New Livery Yard - what questions to ask

dixie

dixie

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So I am thinking of moving my horses closer to me. Currently I keep them both at my mothers but this is half an hour away (over 20 miles) and after 5 years or so the time has come for me to get them closer. There are a lot of pros and cons but I'm tired of the travelling and the fuel costs (although the rise in livery will cancel this saving out).
A suitable yard has come up close to me (about 5 mins tops) which I have already seen a couple of months ago but now they have spaces for my two horses. I like the place and it has facilities such as a school which are few and far between round here but what questions should I be asking - I am a little concerned about the lack of privacy seeing I am just used to it being just me and mum but I'll have to work round that.
 
Ask about the things that you find important - turn out, mixed gender fields, storing tack/rugs/feed, and so on. Check on use of school (charges, booking in advance, free time ) and if they provide things like someone to bring in/hold a horse for farrier, or if there is an issue with work and you can't get there in time to bring in. I had 2, so being left out a little later wasn't a huge issue, but in the winter the yard insisted on the horses being in by 1500, which made for a tight turn around of times. Ask if you can chat to the existing liveries - they normally reveal the real set up - rigidly enforced poo picking, sudden extra costs like new fencing if needed, limiting the turn out in wet conditions etc. I moved to a yard in a February ( several years ago ) and was impressed with the quality of the fields, and assured the turnout was only limited in severe circumstances. What they actually meant was the horses were in at night from September, and in 24/7 from October until April, then out from 0800 to 1500 only... which wasn't what I had been led to believe, nor wanted for my horses. No wonder the fields looked fabulous !
 
I'd write a list of your priorities and double check them.
No livery yard is going to be able to offer everything you want, there will always be compromises so work out what you're prepared to compromise on and what is a deal breaker. Turn out would be my big thing. I'd want them to have guaranteed 365 day turnout - 24/7 for at least 6 months and in overnight in winter. I wouldn't want individual turnout either, my boy is such a social animal.

Secure storage is the other big thing for me as my OH goes nuts if I bring my horsey stuff home!
 
And check times on the yard. Some prefer to be shut at certain times. One shut at 7 which was a bit of an eye opener.
 
Good ideas so far I would add
General:
What do the other liveries do with their horses, it is nice to have some like minded people
How busy does the school get at the times you want to ride
Can you have your own instructor

Assuming it is DIY:
How much storage is there?
Is bedding and forage supplied or can you buy your own, if your own then again storage
Are there rules about liveries helping each other
 
I'm doing this at the moment and have been asking the following:
- is there any restriction on visiting times?
- what turnout is there (herd, individual, 24/7, restricted, what type of fencing, is poo-picking required (and actually done equally by everyone!) is there much ragwort etc)
- yard rules (bring in times, leaving horses out alone, external instructors being allowed on-site, can you use your own bedding/hay or do you have to buy off them (if so, at what cost) etc etc)
- maintenance (fields harrowed/rolled/sprayed. School harrowing. Fencing etc)
- is there storage
- cost for 'extras' (bring in, feed etc if diy. School lights, muck heap removal etc)
- does the school ride deep, flood or freeze
- what is the yard atmosphere like, do people get on, will yard manager bang heads together if needed etc

Hope that helps :)
 
Are you moving them to full livery? I would also add (if you are)
- is hay/haylage ad lib? Ask to see where the hay is kept
- ask to see the feed room so you can see how feed is stored
- what kind of feed do they use and how flexible are they with feed types? My YO will usually get in a different type of feed for me if I want it - I pay the price difference between the yard's food and the one I want
- will they feed supplements or does that cost extra (some yards charge to actually put the supplement in)
- are they fed hay in the field in winter?
- how often are they given fresh shavings and how much shavings are given?
- are they flexible on bedding types?
- is there an instructor on-site or can you bring in externals? Is there a charge for externals coming in or do you just share the arena?
- what's the hacking like nearby?
- will they change rugs for free or is there a charge?
- do they pick out and clean feet coming in from field?
- is there secure storage?
- are there restrictions on visiting times?
- how is the yard secured? Is there someone on-site?
- do you have to use their preferred farrier/vet or can you use your own?
- do they offer transport to shows?
- if you go on holiday and want to turn your horse away, is there a reduction in the livery and how long will they hold your stable for before charging you full?

That's all I can think of now.
 
If you get the chance to talk to the liveries make sure you do it without the YO standing there. I was at a yard years ago that was dreadful but the yard owner would bring prospective clients round and introduce them and then ask us to say how we found the yard. It was so awkward!
 
My own personal issue-is there a worming programme and are you made to pointlessly worm even if your worm egg count is zero (bar encysted redworm/tapes) and can you buy your own wormer or does the YO charge loads for wormers?

Price of hay/straw.

Do you have to book the school and is lighting included?

Is the YO sane?!
 
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