wingedhorse
Well-Known Member
I wasnt including YO's time at minimum wage in the covering the costs of YO's horses.
So would be a loss on paper.
I hate having a livery yard :(
- Thread starter MrsElle
- Start date
I wasnt including YO's time at minimum wage in the covering the costs of YO's horses.
So would be a loss on paper.
milliepops
Wears headscarf aggressively
OK, I've only ever been at DIY where I've paid extra whenever I've had any 'services'.
The DIY yards I've been at have mostly been VERY DIY - do your own fencing, do your own land management, get your own forage etc so very minimal input from YO.
The DIY yards I've been at have mostly been VERY DIY - do your own fencing, do your own land management, get your own forage etc so very minimal input from YO.
GemG
Well-Known Member
Chuckle, yes I am feeling the 'very ' DIY vibe !
I have also been on yards previously where there are tons of facilities and everything was tip top, looked after etc. there is a really huge variation on yards, from the amazing to the, well, er, ...amazing how no one gets injured!?!?
alwaysbroke
Well-Known Member
Interesting read, especially for someone thinking of opening a small livery yard, just dealing with the council, planning permission, the extra expense for the detals the planning officer wants although he hasn't actually visited the site is enough to put anyone off before they start!
The Fuzzy Furry
Getting old disgracefully
(this is taking the OPs discussion off at a tangent but it's interesting to find out other peoples thoughts on the matter. FWIW I'm not at livery at the moment, having the horses at home so just an interested bystander)
It is a bit
I used to have liveries, but kicked them all out back in the mid 90's.
In 2012 I took on a friend who was a YM for another person. I lasted 9 months before I had to ask her to go, as her horse was a fence runner - it drove me nuts - and virtually detroyed 2 paddocks, they needed over a year to be back to a reasonable std. She did pay bills on time tho.
Next one was a good friend who only stayed for 3 months as the livery yard she moved to, closed down 2 months after she moved there! They had 10 days notice, just before xmas 2014.
The final pair was another old (school) friends 2 ponies of 14 & 13hh as summer grass liveries, May to Oct this year.
In additon to giving her a very good price, they cost me 680% more in usual water use (as they left hoses running overnight etc), also costing 2 extra muck heap clearances (they paid half each time) tho they poo picked, they didn't deal with acorns as promised but taped off instead (was the ruddy magic fairy going to clear them then??). The promised 'cover' for mine when I had a weekend away, disappeared (had to pay a groom to come in!) and I had to bite my tongue on various occasions as the daughter in her early 20's was a vile thing to her mother and myself much of the time. I actually changed my routines so I didn't have to see her, as they were only with me for a fixed time.
To be honest, having had a busy yard up till the turn of the century (love that phrase) I ruddy love it at present.
No extra trailers in the yard.
No texts late evening 'what rug should i put on' or can you just pop a feed into mine as I want a lie-in'.
No dogs digging in the fields or chasing the ferals.
Fencing and gates still intact, no messages left to ask about replacing a bar or more.... (and the fencing IS good)
TFF, happy with 7 stables, haybarn and 2 fuzzies.
Later, I'll start a thread with regards to the 'prospective livery' callers I have had just this year
ossy
Well-Known Member
I'm gutted that there seems to be such a low regard for liveries. I livery and I'd hate to think the owners hated us being there. At our yard we are a friendly bunch and I like to think I'm a good livery. Pay on time, (a good price for what we have) pay for any extras, buy extra tea/coffee/biscuits on weekly shop for brew room, obey the rules, spent loads on their Christmas presents cos I do appreciate them, bake them birthday cakes 😊. Please remember us good ones are out there and I just want somewhere nice to keep my horse so please consider this when recommending people just get rid of liveries all the time, it's not for everyone fair enough but the horse industry is going to be a even bigger mess than it is if people keep closing to liveries.
skint1
Well-Known Member
Good post Ossy! This thread has made me appreciate my YO (a farmer) all the more!
milliepops
Wears headscarf aggressively
^^^^ this this this
I spent a very happy 14 years at one place, exactly as above. Like one big family. Not taking the P, not causing extra stress, I paid my way and then some, replacing things and fixing things without even thinking of it, even when it wasn't my horses that had cause the damage. Still in regular contact even though I left several years ago, I'll pop up on Christmas day and take them some gifts. I think *some* YOs have had *some* thoughtless liveries. I think pretty much all of my horsey friends are like me.
fatpiggy
Well-Known Member
You are right, there are some excellent liveries out there, but having seen some right bright beauties at the two DIY yards I was on, I'm willing to bet many YOs have to kiss a lot of frogs to get a prince or two. I've seen blatant stealing, both from other liveries and the YO, abuse and neglect of ponies, penny pinching to the detriment of the animal, failure to pay rent (we are talking several hundred pounds owed by just one livery here), lying in order to get on a yard, failure to clean up after themselves and their horses, taps left on, smoking in stables despite all the signs, lying about having wormed their horses, I could go and on. And this is just two small yards. Scale that up and I think a few eyebrows would need to be winched down mechanically.
ossy
Well-Known Member
See you just wouldn't get away with that on our yard, you would get notice and be out on your ear. Everyone on our yard was vetted and references taken to try and protect our friendly/family feel, if you don't fit your not in and our yard is full.
FlashyP
Well-Known Member
Same here, wouldn't happen on our yard, people are vetted and anyone not sticking to the rules is off, simple. I have seen awful behaviour at some yards, but this has generally been on places where the YO lets anyone on and doesn't manage the place.
fatpiggy
Well-Known Member
I suspect the YOs didn't want to lose the stable rent, although on the second yard when all the other liveries went to the YO and complained about a new one who was a horror beyond belief, we were told if we didn't like it WE could leave. This YO was not really a horse person, had one of her own but was really a novice and there are plenty of bad liveries out there who can spot this a mile off and do some serious wool-pulling. It is easy to say well just move off, but on the edge of suburbia, there aren't many yards, and even fewer half-way decent ones. As it was I was driving 60 miles a day, 7 days a week to keep my horse there and go to and from work. The other nearby ones were totally unsuitable.