Facilities vs Quality of care?

[ApolloStorm]

This is mainly aimed at those on full livery or part livery, but how much compromise would you make, so would you give up nice arenas and very good unrestricted turnout if your horse was treated outstandingly well, gone over with a fine tooth comb every day etc, Or would you not compromise on turnout and the like if your horse maybe was treated like a " job" so without the high attention to detail owners tend to give? But obviously not neglected.
Just a musing as I know people on both sides and I am not sure of my own opinion!

 

[Bernster]

For me quality of care would be a priority, and above facilities. That said, I have moved yards from one where the care was outstanding and very personal, to yards with better turnout and/or facilities, but only on the basis that they still provided a good level of care (albeit perhaps not as amazing, if you know what I mean).

Would never accept poor or substandard care, but equally I don't expect them to 'pet' or 'coddle' my horse.

I have one horse on grass livery with Auslander, who does get 5 star treatment

 

[Myloubylou]

I am on part livery & accept that things don't get done as I would as there isn't the time but as long as my horse is given clean water, hay and is skipped out adequately I am content. I do think as part of the service the yard should be checking my horse hasn't injured themselves or is unwell so "treating just as a job" doesn't sit well with me as you need to know individual horses to pick up if off colour, stiff etc. I would definitely not give up turnout for 5* care and a floodlit arena is a must as I work during day.

 

[GirlFriday]

I think there is a big difference between facilities for owners (secure tack rooms, trailer parking, great flood lights etc) and facilities that have an immediate impact on horse welfare (turn out, ventilation of stables, etc).

Within normal levels of care I'd say
1) facilities for horse (if horse is in 24/7 for 6 months in winter I don't think any level pampering can compensate)
2) individual care
3) facilities for owner

But of course there are some facilities for owners which can make the difference between someone being able to ride and not. So, hard to balance in general.

 

[ihatework]

For me there is an optimum balance.
There are certain facilities that I need at a minimum - good turnout, access to hacking and a decent school being non negotiable.
That doesn't mean care can be compromised , but I don't 'need' the bells and whistles - just someone trustworthy, honest who feeds enough hay, gives enough bedding and can handle a fit horse. I'm happy to do the rest.

 

[iknowmyvalue]

Quality of care is very important for me, since I spend half the year at university 6hrs away. So yard is in full charge of Henry for that time. He has a sharer who rides him, but doesn't do any chores. There are certain facilities that I need (good school with lights, some turnout year round (though I'll compromise for half day turnout in winter), secure tack room... ) but I also need somewhere where I trust them to look after him to a very high standard as I often have to go 4-6wks without seeing him. Current yard suits me down to the ground as facilities are great but staff are also great, and I trust them implicitly. I can be secure in the knowledge that he's going to be safe, well fed, clean and happy, and if he needs anything it will be provided or they'll let me know so I can get it to them. They've proved to me many times over that they will notice the minute something isn't right, and will get vet/physio/farrier etc. as needed and let me know. I know that I'm in a different situation to most people though, as most people on here won't have to regularly go long periods without seeing their horse.

 

[Micropony]

Depends what you mean by quality of care really. Mine is on livery and it matters to me that his bed is clean, hay/water/feed are dealt with properly, that he is handled competently and not roughly and that my instructions are followed re turnout, rugging, booting etc. I also expect the yard to notice obvious or significant injuries, lost shoes etc. and to inform me and take any immediate action that's necessary. I also appreciate being able to pay for additional services when necessary, e.g. if he needs cold hosing or medication administered during the day when I can't be there. But I see and check my own horse daily so don't expect or require the yard to do things like groom him, wash turnout boots, scrub feed and water buckets, remove cobwebs from his stable etc. It's also not necessary to me for the yard staff to have a deep and meaningful relationship with him in order to be able to pick up if he's very slightly out of sorts, as I will notice that myself. All of those are things that might bother other people with different set-ups who don't see their horses daily.

As far as facilities go, I think turnout/fencing are important. Having a decent school surface is also important to me - I keep my horse because I want to ride, and rubbish surfaces that are unsafe either all the time or in bad weather are a problem IMO. The other stuff - wash bays with hot water, heated tea rooms, solariums, horse walkers etc. are really nice to have, but not important for me.

 

[Shavings]

I'm a part livery and in march this year i moved to a yard with less fancy areas , walkers and so on in favor of better care.
for me the care and attention to my gelding is more important, he is a stress head and can get ulcers when unsettled for a long period of time, he currently has a good amount of weight on him, and is so relaxed i feel like i am riding a plod compared to the bat out of hell i was this time last year, my horses needs ill always come before my own and i do pay a lot for part livery but this is also for him as if i did him myself he would be out alone for 2 hours before any other horse and also left out alone for 2 hours before i could bring him in (due to work) so for him routine with his field buddy (also a part livery horse) was key

i must admit i pay a lot for part but considering where i live there is not really a lot of competition so prices are high

 

[paddi22]

I have survived on crappy low care yards as I knew I was up every day and could make sure hay, water and mucking out was done. You couldn't trust the yard to do it properly if they knew the owners weren't around.
If a yard hits the points at the top of my 'essential' list then I can cope with any downsides usually.

The things I could never cope with would be:
- no turnout, very limited turnout or only turned out alone in a tiny patch with no grass.
- any chance of the horse being roughly handled or mistreated
- no arena
- changing rota of inexperienced staff with no consistency in feeding, hay, supplement giving.
- any chance that horse mightn't get enough hay overnight if in
- very dangerous fencing or chance of escape

Overall it just depends if horse is happy and settled. i've moved from very good yards to less fancy ones purely because horse didn't settle at them.