Livery yard visits - questions to ask

[AthenesOwl]

I'm considering moving my horse to a livery yard closer to home, as I currently travel 40 mins to get to him, and it's starting to wear me down. There are several options that sound suitable about 20-25 mins away, which also have better facilities, including better arena access, which is poor at my current place as it also operates as a riding school.

What sort of questions should I be asking when I visit potential new yards? I didn't really do this at my current place as I already rode there. I've already found out about turnout, which is important for my horse, but I'm not sure what other things to be asking. Any advice?

 

[ihatework]

Turnout - how much space, poo-picking, individual or group and if group how introductions are done. What are restrictions like (ask the liveries if you can for an accurate answer!)

Routines of liveries ( will they fit in with how you would ideally go it), ie will there be horses in/out at similar times?

Storage facilities

Hay/bedding - who supplies, how much both price/quantity. Can you supply your own if needed (ie if they make own hay and have a manky batch)

Arena access, booking, sharing, lights, harrowing, freezing/flooding

Are you allowed external instructors?

Lorry/trailer parking

Quality of hacking

Any time restrictions on when you can be there

 

[SpeedyPony]

-Do they supply hay/lage, if so how much, is it included in the livery fee, or an added extra.
-Can you buy in your own forage if preferred (is there storage for it?)
-Similarly bedding, do they supply straw/shavings or do you need to buy these in?
-If you are going to be buying in forage or bedding, is there enough storage to buy in a pallet at a time, or will you have to buy a couple of bales each time (this will make a difference to the cost of buying in)
-Are there opening hours, i.e. if you want to ride in the evening/before work will they be shut before 6AM/after 7PM or similar
-If it is DIY, do they have rules regarding when horses need to be in (some yards insist on horses being in by 4PM or earlier, which is difficult if you work) and are there services you can pay for to bring in/ turn out.
-Regarding the availablity of turnout, I'd also ask around locally about what the real situation is, a lot of yards will say year round turnout but only offer a couple of hours a day for much of the winter. If you visit and they have pristine fields at this time of year, I'd take that as a warning, even if they say they have all day turnout.

 

[scats]

Times of day that the yard is open (some yards are strict about early or late access)

Turnout- especially winter. I’d specifically ask about worse case scenario winters (storms, very wet etc ) as many yards say they have winter turnout but change their minds once the bad weather sets in.

Are you allowed your own instructor, farrier, dentist etc.

 

[Equi]

What’s the daily routine, who carries out these tasks, who do I call in an emergency, is payment 4 weeks or monthly, is the yard insured, what’s the hay/bedding situation and where is it emptied. what are the yard rules, what is the rate for extras and when are these available, is there a booking system for the arena/lunge areas, is turnout shared, do you have to walk through any other fields to get to your own, what’s hacking like, is the yard closed on any specific days or times, are you lovely to my face as a prospective livery and an absolute nightmare after I pay the first months up front? (Last one may or may not be included )

 

[Bobthecob15]

Worming, do they do worm counts or worm regardless and is it ok for you to do worm counts if you want to?
Storage of trailers or Lorry’s- can you and if so how much
Is there a charge for use of lights or anything on the arena in winter
Do they go out every day or stay in if icy/wet/snowing/high winds etc
What does your service include exactly
Farriers- is there one and can they potentially take on your horse
Can you get your horse in/take out of the field or stable if no others are in/out etc
How much hay and bedding and can you buy more if needed
Is there adequate storage for tack rugs etc and is the tack room alarmed or security locked (if you insure tack you may need it)
Is there someone on site overnight

 

[Meredith]

I made a list of questions and took it with me. My YO said I was the first to do this and she was pleased because it meant I'd thought about everything I might need.
Are visitors acceptable, or do you have to 'book ' them in?
Policy re dogs?
Taking hay to camp?
Price of extras if on part or DIY livery

 

[jules9203]

