'Naming and Praising' Part One: Livery yards/YOs

[htobago]

So much talk of 'naming and shaming'. So many stories about unpleasant livery yards, horrid YOs, dodgy dealers, timewasting buyers, deceitful sellers, incompetent sharers/farriers/vets, unsympathetic instructors, unfair insurance companies....

I thought it might be nice to start a few running threads where we could 'Name and Praise' all the many GOOD yards, YOs, dealers, buyers, sellers, vets, farriers, instructors, etc...

I know people already do this individually, but the praising threads usually seem to be massively outnumbered by the complaining ones - which probably does not truly reflect reality?

Also it seems to me that it would be nice to have a lot of the shining examples of 'best practice' all gathered together - a helpful reference for anyone who is, say, looking for a yard, dealer, etc. - or indeed thinking of setting up a yard, selling a horse, buying a horse, sharing, etc...

So - this thread is for Naming and Praising good yards and YOs.... What do you love about your yard? What does your YO do well, that maybe others could learn from?

 

[the watcher]

I LOVE my yard, it is DIY with great facilities and a bunch of like minded owners who all take pride in it and support each other.
But sorry, wouldn't want it identify where my horse is on an open forum - but anybody who wants to find a great yard in West Oxon is welcome to pm

I also love my farrier - who gave Onyx his first trim (at 6 weeks old) this week and was endlessly gentle and patient

 

[Moggy in Manolos]

I love the little yard i am on, its nicely set up and really easy going, friendly and inviting, the YO has become one of my closest friends funnily enough, i never knew her before i went there and now i would consider her a very good friend as well as a lovely yard owner, its a good location, fab hacking, only 10mins drive from home without traffic
we communicate well at the yard and try to go out for a meal once a month as a small group
we work together on the yard organising worming, tidying and poo picking and such like, we also help one another out
i really do love it there

 

[dwi]

I love my yard as well. Not posh but has exactly the facilities I need and its right for my horse which has to be the most important.

it also has a vacancy at the mo if you can prove to me you're not a nutter

ETA: south derbyshire area

 

[raincloud]

My YO is the most decent I have met. Will be so sorry to leave. Current vets (Priors Farm) have also been excellent. Can't recommend farrier as he seems to have bu*gered off. New farrier seems ok though

 

[H's mum]

I absolutely adore my yard - my YO is amazing - so kind and knowledgable and she really loves the horses - the yard is always immaculate - the horse's beds are always perfect whatever time of day you go and she's so on the ball - it's fab to find such a good YO and a perfect yard!

(I'm not going to tell you where it is though!)
Kate x

 

[htobago]

Here's my example of a shining example:

I would like to Name and Praise Cliveden Stud and the YO/Stud Manager Tessa Spencer.

I think this must be one of the best yards/YOs in the country. Not only is the place itself beautiful, and the YO and staff very experienced and professional, but they really do treat each horse as an individual - they look after my 4yo Arab stally as though he were their own most precious horse.

They spend hours psychoanalyzing him and trying to figure out the very best regime for keeping him calm and happy. How many yards would spend 3 months teaching a daft Arab colt to graze? (He thought grass was just for galloping on - it took months of patient hand-grazing to teach him to eat the stuff.)

How many YOs would spend hours on the phone to feed companies and nutritionists, trying to find just the right non-heating, weight-gain feeds for him? How many would feed him 3 different types of top-quality hay every day, a different one at each meal, just because he gets bored easily and this tempts him to eat more?

Oh, and keep a horseball and a sack of readi-grass outside his stable, so when he starts cartwheeling around the box they can distract him with a toy or a bucket of readi-grass?

I could go on, and on - but you get the idea! The attention to detail is phenomenal, and Tobago doesn't just get 5-star care, he gets LOVE!

 

[htobago]

Ah - stupid of me - I should have realised that not everyone wants to name their horse's yard on a public forum, even to give praise! (It's OK for me cos Tobago is at stud there so everyone already knows where he is.)

Hmmm. Would most people be happy to answer PMs about the name of the yard they are praising? I know many often do this when someone asks for recommendations, so maybe this would be OK? And maybe people could at least give a very rough location - as Mother_Hen has done with 'West Oxon'? Just so the thread is more helpful to anyone looking?

I'd have thought giving the name of a YO on here would be OK though? But if not, perhaps that could be by PM as well?

 

[Tiffany]

The best yard I have ever been on is Beaverhall in Staffordshire. It's got good facilities, the owners are friendly and professional and their staff are the same. The horses are very well looked after. It's also a great competition yard, they have a horse walker, equissage, solarium and spa plus good turnout, excellent sized stables and all at reasonable prices!

Just a pity I'm too far away to have my girl there all the time.

 

[Riverboy]

My YO is a wonderful lady. she has helped me through every step of my horses many health problems and always helped me find something to ride. Shes also my instructor and is very paitent and understanding...

 

[htobago]

Lovely to hear about all these super yards and YOs!

But please could you at least give the rough area - nearest town or even just the county? Just so that people looking for a yard have a rough idea?

There was a thread on another board where people recommended yards and it was so helpful when I was searching for one!

BTW, doesn't have to be the yard you are on now - just one that you would highly recommend...

 

[the watcher]

htobago, just wanted to second how fabulous your yard is. Emerald was there to be covered last autumn and they really looked after her well, and the yard is tidy and organised, no matter what time of day. The YO and her staff really know their stuff and their confidence is infectious.

 

[htobago]

he he - I was just about to second your praise for your yard! I've never seen a DIY yard that looked so immaculate, or with all the horses clearly so beautifully cared-for. And what an idyllic location...

Thanks for confirming about Cliveden - people sometimes think it sounds too good to be true, or that I must be exaggerating, so it's nice to have a 'second opinion', especially from someone with such high standards!

 

[hadfos]

Love were i am,,YO is fab,she has to be the only person i have ever known that hasnt got greedy and puts her standards and other liveries first,might not be making her a packet but the yard is well kept,everyone gets on well and the horses care is faultless

My lad has never settled so well at a yard

North lincolnshire

...near sunny scunny

however we seem to have sold the sun

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

I absolutely love the small yard I am on now. More importantly, my horses love it - to me that's far, far more important than the fanciest of facilitites. I have horse-friendly, barn-style stabling, huge outdoor school, yard activities, static caravan for the liveries to sit swapping horsey stories over tea and cream cakes, great riding, fab visiting instructors, yard cat to keep the mice down, swallows in the rafters and rescued chickens scratching for worms on the muck heap! I used to keep my horse on full livery at a different yard but had to leave because of welfare reasons. I was terrified going to DIY as I didn't feel I knew enough. Well, my YO has taught me so much I now feel confident I can care for my neds. The other liveries are great and we all help each other.

The yard is near Swansea/Pontardawe in S Wales but the BAD news is that there are NO VACANCIES!!!!!!