I love having a livery yard! :)

Merlod

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Noticed that most posts relating to livery yards have been quite negative, so .. what does everyone love about their livery yard/ liveries?!

I love the fact that my horses live in a herd and I think they do too!
There's always someone to ride with.
Help each other out if stuck.
Recommendations from others for vets/physio/dentists etc (also.. group discount!)
Moral support and friends!
 

Annagain

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I love my YO, and my fellow liveries. That's what makes any tiny (and I stress they are tiny) compromises worth it. I love 365 day turnout (in overnight Dec to April) no matter what the weather, unless on box rest my boys have never spent more than 14 hours in a stable. I especially love that my boys are clearly deliriously happy there, as are their friends. My 20 year old has suddenly decided that play fighting is the new best thing ever and he and my friend's 22 year old are at it non-stop, nipping at each other's knees and hocks and grabbing rugs. They're like a pair of 4 year olds!
 

booandellie

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I love that my DIYers help each other out by turning out/ bringing in, changing rugs and popping feeds in for others horses. They stick to their rota so they all only have to come down once a day. I love it that they sweep the yard and poo pick the field. They look after others horses when people are sick or on holiday and hold for farrier and vets. (yes i'm jammy!) .I love watching the horses grooming each other out of the kitchen window and i love doing the night time check and seeing them snuggly warm and dry snoozing in their stables. Like Mrs. Elle says there are times you get fed up but for me the trick is to get rid of the'rotten egg' before they ruin it for you and the other liveries!
 

Enfys

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I love NOT having a livery yard anymore. It wasn't that there was anything bad about my owners, just that I never had any time for my own horses, for a life actually, they paid enough to keep my own and pay some bills, but not enough to employ staff, in 8 years I had less than 7 days away, and that was 1 at a time. I was exhausted and seriously starting to dislike horses.
 

charlie76

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I love having my yard. Yes it's hard work and a lot of hours but I have the nicest people I could ask for with me and I'm just about to move to a bigger, purpose built yard with the best facilities I could ask for and they are all coming with me!
The horses are all relaxed and settled as are the owners. ��
 

Pedantic

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Love my yard, it's my favorite place, it's a cattle farm with plenty of grazing and a Menege with jumps if we need them, hours of mixed hacking after getting over a bridge, normally a busy yard with liveries and farmer busy but doesn't cause any problems, nice friendly family owners, cups of tea a plenty and sometimes home made cake for the scoffing, we get the massive hay and straw bales which get brought in for the cattle and horse's cheap, which lasts ages for filling nets, I couldn't be happier, whatever yard I have been at I have always tried to be a good livery, always pay my bill immediate if possible, do my share of chores around the farm etc etc, goes without saying I look after my ginger sausage with 5 star treatment, so no issues of neglect etc, it's rather muddy at present due to the ridiculous weather, but never ever floods due to land position, at every yard I have been at I have treated the owners with the respect I wish myself to be treated with, which in the past on other yards hasn't always been reciprocated, been at present yard 3 years this xmas and happiest I have ever been :)
 

rachk89

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I love my livery yard (i don't own it to be clear just put my horse there).

It has an indoor and an outdoor school.
It has a cross country course and plans to make it bigger.
I love the stables as they are big and light.
We are getting a hot water shower soon for the wash bay area.
The staff are brilliant and treat my horse like their own.
We get coaches up for clinics and competitions every month.
They put out, bring in, and feed my horse twice a day and that's diy livery.
It is probably the most expensive in the area but it's worth it.
 

Orca

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I'm a couple of days into my first stay on a livery yard. I love the idea but I'm constantly nervous about doing something wrong/ saying the wrong thing! I'm going with head down and getting on with it because everytime I open my mouth to speak, I seem to trip over my words. I don't know where this anxiety has come from but maybe in part from reading the generally negative attitude towards liveries here, exacerbated by a break from horses which has left me feeling less competent than I used to. So, thank you for this thread. It helps to know we aren't always perceived as moaners, whingers and difficult pains in the behind!
 

teacups

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I'm a couple of days into my first stay on a livery yard. I love the idea but I'm constantly nervous about doing something wrong/ saying the wrong thing! I'm going with head down and getting on with it because everytime I open my mouth to speak, I seem to trip over my words. I don't know where this anxiety has come from but maybe in part from reading the generally negative attitude towards liveries here, exacerbated by a break from horses which has left me feeling less competent than I used to. So, thank you for this thread. It helps to know we aren't always perceived as moaners, whingers and difficult pains in the behind!

