Livery for new horse - sorry a bit long

[moocow]

I am looking for some advice. i have just got a horse on trial. she is lovely but is just broken three yr old. She was backed only a few weeks ago. I found a place close to where i live for livery.

Everything was fine when I was talking about getting a horse with the livery owner but when i found this one and said i wanted to bring her on trial, the mood has changed slightly. I know the owner is just worried for her yard but, well anyway.

The horse arrived last night and she unloaded fine. the owner was afer delivering her (for free) from 50 miles away. There was loads of kids in the yard and they were just messing about being kids but not the best environment for a new horse to be taken into. The yard had a paddock allocated for the horse and we put her in there. There wasn't any grass in the paddock no matter what the yard owner said!

The horse started munching some dried docks that were in the field and the yard owner told the kids to go into the field, with this unsettled horse and pull the docks from her mouth. Now the horse was a good girl and jsut stood but this is a horse we know very little about and it seemed strange to me to she would tell the kids to go into the field and approach the horse.

the yard is a lovely yard and the owner is a lovely person but i feel that she is going to really dictate what i can do ith my own horse. they are not used to horses in the yard as its mainly ponies there.

I have had horses in the past but always had the luxury of my own fields and stables but I really don't know what to do now.

The horse is only backed three weeks and is coming along lovely. i am worried about going with the situation for the winter, and then having a mountain of work to do with her because of the situation in the spring.

Can anyone advise as I am new to this livery lark and need to be happy with whats going on.

Does anyone know of any private livery yards on the east coast of Ireland that might be more suitable. like I said they are lovely people in the yard and all the ponies there are very well looked after. i am just thinking it might not be suitable for me.

thanks

Cat.

 

[Bri]

Can't recommend any livery yards, but I would recommend you consider moving.

I was in a situation very similar where the YO although good hearted, completely tried to take over and got very involved in telling me what was best for my horse and what I was doing wrong.
If your already feeling anxious about it, it sounds like your similar to me and would rather be left to it!!

Try and find a yard where there are other youngsters or at least horses? At least that way if people are interfereing they're more likely to know what they're talking about!

 

[moocow]

thanks for your reply. Just don't know where to go! Checked out a few places locally before I looked at horses so i would know here she would be living but this was the one that i felt most comfortable in. I am new to the area, just moved back from the UK so i am out of touch with the scene over here. Horse is in fab condition at the moment and am really worried that she is going to start loosing that condition due to lack of grass/food!

don't know what to do.

 

[Lark]

Can you say what particular county you are looking in?
What type of livery are you looking for:
1. Full livery
2. Grass livery

Is there any particular activity you want to partake in ie. eventing, jumping etc?

 

[Bri]

Have you tried searching on internet for all the yards in your area? Or do a scout around for anywhere that looks likely you could keep a horse?
Best advice I can give is to go round everywhere again and try and find somewhere with better grazing/facilites for your horse. I know you feeling comfortable is important but I'm sure you will fit in and feel comfortable anywhere after a little while...especially if you don't have to worry about your horse's wellbeing!!

 

[moocow]

What I am looking for is full livery but I will ride. She is just a pleasure horse. Like I said only backed three weeks so not aiming to do much other than regular schooling, bringing her on, introducing her to jumping - that kind of thing

 

[Lark]

Right so a mainstream yard on full livery. Can you tell which county - I am on the east coast and may have some ideas.
Would you rather at yard that is very competent with young horses, tuition and schooling?

 

[moocow]

beggersgold, I have looked through the internet, phone book, asked at my vets etc. When I say feel comfortable i mean with the wellbeing of the horse. I don't carewhether I fit in or not, I just want the horse to be happy and safe.

one of the yards I spoke to had lovely facilities but basically said if I was to being the horse there on trial they would ride the hell out of it for a week and then see how she reacts even though i had explained that she is only just broken. She is young and only backed I need to be able to trust that the yard is not going to be mucking about with her when i am not there.

I have the option of a field but she was stabled at night last year and I would prefer to do that this year. plus the fact it is just one field and will get tired. She would also be there on her own and I prefer horses to have company. i would have nowhere to ride her with that option other than the field that she is living in.

I just don't know.

 

[Lark]

Moocow - whatever yard suggested they trial her and "ride the hell out of her'' would not be an option for anyone regardless of the facilities!!

