Livery yards being closed, banned from seeing our horses

[merlinsquest]

MQ, sorry if she even only allowed one owner on once an hour, made them wear gloves, washed hands when they got out the car and only let them touch their own horse she would have from 7am until 7 pm that is 12 hours, in 4 days every owner pretty much could see their horse,, how difficult is that to organise ?

No idea, her yard, her rules & I don’t keep my horse there, maybe with herself & 3 staff doing all the horses including the DIYs she’s too knackered to supervise people as well. If the staff get ill who will cover the yard? With that many people it wouldn’t be simple with who could get there at certain times, need to bring their kids up as well so suddenly more people. I’m not saying she’s right or wrong, just that I’m agreeing with other posters who think that this won’t be sustainable over a long period.

 

[Gingerwitch]

I know now why I would never have liveries. This says it all. The attitude of the average horse owner in a livery yard.

Those yard owners could of course be struggling in this lockdown, and we are still in a lockdown and the formal lockdown may well be extended.. They still have to pay their expenses, loans, rates, bills etc. They could well be paying forage bills and having to accommodate owners who, through no fault of their own, cannot afford their livery fees. They are still having to pay contractors to move the muck heap, harrow the fields, repair fencing and then they have to pay for it. They may be having to do a lot more work themselves if their yards are locked down. They could well be juggling the viability of their business, the viability of their overdraft, whether it is safe to let people near due to their vulnerable families or even their own underlying health issue.
I guess many are wondering as to how they can continue their business in the months to come, if in fact they should continue. All this alongside their key worker friends or family having to go into the HNS or supermarket to work.

Then they are faced with liveries who think it is too much to ask they can't see their horse in this exceptional period.

You say you are appalled at yards that have banned liveries yet still collecting their livery fees. Try and remember the livery fees pay for the yard's expenses. Those expenses haven't gone away.

I am at a loss to understand why any of the owners on here who are unhappy with their livery yard are moaning about it. The answer is very simple. Go to yard even if locked down, put headcollar on horse, clip rope on and walk through the gates. You can do it this afternoon. No need for any of you to be unhappy.

If you don't want to do that try and have some tolerance for the YO. I doubt they asked to be put in this position.

I did and so have many of the others at my previous yard and guess what the yard owner now cannot pay me back my deposit and is trying to build bridges, well once bitten twice shy.

Yard Owners keep banging on that they want to be treated like a business, but then still want to behave how it suits them as and when it suits them but expect the liveries to carry on handing over hundreds of pounds.

One of my clients is working, they expect me to provide them with the traction and drivers to continue to work, it is a non essential business ie. if they do not continue to provide the item no one will starve. Guess what they would say to me if I said oh were on lock down, you must carry on paying for the trucks and trailers even though I have banned you from using them - note the word I, not the government. What do you think they would say ?

As to your point about the livery fees pay for the yards expenses, those expenses haven't gone away - no but many peoples earning capacity has, and the vast majority are going without to ensure that they pay their bills on time and in full, but you honestly think that owners should just put up and shut up ? Who is sorting out farriers, who is checking that the horses have enough to eat ? how many yards have cut back on feed knowing that the horses cannot pick up a phone and whats app - look what I have for tea".

Yes some yard owners are honourable, but their is a significant number that are just about breaking even or turning a small profit, do you honestly think that they have not cut back on feed and bedding when there is no one there to tell on them ?

 

[Gingerwitch]

No idea, her yard, her rules & I don’t keep my horse there, maybe with herself & 3 staff doing all the horses including the DIYs she’s too knackered to supervise people as well. If the staff get ill who will cover the yard? With that many people it wouldn’t be simple with who could get there at certain times, need to bring their kids up as well so suddenly more people. I’m not saying she’s right or wrong, just that I’m agreeing with other posters who think that this won’t be sustainable over a long period.

