Is the livery scene quiet at the mo?

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ChestnutConvert

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Was just wondering generally what the take up of 5.7 day part livery is like around the country generally. Not intended as any form of advert and i'm not mentioning any specifics but just seem to find that it can be like buses.... quiet and wondering if spaces will ever fill, then the next minute too many people want the spaces.

Are ther people finding this or can people just not afford it the same sat the mo...?
 
I hope its not too quiet!! Im opening up a small yard (10 stables) in a weeks time near Glasgow. I am worried that I wont fill the spaces but have been assured by people that as I will have an indoor school, I should have no problem. There are several big yards near me and they don't seem to have any bother. Hopefully Im worrying about nothing!
 
nope

we need more yards around here.... theres waiting lists for most yards normally - i know my friend is struggling to find somewhere close to her
 
I think people are generally taking up spaces for Part and Full livery as more people have to work further afield and yards are only offering Part and Full at the moment.

I am finding that we need more DIY yards. It takes some searching to find them then they are full up.
 
I have had no one leave the yard for three years, but at the end of next month two will be leaving :( One has had to be retired due to various issues and is going to his owners farm. He will be going with the yearling that has been here since birth. I will be so sad to see them go, but am really pleased that they are going together as they are such good buddies. The gelding watched the yearling being born and was so excited, doing little bunny hops in his stable and watching through the bars. When the foal was turned out, he kept the other geldings away from the fenceline. When the foal was weaned, he looked after him like he was his mother! They are not going far, only ten minutes away, so I'll be able to visit.

Anyway, back to the OP. I had a waiting list of 8 people. But when I contacted them, all had found a place and were happily settled, so I will have to advertise. I only do part and full livery though.
 
When times are good, finding a DIY vacancy is very difficult and places for owners with 2 or 3 horses is extremely difficult. Yards prefer to offer part or full livery.
However, over the last couple of years I've had no trouble at all, every yard I've enquired at, has had vacancies.
Two yards I've been at, built new barns specifically for full livery but had to take DIY's. (Cheshire and Leicestershire)

Personally, I'd love to have full livery but it'd be utter laziness on my part because I have the time to do them myself.

However, after years of watching the craziness of owners, I'm now convinced that, generalising very broadly here, -horses do better on full livery. (Slightly off topic, sorry OP.)
 
Liveries are like buses, I had a waiting list last year, now I have some spaces, I seem to only get enquiries for DIY or grass, neither of which I offer. I sort of half heartedly advertise, but from experience, the spaces will fill all at once in an unexplained fashion :) It doesn't help that I'm quite fussy in who I accept on the yard.
 
I've got two spaces at the moment that I've had for a little while. I'm not worried as people don't start looking for part or full livery until Autumn approaches. It's all about grass and DIY livery at the moment, which I don't offer. I find the bus effect is due to the fact that people tend to move in friendship groups. When I first started just doing DIY 5 came at once.
 
During summer nobody tends to move. Why bother? Horses are out on grass at least for part of the day. Come winter, when the yards are closing fields, horses aren't getting out, owners are mucking out 2 or 3 times a day, that's when they move.
 
Wagtail said:
I have had no one leave the yard for three years, but at the end of next month two will be leaving :(

Anyway, back to the OP. I had a waiting list of 8 people. But when I contacted them, all had found a place and were happily settled, so I will have to advertise. I only do part and full livery though.
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I'm in a similar situation, things change and for different reasons people have to move on. My waiting list have had to find other places too.
I only do part and full with limited no of 5 day and i'm sure they will fill up, it's just people don't seem to have the money and those that do are happy. Round here people are crying out for DIY and grass which i just can't do.
 
martlin said:
Liveries are like buses, I had a waiting list last year, now I have some spaces, I seem to only get enquiries for DIY or grass, neither of which I offer. I sort of half heartedly advertise, but from experience, the spaces will fill all at once in an unexplained fashion :) It doesn't help that I'm quite fussy in who I accept on the yard.
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From my experience you have to be slightly fussy, might sound bad but one 'bad egg' can spoil the whole lot. There is a place for everyone.
You're right though, it is like buses and i have the same problem as you "do you do diy?"
 
Completely agree about the seasonal timings but now is not a great time to have spaces as we are a small yard and lose quite a bit of income with empty stables.
I do get temporary enquiries but find it hard to take these on even if as a tide over, as my current liveries would like people to get to know and ride with.
 
I've seen a lot of requests on local forums for DIY or assisted livery recently...

Personally, I've moved recently from DIY to 5 day livery - new job with shift work, so being on livery takes the stress out of it... Always pros and cons though - I was wary of moving, of having less control, of the increased price, and whether his care would be what I wanted... As it happens it's all worked out well, and the yard is lovely - she often has enquiries for spaces word of mouth, and the decreased control is worth all the other advantages.

Still feeling the pocket pinch though!
 
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