Again - if you can let me know what vicinity you are looking in I could be of help - PM me should you wish.

 

[moocow]

Thanks Lark,

I am consious of what a small world horses in Ireland is and don't want to say anything wrong about the current yard. It counld turn out to be one of those freaky coincidences and you are the yard owner or something!

She is a lovely person but I just don't think the yard is right for my potential horse. I just want something that is away from the whole pony club thing with kids running screaming everywhere. I want to do the work with her myself but if there was people there to give advice that would be good as I haven't brought on a horse before. . I just feel that this yard will turn out to be like a lesson when I want to work with her and i would be better off saving my cash and just going to a riding school every week.

I am in meath. can you PM me with what you are thinking?

 

[Tempi]

i wouldnt keep a youngster at a yard with kids on it - especialy ones that sounds unruley like at your current yard. Just my opinion. And if YO asked them to go into the field with a trial horse, and a 3year old she is asking for trouble and i personally wouldve been furious withher for doing this. If one of the kids had been kicked or trampled you'd be the one getting sued and thrown off the yard before it had even begun...........

 

[AmyMay]

Mmm, I have to say I probably wouldn't sell the horse to you if it were to be kept in this sort of environment.

 

[mandy4727]

Sorry. I can't help with the new livery as not familiar with your area. But I would have a word with the YO about the children being near your new horsey. Just explain that as with any horse new to an environment and also the fact that she is just a baby herself, she will be very unpredictable and that you would hate for the children to get hurt. Put it to her that way to her. But good luck anyway. Having a new baby horse myself (well yearling) I know what you are going through.

 

[moocow]

thats a bit harsh but I understand what you mean. thats the reason i posted in the first place. I need to find somewhere more suitable. regardless of the sellers position, I am not happy to keep the horse in that enviroment. I was really amazed at the whole set up. Luckily the horse has a magic temperment but that doesn't make it OK. She is still young and I could believe it when she told the kids to go out into the field. Regardless of temperment, an accident could have happened.

I had earlier told the kids to stay away from the horse cos she young and just getting used to her environment - stretching her legs after the long journey etc.

I spoke at length to the owner afterwards and knowing the temperment of the horse, she was like me, concerned . The kids were just being kids which is fine to a point in certain yards but not around a three year old.

The oter concern I had was when I was talking to the owner, who knows the horse, who has broken the horse, who is schooling the horse, about what work we would do during the week, the YO was contradicting the owners suggestions. thats what makes me worry about being about to do what i want to do with her.

 

[moocow]

have PM'ed you. would appreciate your help.

thanks

 

[AmyMay]

[ QUOTE ]
thats a bit harsh but I understand what you mean

[/ QUOTE ]
It wasn't meant to be harsh - just practical.

Many people who breed horses for a living (which this person who is selling this horse may do) rely on their reputation to maintain a business, or at least have a rep for selling a good horse.

Things can very easily and quickly go wrong with youngsters if kept in the wrong environment - which it sounds as if yours could be. When things do go wrong people can be very quick to point the finger at the seller having sold a horse under false pretenses - ie not as advertised.

So, some people can be as picky about who they sell to as can buyers be from whom they purchase.

 

[moocow]

yeah totally agree. i have spoken to the owner for hours at this stage about the horse, keeping horses etc. and have ridden the horse at her yard so I am lucky in a way that she trusts me with her horse. you are totally right, she does work from reputation and its a huge risk she is taking. like i said, we are both concerned. not so much about the care that the horse will get (meant to say, as the other horses (ponies) in the yard are well cared for) its just the risk that both horse and the kids are at when the YO encourages such behaviour.

Didn't mean to sound wrong by saying it was harsh. really appreciate your oppinions and advice.

Cat

 

[OWLIE185]

You sound very kind and thoughtfull and deserve better stabling for your young horse.

Why not search out for a nice small private yard where your young horse can have a nice quiet life and routine where the owner keeps their horses at home and have a spare stable and grazing which they would be happy to let you have. Your best bet of finding one would be to go to your local agricultural/horse feed merchant and ask them if they have any customers that keep their horses at home.

Good luck and I hope you find yourselves a nice new home.

 

[moocow]

thank you very much....... i will see what i can find out.