Full livery

[m.v.w]

Hi I'm thinking of moving my horse to a yard that only do full livery , as they have better facilities, smaller quiet yard, good grazing! However I've always had my horses on DIY, so my question is how do you cope with other people doing your horse and also do you still go down every day? I don't want to think oh well she will be done so don't need to go!
Many thanks for your replies!

 

[twinkle]

Have just done this move myself for the better facilities!

At first i loved the whole coming down and everything was done felt really strange and the more time on your hands and not having to watch the clock all the time!

But i kind of dont like it now that has worn off, as i feel like i dont see them enough even though i still go down every night and ride. But my mum and dad are looking for a house with land so wont be there to long hopefully as there house is up for sale now!

Sorry dont help much but dont no what i would do if i had to stay as horses are happy and facilities are great!

 

[Stacey6897]

I had mine on full livery last winter, bit odd at first, just turning up to ride, but I'd worked out that after paying for DIY plus hay plus bed plus two visits a day, doing nothing with the horse bar mucking out and walking to and from field, I may as well pay for full and do fun stuff

Had absolutely no problems with other people looking after my horse, they're more experienced than I am and I trust them and like them (that's important)

 

[Bikerchickone]

I've done a bit of both with my two. At the moment they're both on full livery but I still go down almost every day. Not because I don't trust the yard staff but because I like to be with them, ride, lunge etc, and a part of me always wants to put out the right rugs etc for the next day, even though it would be done for me anyway!!

I do have days where I don't go down but they're probably limited to one a week max, but I'm also lucky in that I don't work either so my time is my own except for my daughter.

I would have liked to have at least one if not both on DIY but the yard routine suits my youngster so well I don't want to upset her and I could only have a stable for my boy if it was on full livery as there weren't any DIY boxes available and I love my yard too much to move!

I think you'll find your own routine that suits you and your horse and you'll probably find your bond will get so much better for being able to spend more time with your horse than you would before when you had to muck out, poo pick, etc. I've never found that I didn't want to go see them, I'd miss them too much if I didn't!

 

[shadowboy]

I had my dressage horse on full for 6 months during my PGCE and I was shocked to enjoy it. The yard didn't mind if I wanted to do it as and when and they were really good with having a strict routine so I knew where he would be at any specific time, so if I wanted to turn out I could etc. One of the grooms used to text me photos if he'd done something funny or posed nicely so I didn't ever feel I was missing out. I went up 5 days a week but could have late nights at work if I needed to without stressing about the horse, and I could go away without worrying about it. Because I didn't have to muck out it meant I had time to ride so our bond was actually better as I could spend hours grooming and fussing and schooling. If you can find a yard you trust then go for it. I'm on DIY now because I am doing up an old farmhouse and no spare cash for full livery.

 

[fjordhorsefan]

Currently on full livery, and I like being able to spend time with my boy doing fun stuff. We're moving to part livery as of March, so I will not have to worry about jobs after work and be able to ride, and I will have time at the weekend to do all jobs and ride. I was on DIY for over 5 years before December, and now I am loathe to go back! It actually works out cheaper for me to do part than DIY.

 

[LiveryList]

I personally coudln;t do full livery with my horses as part of my enjoyment is going down doing the stable, chatting with the other liverys, it is part of may daily routine. I coudln;t give this up irrelevant of the facilities on offer. The most i can do is the odd day off here and there or full livery cover if i am away/ ill but i coudln;t do full time. i think it deviates from the whole purpose of having a horse but can see why soem people opt for it if they are short of time work full time. work away etc

 

[Nollaig Shona]

I've had horses on full livery, visited every chance I got and did some of the work myself, groomed, mucked out, swept the yard, that sort of thing. I think the staff were quite grateful! But you do have to be mindful that they don't start taking the mick and not 'doing' your horse for you because "you come up and do that yourself anyways" - especially on a day you didn't go to the yard

 

[millitiger]

I have had my horses at home and on DIY and they are now on full livery- and I love it!

I still go down most days (try to have one day where I go straight home) and I love that the precious time I spend with them is riding and grooming and playing around with them.

So much nicer than rushing down to muck out and bring in and not having time to do anything else.

My YO is competent and trustworthy and I still control what the horses eat/their turnout/exercise etc- it is just that someone else does all of the chores!

I am very picky about my horses and how they are done- I did a lot of research before moving to this yard as I was so used to doing everything myself but I haven't regretted a single day of full livery.

 

[criso]

For another point of view, I have livery because I want to spend time with my horse.
I work full time in London and it takes time to get to the yard.
I go up 3 or 4 times during the week (then sharer does one day) and do him myself at the weekends as I am on 5 day livery.
So in the evenings I go up, groom, ride and spend time with my horse. If I was on DIY I would be like some of the DIYs who spend the time mucking out while their horse stands at the gate waiting to come in.

However I am quite an 'involved' full livery and have alot of imput into how my horse is taken care of without compromising the yard's routine.

 

[m.v.w]

Thanks for all your replies think I will give it a go! It will be fun getting time to do all the fun things! This is my first post and you have all been very helpfull!