Livery yard ... Soap opera

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Greylegs

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I've recently moved yards to be nearer home and save myself a lot of miles daily, and the new place is turning out to be lovely (big relief .....!). I miss the people on my old yard, of course, but it has occurred to me that livery yards are a bit of a soap opera. Each stable, with its horse/owner combo is a story in itself. There's the one whose horse is a child substitute and wants for nothing, the one whose horse is ill or lame and they're fighting an ongoing battle for survival, the one whose horse is "perfect" except for one or two minor issues which "we don't talk about!" but which are potentially lethal, the one who couldn't care less and whose horse is a bit unkempt as a result, the one who only pops in at weekends and lives a completely different life in the week, the one who loves her horse but only really keeps it to p#%^ off an otherwise horrendous husband .... And so it goes on.

Each stable has its own stories, it's own secrets, it's own issues, it's own joys and sorrows .... That's life I guess, but I'm sure there's a TV series in there somewhere just waiting to get out.

Anyone else living with their own private Coronation Street or Eastenders?
 
brilliant observation OP. I would much rather experience real life soap opera than bother to watch it on tv! I have to say though, that yard soap operas have a lot less of people jumping in and out of bed with each others' wives and husbands (as far as I am aware) :)
 
I used to be on a yard and when I left, I was totally devastated, but I'm now delighted. The place was a never ending soap opera of people doing midnight flits, the YO padlocking the gates and refusing to allows liveries to leave because they hadn't given notice (no contracts, no deposits, tough!), very dodgy people coming and going, people who lied for the sake of lying. It was a very odd place. It wasn't the horses, it was the crazy people! Since leaving, all bar one of my friends from there have also left due to continued drama!
 
You only really need to worry if it turns into Hollyoaks, imo. Although if it resembles Eastenders then avoid the xmas party..!
 
I think it's what's known as a saddle-soap opera.

I've been coming home from the yard and writing about my fellow liveries, and some of the more bizaare things they say and do, for years, as I always thought they were rich material for a novel. Well dear riders I've finally got a plot for a book, now I just need somebody to beat me with a shavings fork until I sit down and write the damn thing. And finish it.

Although if it ever got published I'd probably have to leave the country.
 
tobiano said:
brilliant observation OP. I would much rather experience real life soap opera than bother to watch it on tv! I have to say though, that yard soap operas have a lot less of people jumping in and out of bed with each others' wives and husbands (as far as I am aware) :)
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Ha! Depends on the yard! That's all I'm saying....
 
gala said:
I think it's what's known as a saddle-soap opera.

I've been coming home from the yard and writing about my fellow liveries, and some of the more bizaare things they say and do, for years, as I always thought they were rich material for a novel. Well dear riders I've finally got a plot for a book, now I just need somebody to beat me with a shavings fork until I sit down and write the damn thing. And finish it.

Although if it ever got published I'd probably have to leave the country.
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Shavings fork beating coming your way - as now I want to read the book!
 
If I were to write a book about the happenings on a couple of yards that I have been a livery at, it would probably be deemed too far-fetched... even for a soap opera!
 
Yuki1290 said:
If I were to write a book about the happenings on a couple of yards that I have been a livery at, it would probably be deemed too far-fetched... even for a soap opera!
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LOL...and me!! I've said for years that Coronation Street/Eastenders has NOTHING on some of the yards I've been on over the years....and have always said I could write a bestseller and give them all a run for their money..!! :)

I have finally found a place that is absolute heaven to be at with my horse....really never in my dreams thought I'd ever get away from the 'hubble bubble toil and trouble' of previous yards. I'm a lucky person I guess and relish the paradise I'm at now.
 
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gala said:
I think it's what's known as a saddle-soap opera.

I've been coming home from the yard and writing about my fellow liveries, and some of the more bizaare things they say and do, for years, as I always thought they were rich material for a novel. Well dear riders I've finally got a plot for a book, now I just need somebody to beat me with a shavings fork until I sit down and write the damn thing. And finish it.

Although if it ever got published I'd probably have to leave the country.
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Please start publishing now,
 
I am so glad I am lucky enough to keep my horses at a friends place. We have a great system.

She feeds mornings, does rugs (if needed), checks waters and checks horses over.
I make up morning and night feeds, feed nights, check waters, do rugs (if needed) and check horses over.

I am responsible for buying my horses feed and hay, she buys her own stuff too. If one of us is away, then we switch mornings for nights and vice versa to make it work.

No drama, no fighting, happy horses and happy humans. The facilities aren't super flash but they work.... who needs an arena anyway? ;) haha
 
gala said:
I think it's what's known as a saddle-soap opera.

I've been coming home from the yard and writing about my fellow liveries, and some of the more bizaare things they say and do, for years, as I always thought they were rich material for a novel. Well dear riders I've finally got a plot for a book, now I just need somebody to beat me with a shavings fork until I sit down and write the damn thing. And finish it.

Although if it ever got published I'd probably have to leave the country.
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Get writing and damn the consequences ��
 
gala said:
I think it's what's known as a saddle-soap opera.

I've been coming home from the yard and writing about my fellow liveries, and some of the more bizaare things they say and do, for years, as I always thought they were rich material for a novel. Well dear riders I've finally got a plot for a book, now I just need somebody to beat me with a shavings fork until I sit down and write the damn thing. And finish it.

Although if it ever got published I'd probably have to leave the country.
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Sidles up to gala with a shavings fork...................................................
 
Get writting I am sure we can all drop in some added anecdotes.

My husband has been saying this for years. And don't forget the yard owners and managers too. We have come across some real nut cases over the years. Thank goodness I am happy were I am but some of the liverys are very odd.
 
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luckyoldme said:
I moved away from all that years ago. We are in a much more stable environment now. !
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Baduuuum tshhhhh!


Livery yards can be amazing and would absolutely make for good drama/comedy, but the writing needs to be done cleverly as it would need to be sold as a drama/comedy that is set on a yard, not actually about the yard or it would just get lost on H&C. I would much rather see something like this in the evenings with a bit of grit added :)

Bum kicking is commencing, so come on :) xx
 
I'm always on the look out for a small yard to rent as my own, without other liveries.

I hate all the drama and gossip, being at the stables is my quiet time for me and being swarmed into gossip annoys me. I also love quiet time with my horse and screaming kids, messy yard, my belongings getting moved, dog cr*p etc is rather annoying.

But at the same time, having help to hand is good and my horse has company.

I try to be the one who 'keeps to themselves'!
 
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