Full livery v 5/2 Livery

[Petmurf]

My Pony was on full livery which is everything except exercising but then as expected livery prices went up so I decided to change to 5/2 livery, full Mon to Fri then DIY at weekends. It’s going OK except that we aren’t allowed to turn out at weekends if on DIY so I take him out for a long hack usually on both days but I can’t help feeling this isn’t enough, last weekend he seemed really fed up and subdued and wasn’t eating his hay, he kept trying to get out the stable door to follow the others who were being turned out and I’m feeling really gulity.

I‘m thinking about taking the hit on the extra £65 a month and moving back to full livery, what do you think?

 

[Nasicus]

Do they give a reason why you can't turn out at weekends on DIY?
Is it just for winter or is is year round?

 

[Petmurf]

Do they give a reason why you can't turn out at weekends on DIY?
Is it just for winter or is is year round?

Just for winter, as the fields are muddy particularly near the gates and as soon as you approach the gates, all the horses want to come in so it’s for a routine and safety reason

 

[Annagain]

That's a crazy rule, frankly, probably aimed at 'encouraging' you to opt for the full. They clearly have enough turnout if you have the option of full and they get to go out on full. I'm stubborn enough to think about moving elsewhere but appreciate it might otherwise be the perfect yard or the only decent one in the area. Depending on the overall cost, £65 a week seems like a huge increase but you might need to suck it up.

Just for winter, as the fields are muddy particularly near the gates and as soon as you approach the gates, all the horses want to come in so it’s for a routine and safety reason

That doesn't add up though, surely you ride more at weekends so you'd turn out yourself after riding or bring in yourself to ride anyway? Just because they're on full livery doesn't mean they always go out and come in together?#

ETA - Sorry just re-read and seen it's £65 a month, which doesn't seem too horrendous an increase although I appreciate that's on top of lots of other increases in life!

 

[Birker2020]

My Pony was on full livery which is everything except exercising but then as expected livery prices went up so I decided to change to 5/2 livery, full Mon to Fri then DIY at weekends. It’s going OK except that we aren’t allowed to turn out at weekends if on DIY so I take him out for a long hack usually on both days but I can’t help feeling this isn’t enough, last weekend he seemed really fed up and subdued and wasn’t eating his hay, he kept trying to get out the stable door to follow the others who were being turned out and I’m feeling really gulity.

I‘m thinking about taking the hit on the extra £65 a month and moving back to full livery, what do you think?

I'd personally suck it up too. Not being turned out is unheard of on our yard. Its happened for two days in the past 15 odd years and that was because it really was deemed too dangerous with ice for both handler and horse to reach most of the paddocks.

I think there might be an added risk of colic as well with not moving around so much being stabled and getting stressed at seeing his friends going out and not him. Impaction colic is a real risk this time of year.

 

[Petmurf]

That doesn't add up though, surely you ride more at weekends so you'd turn out yourself after riding or bring in yourself to ride anyway? Just because they're on full livery doesn't mean they always go out and come in together?#

ETA - Sorry just re-read and seen it's £65 a month, which doesn't seem too horrendous an increase although I appreciate that's on top of lots of other increases in life!

We have to request for our horses to be left in if we want to ride in the mornings and if by chance the girls have been turned out first thing, we can’t turn ours out after our rid so they end up staying in for the rest of the day anyway. If we want to ride say at lunchtime then we advise them what time we’ll be there and if horse is out then they’ll bring them in for us.

 

[Petmurf]

Answered my own question actually, even on full weekend livery, if I rode him first thing, it doesn’t mean he’ll be turned out for the rest of the day as there’s limited winter turnout and they take it in turns for half a day, Mares and Geldings seperately so if I missed the geldings turnout in the morning, mine wouldn’t be going out anyway

 

[maya2008]

If in full time I exercise twice a day. Seems to work fine. So walker at one end and hack the other, or lunge one end and hack the other, or school and gentle hack…

 

[Petmurf]

If in full time I exercise twice a day. Seems to work fine. So walker at one end and hack the other, or lunge one end and hack the other, or school and gentle hack…

Yep, so maybe I just need to do more with him on weekends, our hacks are hour and half at least with lots of hills but then maybe some schooling or groundwork in the afternoon as well just to get him out of his stable and moving around

 

[Leandy]

Honestly, he will survive perfectly well with just you hacking both days and no turnout. Those sound perfectly adequate active and interesting hacks (not like the scant 30 mins plod on a long rein round the block so many seem to count as exercise these days). He's just confused by the change in routine rather than actually needing the extra activity at the weekend. I'd be fine with this arrangement so long as I was able to provide the exercise at the weekend as you seem to be.

 

[sportsmansB]

Honestly, he will survive perfectly well with just you hacking both days and no turnout. Those sound perfectly adequate active and interesting hacks (not like the scant 30 mins plod on a long rein round the block so many seem to count as exercise these days). He's just confused by the change in routine rather than actually needing the extra activity at the weekend. I'd be fine with this arrangement so long as I was able to provide the exercise at the weekend as you seem to be.

I agree with this. Your only issue is if for some reason you can't make it, you'd need to arrange for jobs cover and for riding (are you allowed to swop back to full for a day at a time just in case?)

 

[Petmurf]

I agree with this. Your only issue is if for some reason you can't make it, you'd need to arrange for jobs cover and for riding (are you allowed to swop back to full for a day at a time just in case?)

Yes I can pay for a days livery so no worries there.

 

[Petmurf]

Honestly, he will survive perfectly well with just you hacking both days and no turnout. Those sound perfectly adequate active and interesting hacks (not like the scant 30 mins plod on a long rein round the block so many seem to count as exercise these days). He's just confused by the change in routine rather than actually needing the extra activity at the weekend. I'd be fine with this arrangement so long as I was able to provide the exercise at the weekend as you seem to be.

Thank you. Just feeling a bit guilty as I changed due to cost without putting him first but I’ll keep going, try and do a little bit more at weekends and see how he is in a few weeks

 

[ycbm]

I'd pay the £65 a month to get rid of the guilt, the tying up of your weekend and because I think a 7 day a week routine is better for the horse.
.

 

[Petmurf]

I'd pay the £65 a month to get rid of the guilt, the tying up of your weekend and because I think a 7 day a week routine is better for the horse.
.

I‘ve told YO that I’ll give it a few more weeks and see how things go but I know you’re right plus I’m trying to do a Yoga Teacher training course which is pretty intense and weekends are the best time to do my homework and I’m just not getting it done due to horse duties so wasting my money on that course which is a lot more than £65 a month

 

[Cocorules]

No turnout would be a deal breaker for me. I would either find somewhere else or pay the £65.