Full Livery - Sick and Tired of getting STICK about it!!!

Fruddy

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Why do people on bloody forums (not this one - yet!) give others stick about being on full livery??

I've had some comment made by some snotty woman this afternoon who has basically said words to the effect that if I don't see fit to keep my horse on DIY then I'm basically not fit to own a horse!!! I'm bloody livid!!

Who the hell is she to criticise the way in which I keep my horse??

Yeah okay, so full livery is expensive. So what? I can afford it. It also means that I dont have to spend time at the yard on tedium like mucking out, making feeds and poo-picking, I groom and ride and spend quality time with my horse instead.

I trust my YO completely, she treats my lad like one of her own and the care that he gets is second to none.

What are your opinions? Are full liveries second-class horse owners???
 
I'd be on full livery if I could afford it! I'm fairly sure there aren't many people who like getting out of bed on a cr@ppy winter morning to feed & turn out. I know no one forces me to have a ponio but I'd rather have an extra hour in bed!
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I really hate this attitude too!!!! I keep my horse on full livery monday to friday as i just cannot do that and work. My horse is loved, cared for and very happy...so what exactly is the problem!! I ride her before work 2/3 times per week and my trainer rides her once a week and i do weekends. I trust my YO completely and my horse and i have a great bond, she whinnies when she hears my voice!!

I work hard so that i can have a nice horse, compete and make sure my horse has a fab life. When i was a student i kept my horse on DIY, cycled twice a day to do her and scrimped for everything. But she was just as loved, well cared for and happy.

Surely welfare of the horse is the main thing??!!!!!!!!
 
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I'm fairly sure there aren't many people who like getting out of bed on a cr@ppy winter morning to feed & turn out

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I do
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But I think it should live and let live as long as the horse is looked after well, it doesn't matter.
 
Let it all out...deap breaths lol!

Each to there own, there is more to this than just caring for your horse, working hours, having children, runing around doing all the other chores etc etc

If you have time to have a horse on DIY, then great but it does not make you less of a good horse owner if you have to have them on full, providing you are insuring that your horse gets the best care when been looked after by the full livery etc....do you really think your horse gives a monkey who picks it turds up, fills it water up, fluffs up the bedding? who fills his hey net etc course it doesnt...as long as its done correctly.

I personally like to have my horse on DIY, but its just because it gives me something to do, keeps me fit (ish) and I like doing the chores etc and have the time but its all personal preference and my lifestyle.

No skin of anyones noses that have them on full livery though, dont worry about it, she doesnt know you so how can she judge you.
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Was there a touch of the green-eyed monster, I wonder, by a DIYer who's sick of getting up at 5am every day? Seriously, who wouldn't have a bit of full-livery now and again if they possibly could? I'd love it. I could go on holidays, sleep over at uni more, have some lie-ins... ah...

You know what? She's right.
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. You awful full-livery people! Ought to be banned!!
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I think it is the old hair shirt thing, and people feeling more virtuous because they are DIY. I am DIY, but it is driven by finance, not choice, and if I could afford even assited livery and find a YO I trusted to do things exactly the way I like them, I would happily pay.
 
Well all I can say is that she is a very jealous lady!!! I am!!!!
If I was loaded I would go full livery. Get to spend more time riding then
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Move to North America - DIY livery is virtually unheard of in most places. In fact, it probably goes a bit more the other way, with *some* people looking down their noses at horse owners who can't afford to give their horses a completely managed life and the best of everything whether they need it or it!
 
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Was there a touch of the green-eyed monster, I wonder, by a DIYer who's sick of getting up at 5am every day? Seriously, who wouldn't have a bit of full-livery now and again if they possibly could? I'd love it. I could go on holidays, sleep over at uni more, have some lie-ins... ah...

You know what? She's right.
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. You awful full-livery people! Ought to be banned!!
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PMSL!
 
Burtondog - she didn't think I should HAVE my horse, if I didn't do him myself! Her opinion was that I was a "fair weather owner" who just wanted to do the nice things like ride and couln't be arsed to muck out etc. It got quite heated and then the thread was closed, I have to say!!

I think that people are right though - she's probably just pissed off that I can afford my horse on full livery!
 
Keep my horse on Full Livery and have never regretted the decision (maybe the bills sometimes :P )

He receives excellent care and I trust my YO fully.

I would love to do DIY livery sometimes, but after a 12.5 hour shift, I can not summon the will to muck out a stable. If I did, it would be a hap hazard attempt. Therefore it is far better for the horse that he has routine and high standard of living by going full livery.

The welfare of the horse has to be first and foremost (and the owner - me with no sleep is not a good thing!!)

I don't really care what the views are on full livery . Tyler is well kept and happy so suggesting I am not a good horse owner due to my choice of full livery doesn't wash with me.
 
I think there should be loads more people on full livery around me (just opening up a livery yard
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I always like the idea of full livery, but I'm too far gone now having always looked after my own. Would never begrudge anyone else doing it though - the other person on that post was so obviously jealous! What person wouldn't want their mucking out done for them really?
 
