How many of us are truly happy at our livery yards??

[Irishbabygirl]

Small friendly yard with just 5 horses, 2 of which are mine! School, stables, good fencing, all year round turnout and cheap! OP - why are you not happy? Why do you want to move?

 

[leah_x]

I'm in the same boat by the sounds of it.
So many little things annoying me where I am, have looked at moving to different yards, but don't know if I am going to be making a big mistake its so difficult!
Are the annoyances at your yard something you can just simply ignore?

 

[skint1]

One of my horses lives on an old run down dairy farm where the only liveries are us and our friend, the other lives on a medium sized DIY yard, both are excellent for what they are, though of course there are always a few niggles (I suspect we also cause niggles for others too) The more I hear about what other people go through on yards the more I appreciate fully just how bleddy lucky we are in both cases

 

[Lintel]

I'm not on a livery yard, but my private rent micro-yard / fields with stables is perfect Well, it would be perfect if it were twice as big and had a school, but then I couldn't afford it, so it's practically perfect in everyway

Even tonight, I'm so annoyed for complicated trailer related reasons, I still found myself pointing out how spectacular it is that the water trough feeder's not frozen / complimenting aspects of the yard

The green eyed monster comes out to play! You have my dream! - an unfrozen water trough
Thats great though, I'd love just to have a little micro yard- sounds ideal!

I'm happy enough at mine though 24/7 turnout, rubber matted stable, only one other livery and we get on great and ride together Fri,Sat,Sun. Three other horses belonging to the owner, and we all have geldings
And most of all.. The wee chappy is happy there!

No school - Big field for a good gallop, a XC area *we make jumps from round about forestry!* Off road hacking- on road hacking, paddock for summer schooling. Hayfield. 2 main fields. Up the road another two fields x

 

[noodle_]

i am

theres only 4 of us

lovely outdoor/paddocks - lovely owners

and its 3 minutes from home - i never ever want to move

 

[Marydoll]

Im not on a yard, I have sole rent of my own stables with maintained floodlit sand and rubber 20x40 arena,maintained ample grazing with water which is well fenced, lovely barn stables with auto drinkers,horse hw shower,and solarium, full set of jumps and 100's acres hacking off road. Lots of storage heated tackroom, toilet and shower, 24hr people on site, security with cctv, and lovely landlords .
A really nice hacking companion 300 yrds along the lane if im looking for company out riding
And the best bit, its only 3 mins from my house .... I love it

 

[Holidays_are_coming]

I love most aspects of mine, the yard owner drives me crazy (think slightly batty old lady), and we don't have a school, but the off road hacking is amazing, my mare is so happy and has her best friend so I can never leave, especially as she needs to be able to have hay in her field and most yards round her don't allow that!

 

[Clannad48]

Been on our new yard nearly a month, horse is so chilled, everyone is so friendly, yard owner is absolutely fab - my daughter hasn't stopped smiling since we moved. Sometimes it takes a while to find the perfect place,.

 

[debsg]

I am. Been here three years next month, I rent 9 stables and 22 acres with two friends, 6 horses, 2 each. We share chores and help each other, we can do whatever we want, we have a school, fab hacking, only downside for me is that it is 30 min drive from home.
However this is a small price to pay for the freedom from the nastiness and b!tching on my old DIY yard

 

[Gleeful Imp]

I was very happy, but a change in my job means I struggle with our winter bookings for the indoor, and the outdoor surface is a Bit grim to say the least. Whilst my big lad used to cope fine before it was improved (ahem) he has developed arthritis in his fetlock and cannot cope with the surface (used to get standing water on it, we'd just slosh through it, new surface put on, drainage not sorted, new surface absorbs the water and is so deep you'd lose a welly in it).

Love my YM, she's very accommodating, love the other liveries, but not being able to leave work to make it in time for my booking has really stressed me all winter. I need more flexibility which the yard can't provide as it is currently run.

I am going to look at another yard tomorrow but for some reason feel exceptionally guilty!

 

[Piglet]

I am happy with my yard, the only thing (apart from the ideal, 14x14 stabled, horse solarium etc etc) is I wish the fields were better looked after, rotated more often and poo picked. When I kept my horse and companion at home our fields were immaculate, divots replaced daily, poo picked daily, field rotated weekly in winter. Moving to a livery yard was a big shock to me, main thing is my horse is chilled and happy with daily turnout through the winter no matter how wet the fields are - happy content horse = happy me.

 

[dapplepink]

Wow thanks for all the happiness!!

I guess my problem is just bits of general bitchiness really, its a yard of about 50 horses so I know not everyone is going to get on but there are just 2 sets of people that I honestly feel like ripping their heads off after tonight, I'm not one for keeping my mouth shut at the best of times but I work in an environment that brings out that side of me so don't want to be that person when I'm having my chill out time with my boy. Unfortunately one of these sets of people are best friends with the YO's girlfriend who is 'apparently' YM and now she is getting involved but not in a YM capacity, in a childish capacity, if that makes sense!!

I've tried asking myself that if these people weren't there would I be happy as I could find the perfect yard but only know there are numptys there once i've made the move, and I think I would be happy. Yes there is a small problem with the arena that needs fixing but I'm sure that will get done at some point and it is still usable, and of course we would all love a separate jumping paddock and an indoor etc etc, but on the whole if these 2 sets of people weren't there being bitchy then I wouldn't be thinking of moving. Which then makes me think its not fair of me to move the ponio if he's happy!