MQ - not popping at you at all, but horse owners given the chance will organise themselves if it means they can see their horses i.e. put a face book post with a list of times, stress the rules and bobs your uncle. or your aunt in these gender neutral times

 

[AlDestoor]

Yes some yard owners are honourable, but their is a significant number that are just about breaking even or turning a small profit, do you honestly think that they have not cut back on feed and bedding when there is no one there to tell on them ?

This is why I insist on going to my horses every day. Just because you are paying for a service, doesn't mean the horses care is on par with your own, and if I'm forking out hundreds- I expect this to be kept to. However, if I'm restricted from seeing my horse, and these yards aren't regulated, then who knows WHAT is happening with your horse. I really don't trust others, especially yards to do the same standard of care as my own. Too many horror stories about.

 

[The Jokers Girl]

I know now why I would never have liveries. This says it all. The attitude of the average horse owner in a livery yard.

Those yard owners could of course be struggling in this lockdown, and we are still in a lockdown and the formal lockdown may well be extended.. They still have to pay their expenses, loans, rates, bills etc. They could well be paying forage bills and having to accommodate owners who, through no fault of their own, cannot afford their livery fees. They are still having to pay contractors to move the muck heap, harrow the fields, repair fencing and then they have to pay for it. They may be having to do a lot more work themselves if their yards are locked down. They could well be juggling the viability of their business, the viability of their overdraft, whether it is safe to let people near due to their vulnerable families or even their own underlying health issue.
I guess many are wondering as to how they can continue their business in the months to come, if in fact they should continue. All this alongside their key worker friends or family having to go into the HNS or supermarket to work.

Then they are faced with liveries who think it is too much to ask they can't see their horse in this exceptional period.

You say you are appalled at yards that have banned liveries yet still collecting their livery fees. Try and remember the livery fees pay for the yard's expenses. Those expenses haven't gone away.

I am at a loss to understand why any of the owners on here who are unhappy with their livery yard are moaning about it. The answer is very simple. Go to yard even if locked down, put headcollar on horse, clip rope on and walk through the gates. You can do it this afternoon. No need for any of you to be unhappy.

If you don't want to do that try and have some tolerance for the YO. I doubt they asked to be put in this position.

Well as you don't seem affected by what's going on your opinion is entirely irrelevant to me. You don't have liveries therefore you are not banning any and you seem to have your own yard so are not one of the poor people devastated by being kept away from their cherished pet, some of which need regular medical care. You just like to jump on anyone with a different opinion to you, on a subject that doesn't affect you.

No government rules or newly introduced laws ban liveries from attending to their horses or from travelling to attend them. The messages some yard owners are sending and the fact they are banning essential care to maintain welfare tells me all I need to know about these yard owners and makes me eternally grateful for my wonderful yard owner who called a meeting to let us all know she appreciates our horses are our lives, but can we please follow the restrictions she has in place to protect the staff. We have all done that and not one person has come down with any illness.

It's also not possible for some people to just turn up with a head collar as some yard are padlocking gates so no way to get horse out. One yard has threatened a livery with tying her horse up to lampost outside the yard on the road if she attempts to use the public footpath that crosses the land to check on the horse.

Some friends have managed to move their horses after having not seen them for a month to find them covered in cuts and fly bits and not having been brushed or had their feet attended to so owners banned from seeing their horses are absolutely within their rights to be upset, distressed and hacked off.

You are the sort of person that doesn't deserve a livery yard as you have no compassion or understanding

 

[paddy555]

You are the sort of person that doesn't deserve a livery yard as you have no compassion or understanding

wrong. I have a lot of compassion. It just happens to be for people suffering with this virus. Those who cannot visit their elderly relatives who are dying in care homes, or ICU wards. Those living with people whose health is already compromised and who may well not make it if they get the virus. Those having to work in hospitals who have to live away from their partners and their kids. That sort of thing. It is in all our interests IMHO to try and prevent the spread or all this lockdown will have been a waste of time.

If someone has a distressed relative in a care home they are not allowed to visit and may never see again or someone with a horse who hasn't been brushed I just have more sympathy for the former.

