In praise of good YOs...

[FionaM12]

In response to the thread about poor ones, I'd like to (as the young people say) Big Up my lovely YO.

Since I moved Mollie in December, she's on DIY but nothing's been too much trouble. Mollie shares a field with YO's pony and she regularly brings Moll in at the same time as her own, unasked, so that I'm just finishing Moll's bed and there she is at the stable door.

She has several times brought in/put out Mollie for me for no extra charge because I'm stuck at work.

Lately, my allergies are playing up (the moulting season) and YO had noticed me sneezing away filling haynets before emerging red eyed. So tonight when I went to fill Mollie's haynet, there it was all done and ready for me. I asked about it and was told the YO had a few minutes to spare and thought she'd save me the all that sneezing

I don't think there's anyone from my yard on this forum so she won't see this, but I just wanted to say, some YOs are really fab.

 

[Jesstickle]

My YM is lovely too. Does us a massive haylage order every year so we can all get the best rates. Same for bedding. Coordinates it all being ordered and delivered and all we have to do is pay. We're totally DIY so it isn't part of the service we pay for, she's just ordering and lets us tag on if we want to. Last summer she spent ages organising a mounted treasure hunt for us all, with things to find and questions to answer, and then did us all a big BBQ after too. Was great fun

 

[DressageCob]

My yard owner is great. She's very no-nonsense, straight-forward but she is very helpful. She is the most knowledgeable person I know as well.

 

[MerrySherryRider]

I've had some brilliant YO's and have never yet met one whose primary goal was to make money.
One thing that struck me today (after having two phone calls this week from people worried about seriously neglected/dumped horses where the RSPCA had declined to attend,) -was all the YO's who do more for abandoned or neglected horses without a second thought, than the RSPCA ever does.

 

[Bikerchickone]

My yard owner is amazing too. Always there when you need anything, nothing is too much trouble, and regularly goes above and beyond the call of duty. My horses love her and are happy there. She's great.

 

[Littlelegs]

Mine too, not horsey, farmers but lovely. Charge so little it must just about cover their costs, so not like they need to be nice to keep us. Orders & pays for hay & straw in a large order & let's us buy it a bale at a time cost price. If they see the lights on in the night they know one must be ill & come out with drinks & a shoulder to cry on. Lovely, genuine people.

 

[FionaM12]

If they see the lights on in the night they know one must be ill & come out with drinks & a shoulder to cry on.

That's so nice.

 

[JFTDWS]

Farmer who owns my place is great too. Just calls me up randomly and asks if I want my field harrowed or need straw or if the lights are working ok etc... Put in all the solar panels and lighting and stuff, auto drinker, things just get done. I do think he thinks I'm barking sometimes - I think the statement "I'd rather have no grass than lots, actually" was a bit counter-intuitive for him, but he just smiles and nods.

 

[superted1989]

Another fab YO here. She's horsey but doesn't ride anymore (has Shetlands). It's a working farm too, we have our hay and straw at cost price, write down what you want and, as if by magic, it appears! She's always willing to help out if anybody's stuck too.
I'm lucky, I've only been on one yard, a very long time ago, where it was 'all about the money', that yard always had vacancies!

 

[rockysmum]

It does sound lovely to have yard owners who are in it for love not money. However I would much rather have someone who runs it as a business than those who run it as some kind of power trip. I have met some very strange ones over the years.

Our yard owner isn't horsey and it is a business for him. He employs horsey staff who I have no complaints about and will help in an emergency even though we are DIY. I have only had to ask him for anything on a couple of occasions and he was fine about it. When I gave my notice due to the rule of not mixing mares and geldings he rang me. When I explained that my oldie was being bullied and I wanted him out with my two mares, he made an exception so I stayed.

So no complaints about our yard owner either

 

[Ladydragon]

In response to the thread about poor ones, I'd like to (as the young people say) Big Up my lovely YO.

Mine aren't on here either... Husband and wife team who run a working farm and a real nuts n' bolts diy livery, but they are absolutely wonderful people...

I can get haylage dropped off on the same day (mad lambing/calving season is next day); they were hauling water in at stupid hours of the morning over winter when the water to the stalls froze up and when we were a bit late getting up there in the morning in the snow they always threw haylage in and checked rugs... The kids got to feed the orphan lambs last year and have a much better understanding of good husbandry and meat production because these guys (childless themselves) have all the time in the world to answer questions and explain things to my rugrats... When my underweight TB arrived, Mr Farmer insisted that he go out into the much richer sheep pasture rather than the livery turn out - and managed to ignore the field getting a bit cut up when TB got lively and started to play again...

Mrs Farmer was with us when my yearling had to be pts one night and I remember bawling that my back garden wasn't big enough... Her (also bawling) answer, "but mine is" and the whole farm team showed up at 8.30am and made sure my girl is in a lovely spot with the morning sunshine... Keeping horses made a huge positive difference to our family... Keeping them on this yard just makes it even better...

 

[Spotsrock]

Mine's great too. She leaves well alone unless required, has a huge wealth of knowledge and if invited will share it with me. She doesn't seem to mind being fetched from her tea to look at a poorly pony and she made it possible for me to have buglet when I was offered him. Yes big up the yard owners! Some of them are great.

