Ideas for livery yard FUN!!!

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kittykatcat

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Hi all,

I have a small, prodominantly DIY yard, and after going through a hellish period where I had the most god-awful liveries sent to test me...we have now come out of the dark and have a really great bunch of lovely people...

Now, I'd like to organise some fun things for us to do, time is limited as most people work, and some have children, but I was wondering if you lot had any ideas for some inexpensive things to do, that can help bring us together and just have some fun!

Ideas so far -

Going to a Jason Webb demo
BBQ (stupid weather dependant!!)
Pub ride
ride and lunch
OLYMPIA!!!!

Any ideas welcome, however weird or novel!!!

xx
 
a BBQ with a few drinks and the choice of camping afterwards!

a yard outing could be fun as well though but maybe worth writing down a few options and seeing which one is the more popular, maybe some that kids can go to and some just for the adults.
 
Handy horse/ pony competition are always good as everyone can take part irrelevant if their horses are ridden, young, retired and so on- always a good laughtoo coming up with utterly ridiculous things for the course.

Another one we used to have at an old yard was a treasure hunt (good for the kids), send them off with a list of riddles for stuff to find and a bucket and see who comes back forst. You just have to be really crafty with the clues as to what they need to find!

:)
 
u could do what we did this yr. Horse games with no horses.
gymnkana.
show jumping
chase me charlie
and finish off with a nice bbq weather permitted x x
 
Dog show/agility
Family Film night - if you can access a projector and a white wall to show it on
Caption competition - pin up a funny picture on your tack room door and leave a stack of postits for people to stick captions on, prizes for best one.
Charity Fancy dress ride to raise money for worthy local cause
Pamper evening or clothes swap.
 
I think anything that just gets people together and shows that you take a concern about people getting on would be absolutly lovely! Lots of people seem to be stoney broke and short of time atm so perhaps mega cheap/free stuff would be good?

Do you have a tea room/place to congregate? You could maybe have a get together there and ask people to brink a cake along and just have a good natter together.

Do you use a good saddler? The one near us is doing some talks about how to safety check your equipment and just giving people more info esp given so many people buy online or from ebay now it is becoming much more important to be able to asses what you are seeing and also regularly check your own tack to ensure it is safe. Shouldn't cost much, maybe his usual call out fee for his time and a slice of afformentioed cake might do it!

You could see if your farrier/trimmer would do the same to give people more info on different types of shoes and trims and how they help horses with different confo, and how you could be an ideal owner and best look after the feet between visits?

Same idea maybe for other professionals who visit the yard, like back lady etc?

Could you get a couple of people from your yard to do a sort of demo with their instructor for people to watch? Maybe someone is starting a youngster and someone else has an older horse who has been at the job a little longer? Not mega high brow stuff, but handy tips that would help anyone out, esp if people are having to cut back on the expense of having lessons.

Could you run a mini yard show? A super chilled attempt at dressage maybe for those who wouldn't dare give it a go else where?! Tidly jumping for the flatwork divas, and (omg I would love this!) gymkhana games for adults?!

Something super exciting like olympia would be ace too, gives you time to save your shopping pennies and there is something for everyone to enjoy. Getting a coach if there are enough of you so you can get a meal and drink before/after I think would be great fun!
 
Fancy dress competition for adults and one for the children too.
Possibly a best turned out show, or best gelding, mare, youngster, pony or veteran depending on what horses and ponies people have.
As previously stated a BBQ
Also Gymkhana or handy pony games.
Have seen games used at an event once that included walking over tarpaulin, hanging washing on a line whilst trying to remain on horseback ( someone passed you washing and pegs) using rein back techniques to back into a boxed area. Or games along this line to test handling skills and to unflappability of horse and pony.
Can't think of anything else at this time.
All I will say though is good luck and well done for being a thoughtful yard owner who wants to do something positive to help bring other liveries together. Have never experienced this ever on any yard I have been on so well done! x
 
The yard I'm at had their adult fun night last Friday night. They did handy pony, clear round jumping, chase me charlie and bending races and all the adults (a mix of liveries and lesson ladies) could pick and choose what they wanted to do, with prizes at the end. The emphasis is very much on fun, and there was a fair amount of hilarity (of note was when I got coerced into hopping on a 14hh Highland to get the clear round points for his owner who doesn't like jumping...). Plenty of drink was consumed throughout the night, I think dutch courage might have been the order of the day watching the chase me charlie compared to what they usually jump lol, and then they all ordered chinese and sat in the canteen gabbing and drinking till about midnight. They do this every year and it's very popular - might be worth a try?
 
Some good ideas here.

If you was to hold a show/ gymkana, if you charge entry fees, perhaps these could be used to purchase something for the yard? People might be able to scrape more pennies together if they are going to benefit from it.

Fancy dress hack
BBQ
How about holding a tack bring and buy/ swap. That way everyone can have a clear out, chat with each other and pick up some bargins too.
Olympia is a fab idea- my first yard used to do this, hired a coach so noone had to worry about driving.
Quiz night- people can have teams and all the questions could be horsey
Meal out- did this recently with my current yard, was a good night and got to know each other better.
Caption comp is a good idea
If you have a spare field, what about a camp-out?
A sponsered something to raise funds for a charity maybe?
 
Aww thanks guys - really good ideas! Liking the adult gymkhana etc ideas!!

Just never want to get to the stage we were at a couple of months ago - very low morale, I avoided the yard like the plague, everyone seemed to be very down and winging and whining. I could pin point it on a few people, and since they have left...ta daaaa...atmosphere much better, so would like to keep it this way!!!

Thank youuuuuu!
 
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