However both of our opinions are irrelevant in this instance. Yard owner's yard, yard owner's rules. Don't like it, move.

I do find it surprising that people are happy to keep a horse in a yard where they clearly don't trust the owner/staff to provide even basic care.

 

[Ossy2]

Our yard initially banned liveries we’re a yard of 24 horses at the YO’s house, they also have a granny flat on site where their elderly parents live so accepted it initially. We are all full or part liveries and YO put part liveries all on full in fairness at no extra cost. They lost 10 liveries in the space of the first 3 weeks of lockdown. Is the YO struggling now because of the empty stables yes more than likely but that’s a choice they made at the time. We have now moved onto allocated time slots and it’s working really well probably because they’re less people to arrange access too.
I agree at some point YO’s are going to have to think about their arrangements and the long term viability of their yard I’d have thought a lot are going to have to relax their arrangements if they’re going to keep going.

 

[maya2008]

I have friends in this position - we decided years ago not to be on a yard ever again. This is another reason to comfort me when I enjoy the perks of schooling with no school and sorting stuff with no facilities. The alternative (for us at least) could be so much worse! I have an older horse whose long-term companion died last year. Even before that she panicked if I was away for long. She has been known to break through fencing to try to find me, so no way could I leave her without contact for weeks on end, however well cared for she was. I have had her nearly all her life.

 

[Gingerwitch]

I do find it surprising that people are happy to keep a horse in a yard where they clearly don't trust the owner/staff to provide even basic care.

Unfortunately Paddy you are totally missing the point, trusting the owner/staff to provide even basic care is one thing when you are turning up at any point during the day. Trusting the owner/staff to provide even basic care when you have been banned and they know you are not going to turn up is another.

 

[Dyllymoo]

Unfortunately Paddy you are totally missing the point, trusting the owner/staff to provide even basic care is one thing when you are turning up at any point during the day. Trusting the owner/staff to provide even basic care when you have been banned and they know you are not going to turn up is another.

Honestly, I don't think it is. I'm DIY but I know for a fact if YO was to take charge either due to CV or if I went on holiday, he would be well cared for and his needs met (food, water, clean bed etc.). As soon as I don't trust somewhere to look after my horse then I leave the yard (and that's even on DIY!).

 

[sarahann1]

If someone has a distressed relative in a care home they are not allowed to visit and may never see again or someone with a horse who hasn't been brushed I just have more sympathy for the former.

I’m in both these boats, there is a real possibility I may never see my gran again, nor would I be able to attend her funeral.

I’m worried about her and my horse is my sanity, she’s what helps keep me on the right side of the bridge so to speak. I don’t have access to her, it’s a pretty rubbish situation to be in. Thankfully the drugs I’ve been given work for now.

This is not a simple black and white situation, there are many, many shades of grey.

 

[Upthecreek]

Hard though it is I think we all have to try to understand that whilst we’re all going through the same life experience how it affects us will be different depending on our individual circumstances. As far as seeing our horses goes of course we all want to be able to do that, but we also have to accept that life as we know it has changed in the last month and that means we have all had to change the way we go about our lives and make some sacrifices. As I said before, anyone unhappy with access to their horse or the care being provided if they can’t visit should discuss this with the Yard Owner and if a resolution cannot be found you can make the decision to move your horse. The issue of trust is a different matter altogether and I personally would not keep horses somewhere that I didn’t trust the staff to provide appropriate care, even if I was visiting daily.

 

[SO1]

In this scenario there must be a lot of staff in order to keep 50 horses exercised.

My vet said he is seeing more laminitis cases than normal as more horses being turned away or exercise stopped. For those yards that are stopping access I hope that they are putting in provision for those horses that could be prone to laminitis if they don't have regular exercise if exercise is not included as part of the livery.

