but then, the rosettes, photos, books, artwork, boots, ornaments etc would give that away!!!
 
I used to have a locker, well still do but no horse! In it I could keep a saddle, bridle, grooming kit, hat, boots, a LW rug, and some other bits, and on top I piled the rest of the rugs. Then I had some of those plastic drawers with stuff in. In the feed room I had 2 bins. That was for 1 horse.
Didnt take up much space, in fact I took up the least space.

The locker was 6ft 6 by 2ft 6 by 2ft 6 i believe.
 
Sorry WW but this is the second thread you've started where you have moaned about your liveries & painted yourself out to be a paragon of virtue. You are taking people's money to provide a service and you might think its as cheap as chips and aren't you kind giving stuff away but maybe to your liveries it might be a lot of money. Everyone has a different view of what they consider cheap or good value for money.
If having liveries is such a pain as you've said so often why not give notice & close down then you can enjoy your yard to yourself and not have to consider the needs of others.
And don't just assume that you can come on a public forum have a rant and that its ok because your real identity isn't known & that your liveries aren't reading this.
 
I now feel we were mean about 5 years ago we had 2 diy in they got there stable and a wardrobe (for there tack grooming kit ect anything that wasn't food, bedding or hay) In our Rug stable they got a shelve about 3x3X2 and the hay and bedding stored in our haybarn, they were also provided with one wheelee bin for food. That's it and if the stuff starts to spread out the livery was talked to straight away. We had no problems until we were abandoned with on pony so stopped doing livery
 
KautoStar1 said:
Sorry WW but this is the second thread you've started where you have moaned about your liveries & painted yourself out to be a paragon of virtue. You are taking people's money to provide a service and you might think its as cheap as chips and aren't you kind giving stuff away but maybe to your liveries it might be a lot of money. Everyone has a different view of what they consider cheap or good value for money.
If having liveries is such a pain as you've said so often why not give notice & close down then you can enjoy your yard to yourself and not have to consider the needs of others.
And don't just assume that you can come on a public forum have a rant and that its ok because your real identity isn't known & that your liveries aren't reading this.
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Where are they to be able to air any issues? Liveries can come on and slate the yards they are on and that seems to be ok.........Its just as you say, a PUBLIC forum, so they can say all they wish. No onE on here is ever going to 100% believe everything anyone says unless in RL they know the person as well.

Yes to the liveries its not 'cheap' but then its not like that money goes into the YO pocket, they do have outgoings. Yes they provide a service, and they outline that service when the liveries arrive. If they don't like it or want more they can change yards. YO's aren't slaves to the liveries just because they pay them. That's like saying your boss can be a complete arse to you and you HAVE to take it because they pay you.......or that we can be horrible to service personnel and those employed by local authorities as we pay them...

A lot of liveries are Crazy! Like proper cray cray..but some are also very nice. But many do seem to think they have a RIGHT to certain things. Yeah, they can have it.............if they want to pay for it............want a stable to groom in, go on DIY with a stable. Want more space to store your stuff because you have an unreasonable amount of stuff.....buy a shed and then use that, either at home or ask the YO if you can put it on the yard.
 
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My point was Emmasmummy that OP has a habit of moaning and making out she (assume she) is on the verge of a breakdown because of her "awful" liveries. Sorry just sounds like OP likes a bit of a drama and comes on here for sympathy.
Perhaps she would be better off doing something about it rather than moaning.
Didn't say they're are not some crazy liveries. But having been on the end of a crazy YO I have a feeling that all may not be as OP makes out
 
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KautoStar1 said:
Sorry WW but this is the second thread you've started where you have moaned about your liveries & painted yourself out to be a paragon of virtue. You are taking people's money to provide a service and you might think its as cheap as chips and aren't you kind giving stuff away but maybe to your liveries it might be a lot of money. Everyone has a different view of what they consider cheap or good value for money.
If having liveries is such a pain as you've said so often why not give notice & close down then you can enjoy your yard to yourself and not have to consider the needs of others.
And don't just assume that you can come on a public forum have a rant and that its ok because your real identity isn't known & that your liveries aren't reading this.
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LOL that's hilarious, me a paragon of virtue! I don't think so but what I am is a caring and honourable person. I put the horses first the owners second and I don't care if that's the wrong way, that's just how it is and yes I have moaned before but tbh I could be on here weekly if I had the time but I don't usually! Apparently YOare not allowed to complain eh only their clients? Are you one of those people yourself then that thinks it should be a free for all on yards and you can have as much storage space as you like and do what you want all for a very small fee? My livery is cheap because I can afford for it to be so, luckily as many of my liveries would really struggle if they had to go to another yard round here and that's one of the reasons I'm still going.
 
KautoStar1 said:
My point was Emmasmummy that OP has a habit of moaning and making out she (assume she) is on the verge of a breakdown because of her "awful" liveries. Sorry just sounds like OP likes a bit of a drama and comes on here for sympathy.
Perhaps she would be better off doing something about it rather than moaning.
Didn't say they're are not some crazy liveries. But having been on the end of a crazy YO I have a feeling that all may not be as OP makes out
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Yes, And my point is that maybe this is the only place they can vent?? A lot of people do that rather than have a freaky at real live people.
 