 

[OldNag]

Mine's wonderful. She's extremely knowledgeable and has a lovely way about her. Darn good teacher too. So another big-up for great YOs.

 

[Javabb94]

Another here with a fantastic YO!

Really, really helpful and always on hand if you need help for any reason.

We see so many threads slating YO, thankyou OP for starting this one!

 

[FionaM12]

We see so many threads slating YO, thankyou OP for starting this one!

My pleasure!

There are some lovely stories here. The one where the farmer said her garden was big enough brought tears to me eyes.

 

[Goldenstar]

I have my horses at home but it's good to know that some of you are having a happy time with the yards you keep your horses on.

 

[catwithclaws]

love my YO, she is one of my best friends now and i've only known her 8 months. all DIY but nothing is too much trouble, she brings mine in for me at night time, feeds them if i need, all for nothing. during my last trimester of pregnancy she practically had mine on full livery, didn't charge and was always cheerful. now i've had my little girl, she minds her when i want to ride, and takes her out for the day when i need a break or have errands to run. yup, i love my YO

 

[JennBags]

... I do think he thinks I'm barking sometimes....

Really JFTD? Why on earth do you think that is?

*Holds hand up* We also have a good YO

 

[fidleyspromise]

Mine is absolutely super. I'm gutted to be moving my ponies this week and hope the new one is as nice.

I mentioned one day that my auto water wasn't working, prepared to take water up to them until yard could have a look at it. YO went up there and then, in crap weather to sort it for me. They've also said that if ponies don't settle, they'd love to have me back and they won't go looking for another livery, until they know me and ponies are staying on new yard

 

[legyield]

I was on a yard from April - September last year and the only reason I moved was because I was off back to university so I decided to turn my filly away until the following summer. So hopefully I'll be moving back to the yard in a couple of months
Anyway, not so much the YO but the YM is lovely. We were friends before she was the YM, in fact she was just another livery, like me. The previous YM ended up getting evicted for not paying the rent and there was a lot of push and pull between the liveries, deciding who should get the yard.
In the end my friend ended up becoming YM and she's brill she was 19 when she got the yard and, with the help of her parents, is doing very very well. I got a month's free livery for my filly because I helped her paint all the stables, fence all the fields and just generally do a lot of handy work for the yard. Previously the yard was literally dying on its backside, with no interest from potential liveries at all. Now I believe they're doing very well and just hope they'll have room for me when I come back

 

[fjordhorsefan]

I love my YO Been on my yard for about 6 weeks now, and nothing is too much trouble. My horse is cared for so well, his welfare is paramount which is great. She also is willing to ride out with me, provides a mine of information about anything I care to ask about, and makes sure we are all happy. We could not be happier

 

[nosenseofdirection]

Mine is great too, nothing is too much trouble, she takes us to shows, cares for poorly horses (and injured small people), encourages me to use more hay (included) buys biscuits and tea/coffee. Stress levels are now zero since moving to her yard and mad weaving horse is now chilled happy horse

 

[Theocat]

I have had two brilliant YOs in a row. The first one helped me get confident hacking, helped in so many ways when I first got my horse, took me out competing and was generally awesome. The new one comes out on foot with me as part of the current Get Noble Steed Hacking Alone campaign, lends me kit, encourages everyone on the yard, and best of all looks after my horse exactly as I'd want to myself - I'm possibly more eager to pull rugs off, but even there she always does what she thinks I'll want (and gets it right!)

Not sure I'll ever dare move again in case my luck runs out!

 

[Bright_Spark]

Mine are also kept on a working farm, and Mr & Mrs farmer are fantastic, nothing too much trouble.

Last year I was seriously ill for several months, my hubby works 12 hour shifts, so Mrs Farmer helped us out by doing them the days he couldn't get up.

So yay for my yard owners!

 

[Horsesgalore]

It's a fact of life that a bad service will always get more publicity and interest than a good one isn't it? You never see a press story about cases of good and effective work done by social workers and teachers but the papers are full when they make a mistake.
We hear a lot about bad YO's and the mistakes they make but there are probably many more good and kind ones who work hard and provide a great service.

 

[Cheiro1]

My YO is a saint. always there to support/ offer advice if asked for it/help you out if you need it. All the horses are cared for as if they are her own, even the DIY ones. They all get some hay or haylage and a check in the early morning when the full liverys get fed and no one would EVER get left alone in their field or anything like that.
If you need anything its done before you can blink. Even if its not something that needs doing urgently, and they always come and check everything is ok. They always have a smile and a good word to say about everyone. Could not ask for a better YO!

 

[ClassicG&T]

I am so jealous of you all mine just thinks £££££

 

[FionaM12]

I am so jealous of you all mine just thinks £££££

This belongs on another thread though .

 

[FionaM12]

no one would EVER get left alone in their field

Isn't that a bit hard to avoid sometimes? I often work at weekends, so in summer Mollie's out while I do a 24 hour shift. Meanwhile, the other ponies in her field are likely to come in to be ridden, leaving Mollie out alone.

You've got me a bit worried now....