My friend runs a yard with 50 liveries, they are on lockdown & not able to come onto the yard at all, staff only. With this many people social distancing or a rota would be almost impossible & all touching gates & things, however I think if I were a livery there the staff posting pictures of themselves riding their own horses, sitting in the tea room together etc would start to grate after a while. I appreciate that it’s a balancing act & my friend the YM is being responsible, but IMO it’s not sustainable, people won’t continue to pay for horses that they can’t see indefinitely. In her shoes, I have no idea what the answer is, it’s a difficult one

 

[stormox]

Please tell me if Im wrong as Im in Ireland and lockdown is stricter here, but I think the rules are (in both countries) are you may travel to attend to animals if you are the 'primary carer'.
So if your horse is on DIY livery the owner is the primary carer, but if the horse is on full livery the YO is.
Its all a bit ambiguous though as if an owner of a full livery horse usually goes up and rides, grooms feeds etc, books farrier , gives wormers etc surely they are as much the carer as the YO who just feeds and mucks out.
I have 2 yards nearby, one is totally closed it doesnt have DIY liveries, the other has both DIY and full and everyones allowed to go to their horse as usual as long as they obey hygeine and social distancing.
However, I also know plenty of people who have elderly relatives or aged parents they aren't allowed to see
and elderly people in care homes that have to stay in their rooms and havent seen a soul since this started.
Lets hope the virus gets tl manageable levels before too long.

 

[ecb89]

In this scenario there must be a lot of staff in order to keep 50 horses exercised.

My vet said he is seeing more laminitis cases than normal as more horses being turned away or exercise stopped. For those yards that are stopping access I hope that they are putting in provision for those horses that could be prone to laminitis if they don't have regular exercise if exercise is not included as part of the livery.

My yard offers exercise, at a cost. However this would add probably £100 a week on top of my nearly £600 a month livery bill. I just can’t afford it

 

[Gingerwitch]

In this scenario there must be a lot of staff in order to keep 50 horses exercised.

My vet said he is seeing more laminitis cases than normal as more horses being turned away or exercise stopped. For those yards that are stopping access I hope that they are putting in provision for those horses that could be prone to laminitis if they don't have regular exercise if exercise is not included as part of the livery.

Some yards are and charging a pretty penny for them to be wanged round on the end of a lunge for 20 mins, well who knows if they are even being worked?

I know you think i am cynical but a very good friend of mine paid a yard to school her horse whilst she was away for a 3 week holiday, note school not exercise. The yard owner used that horse for lessons, yes lessons and still charged the owner full schooling livery. My little TB was left with rain scald after a yard decided that they were too busy to change his rugs when I was ill a couple of years ago, and I have witnessed first hand a yard not mucking out a liveries horses until the day they were due back off holiday, this was the same yard where the yard owner would walk round and take hay nets out of horses stables after the livery had gone.

 

[SO1]

The gov website says you can leave the house to care for your horse. There is no mention of having to be the primary carer or for the care provided to be basic. I am normally on part livery & the care I provide for him for his welfare are grooming & exercise. Exercise is a very important part of his care as without exercise he would become obese & probably get laminitis.

Please tell me if Im wrong as Im in Ireland and lockdown is stricter here, but I think the rules are (in both countries) are you may travel to attend to animals if you are the 'primary carer'.
So if your horse is on DIY livery the owner is the primary carer, but if the horse is on full livery the YO is.
Its all a bit ambiguous though as if an owner of a full livery horse usually goes up and rides, grooms feeds etc, books farrier , gives wormers etc surely they are as much the carer as the YO who just feeds and mucks out.
I have 2 yards nearby, one is totally closed it doesnt have DIY liveries, the other has both DIY and full and everyones allowed to go to their horse as usual as long as they obey hygeine and social distancing.
However, I also know plenty of people who have elderly relatives or aged parents they aren't allowed to see
and elderly people in care homes that have to stay in their rooms and havent seen a soul since this started.
Lets hope the virus gets tl manageable levels before too long.

 

[paddy555]

I’m in both these boats, there is a real possibility I may never see my gran again, nor would I be able to attend her funeral.

I'm sorry. I hope your gran is OK.

