Good, bad and ugly of having a livery client at home yard?

[soloequestrian]

I have three horses and enough land for four. Plan to back the youngster soon so it would be nice to have someone around more (I'm pretty much always on my own) on the yard and the opportunity to hack in company.
I'm wary of disrupting my nice calm routine though...
Any advice - how to find someone who fits in, whether to have an official contract, how to get rid if it doesn't work out etc?
Many thanks in advance.

 

[Auslander]

Make sure you set out boundaries from the outset. There's nothing more maddening than people looking on your house as an extension of the yard. I am more than happy for people to pop in for a coffee/chat, but they have to call/text first, and be prepared that sometimes, I don't feel like being sociable!
One if my first liveries (who turned out to be an absolute lunatic and got booted out very swiftly!), kept walking into the house, as if it was the tackroom at the yard! Didn't even care when I came out of the bathroom, wrapped in a towel - just said "I'll put the kettle on"!!!

 

[meleeka]

I wouldn’t. I thought I didn’t mind sharing with a friend but I missed the peace and quiet of being on my own. I didn’t think in untidy dungheap would ever give me rage but it drove me mad! I guess I’m just an antisocial person who likes things my way.

 

[Seville]

Mine kept leaving the yard lights on, and was really bad about bolting her stable doors ( she had two here) often loose horses. She drove over the flower bed edges on our drive because she always came in like Louis Hamilton.
You may grow to resent your premises never being truly private as their hours won't always match yours.
Have a yard agreement, lay out the rules, but also what they can expect from you. Make sure you add poo picking. My DIY had her own paddock. It's your land though, so needs to be taken care of. Give it all careful thought before you proceed.

 

[be positive]

As already said set boundaries and stick to them, as a YO I would say the easiest are my full liveries who are not here every day and rarely twice in one day, a true DIY can be intrusive, disruptive to your routine and more trouble than it is worth so I would offer a 5 day assisted livery at a sensible price with you doing the am jobs, not mucking out but feed and turn out so they have only one visit and maybe them accompanying you is "payment" for that, I think you could get a better deal with less hassle and they don't have to come up every morning before work.

 

[Goldenstar]

Just don’t do it .
Pay someone to help you with the youngster when you need it .

 

[PapaverFollis]

OMG! I can't believe people would just walk into the YO's house!! I can't even go and knock.... at any of the yards I've been on. :lol: I felt terrible last night as The Beast had broken her stable door and I couldn't fix it or shut it so had to message YO at about 8pm for help. There are people out there who will respect privacy but I suppose not everyone does.

I would offer full or assisted, avoid DIY and agree a yard routine. Communication is always going to be key.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

don't do it-as GS said, pay someone to help you.

 

[abb123]

I'm a DIYer and I have lodgers in my own home so I can see from both sides.

You definitely need a contract and very clear rules and boundaries from the outset. You need to change your mindset slightly about the yard and not see it as part of your home but as 'The yard'. That way it is easier to manage and there is a clear boundary between your home and the yard. Think carefully about what they might need - storage, toilet, etc - can you provide those without feeling that your privacy is invaded?

Be very clear about money - how much, when, and what will happen if not paid on time. Respect your client and that to them that might be a lot of money they are paying and I find that they respect you back.

I'm very picky about who I take as a lodger. It is usually quite easy to weed out those that wouldn't fit in but even so I have had a few that have been just awful. You are in a good position to be picky as you don't really need a livery, it would just be nice. So take your time and only take the right livery on!

 

[WandaMare]

If you are going to venture into something like this, I would try to find someone who has already done it successfully somewhere else. There are hyper considerate people around who would be an asset on a private yard, but they take a bit of finding. I had a load of nightmares with liveries but I also had some lovely ones. One lady arrived after me in the mornings (I was out and done by 7.30am) and she finished on the yard earlier than I got home in the evenings. It was bliss. We only bumped into each other at weekends which worked out well for both of us.

