If you turn up unannouced to view a livery yard

Rowreach

Rowreach

Adjusting my sails
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13 May 2007
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... what is it you are hoping or expecting to see?

Yesterday afternoon I was helping my youngest with his homework, whilst my neighbour (electrician) was drilling holes in the porch and OH was moving the muck heap, when along comes a potential livery to look round the yard.

Now, he told me who had recommended us, so he could have got my number from her, and my landline is on the sign at the roadside anyway, so no reason not to contact me first really.

It doesn't bother me - I don't advertise and I get my clients by word of mouth - I was happy to show him round and I certainly have nothing to be ashamed of out on the yard ;) but it wasn't a convenient time for me and I would have been able to show him a lot more (like walking out to the xc field) and spend more time with him if he'd rung first and made an appointment. I could also have told him my prices and then saved him the embarrassment of looking shocked and having to mutter some excuse about asking his wife first :D
 
Only polite to phone first but then I am an old fossil with a thing about manners :)

I have to admit when going to view horses to buy I have turned up a little early ;) which can be very informative (ie. sweating, steaming "novice ride" being worked into the floor on the lunge in the tightest sidereins) but I wouldn't dream to turning up unannounced.
 
I have a private yard but often get people coming in to ask about livery. Not much I can do about it really and doesn't bother me. No-one has been rude and we've ended up chin wagging about horses.

I wouldn't worry at all. If you run a business you kind of expect clients to turn up without an appointment. I can kind of see that as its your home its irritating but just a fact of life for clients, they will turn up.
 
I'd maybe like to get a basic idea if what the yard is like that's all

I'd leave if no one in authority was there of course

I'd arrange a proper appointment for a good viewing of the facilities
 
Sometimes people i guess just decide at last moment to go do something and they dont want to wait and have phone conversation and then arrange to come a few days later. Or they are in the area at the time and think 'I'll just pop in'.
 
I am devious but even I would call first to check spaces/ prices basic facilities etc. Then I might well be driving past and call in - if the YO was busy I wouldn't expect to be shown around and I'd be happy to use my visit to book a proper appt - but in 2 mins I could cast an eye round and get an idea of whether I spot anything that really puts me off (knee deep in unmucked out beds, more horses in than out, ragwort happily flowering in the fields etc.)
 
I wouldn't - unless the yard was in full swing when I drove past and I popped in to make an appointment to view.

It is feasible that the owner would, at that point, say actually now is a really good time to show you around, but if they didn't I wouldn't ;)
 
I'm quite surprised by that, I'd never dream of turning up to someone's yard without calling first, lots of these places it's someones home - seems pretty rude to turn up and expect time to be given with no warning...
 
we have driven past and had a brief stop.....once got invited in for a quick tour!....but would never turn up without an appointment and be expected to be shown around! :O
 
As a busy person who often has a million other things to be doing I don't mind people calling in 'on spec' however, if they ring to let me know I will set aside time to be with them to show them round/answer their questions and discuss their needs. If they don't ring first chances are I won't have time.
 
It does not bother me when people turn up unannounced.


9 times out of 10 I am indoors having my breakfast or out on the yard. I will always stop what I am doing (unless eating) and show them around
Also 7 times out of 10 they have no appointment and came across the yard by chance. Some email some phone. However it comes they are potential clients and need to be treated as such even if they turn up unannounced. :)
I can tell if they are iffy.

Like one irish guy asking us if we had a stable for sale!!!!!duhhhhhyou would think he would at least know the terminology of renting a box. He we did not show around we just said no we have not.
 
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Done this a few times recently - made some appointments, but just driven round some of the others to see what there was. We'd gladly go away again if we weren't welcome :) I did worry at first because I didn't know what the 'done thing' was and if we should have booked first, but everyone's been more than welcoming.
 
I'd only call in unannounced if I hadn't been able to get contact details first. But, I would be prepared for the yo to say they were busy, & ask me either to come back at x time, or give me a number or email to contact them on later & arrange an appointment.
 
lachlanandmarcus said:
Given the huge issues of theft raids on yards I would ask anyone turning up to make an spot and find out more about them. They wouldn't get beyond the gate before that.
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This totally, my yard is private, but people still call in on spec and it worries me greatly that they may not be what they purport to be. My gates are locked most of the time and I would not invite strangers in.

I think if you are business and advertise your services then unexpected visits are inevitable though and plenty of business could be obtained by the welcome given.
 
I have done this, not expecting to be shown round but just trying to make an appointment as they never answered the phone!

I don't see anything wrong with turning up unannounced, but if doing this I would expect to be told to come back at a better time if need be.
 
I've done this twice.
Once - I searched online after moving to a new area - horse was staying on yard an hours drive but after a few months I decided to move her - and couldn't find anywhere. I drove around and found several horses in various paddocks. I drove up and a livery was there. YO didn't live on site and this livery was generally the YM. Spoke to her, got YO number and arranged to move.

A year later, pony became dangerous and had to be moved ASAP. Again, only people I knew in area were the few on the yard. Didn't know many people to ask about other livery yards, but on hacks I had seen a few horses in paddocks etc. Again, I drove to this place, unsure if it was a yard or not - to request an appointment if it was.
YO came out, agreed to show me around then and there and pony moved the next day.

I'm now in contact with so many people due to competing and photographing that I know of so many yards in the area so I will be able to phone for appointments (as I did with current yard).