 

[Leandy]

The gov website says you can leave the house to care for your horse. There is no mention of having to be the primary carer or for the care provided to be basic. I am normally on part livery & the care I provide for him for his welfare are grooming & exercise. Exercise is a very important part of his care as without exercise he would become obese & probably get laminitis

We can also leave the house for our own exercise. As riding is a sport I class riding as exercise for me. Recent police guidance also clarifies that one can drive a short distance for somewhere suitable to exercise. I think it is more helpful to class riding as exercise rather than care where a horse is on part or full livery rather than DIY.

 

[tristar]

My friend runs a yard with 50 liveries, they are on lockdown & not able to come onto the yard at all, staff only. With this many people social distancing or a rota would be almost impossible & all touching gates & things, however I think if I were a livery there the staff posting pictures of themselves riding their own horses, sitting in the tea room together etc would start to grate after a while. I appreciate that it’s a balancing act & my friend the YM is being responsible, but IMO it’s not sustainable, people won’t continue to pay for horses that they can’t see indefinitely. In her shoes, I have no idea what the answer is, it’s a difficult one

Some yards are and charging a pretty penny for them to be wanged round on the end of a lunge for 20 mins, well who knows if they are even being worked?

I know you think i am cynical but a very good friend of mine paid a yard to school her horse whilst she was away for a 3 week holiday, note school not exercise. The yard owner used that horse for lessons, yes lessons and still charged the owner full schooling livery. My little TB was left with rain scald after a yard decided that they were too busy to change his rugs when I was ill a couple of years ago, and I have witnessed first hand a yard not mucking out a liveries horses until the day they were due back off holiday, this was the same yard where the yard owner would walk round and take hay nets out of horses stables after the livery had gone.

this is why people want access to their horses

 

[sherry90]

If I didn’t trust my yard - I quite simply wouldn’t be there. It’s all well and good saying you are DIY but if you became unwell and weren’t able to go, you’d either have to have a freelancer or trust the yard staff. If you don’t trust them before this to care for your horse, even on a basic level, they why are entrusting your horse to remain on the property at all? My YO does late checks, would inform me if something was unusual with my horse and has ridden for me when I’ve been on holiday (not usually part of the livery package) I trust them implicitly. I’ve been on DIY too but again, trusted the YO with basic care that was sometimes called upon if I was working away etc.

At first I felt guilty for going up to the yard in the week as felt ‘non essential’ being full livery Mon-Fri and gave him a week off. However, he is lami prone and gains weight off fresh air so with the grass coming through I need to nip this in the bud. I asked for weekday slots and my YO accommodated this so he is therefore worked x4 a week in my one hour slots during the week. At the weekend I’m DIY, I have an hour each day so I get my jobs done quickly and then if there is time, I will exercise him then too if not I know he’s had atleast x4 exercise each week.
The yard don’t have enough time or staff to exercise horses as well as everything else associated with the running of the yard so I’m not able to tap into that. I’m needed to go for the welfare of my horse and so I use that as my daily exercise.l and after some internal battles I am now sure this is essential for my horses wellbeing.

When the staff are there, 8-5 only one livery is rota’d on. Before 8am and after 5pm there are two liveries max put on an hour slot. We have a boot dip, hand wash and our own towels. We are not allowed to touch other liveries horses or the YO horses. The yard staff have their own dedicated tools and any shared tools have to be sanitised after you’ve used them. Doors are wiped down as are handles to the tack room. This is sensible, balanced and proportionate imo.

 

[Iris1995]

As the yard owners are running a business they also have to consider their responsibilities under health and safety law.
https://www.ioshmagazine.com/2020/04/20/hse-issues-social-distancing-warning-employers

 

[flying_high]

If I didn’t trust my yard - I quite simply wouldn’t be there..

That only works if you have other viable options with spaces to move to. I like my current yard, but I have been in a situation, where I wanted to move but finding a yard that had space and was better was difficult and took time. Sometimes a yard looks ideal from the outside, and it only when you move in you find the wrinkles.

I live in an area where there aren't many really good yards, lots with significant downsides.