Exactly this!
 

Merlod

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Mrs E - yes testing at times but in the most it's great. I hope you don't think this is aimed at you - I know your's was a difficult decision but it's just I noticed on your post and on my earlier post about my yard that everyone just jumps in with 'kick off all your liveries' and it all gets a bit negative when it doesn't need to be!
 

Starzaan

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I miss having a livery yard. I LOVED my yard and all my liveries. I would give a kidney to get rid of landlords awful son and daughter in law and have my beautiful yard and wonderful liveries back. I miss them dreadfully!
 

tinycharlie

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I love the yard where we have our pony, hes out all the time, hes always got access to a shelter, hes always with at least one other horse , he would have a stable in an emergency. We have a small barn where we groom and tack up etc. We have hay and straw if needed. A lovely yard owner who helps with care and training/riding. They're in the process also of building an outdoor school and they have jumps . Its just great, good hacking too on lanes :)
 

Buddy'sMum

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I love NOT having a livery yard anymore. It wasn't that there was anything bad about my owners, just that I never had any time for my own horses, for a life actually...

Me too.
One day when I was at my wits end my OH asked when was the last time I'd ridden any of my horses and I realised it'd been months so the liveries had to go.
 

skint1

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Thanks for this thread, I saw my lovely YO (farmer) this morning and I felt like avoiding him in case I was bothering him or anything, he put me straight, he said I wasn't too bad for a livery :D - been there 5 happy years now!
 

Micropony

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I love my livery yard too, it's the place I'm happiest. Incredibly supportive YOs and fantastic staff who look after my horse beautifully. The other clients, who range from pros to happy hackers, are friendly and supportive - plenty of advice given if requested but not offered otherwise. Yes, there have to be rules and compromises, that's how communities work, but all reasonable and my horse and I are very happy there.
 

matt_m

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I love the fact that my yard is well managed, does not allow bitching/trouble makers, YO is there to help and goes out of her way to do just that. No silly petty rules but common sense prevails and it is a lovely relaxed atmosphere. Also doesn't charge the earth!
 

Ben2684

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I love that my yard is relaxed, people are on hand for advice if needed but also happy to just let me get on with it when I need to. Fair few people to ride with too. No rules on timings for bringing in/turning out etc and YO is as mad as a box of frogs (in a good way) and will go out of the way to make sure we are happy. Everyone pulls together for vet/farrier appointments and nothing is too much trouble. Lovely outdoor school which is maintained by YO. Now if they could just take the really busy road we have to ride down to get to some decent hacking it would be prefect! Though I guess this is the compromise ha
 

McFluff

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Nice thread - it is good to see that livery can work well.
I love the yard that I am livery on. Staff are amazing, care for my horse is first class and the support from everyone (YO, staff and other liveries) is great. I like that my horse lives in a herd and is very happy there. It's nice to have company, and yard is small enough that we all get space too.
At this time of year I LOVE the indoor school :)
The compromise is no off road hacking - currently looking to get a trailer to fix that though!
 

PolarSkye

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I love being a livery on my current yard . . . YO and her family can't do enough for me (I am the only livery at the moment - it's HEAVEN), they treat me like one of the family, my boy is absurdly happy, there is a ridiculous amount of grass (which is perfect for my poor doer - my winter hay bill has never been so low) and when I finally get round to adding to my horsey family there is a massive arena with a beautiful surface and mirrors and a full set of showjumps and dressage boards (my boy is retired so we don't currently use the arena, etc.). What's not to love? Plus the yard backs onto RSPB land so there is a myriad of wildlife - it really is a little slice of heaven.

Oh, and they make their own hay - and it's LUSH - proper meadow hay :).

P

P.S. And the best bit is that it's five minutes from my house . . . it takes me as long to navigate all the gates (there are three) as it does to drive to the yard!
 
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