For those of you that own/run a livery yard

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FestiveBoomBoom

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Just how tying is it? Do you ever get away on holiday? Are you able to leave the yard during the week/weekends to run errands/have a bit of leisure time for yourself etc? Or are you really required to be on site pretty much all the time? Obviously I understand that you can't be shackled there 24/7! But if you don't have staff, would you be happy to leave the property, horses unattended? Just food for thought for me really as we are looking into buying a small yard next year
 
Although I don't run a livery yard now, I used to. 24 boxes and one part-timer to help. Never any time for yourself, even at the start when I only had half a dozen liveries (and no help). Could guarantee that every time I wasn't there something would happen that needed my urgent attention. Plus the continual queries and worries of the liveries. 'Could you just ...' became my most hated phrase!

It really is very hard work, physically and emotionally. However, I don't want to put you off! It's jsut that not everyone is as reasonable and thoughtful as you are as a livery.
 
I have a small yard, living on site helps as you can do what needs doing yet be able to stop when you wish to have a break or attend to something else.
Summer is easier, obviously, the days being longer mean that you are not so tied to routine, most of mine are out 24/7 during the summer so they do not need constant supervision, just the daily checks which can be done to fit in with other jobs.
Sundays I am nearly always out at a competition, often very early starts but it is easy enough to get things done before leaving, just get everything ready the day before and be efficient with your time.
Winter is more of a tie as I like to get mine in in daylight but while they are turned out they do not need you there so still time for other things, I try and have one day each week where I do a minimal amount, just skip out, rather than a full muckout and do as much the day before as I can, have extra haynets full etc.
You need good owners that respect you have a life, and to get the horses settled so that they are not too demanding, once they are in a routine that has some flexibility they are usually happy to be horses, as long as they have food and a safe environment you can relax and let them get on with life.
 
FattyBoomBoom said:
Just how tying is it? Very. Much less so if your clients are DIY. Full or part then you really need to get cover.

Do you ever get away on holiday? Haven't managed it for more than overnight in five years yet :(

Are you able to leave the yard during the week/weekends to run errands/have a bit of leisure time for yourself etc? I am not tied to my yard, I get things done and ready for the evening and then I go out and do my own thing, if I am going to be late back I still have to arrange for someone to bring in the stalled horses.

Or are you really required to be on site pretty much all the time? Not unless you want to be a complete martyr, or kowtow to ridiculous whims such as "I would like someone on site to watch the horses all day and to give more hay if needed" The key to getting some time off for yourself is organisation, round bales, self filling water troughs - and delegation - if you have someone to delegate to!;)

Obviously I understand that you can't be shackled there 24/7! But if you don't have staff, would you be happy to leave the property, horses unattended? For the day, yes, overnight, I would still have to arrange cover for stalled horses, plus my dogs, goats etc For any longer then I would have a house/animal sitter to come twice a day - already booked for February when I am going south for a week. Spring is not such a good time for me as I have mares foaling down, and mares booked in for stud so I can't get away then

Just food for thought for me really as we are looking into buying a small yard next year Enjoy:)
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I won a weekend break to a resort (no snow yet though, how irritating:mad:)and am being made to go this weekend - so much hassle just for 48 hours. Fortunately my Boarders are quite happy to feed the dogs, cats and goats and I have a friend (ex-boarder so she knows what is what) up the road who will do the stalled horses. I also cheat appallingly for overnight and make up spare beds for the stalled horses, all my friend has to do is bring them in, pop them in the clean stall and do water and feed (already bagged up)
 
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It's very tying. I have a yard with 32 horses - riding school and livery yard. With that number we do have staff but none of them live in. We usually only manage short breaks away however as it was our silver wedding anniversary we did take a 10 day holiday abroad however our son arranged his work so he was at home and he's responsible enough to take charge in my absence.

If we are all away I rely on a client to house sit overnight and do night checks etc on the yard as I wouldn't leave it unattended overnight. The senior staff are pretty good at stepping up to the mark if we are away but it still requires a lot of organising before we do go away.

Having a yard is definitely a life style choice and I think the time I really feel it is the festive season - half the staff do Christmas and half New Year but they only do a couple of hours in the morning the rest of the day is my husband, son and me doing the yard on top of doing Christmas dinner etc for elderly relations. I'm always exhausted come January :)
 
My ex-boss took 2 weeks every year, plus weekends etc... If you have staff that you trust, then yes, you can go on hol etc, whether you would or not depends on you ;-)
x
 
I haven't had a holiday in 7 years. No weekends away either. I have 8 horses to care for: 6 full and part liveries and two of my own as well as 5 dogs. It would be feasible to go away in the summer when all the horses are out 24/7, but it would take a lot of organising and one of my liveres would need to house sit and I would pay her. Even so, I don't know how relaxed I would be, in case there were any emergencies. We keep meaning to go away each summer but it just has never materialised. I would have to pay around £500 a week at least for a house sitter/livery to do the work.
 
I have 23 horses on my yard at the minute 6 of which are in my care the rest are DIY although I do extra services such as bringing in for the DIYers. I also fit this in with the third year of my degree in equine management. Like someone above I also try to have at least one 'easy' day a week. I manage to go on holiday and have a week away in the summer it just takes a lot more organising!! Saying that I have a VERY good bunch of liveries at the moment. In the past I have had people ringing me up a half 8 on a friday evening to spout pointless rubbish and this did make me feel trapped by it as as long as I had my phone I couldn't get away but couldn't bear not answering it in case it actually was an emergency to do with my horses. The point is good liveries tend to be content and are willing to help you out if you are reasonable, bad liveries will soon leave as the grass is always greener. Just be picky who you take on as nice people seem to attract nice people(obv this won't always work but first impressions are sometimes useful!) and if you go out of your way to help your liverys they will ultimatly want to do that bit extra for you (this is what i've found anyway!)
I love what I do but you do need to make sure you can have that holiday/day off now and agin or it will start to feel like a draaaaaag lol :)
 
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