 

[bouncing_ball]

I know now why I would never have liveries. This says it all. The attitude of the average horse owner in a livery yard.

Those yard owners could of course be struggling in this lockdown, and we are still in a lockdown and the formal lockdown may well be extended.. They still have to pay their expenses, loans, rates, bills etc. They could well be paying forage bills and having to accommodate owners who, through no fault of their own, cannot afford their livery fees. They are still having to pay contractors to move the muck heap, harrow the fields, repair fencing and then they have to pay for it. They may be having to do a lot more work themselves if their yards are locked down. They could well be juggling the viability of their business, the viability of their overdraft, whether it is safe to let people near due to their vulnerable families or even their own underlying health issue.
I guess many are wondering as to how they can continue their business in the months to come, if in fact they should continue. All this alongside their key worker friends or family having to go into the HNS or supermarket to work.

Then they are faced with liveries who think it is too much to ask they can't see their horse in this exceptional period.

You say you are appalled at yards that have banned liveries yet still collecting their livery fees. Try and remember the livery fees pay for the yard's expenses. Those expenses haven't gone away.

I am at a loss to understand why any of the owners on here who are unhappy with their livery yard are moaning about it. The answer is very simple. Go to yard even if locked down, put headcollar on horse, clip rope on and walk through the gates. You can do it this afternoon. No need for any of you to be unhappy.

If you don't want to do that try and have some tolerance for the YO. I doubt they asked to be put in this position.

Echo this.

To give another view:

My horse is on 7 day part livery. I am pretty hands on and have been rehabbing my horse for last 18 months (some ups and downs). I am normally at the yard a lot, about 10 visits a week.
My yard is shut to liveries. I HATE the impact of the decision as my horse is hugely important to me, and I am a control freak and used to daily contact. More used to having multiple horses and being DIY.
HOWEVER I support shutting the yard to liveries. I DO interpret the guidance as you can attend an animal if you are the primary care giver, you can leave home to exercise locally.

Yard is not local to home (it is to my normal place of work), and I am not the primary care giver.
I did think about the point the horse is 2/3 way through a 3 month vet rehabilitation programme.
However there are more than 30 horses on my yard, more than 100 associated people. And there are vulnerable people on site.

I leave my home to buy food, to exercise locally, work from home and that is it.

If I had horses on assisted DIY (have in past) of course I would still be doing them.

It helps that I trust my yard, they have been in regular contact, responsive, picking up extra care jobs, farriers and essential vets still going. Yard do regular photos and videos for liveries. Horses are in normal field groups and out all day, have grass but not enough to get fat.

Morally I cannot justify going to the yard to groom / rehab work / exercise my horse, when he is taken care of, it does not come under essential travel.

Personally I think those who are 7 day part or full livery, on a large yard that is a decent fully staffed yard, and are attending the yard to ride and groom are interpreting the rules to suit their purposes.

 

[SO1]

How long would you would be willing to do this for? What happens if social distancing has to stay in place for 18 months or more for vulnerable people such as the ones on this site? Would you still be at this yard?

Echo this.

To give another view:

My horse is on 7 day part livery. I am pretty hands on and have been rehabbing my horse for last 18 months (some ups and downs). I am normally at the yard a lot, about 10 visits a week.
My yard is shut to liveries. I HATE the impact of the decision as my horse is hugely important to me, and I am a control freak and used to daily contact. More used to having multiple horses and being DIY.
HOWEVER I support shutting the yard to liveries. I DO interpret the guidance as you can attend an animal if you are the primary care giver, you can leave home to exercise locally.

Yard is not local to home (it is to my normal place of work), and I am not the primary care giver.
I did think about the point the horse is 2/3 way through a 3 month vet rehabilitation programme.
However there are more than 30 horses on my yard, more than 100 associated people. And there are vulnerable people on site.

I leave my home to buy food, to exercise locally, work from home and that is it.

If I had horses on assisted DIY (have in past) of course I would still be doing them.