Where is your yard!!?? :D

I'm on DIY and pay £35pw, I have 2 stables. I have a trunk outside my stable (just the usual B&Q green one), a saddle rack in the tack room and a space in the feed room for my bins. Everyone gets the same. Some people have big wooden cabinets in their stables for more storage (I do but I don't have much in there). All of my rugs are kept at home. I think its very reasonable, especially if its a big yard as everyone should get the same amount of space.

Sorry but if they knew how much storage they had when they moved there.. They shouldn't have moved if it was going to be an issue.
 
KautoStar1 said:
My point was Emmasmummy that OP has a habit of moaning and making out she (assume she) is on the verge of a breakdown because of her "awful" liveries. Sorry just sounds like OP likes a bit of a drama and comes on here for sympathy.
Perhaps she would be better off doing something about it rather than moaning.
Didn't say they're are not some crazy liveries. But having been on the end of a crazy YO I have a feeling that all may not be as OP makes out
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Nothing wrong with a good moan. Especially if it makes you feel better, after all, you're having a moan aren't you?
 
No, not moaning at all. Just pointing out that OP likes to post about her awful liveries & how she wants to give up & that she doesn't make any money so if things are that bad stop moaning on line (presumably for sympathy) & do something about it.
 
I think OP posted once some months ago about struggling with her liveries. I think she also mentioned that some of them had been with her for a decade, so I would hardly agree with KS that she is a serial moaner re her liveries!
 
Shes a business publicly complaining about her customers. The impression given is that she feels shes doing them a favour. I cant imagine any other scenario where that would be deemed acceptable.
 
FrankieCob said:
Shes a business publicly complaining about her customers. The impression given is that she feels shes doing them a favour. I cant imagine any other scenario where that would be deemed acceptable.
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At £3.80 a day with those facilities the OP is doing them a favour!
 
im on a DIY yard and pay £17 per week. We get a stable, very large tackroom, 24/7 turnout in summer, half day in winter regardless of the weather with no time restrictions. Theres also an outside school with jumps and a round lunging pen.

We had loads of storage, but i think on DIY its needed. Hay is stored outside on pallets, but by the time ive got my feed bins in (all 5 of them) a storage box for rugs, saddle, bridle, boots, grooming stuff, products (fly spray etc) first aid kit, hi viz, mucking out tools including barrow, wellies, waterproof coats, riding hat etc etc its not that big.
 
Blurr said:
At £3.80 a day with those facilities the OP is doing them a favour!
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Nonsense!! It's a business! It's up to the OP what she charges. As I mentioned earlier, and was accused of having an axe to grind, if the OP is so unhappy she should do something about it! Either shut up shop or charge more money. The price for her livery seems very cheap to me and I can't imagine a profit at that- I think, if she wants to keep the yard open, that she should charge what she considers to be appropriate. That would be about £35 round here. Hay etc also isn't subsidised . Perhaps if she was making a profit then YO/ livery relations would be better. Fwiw I'm really NOT having a go OP, but I do think if you are so unhappy with the current situation then you need to rectify it.
 
At a previous place I kept my horse we had a 1m x 2m mesh fully enclosed lockable cage and a pallet to store feed and hay on in the feed room. If you couldn't fit your stuff in there, tough titties!

At the current place I keep my horse, if your stuff is left lying around in an area it shouldn't be (anywhere which isnt your gear storage area) for more than two days the yard owner donates it to charity..... Its written in the contract so no ifs or buts!

For those who store their tack in a communal tack room on a saddle bracket/bridle peg....are you not terrified of it going missing??

Having agisted many times at various places, I can't even bring myself to leave a head collar out! My gear is all locked up in a trunk and metal lockable stationary cupboard and feed locked up in barrels. My saddle I take home. It bothers me I can't lock the hay up in some way! I do tie up the strings on open bales though to deter people from 'borrowing' a biscuit....
 
I pay £25 per week for year round turnout of about 1½acres. There is an outdoor arena, a round pen and a .9km surfaced track (ex trotting yard). Inside the barn I have a saddle rack, with bridle hook underneath, a shelf for rugs and space to fit three wheely bins in which I store feed. The rest I keep at home. If I want to keep my horse in I have to pay extra. All my extra stuff is kept at home - I have a shed in my garden for it.


Eg - NativePonyLover - you may need 3 grazing muzzles, but you don't need them all at the yard at the same time. Maybe one on, a clean one in the car and one in the wash at home.

OP How much storage space people have at home is not your problem. Your liveries sound very ungrateful. A meeting is definitely in order and maybe work out a general list of what is considered a suitable amount of stuff to be kept at the yard.

If I had a yard I certainly wouldn't want it bulging with every single equine possession people own - nor would I want it sprouting garden sheds of all shapes and sizes. At the livery yard I was in in the UK I had in a communal tack room, A saddle rack with bridle hook above. A box underneath which I could lock. It held my grooming kit, My hat, gloves & whip and Zara's spare rug

Feed, hay & bedding was provided at no extra charge. It worked very well, there was no thieving of any sort, bar one incidence which we traced and sorted. I was there for around ten years.
 
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