Lol! When I moved from DIY to full a few years ago I was worried about not spending enough time with my horse i.e somebody else doing everything apart from the riding. I was also worried my horse would start to look at me as "that idiot that just turns up and makes me work." However I enjoyed it and gave me more time for other things in life. I'm about to go back onto full livery because of work commitment. I tried loaning and he came back so there's no way I will let him out of my ownership now but the only way to combine a very full time job and ENJOYMENT of my hrose is to put him on full livery. If I kept him on DIY it would finish me off over the winter. It's going to be a stretch financially but I've worked out that it won't cost me much more a week than being on Assisted DIY and I won't have the hassle of having to buy bedding, haylage and feed - it'll all be done! Don't let other people's opinions spoil the enjoyment of your (very expensive) hobby!
 
Im sorry but im going to say that even if i could afford full livery i wouldent do it.The tedium jobs of mucking out and poo picking the field are all part of owning a horse.If i just wanted to turn up and ride i would join a riding school.Shoot me down i dont really care that's my opinion.And am i jealous of people who full livery there horses no i'm not.I can understand that people who work full time and have kids need to full livery there horses.I work full time and sometimes are totally knackered but my horses still get done everyday no matter what.
 
My horse is on full livery and even worse, he's going on professional schooling livery for the whole of August! (besides which my parents actually have stables at home so could keep him there for free...)

But like you I like the fact I can have a life and also have my horse. The "free" time I have not spent mucking out etc is spent riding, watching other riders, reading/learning about my sport. I enjoy working and I really believe my horse gets the best of everything.

DIY might be more rewarding (and obviously more affordable)for some people, but there's no way I could fit in work, bf, housework and the rest of it and still be sane!
 
I don't have my own horse (yet- lol), but I get both sides of this argument tbh.
Mucking out, feeding and poo picking are all significant parts of owning a horse and its not just about riding and having fun. Although that person had absolutely no right to have a go at you about it, everybody is entitled to do what they want with their horses (within reason) and if you have the money to keep your horse on full livery- i dont see why not.
 
As others have said it is all about personal choice - I would never criticise someone who kept their horse on full livery, but even if I could afford it I wouldnt do so. I enjoy the pootling about at the yard mucking out, grooming, feeding etc as much as the riding bit - now I am riding a horse who IS on full livery I find myself doing the routine stuff when theoretically I dont need to
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The only thing I would do (if I had the money) would be to pay someone to turn out for me in the mornings - lovely lie-in still, but still get to do what I would like to with my horse
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I'm lucky in that at my yard I dont get too much grief for being the only one on full although there is an occasional undertone, but I still feel so bad about it particularly if i'm there and he's being mucked out. I also feel most people think it's about money but it so isnt it's about time. I really worry about not having time to look after him myself his care is ok but not perfect which causes me endless stress but there arn/t any other livery yards around me I drive 1/2 hr to get there as it is,and he is happy and settled. I made sure I had the knowledge to do him justice before I got him and I know i could look after him well, I get so upset that I cant as I dont have time to do him but I leave for work at 7pm I get home at half 7pm but I still ride 4 x/week, I get up at half 5 to do all the other animals i have at home - so it's not that I mind dark wet cold mornings . but he is really happy and he's been on yards where neither of us were happy. There is no perfect way. I understand where the DIY's come from but most of us on full do it for a reason not just because we can financially. God I feel better now ! this is a subject of much stress to me . can you tell ??!!!
 
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Im sorry but im going to say that even if i could afford full livery i wouldent do it.The tedium jobs of mucking out and poo picking the field are all part of owning a horse.If i just wanted to turn up and ride i would join a riding school.Shoot me down i dont really care that's my opinion.And am i jealous of people who full livery there horses no i'm not.I can understand that people who work full time and have kids need to full livery there horses.I work full time and sometimes are totally knackered but my horses still get done everyday no matter what.

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God you'd hate me, I have a horse on full livery that I don't ride
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I can go upto a fortnight without seeing him at all, heathen fiend that I am.
 
martyrs pure and simple! Both of mine are on part livery now and I have to have sharers to afford it, but being on DIY with two is just not doable with my job now. That said, I've landed on my feet as with turnout and bringin and all the extras at my diy yard in the winter, I'm only paying £60 a month more for each of them on part!
 
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So i guess the obvious question is why have a horse?.What do you get out of owning a horse and what does the horse get out of you??.

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Well, my horse gets to live and I get a lovely horse to spend time with.

He used to be in work and he used to be on DIY with me, then things changed and I kept him. Quite how that makes me weird or a bad owner I don't know - I'm sure if I sold him or loaned him out, someone else on here would call me irresponsible
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I like owning my horse, it is so lovely after a busy day at work to go down and spend time grooming him and scratching him and generally pouring my heart out to him, and in return he gets to live the life of riley, avoid all work, and get lots of affection and cuddles. He wants for nothing and is a very happy pony, I am a very happy owner - why should that be wrong?
 
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