Night Checks

[wiglet]

Have been tentatively looking for alternative livery yards but as ever, there's not much out there.
Found one last weekend and went to look. It's really nice and ticks a lot of boxes BUT, nobody lives on site so basically the YO/YM checks the horses at 6pm then goes home and doesn't come back until 7am next morning.

Is this a deal breaker?
All the yards I've been on have always had someone living on site and there's always been a late check.

It's a full/part livery yard if that makes a difference? Seems to be very professionally run so I was quite surprised by the 6pm clocking off time and no night check.

So are night checks the norm or am I expecting too much?

 

[TheMule]

It’s cheap and easy to put up a camera if you’re worried, and the yard allows

 

[Tiddlypom]

No one on site from 6pm to 7am every day? It would be a straight no from me, sorry.

What happens if there's a fire, or a colic?

 

[bonny]

Don’t they have owners around in the evenings ?

 

[MuddyMonster]

It wouldn't put me off presuming the YO would make a late visit if required - e.g sick horse etc.

But having said that, I've had periods on DIY or assisted DIY where I wouldn't expect anyone to check them once I've gone so more used to the idea, perhaps.

The potential deal breaker for me in the scenario described would be what happens if I wanted to ride earlier than 7am or later than 6pm - would that be possible?

 

[Quigleyandme]

I rarely check my horses after evening feeds. Before I lived here my yard was 7.5 miles from my house and I didn‘t check after evening feeds whether they were in overnight (winter) or out. If one was poorly then of course I would check or stay in my shepherds hut or horse box overnight but not otherwise. I think a lot would be dependent on the yard location and what sort of security they had in place. My remote yard was very rural and I had no concerns about vandalism or theft plus there were other trustworthy people using the access lane who would keep an eye open.

 

[Green Bean]

It would be a deal breaker for me. What if a horse 'breaks out' of its stable in the night and scoffs the morning feeds? or horse gets itself cast, or someone enters the property and has all night to steal everything not bolted down (read horseboxes / trailers / tack). And if the horses are out, one gets kicked and goes all night without treatment.
I would walk away.

 

[milliepops]

I can only think of one yard i've ever been on where night checks were a thing.
I've always been assisted or full DIY. Last place was assisted and YO left at 5.00 on the dot and came back about 7.30, a few liveries were obviously there outside those hours.
Current place YO is on site but other than happening to notice anything if she's out and about there is no expectation around "checks".

 

[milliepops]

I'm usually first on the yard wherever i have been and tend to be the one who finds the break outs/broken fences etc

 

[Fieldlife]

Those that keep horses close -ish to home [but not at home], on DIY, do you really typically do three checks a day? On a normal no concerns day?

I would think a morning and evening check would be sufficient? e.g. before and after a 9-5pm day. Night check is nice, but not necessarily realistic if on DIY and not horses at home?

I would make certain horse had enough hay / water / grass and all needs met until next checked.

But I wouldnt realistically drive out three times to do a morning, mid afternoon and late evening check. Twice a day seems sufficient for DIY to me.

Unless there is higher risk / medical issue / other specific concern.

 

[AdorableAlice]

I live 2 miles away, I do morning visit anything from 6am to 7.30 depending on time of year and who is in. Lunchtime 1pm, teatime 5/6pm and final one 10/11pm. If anyone is stabled I can see them on camera too.

It is a system that works for me and the rather specific needs of one of the horses and I have got used to it, but I have no children or dependants so nothing else to consider.

 

[Annagain]

I'm on DIY and while the owners live on site, they don't do checks. If they happened to notice a problem, they would call us or deal with it but they wouldn't go round the fields (in summer) or checking over every stable door in winter. I'm usually last there at about 7pm in winter and my friend is first there at 6.30am.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

I live 3.5 miles away from my yard, I only return at lunchtime or late evening if I have concerns at all.
I arrive between 6 and 7 in the morning and return between 4 and 7pm.

The last colic I had at the yard was mid morning when I was at work, neighbour called me and I shot off,arriving 10 mins after. Vet arrived 15 mins later as I'd called him on way.

If something smashed its way out of a stable, it would then have to break down more doors to get into hay barn or feed shed, but would be contained on the yard.

If an equine is going to self harm or be ill, it can happen at any time. Those on DIY or sole use yards cannot be there 24/7

 

[Carrottom]

I have 2 horses at home, their field is about 4 mins walk from my back door. I've just got back from my afternoon check and won't see them again until 7am. Is this unusual? In winter I check them before it get dark so I don't disturb them with torches.

 

[Tiddlypom]

But this is a full/part livery yard, not a DIY or privately rented/owned yard. A very different ball game.