 

[Scarlett]

I had a house on a yard that we rented and had a couple of liveries.
It was great. If the house door was shut they left us alone, sometimes we didn't know they had been until we stuck our heads out the door and saw the horses were done, and other times they were great company. We fed their horses with ours to keep a routine and they helped out when we had days away etc.

I'm sure there are plenty of lovely, sane, helpful people who would love to livery at a private yard like yours and be perfectly respectful of your privacy. You just need to be completely honest from day one about whats ok and whats not.

 

[soloequestrian]

Crumbs, mainly putting me off the idea! I am pretty anti-social! I have someone lined up to help me with the youngster on the ground, it's more the hacking aspect. I'm not sure a person on a bike will cut it as a companion....

 

[pansymouse]

I'm livery at a private yard which is essentially in the YO's garden - it's the second time I've gone for the arrangement. I'm older (55) and very respectful of people's space and try hard to treat the place as I would wish it was treated if I owned it. My first private livery YO is still a very good friend who I go back to visit when ever I can.

OP - you need to find a me! Someone who respects you and your property, tries hard to be unobtrusive and mucks in when needed.

 

[ihatework]

I think you would want to know the person already or have them recommended by a trusted acquaintance.

I was once the livery at a private place. We had become friends whilst on a livery yard then friend had bought an equine property and invited me to take my 2 horses.
I think/hope it worked well for both of us. Meant she had hacking company and a helping hand about the place as well as company for her horses

 

[honetpot]

Just don’t do it .
Pay someone to help you with the youngster when you need it .

Agree with this.
I have done it twice, not for the money, like you I just thought it would be nice to have company and an extra pair of eyes. The first cost me many sleepless nights and over £300, the second which seemed a lovely person, I ended up caring for her horse. When I finally said its DIY she left in a huff,good, but then I found all the piles of poo she left that did not make it to the muck heap somehow.
I now have a freelance who does everything, and I can go off and leave her or work with her. Bliss.

 

[Hannahgb]

I'm currently the livery on this arrangement. I hope they think it works? We help each other out as and when necessary, I house sit for them when they go away. I try to be respectful and treat it as I would expect someone to treat my property.

 

[Cecile]

If you can find someone who you would get on with go for it, trouble is they may not be able to ride out when you can or have their own agenda at home

I also believe people not only have to think hard about whether this person will work out but also consider what their own personality is:
Do you generally like peace and quiet
Do you like your own company
Are you territorial about your area or do you enjoy sharing space
Do you get upset if things are moved
If they don't pick up dung will it cause you sleepless nights
Will you fret about their horse if they don't come as often as you would like/don't like what they feed/disagree with some of their management of their horse
Do you fester if you have a problem or do you try to resolve it immediately without drama

It can be a good idea or a living hell, I think the YO has to be very upfront about what would drive them nuts and not keep changing the goal posts, probably it all revolves around good communication, respect and honesty from the day they arrive - on both sides

 

[catembi]

Oh gosh, don't do it! I had one & OMG it wasn't good. Turned up at all hours of the day & night, didn't turn up at all for 3 weeks so got 'full livery' as I wasn't just going to leave the horse unfed, with the wrong rugs, feet not done etc. Never helped with jobs, griped over payment. I tried to sort out boundaries from the outset & she would agree, and then never stick to it.

Turned up with heaps of relatives in tow, turned up when we'd agreed she wouldn't as we were having a family thing on the yard, etc etc etc. It is nice just to shut the gate on the world & know that it isn't going to be opened 5 minutes later by someone who is going to cause some chaos & keep knocking on the door for nonsensical reasons. But then, I'm a miserable old bat!

 

[Fanatical]

Crumbs, mainly putting me off the idea! I am pretty anti-social! I have someone lined up to help me with the youngster on the ground, it's more the hacking aspect. I'm not sure a person on a bike will cut it as a companion....