In a new place where you know no-one, can't find anything online and there's nothing in the papers, how do you find a livery yard, yet alone a number?

In answer to your question - it's not so much about seeing anything by turning up unannounced as it is for simply finding out if it is a livery yard, and whether I can make an appointment.
 
Would have been polite to call first but, as I am a person with very little patience, the temptation to just show up as I'm passing and not have to wait until I get an appointment would mean I may just pop in if I'm in the area - doesn't mean I'm trying to catch anyone out or trying to be rude or anything. Its just if I am going to move to a new yard, and one sounds very ideal, I get a little carried away and excited at the prospect and just want to see it immediately. I have never done this may I add but its what I would do if I didn't restrain myself from just showing up :D
 
I have big gates so no one can get in but have had people pop a note in my letter box before with a number !!

if i was a livery though i wouldnt want to be able to get onto the yard i was moving too - means that anyone else could and maybe steel things !!
 
I would not personally do it. We get the odd person wandering onto the yard asking for YO, but we always give her mobile no out (her instructions and tell them to leave and never invite them in the tack room either). They also have to somehow get through the security gates as well.
 
Hmm. I'm two sides on this.

I hate phones (use a lot for my job but prefer talking to a person face to face) so I'd be likely to turn up somewhere to knock on a door and talk to someone face to face to arrange a viewing if possible. I have just done this today to talk face to face to somebody for a work reason. It was 5mins down the road, so I popped in to get a direct number/email of someone to talk to next week.

I would not expect to wander around or see the yard then and there though.

I do not agree with turning up and snooping round or turning up if told specifically that someone would not be available (as previous threads have complained about). A good yard will offer me the chance to go round and meet liveries without them there anyway.
 
IMHO if you want a propper look at a yard you go unannounced.
Rude? Maybe
Inconvenient? Probably
The best way to get a look at what is really going on? Most deff.

Having said that I may not dare to do so...;)
 
I hate it when people turn up unannounced and anyone that does would be sent away and not considered as a livery client. For the following reasons:

Security. I like a name and telephone number or email address and a short discussion before anyone is invited to come and view the yard. Our yard is not at all obvious from the road and I don't like strangers coming up unannounced because for all I know they could be casing the place.

Courtesy. I wouldn't dream of doing it myself, and do not want that type of person as a livery client.

Inconvenience. I am very busy and prefer to plan my time to be able to show someone around at a mutually convenient time.
 
I don't know I think I would pop in somewhere if I was passing, but I would do so tentatively and wouldn't expect a tour immediately, would basically go and say can we arrange a time for them to show me around. Then a lot of people might say 'oh well have a quick tour now if you like' but obviously you can expect that a YO is likely to be busy riding, doing chores, meeting people, giving lessons, all kinds. I think you just have to play it by ear and judge how much you might be intruding!
 
I think it depends on how the livery presents itself from the road. If you've got a sign advertising that you are a livery then I'd probably go in unannounced. I wouldn't expect a tour, but would expect to be able to talk to someone and make an appointment. It's a business after all.

If there's no sign, or just a farm name or something, I wouldn't go in without calling first as it's obviously private, rather than an advertised business.
 
Interesting, and thanks for all the replies :)

BBH said:
I wouldn't worry at all. If you run a business you kind of expect clients to turn up without an appointment. I can kind of see that as its your home its irritating but just a fact of life for clients, they will turn up.
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Oh I'm not worried, I just wouldn't do it myself, but it is certainly part of the culture here to "call in" unannounced :)

lachlanandmarcus said:
Given the huge issues of theft raids on yards I would ask anyone turning up to make an spot and find out more about them. They wouldn't get beyond the gate before that.
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There is this too, especially as we are a long way from the road and you have to make an effort to get here. This man did tell me exactly who he was, where he lived, and the person who told him about the yard was a client, so I think he's kosher :)

puppystitch said:
I think it depends on how the livery presents itself from the road. If you've got a sign advertising that you are a livery then I'd probably go in unannounced. I wouldn't expect a tour, but would expect to be able to talk to someone and make an appointment. It's a business after all.

If there's no sign, or just a farm name or something, I wouldn't go in without calling first as it's obviously private, rather than an advertised business.
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We don't advertise the livery yard at the roadside, it's a farm name with contact details on it. You can't see us from the road, so you have to know we exist! When we moved here we had all kinds of nosey individuals rocking up to inspect us ;)

I suppose if someone I knew recommended a yard to me, I'd think it more polite to ring and make an appointment to view rather than turn up unannounced, and it's not as if with a bit of notice you can magically make everything immaculate/put weight on underfed horses/throw up an indoor school/etc etc :D - so on balance I'd rather people rang first.
 
I rocked up at a yard unannounced a few months ago, I didn't have a phone number and it was the only way I could have made contact. The yard manager was very busy and gave me her number to call and arrange to speak another time. I have to say considering she was so busy I thought it was kind of her to spend 5 minutes with me a complete stranger.
 
Littlelegs said:
I'd only call in unannounced if I hadn't been able to get contact details first. But, I would be prepared for the yo to say they were busy, & ask me either to come back at x time, or give me a number or email to contact them on later & arrange an appointment.
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^this^ Although I might ask how much they charge at the same time to save wasting YO's time if I couldn't afford it anyway....
 
Umm personally I would ring first. But if the person just wanted a quick look and offered to come back on another specific time day. If I did this, I would be looking quickly and noting if the horses looked content and happy only.
 
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