Livery Yards - Whats a priority for you?

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josie_s

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As the post title really, just wondering what is the most important things for you when looking for a livery yard? Facilities, Locality, Cost, and how much does the yards reputation play a part in your choice?
 
Facilities especially a school as had to wait a long time for the one we have now but it was worth it!
Price and it has to be small, I don't like big yards, can't be doing with all the politics
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All of the above for me!!

No stupid rules is a massive one for me though! Also cost, facilities, turnout and.....nice people! I simply will not go near a yard with any idiots/bossy/rude people on it!! I'm too sensitive to it and can't simply ignore it!
Reputation plays a bit of part, but I would still go and see for myself and use a little of my own judgement/feelings.
 
Thats easy. Really nice kind people. Have learnt that nothing else matters after a few nightmares. Having kind honest people to share your yard with is more important than any Olympic sized arena or other facility.
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Facilities is a big one - I want a yard with a school and jumps, and reasonable hacking. A decent amount of turnout is important also.

Then comes cost, and flexibility - I don't like yards which dictate to you exactly when you must come and go, or interfere too much with your routine with your horse. YO's attitude plays a big part in this, and having been at yards where the YO doesn't give a damn about anything, and yards where the YO is a total control freak, its important to find a nice balance.

Being local is obviously important, but would travel further for a nice yard than stick with a close one that was rubbish.
 
If I kept my horses at a livery stables, then the number one priority for me would be excellent turnout in well fenced and large fields. Everything else I could live with or work around.
 
Having the flexibility to look after your horse in the way you want. I moved to my current yard because I can choose whether she stays out 24/7 or comes in at night. She has her own field so I can restrict her graxing when I need to, I don't have to share with someone else who forgets to poo pick and moans that she is harrassing them when they try to get their horse. That and it needs to have good hacking and a floodlit school. No point in having a happy horse if you haven't got anywhere to ride it
 
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Thats easy. Really nice kind people. Have learnt that nothing else matters after a few nightmares. Having kind honest people to share your yard with is more important than any Olympic sized arena or other facility.
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Absolutely number 1 for me too - and they must be kind to the horses as well as each other and me! Somewhere flexible is a big advantage for me, and I wouldn't go anywhere that didn't have at least 3 day a week turnout.
 
Thats our yard bar individual turnout, 2 to a paddock.
The only thing I would change is the fencing, from electric tape powered by batteries to either mains power or post and rail.
 
I'd echo some of the posts...good, fair YO, year round turnout and happy, happy horses! That's far more important than the best facilities or the most modern stabling. Who cares about a few spiders and bolts that don't quite close? My horse tells me its the right place coz he's happy and content and allowed to be a HORSE. Thanks H!
 
For me a yard needs:

1. All year turnout for a decent amount of time (i.e 5 hours +). Preferably in a small stable herd (all unshod behind). Could live with individual turnout if I had to. Stable needs to be large enough for a big horse. Prefer stable to have a proper bed and ad lib hay but would pay extra if have to

2. Good school. Needs a good surface and be at least 20x40. No woodchip, no drainage slopes. Don't need any jumps, don't need to lunge (but perfer to abe able to)

3. Flexible, nice YO. For full livery need someone that lives on site or that does last checks at 10pm. Preferably as small a yard as poss - just me and YO ideal. Also great if YO good rider and interested in dressage too. If I lived very near could compromise on YO living on site. No thieves or people that 'borrow' my stuff.

I can compromise on hacking - would prefer good hackng with no road work but would rather have no hacking and box to decent hacking 1x a week if everything else right. Am happy to drive 30 min there and 30 min back than live close to an unsuitable yard. Happy, friendly horses are always a good indication of how good the yard is - as is gut instnct. Don't need solariums, showers, indoor schools etc though a toilet for me is nice but not essential
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The most important things for me are turnout all year round. Doesn't have to be 24/7 in winter but daily turnout essential. Nice sized wel ventilated stables. Good yard security. Nice, friendly and knowledgeable YO.

Everything else is a bonus.
 
My boy is on full livery and standing at stud, so the most important thing for me is a good, kind, experienced YO/Stud Manager and staff, who really do treat each horse as an individual, as well as providing 5-star care.

Turn-out is crucial - but also the sort of people who will try different routines/regimes to see what suits your horse best - e.g. my boy is calmer if he goes out twice a day, for a couple of hours morning and afternoon.

It took me a long time to find the perfect place for him - but these people really are exceptional. They feed him 3 different types of top-quality hay every day, cos they found he would eat more if he didn't get bored with the same type at each meal. They spent 3 months patiently teaching him to graze (he thought grass was just for galloping on). They use their own senior advanced event stallion to tease my boy's mares for him, cos he gets wound-up by this and they want to keep him calm, etc. etc.

I think there are probably very, very few yards as good as this, and I am well aware of how lucky I am!!
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I need assisted DIY so need good flexible staff then the next priority is turnout, followed by indoor school and then hacking and then distance to home, I am willing to travel up to an hour to get the facilities and services I want.
 
24/7 year round turnout in large well drained fields and in mixed groups or a minimum of 12 hours a day, lots of hacking preferably some off road, floodlit school with a decent surface that I can lunge on, fair YO and friendly liveries, reasonably close to work or home, large enough stables, well maintained yard, safe storage facilities.
 
important at the moment-

turnout everyday in decent sized fields.
grazing not over rich-option to restrict in summer.
post and railed fencing/other type of safe fencing.
decent size stables-12x12.
running water and lights
a schooling area.
no bitching/stealing/bullying
fair,'normal' YO who i like and likes me and will discuss things.
not too expensive.
repairs carried out quickly.

which i have got!!!!


when bey is 4 i would also want good access to motorway/links to shows
nice hacking to get her used to going in traffic more.
a beach
lots of bridle paths and parks.
someone sensible to hack with!
trailer/lorry parking.
which i also have
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