Livery Yard Viewing Protocol

I've had liveries at my home yard, and worked on other livery yards. I've never had a problem with people popping in to ask if there are any vacancies and whether they could be shown round at a convenient time. Usually we'd say no problem, and give them a little tour there and then. I've not been on huge yards where it has taken a lot of time to show them everything (ie, a stable, the school, the tea room and pointed out the fields to them). If I didn't have time I would just ask them if they could come back at X time when I could show them round.

I would be annoyed if someone just took it on themselves to wander round without asking, that's very different.
 
I had a woman turn up,unannounced,(had no idea who she was and never seen her before) on CHRISTMAS DAY afternoon, last month!!!

I was in the middle of bringing horses in and was almost speechless when I looked up from foot-picking to see a stranger (she'd let herself in through side house gate,as yard gate was locked!) just standing there! She asked if it was ok to look around and I said 'No,it is most definitely not! (I very nearly told her to ****** off...)

The yard was clean and tidy and everything was how it should be,so it wasn't that I was 'unprepared' but.. Christmas Day?!? I was hurrying up,so I could go and have my Christmas lunch/dinner!

Cheeky cow...some people!
 
Eta...often get strangers popping in unannounced and if I'm on the yard and have time,I show them round. If not,me or a member of staff gets their number and says we'll phone to arrange a convenient time to show them round.
We are a small,un-signposted yard and I live here-I've always found it a bit surreal that it seems the done thing with many people to wander uninvited and uninformed onto someone else's property,just cos it appears there's horses kept there. (There could be a hulking German shepherd round the corner for all they know!)

I would never wander up someone's drive,thru their gate and take a walk round their house and garden! Gets my goat... :(
 
When I worked at a livery yard people used to often come in and enquire about livery. We didn't have an advertised phone number anyway so they couldn't have rung in advance!

When looking to move yards a few years ago I just dropped into a few on the off chance there was someone around to help me, and no one ever seemed put out by this. A couple of times there was literally no one around and I felt a bit like a trespasser!
 
I phoned, asked if they had vacancies, was told they didn't and had a waiting list. Asked if I could view in order to go on the waiting list if suitable, but was told that I'd be put on the waiting list and could view when a vacancy came available. Seems an odd waiting list if nobody on that list has seen the yard yet.
 
I prefer if people phone and arrange a day and am or pm, but most of my Owners have come here on the recommendation of friends.

Said friends turn up with prospective Owner in tow out of the blue, it generally messes my plans right up.
What you see is what you get here, no frills, there are ducks wandering around the barn and roosting on walls, barn cats sleeping all over the place and dogs loitering. If the stalls aren't mucked out, or the aisle not raked and that offends someone, then tough, things get done when they get done. What anyone can see is happy, healthy, relaxed horses out in the paddocks I have a lot of road frontage, you can't hide anything here ;)

Personally, I would never turn up unannounced, and as a YO I know that dropping everything is rarely convenient and screws up your day. The only time I would drop in would be if I happened to just pass by and didn't have a name or contact number, and even then I would expect to make an appointment and come back at the YO's convenience.
 
9tails said:
I phoned, asked if they had vacancies, was told they didn't and had a waiting list. Asked if I could view in order to go on the waiting list if suitable, but was told that I'd be put on the waiting list and could view when a vacancy came available. Seems an odd waiting list if nobody on that list has seen the yard yet.
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Not really. I do this for two reasons. It is a waste of my time and their time if they come and view before there is a vacancy as often I don't get a vacancy for 2 years or more. So I tell them that there are no stables and I don't know of anyone that is leaving in the near future but if they want me to keep their details and contact them if things change then I will. I don't want too many people seeing the yard. You don't know who they are or who they might know. Every person that looks around the yard is a risk IMO. The perfect way for thieves to clock what tack and horse boxes you have on the property and what the security is like. So I think it just makes practical sense not to show people round or have them visit unless there is actually a vacancy.
 
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I would phone but have turned up to two but they are people we know so a bit different.

I'd be a bit taken back if someone turned up at my yard (private just me) but then again I know how hard it is to find somewhere and not everyone advertises here so people often seem to just knock on doors. often you will find that a farmer has a little paddock not being used and is grateful for a little rent from it but it's a tricky one.
 
Make an appointment to view always - even if it means popping in to catch them as not everyone has nothing to do. I also let them know my decision even if I'm not moving there as I think it's polite :)
 
I have turned up without calling because not all yards have websites nor telephone numbers advertised but I have also done the polite thing and called ahead if I have seen an ad.
 