Ive spent the night ranting to the non horsey OH who has been blissfully unaware of any of these problems until tonight, and his response was that he cant understand why I havent just stood up for myself against these morons! So we all know what i'll be doing tomorrow when they start!! Still think I'm going to have a look around at the weekend as you never know I might stumble across the perfect place but for now I think I'll just be starting to show them the not so 'calm' version of me!

 

[Hen]

Me! Love where I am - horses made welcome and definitely not treated as 'numbers'; they love the atmosphere and attention they get; staff are great, it runs like clockwork and nothing seems too much trouble. Love the outriding too.

 

[MagicMelon]

Think it very much depends on the yard and YO. I personally am very lucky to keep my horses at my mums, but I've had friends horses at two different yards (ie. where I help myself to riding them so do the usual yard stuff) - they both differ hugely. One I wouldnt mind keeping my own horse there if I had to but the other one I wouldn't touch with a bargepole... It really comes down to the yards rules (how silly they are in many cases), if you match the people there and trust the YO / employess with your horse. Having had one of the horses at my own place, I would definately say that the horse was far happier at mine. By choice, I'd never choose to put my horses into a livery yard.

 

[fizzer]

Happy yes because its our own and have no liveries now, want to move away in a few years and have an indoor school etc etc. Will be blissfully happy then.

 

[Luci07]

Me. Very happy. Yard owner puts 200% into the yard and chooses not to fill it right up as she apparently likes the liveries she has. It's turning into an event yard with lots of babies now which suits me fine!

 

[dapplepink]

Well I've been out looking today and found 2 nice yards and think I've decided on one which is the same price I pay now, bigger box, has an indoor and an outdoor, mini xc course & tons of hacking! Still within 5 mins from home and can hack to local show ground! They are having new boxes built so looks like I can move end of march!! Happy happy happy now!!

 

[welshcob*]

Very happy on my yard. Fourth year here, just the YO & me & we have become great friends, horsey very happy too ........... bliss!

 

[suzied]

If you're not happy find somewhere else. I had a few minor niggles at my last yard. Didn't realise how much they were getting me down until I started looking for a yard for a friend who was thinking of moving her horse. Found a yard which I realised was perfect for me and my horse, so moved there and, more than 2 years later, we are both very happy. Part livery, large barn stables with rubber mats and individual rug racks, free bedding & ad lib home grown hay or haylage, unlimited use of indoor school with very good surface and direct access from the stables - never have to share the school as it's a small yard, excellent hacking as yard is in the middle of an extensive bridleway network, lorry parking, year round turn out in small groups on well drained land with horse-friendly fencing, individual feed/tack lockers, kitchen, loo, horse wash area, undercover area for farriers, heating ensures water tap never freezes. Very experienced YO lives on the premises, carries out early morning checks & gives every horse a feed & puts up hay nets, after having her breakfast changes rugs & turns out, skips out, brings in, does late night checks & organises regular worm counts. Immediately phones owner if she thinks a horse is off colour and needs the vet. If anyone is ill or away will change rugs at night, make up and give evening feed, fill and hang haynets, set fair bed for no extra charge. In emergencies will drive a horse to equine hospital in her own lorry if no other transport available and just charge for diesel. She and the other liveries are always willing to give a hand if someone needs help. Everyone is very friendly, we are all experienced horse owners and all compete - every level from local RC to HOYS & RIHS - and all encourage each other. Many of us have BHS qualifications and 3 are qualified judges. The yard is a 10 minute drive from home - and taking into account the free hay, bedding, lorry parkiing & use of the arena - is cheaper than the cost of keeping my horse at my old DIY yard where there was just me and the YO's daughter (who rarely rode her horse), no lorry parking or anywhere to school my horse so had to pay a farmer to park lorry at the other end of the village and hire a fairly local outdoor school, boggy grazing which was not managed properly, nowhere to keep my tack, and every time there was a cold spell the pipes froze and often burst and I spent at least an hour each day carrying water from a local spring. Needless to say, there is a waiting list at my present yard and no one has taken my place at my old yard.

 

[Horses&Handbags]

I am certainly not un-happy at my livery yard

There a few things that might not be exactly to my taste - there is a slightly odd livery on my 'block, but is harmless enough, the winter turn out fields are a five minute walk (it still slightly annoying every morning having to hike in the darkness by torchlight but they are on high ground, so never flood or get muddy hence why we use them in the winter ... so I guess it is a case of every cloud!), there is the odd time when the school is very busy at the weekend (but easy enough to ride earlier or later than the general 'peak' times) and I would prefer an indoor school so we can keep going in this weather.

Of course, the idea of having my own place to do as I please is a nice one Although having said that, the turn out is brilliant, the hacking is simply superb, most other liveries are friendly and pleasant and the yard manager has her head screwed on the right way and the horse's come first.

 

[Javabb94]

I will tell you in a few weeks!

Just moved to my first ever yard after always having horses at home - well a field with stables 1 mile from house.

Moved java there till we get a new horse, moved for the facilities really as 2 large outdoor sand and rubber schools, xc course, farm ride etc

 

[Mouthwash87]

Does anyone in this thread have a good livery in the kent area ? I'm based in Bromley

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

We are!

Yard owners live on site & the small but beautifully designed yard with large brick stables with rubber matting is just outside their back door. Great floodlit arena with sand & rubber surface which is really well maintained. Show jumps & fillers. Well maintained paddocks with taps in each of them. 24hr turnout in summer if you want it & around 10 hour turnout in winter. Owners are lovely people who can't do enough for you. Secure tack room with kitchen, seating area, nice feed room, loads of barn space for storing hay. Lorry parking in secure barn. It's a little piece of paradise!

 

[Mouthwash87]

Whats the cost and location ?