Someone on a bike can actually work well - this is what I have done starting one of mine recently as haven't anyone to hack with. They actually come to realise they are 'with' the bike and want to follow...which can be good and bad but only the same as having a horse as the companion.

 

[cauda equina]

And bikes are usually good in traffic.
It's not only the owner who needs to be a paragon of virtue; their horse needs to be too, if it's going to be a useful nanny to your youngster

 

[MotherOfChickens]

Crumbs, mainly putting me off the idea! I am pretty anti-social! I have someone lined up to help me with the youngster on the ground, it's more the hacking aspect. I'm not sure a person on a bike will cut it as a companion....

it works really well-as does someone on foot or even someone walking a dog! horses will tkae their lead from many different things.

 

[TelH]

In that situation I would be paying someone to help too. If you can't get someone to go on foot or on a bike could you pay someone to ride out on one of your others while you take the youngster?

My yard feels basically like an extension of my house and I would not want someone here every day even if I did have space.

 

[webble]

I'm livery at a private yard which is essentially in the YO's garden - it's the second time I've gone for the arrangement. I'm older (55) and very respectful of people's space and try hard to treat the place as I would wish it was treated if I owned it. My first private livery YO is still a very good friend who I go back to visit when ever I can.

OP - you need to find a me! Someone who respects you and your property, tries hard to be unobtrusive and mucks in when needed.

Yes I have done it twice now and it has worked very well each time and may even work as an extra pair of hands if you need a day off. I am mid 30s so not sure if age is a factor just the right person

 

[flying_high]

How about a sharer? Assuming some of your other horses are rideable too? I have two mature sharers, and are brilliant, and I keep control of how things are done, and company to ride, and share jobs with.

 

[JFTDWS]

It is a gamble. I have my horses on a yard which is the Yo's home / back garden, although she no longer has her own horses on the yard. I try to be considerate - I do my own horses reliably and keep them well. I don't routinely come up at very odd times, and if I do, I have generally warned her in advance. I try to keep the yard tidy, I clear my fields regularly, fix any damage I can, and I don't leave lights on! I don't bother her about stuff if I can avoid it, and I don't knock on her door, let alone walk into her home - I post a note through, though I would knock if it were really urgent. On the downside, I did accidentally steal her dog this morning...

I've known other liveries who have been pretty challenging though - clueless, or uncaring, leaving horses in for most of the day with no forage, not tidying up or causing issues.

But when you have your own horses on the yard, mostly, you need to make sure they're "similar" to you in their outlooks. I'm - I think - a fairly decent livery, but I'd be rubbish on a yard where my horses were shut in 90% of the time, because I'd resent bringing them in, and spend all my time trying to exercise them, and not doing more than the basic necessities on the yard (not that I'd be staying there long!). You need people whose routines and approach to keeping horses is roughly in line with your own.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Just don’t do it .
Pay someone to help you with the youngster when you need it .

Just exactly what I was going to say! (The voice of experience here).

 

[ROMANY 1959]

Should you do find someone, ask who her current YO is and ask does she mind you asking for a reference from them ...if she is a good livery she would not mind, if she is a horror bag livery you won’t see her or get current YO details.. we had one on our small yard where my 3 were, and she drove everyone to distraction. We were so happy when she left

 

[wingedhorse]

I think it is really hard to get livery / own premises right.

I had a two box set up (detatched from another yard 500 yards away). With own feed / tack room, barn storage, school and muck heap all nearby. Initially I loved it, then eventually I got lonely and realised I wasn’t quite as antisocial as I thought!

I moved back to a yard with other people riding and was happier.

 

[teddypops]

Don’t do it unless you absolutely have to!

 

[DD]

Just don’t do it .
Pay someone to help you with the youngster when you need it .

^ this. that said I made life long friends with people who were at livery with me many years ago. but I was lucky I think. the place isn't your own any more. all sorts of problems can occur. if you give it a go set firm boundries and only have someone on who wants to be friendly. also they may not want to hack out with you which sort of defeats the object. you need to let them know what you want from them right at the start.