I find it a bit weird and a little bit scary when people turn up unannounced. We have loads of people just randomly walking on to the yard (some even open the gate and drive into the car park?!) asking where the YM is. I'm always a little bit suspicious especially when they turn up at odd times of the day.

I would never in a million year turn up unannounced. I would always make an appointment first
 
Wow. I must be incredibly rude!!!

A lot of livery yards don't advertise or aren't on google - how do you ring them?
I always just turn up and if I can spot someone I chat to them.
In fact, I've never been on a livery yard who's contact number was advertised.
Never been turned away for being so rude, suprisingly.
 
Defininitely make an appoitment! Not only is it rude, but as a livery I would feel a bit unnerved by a stranger wandering around the yard looking at my stable/things/horse etc.

As someone has said if the owner/manager has said they will be out and that you can pop over whenever thats different as they will know you will be coming.

We used to have a short gallop track up past our fields which came off a bridle path which the yard owned, (gate is there and padlocked) yet I constantly found people walking their dogs up there, presumably because they thought was part of the bridlepath. Wouldnt mind so much if a) they didnt let their dogs run in the fields with the horses. and b) werent the same people who got tolf it was private land not a footpath. It just felt odd having people who we didnt know walking through and aroudn the yard.
 
I would do a "drive by", but to actually enter the premises, you do need permission from the owner. I would hate it if someone turned up unannounced where I keep Shy - a massive security risk.

My last yard had a rather large rotty on site for protection. In the RSPCA, I was always very aware of trespassing too, and would only go onto a yard with the owner present, or the police.
 
I run a livery yard and I absolutely hate it when people just turn and expect me to drop everything in order to show them around! Especially as on the rare occasion I do advertise, I specifically state to ring to make an appointment. I think it's extremely rude to just turn up especially as you don't want strangers roaming around your yard willy nilly when you may not be there. I have literally had people looking in stables and reading my notice board before they have even approached me to look around. I just don't think it's at all acceptable to just turn up but that's just my opinion fwiw!😐
 
if i have a phone number i would always ring first to make enquiries and if i like the sound of the place ask to visit. when i found the farm livery we weren't sure if they actually did livery so i sent OH down the mile long track to find the farmer and ask, the farmer is of the lazy variety so is only too happy to have an excuse for a cup of coffee and a chat lol.
with the private yard i rent now i did go and try and find the farmer at his house but he wasn't in so i got a number from someone and phoned him. normally i wouldn't be so 'pushy' but little yards are like hens teeth round here and i wasn't going to let anyone beat me to it!!
 
The last time I was looking for somewhere to keep my horses, I was driving round looking for land. Saw a man on a yard, and asked him if he knew any land for rent, he said there was a possibility and gave directions. I drove up, spotted someone on the yard and asked them. Its worked really well for me. The lady in question is very fussy, and would rather she meet people to gauge whether or not they would fit in, so that seems to be her favoured way.
 
I have just turned up. I was looking at another yard, which was a total disaster and as I was in the area I decided to give another yard I found on google a ring. It turned out it had just been taken over by someone else, so that person no longer worked there but she said to pop in, so I drove to the other yard and parked outside, before looking for the YO. I would always try to ring first if possibly but this worked in our advantage as she hadn't started advertising for liveries yet but was about to, so we managed to get there first- which when you have two ponies that need to be moved together is practically a miracle.
 
We're a big yard and show centre and don't mind people popping in unannounced but if we're busy then they have to look round on their own and come back at an arranged time.

We often suggest people come on a competition day as although there's no one to show them around it's important people see the place at its busiest so they can decide if it will suit them.
 
I am on a private yard and have many people calling to ask for livery. The best was a note left tucked into a headcollar that said 'we want livery please call xxxxxxx'
 
Don't really have a problem with people dropping in but we just may not be free to give the prospective customer the time they require without an appointment. Certain times of the day are just crazy. Mornings until mid-morning or lunch and bringing in feeding 4-5.30pm are typically the hectic times for most yards.
 
I drove by mine for a look. I knew it was a livery yard, but she didn't advertise.
Her house is at one end of the yard with a separate entrance, so I went there first and knocked on, but no reply, so I took a deep breath and walked onto the yard, knowing it may be frowned upon. Luckily, she walked past just as I came in the gate, so I explained myself and we had a nice chat. The rest is history. Been there 4 years now.

I wouldn't, however, have mooched round the place looking for someone. I was just going to pop my head round the corner on the off chance, and would have understood if she's been upset.
In hindsight, I'd have been better putting a note through her door, but it all turned out ok :)
 
I would definitely call to arrange a viewing.

I think, put yourself in the position of a livery. If you had your horse there would you be happy with some unknown person just turning up unannounced and mooching about? Stranger danger and all that!
 
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