how do you think you would manage with working livery?

J

JessPickle

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Well pickle is on working livery at a RS, being so huge is usually more an adults ride. Now I am usually fine about the whole working livery thing, but a lot of people are shocked by relaxed attitude towards the whole thing even when I have to wait around to ride him and let clients ride him first! The only time I get slightly miffed is when someone lets pickle absulutely bomb it on hacks
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So how do you think you would cope with having your horse on working livery?
 
I had Moo on a working livery a few winters ago, The yard (BHS training/Eventing yard run by well known rider) was 30 miles from home, I used to ride her in a lesson once a week, it wasnt on my doorstep so I couldnt see her on a day to day basis (not sure if ignorance is bliss??) She seemed to enjoy it for the few months she was there and they looked after her really well (kept her mud fever under control). I would if really pushed do it again - but not on a permanent basis.
Can you not have a word with them about not letting him bomb off on hacks - did you put anything in your agreement?? or can you add it to the agreement? Its best to have a word with the Yard Manager sooner rather than later if anything is bugging you about his care - hes far too precious to mess up!!
Good luck with it.
Maloo
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I don't think I could do it personally but it's a very personal choice about where you keep your horse and who rides it! I have sharers and alot of people couldn't deal with that! x
 
Think it depends on where you do it - I'd have no qualms about having a horse on WL at my RS because I know, have seen and have done myself the care & treatment that the WL horses get. Then again, it's not your usual RS though.

I really do think though that some people's attitudes towards working livery is the fueled by that stereotypical image of a riding school

Might be worth a chat with your YM just to double check about the hacks - I'm guessing that they're escorted?
 
I can cope with my mare having a loaner .. I would possibly JUST about cope with a sharer but knowing myself I wouldnt be able to tolerate working livery, firstly im too blooming fussy, secondly i know my mare would hate it and thirdly I get pi$$ed off enough teaching peeps on their own ponies and their awful riding ... couldnt cope thinking they might be on my mare the next week!

I like being able to choose who has a sit and who doesnt.
 
During my first year at uni my retired horse (intermittently lame but still very feisty) was kept on full livery at a very good riding stables locally. I came back during holidays to find stable's clients always mobbing her stable as she had such a nice nature and they hoped for a ride. The YO suggested that I put her on working livery as she was sound at the point and doing well (I was very against but could have done with the financial help due to being a student!). They then saw me riding her when I started to bring her into very gentle work and she was as crazy as ever bless her. They soon changed their minds
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Suitable for total novices on the ground she may have been, in the saddle she was not
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ETS: To sum up, at the right yard, if I needed the help then yes I would consider it (I used to be one of a couple of school clients who rode a lovely TB nutter whose owner was inexperienced, we were used to "school" the horse if you like, so I know you can get a good deal out of it). But generally no, I'd rather not share my horse if I didn't have to.
 
The whole bombing off on hacks problem is now sorted, they now know which clients I would be happy to let ride him out and which I would be unhappy with (I know almost all the clients by name due to working at the yard a lot)
 
Have to say I would be more against the idea of working livery if I hadnt been at my yard so long. Also I think having a fairly small pony on working livery is a completely different thing in my mind!
 
If I was to put any of my horses on working livery I think they would soon get rejected for killing clients :-o I did have a pony on working livery about 20 years ago as it was an ideal way of helping me learn how to look after my pony as the riding school kept an eye on everything I did, but the competition horses I have now are a bit too lively and stroppy for most people to cope with! I don't have a problem with competant riders riding my horses as sometimes it is nice to see how they go for somebody else but now I would rather be in control of who gets on my horses than have a riding school put anybody on board.
 
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Never in a million years would I have my horse on working livery

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Ditto!

for me I wouldnt see the point in working to get a horse going nicely etc only for it all to be undone by other people.

Not saying everyone at a riding school is just learning or not a good rider, but there is no way anyone is gong to ride your horse like you, and Ive seen too many horses end up dead to the leg and hard mouthed as a result.

It depends on your horse too I think, but there is no way on earth I would go on working livery.
 
Thing is though - a decent RS wouldn't just put "anybody on board". They'd know the horse and know the client and hopefully would match them up accordingly
 
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Thing is though - a decent RS wouldn't just put "anybody on board". They'd know the horse and know the client and hopefully would match them up accordingly

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agreed for example my sisters tb x would never have a beginner put on him EVER. Pickle has beginners on him in the school because he lunges beutifully and is just generally good.
 
I bought Star from a riding school and he carried on being on working livery for a year. As he was my horse i had the final say over who got to ride him, and he only did a set amount of work each week, decided by me beforehand. I was happy with the agreement but then they started putting anyone on him when they were pushed for horses so i put him on DIY.
 
I don't think anyone would want my unbroken 2yo, 3yo or opinionated 18yr old (the same one which frightened an advanced event rider)
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When I was YM I did use my mare for my working pupils but it wasn't always successful....
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S
 
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