I'm a YO. I'd be really pleased for a prospective livery to turn up with a list of any of the above questions. No question is irrelevant. If you want to know the answer then ask it!!! As a YO I have my own list of questions I ask possible liveries x

 

[AthenesOwl]

I made a list of questions and took it with me. My YO said I was the first to do this and she was pleased because it meant I'd thought about everything I might need.
Are visitors acceptable, or do you have to 'book ' them in?
Policy re dogs?
Taking hay to camp?
Price of extras if on part or DIY livery

I'm absolutely planning to visit with a list of questions! I want to think carefully about whether moving my horse is the right thing to do, and I need to know a potential yard is right for us both. Why wouldn't I take a list? I'm pretty sure it is, but I don't want to make a big mistake.

Thank you all for taking the time to reply. Lots of questions I'd not even thought about, like opening hours, and being wary of pristine fields at this time of year hadn't occurred to me.

 

[neddy man]

When you take your list leave enough room to write the answers down, as you ask them, you can then evaluate at home before making your final decision. Another question should be what happens when you go on holiday. Good luck.

 

[teapot]

What's the emergency policy - who calls who first
Is any professional welcome on the yard at any time, or are vet visits grouped etc
Security, who locks up?
(If there are staff, are any on site 24/7?)
Do you pay for extras at the time or are they invoiced?

 

[Kaylum]

Do you get a written contract?
What's their biosecurty policy? Is your horse isolated on arrival?
If their is a general problem is their a yard manager or yard owner to deal with?

 

[Expo]

I'm a YO. I'd be really pleased for a prospective livery to turn up with a list of any of the above questions. No question is irrelevant. If you want to know the answer then ask it!!! As a YO I have my own list of questions I ask possible liveries x

I don’t want to derail the thread, but would be interested to know what your questions for potential liveries would be.

 

[reynold]

If it's not DIY then I'd want to know how many horses each member of staff was expected to do each day. Also whether you get a 'set' staff member for each group of horses (so they got to know the horses they do and would hopefully recognise if the horse was off colour) and what arrangements were for when that staff member had time off/holidays.

One yard I was at it was supposed to be 8 horses per staff member but it went up to actually being 11 to cover days off. None of the horses ended up being done properly as per the answers given when viewing the yard and I left fairly quickly....

 

[AthenesOwl]

If it's not DIY then I'd want to know how many horses each member of staff was expected to do each day. Also whether you get a 'set' staff member for each group of horses (so they got to know the horses they do and would hopefully recognise if the horse was off colour) and what arrangements were for when that staff member had time off/holidays.

One yard I was at it was supposed to be 8 horses per staff member but it went up to actually being 11 to cover days off. None of the horses ended up being done properly as per the answers given when viewing the yard and I left fairly quickly....

This is an especially good question. I hadn’t thought of this, but as I’m looking for full livery, it’ll be an important thing to think about.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

I'm considering moving my horse to a livery yard closer to home, as I currently travel 40 mins to get to him, and it's starting to wear me down. There are several options that sound suitable about 20-25 mins away, which also have better facilities, including better arena access, which is poor at my current place as it also operates as a riding school.

What sort of questions should I be asking when I visit potential new yards? I didn't really do this at my current place as I already rode there. I've already found out about turnout, which is important for my horse, but I'm not sure what other things to be asking. Any advice?

apart from the obvious in how you feel as the atmosphere when you arrive

1. see the actual stable available
2. what livery options are there
3. are there any bolt on extras available
4. may I view the contract
5. how much shavings
6. how much hay
7. how much feed and what options are there in the way of feeds
8. also can i buy anything not included and could it be added to feeds
9. are giving my supplements in feeds included
10. is there storage for my tack and rugs etc
11. may I see yard rules
12. is there a curfew times
13. may I use my existing farrier - vet- trainer.
14. Is there storage for hay for shows/vet etc
15. can I buy extra bedding direct from you
16. buy extra hay from you
17. is there a worming programme
18. if I cannot be there for vet/farrier can they be brought in for me and if so what is the charge.
19. do i have to book a time in the arena
20. do many of the liveries hack out or go to shows
21. does a new horse go straight in with existing or is the an intro week in a jacent field
22. what is the hacking like
23. is there cctv
24. is the tackroom alarmed and secure
25. may i keep a trailer or box here (if you have one) if so charge?
26. are the fields poo picked
27. are we allowed to hose horses or bath them
28. can we loose school.
29. can we lunge in the arena.