It helps that I trust my yard, they have been in regular contact, responsive, picking up extra care jobs, farriers and essential vets still going. Yard do regular photos and videos for liveries. Horses are in normal field groups and out all day, have grass but not enough to get fat.

Morally I cannot justify going to the yard to groom / rehab work / exercise my horse, when he is taken care of, it does not come under essential travel.

Personally I think those who are 7 day part or full livery, on a large yard that is a decent fully staffed yard, and are attending the yard to ride and groom are interpreting the rules to suit their purposes.

 

[teapot]

MQ - not popping at you at all, but horse owners given the chance will organise themselves if it means they can see their horses i.e. put a face book post with a list of times, stress the rules and bobs your uncle. or your aunt in these gender neutral times

Speaking from recent experience, that's fine, until you get one or two who flout the rules and ruin it for everyone else. Those then can't see what the problem is and it descends into chaos.

I think yards are damned if they do, and damned if they don't, and it is never easy to keep everyone happy, especially at the moment.

 

[bouncing_ball]

My understanding is there

How long would you would be willing to do this for? What happens if social distancing has to stay in place for 18 months or more for vulnerable people such as the ones on this site? Would you still be at this yard?

My expectation is the government will loosen house lockdown at the end of the second three weeks whilst keeping a lot of social distancing and precautions in place.

My informed expectation is that this is pretty much guaranteed to prevent civil unrest.

My yard owner has said as soon as is ANY loosening from government she’ll put a rota for liveries in my place.

The use of social distancing gloves / hand washing / avoiding common contact points was already in place at yard before the lockdown.

 

[Honey08]

It’s interesting that a lot of you are grumbling about livery yards and saying people will leave yards. I think it will work both ways. I’ve some liveries that have understood the situation and appreciated that I’m doing my best to arrange things in a way that works for everyone and also that I’m doing a lot extra for free to facilitate it. But I’ve had one that grumbled and sulked until I was at the point of telling them they could leave once lockdown was over. It’s calmed down after a little chat a week or two ago, but it’s opened my eyes a bit and guess which livery I’d not miss if they went..

 

[SO1]

I don't understand the logic on this. If the YO has stopped access to shield the vulnerable people on site, they won't stop being vulnerable if the government relaxes the restrictions in 3 weeks to prevent civil unrest. In some ways they will be more vulnerable as the virus will be still out there but people will more freedom so more likely to get it & spread it.

My understanding is there


My expectation is the government will loosen house lockdown at the end of the second three weeks whilst keeping a lot of social distancing and precautions in place.

My informed expectation is that this is pretty much guaranteed to prevent civil unrest.

My yard owner has said as soon as is ANY loosening from government she’ll put a rota for liveries in my place.

The use of social distancing gloves / hand washing / avoiding common contact points was already in place at yard before the lockdown.

 

[Winters100]

It’s interesting that a lot of you are grumbling about livery yards and saying people will leave yards. I think it will work both ways. I’ve some liveries that have understood the situation and appreciated that I’m doing my best to arrange things in a way that works for everyone and also that I’m doing a lot extra for free to facilitate it. But I’ve had one that grumbled and sulked until I was at the point of telling them they could leave once lockdown was over. It’s calmed down after a little chat a week or two ago, but it’s opened my eyes a bit and guess which livery I’d not miss if they went..

I also believe that there are a lot of owners out there who are very grateful to their YOs for taking good care and doing their best in these circumstances. I am certainly very grateful to mine, who is providing the extra services that I need to negate the necessity for me to visit the yard. I am paying a very reasonable extra fee for this and do not feel in the slightest put out by this modest amount to cover their time in doing the 'extras'.

Today I even had an call from my vet who had been there attending to another horse. My YO, knowing that I have a close relationship with the vet, asked him to check my horses so he could let me know that they are fine regarding weight and wearing appropriate rugs etc. When it is sensible to visit them again I shall certainly be taking bottles of decent whiskey for him and the grooms to thank them for all of their many kindnesses during this time, which I am quite sure is as difficult and inconvenient for them as it is for me.