Sorry that is all I can think off for the moment

 

[ThreeFurs]

Based on recent appalling fence injury sustained by a friend's little harness Welshie mare; in a new livery, I would also ask;
What is the policy on bullying? I'm thinking horse on horse! -- but it could cover human.

 

[Muddywellies]

Times of day that the yard is open (some yards are strict about early or late access)

Turnout- especially winter. I’d specifically ask about worse case scenario winters (storms, very wet etc ) as many yards say they have winter turnout but change their minds once the bad weather sets in.

Are you allowed your own instructor, farrier, dentist etc.

This !! Triple check winter turnout arrangements.

 

[little_critter]

If you can use your own instructor, does the yard charge for use of the school by an outside instructor? (some do)

 

[j1ffy]

I'd ask a YO/YM: 'On a scale of 1-10, how mad are you?' and 'On a scale of 1-10, how passive aggressive are you?'

Took me ages to find a yard with a sane YO/YM who was also a good communicator with humans

ETA: I think anyone who runs a livery yard has to be a bit mad...

 

[mariew]

I'd work out what are your non negotiable things, and what you would compromise on. Nowadays for me it is turnout, arena availability and hacking routes, assistance available (incl holiday cover), able to bring in external trainers (if important). And opening hours.

Also if you can use your own farrier/vet.

Nutters I can deal with, also storage and the rest.. It depends on how much help you need. If full livery I would ask (and monitor! ) what food and bedding they get as what you are told may differ from what they get... Plus if changing rugs are included.

 

[little_critter]

what's the deal ref Christmas and bank hols? any extra charges? are you expected to do Christmas day?

 

[Tarragon]

I don’t want to derail the thread, but would be interested to know what your questions for potential liveries would be.

Me too!

 

[Waxwing]

I have found this thread very interesting as I have booked a yard visit for next week, my horse is still on rehab and as I haven't got back on yet I don't know if she will be staying. However if she does stay I am not sure if returning to our original yard would be the right thing and a smaller yard might be better. ( I will carry on having lessons on the other yard regardless so will still maintain contact with friends there.) My daughter would like us to remain on the yard where she is being rehabbed which is also an option, but this is further away from home than I would ideally like. I just felt exploring an option wouldn't be a bad idea.

 

[AthenesOwl]

I have found this thread very interesting as I have booked a yard visit for next week, my horse is still on rehab and as I haven't got back on yet I don't know if she will be staying. However if she does stay I am not sure if returning to our original yard would be the right thing and a smaller yard might be better. ( I will carry on having lessons on the other yard regardless so will still maintain contact with friends there.) My daughter would like us to remain on the yard where she is being rehabbed which is also an option, but this is further away from home than I would ideally like. I just felt exploring an option wouldn't be a bad idea.

I’m glad it has helped you too, and I hope your yard visit helps you to make some decisions, which sound like they might be difficult.

 

[Jango]

If at all possible, go at a time you expect the horses to be in the field eg 10am and check they actually are! January is a good time to view a yard as if they are lying about winter turnout you can see with your own eyes. Ask all the questions you can, but trust your gut too!

 

[Chianti]

Can you take hay to give your horse a haynet when you groom or when you go out to compete? I went to visit a potential part livery yard years ago and everything seemed really good. Then I asked the yard owner about the haynet when you were grooming, " Why would you want to do that?" was the reply. I didn't go there. I was then on another yard which suddenly decided that you couldn't do either so we were given storage space to buy in our own bales of hay.

If it's a small yard with a small number of staff I would ask what the cover arrangements are for sickness or holidays.