 

[Squeak]

It’s cheap and easy to put up a camera if you’re worried, and the yard allows

I think this is a really easy solution to the problem if they’re happy for you to put one up.

I’ve been on a mixture of yards and some the horses would have a late night check and others would be the same as the yard you looked at.

 

[Fieldlife]

But this is a full/part livery yard, not a DIY or privately rented/owned yard. A very different ball game.

Why does the relative risk late at night change on a part livery yard or a private yard?

 

[Tiddlypom]

Why does the relative risk late at night change on a part livery yard or a private yard?

Nothing to do with the relative risk. Everything to do with the service(s) offered. Full livery = full care 24/7, which if there are no staff present on site for 13 hours a day isn't possible.

This isn't a pop at those who are on diy or have remote yards and can't be there 24/7, this is about what a full livery is, or should be.

 

[Auslander]

Why does the relative risk late at night change on a part livery yard or a private yard?

It doesn't. There is a reasonable expectation that your horse receives a certain level of care when you're paying to have it looked after

 

[wiglet]

It is a dealbreaker - have sat and thought about it and I won’t be going.

The camera is a good idea but this yard is a good 40mins drive away, if I saw an issue on the camera, I couldn’t be there quickly.

Also, this is full/part livery. It’s expensive and I certainly do expect night checks for the amount I’d be paying.

Thanks for everyone’s input

 

[Starzaan]

Have been tentatively looking for alternative livery yards but as ever, there's not much out there.
Found one last weekend and went to look. It's really nice and ticks a lot of boxes BUT, nobody lives on site so basically the YO/YM checks the horses at 6pm then goes home and doesn't come back until 7am next morning.

Is this a deal breaker?
All the yards I've been on have always had someone living on site and there's always been a late check.

It's a full/part livery yard if that makes a difference? Seems to be very professionally run so I was quite surprised by the 6pm clocking off time and no night check.

So are night checks the norm or am I expecting too much?

This, to me, is insane.
I have ALWAYS done night checks, and as a yard owner I have found more horses than I care to remember who needed helping when doing night checks.
All the horses on my yard, and on every yard I’ve ever worked on, managed or owned, are checked between 10 and 11pm. No exceptions. Both livery and competition yards. My clients are paying a PREMIUM to have their horses with me, I specialise in rehab and high end luxury full livery. So yes, they get checked at night, some get a late feed, some get rugs changed, some get extra late night snuggles, and I often end up taking photos and videos for owners who are missing their ponies. You pay a premium for full livery, that comes with an expected level of service.
Personally I wouldn’t leave a horse on a yard that doesn’t do night checks.

 

[SO1]

For stabled horses on an expensive full livery yard I would want someone on site.

There is a 10pm check on our yard YO feeds those that need a 3rd feed, or more hay. Stabled horse I think are more prone to colic, getting cast, may need more hay etc. Horses living out don't seem to have so many issues.

 

[kidsandponies]

I do a late check before I go to bed but only because I am fortunate enough to have them at home and so it’s easy to do this.
In my experience if something is going to go wrong it is going to very quickly. Before we moved here I left the boys all happily grazing and acting perfectly normally, within half an hour I had had a phone call from a house overlooking the field to say one was acting oddly and sure enough, he was colicky when I went straight back. So, it wouldn’t be a deal breaker for me as what’s to say a horse doesn’t become colicky/break a fence etc 10 mins after last checks.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

When we were on DIY livery, before we came here with the horses, the YO did last checks about 10 pm in winter when all the horses were in overnight. He would top up hay if necessary and make sure that all was well, for no extra charge. He was a retired farmer, so understood the importance of checking livestock before going to bed.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Have been tentatively looking for alternative livery yards but as ever, there's not much out there.
Found one last weekend and went to look. It's really nice and ticks a lot of boxes BUT, nobody lives on site so basically the YO/YM checks the horses at 6pm then goes home and doesn't come back until 7am next morning.

Is this a deal breaker?
All the yards I've been on have always had someone living on site and there's always been a late check.

It's a full/part livery yard if that makes a difference? Seems to be very professionally run so I was quite surprised by the 6pm clocking off time and no night check.

So are night checks the norm or am I expecting too much?

I know a few places like this, one of my friends is at a diy place like this.


Would the yard owner let you have a rotor system where you take it in turns to go back at night and do a check yourselves if the y/m wont ( though personally I think they should or at least join in the rotor system.)

We have had many situations where I am glad I live on site.

1. Colic (my pony who I lost)
2. Coke - livery I had to call them out
3. Cast - livery got stuck after a colic attack
4. colic livery - vet called
5. suspicious encounter - ethnic group on the look out for things to steal
6. power cut .
7. other colic horses.
8. my horse panicking with fireworks on the 5th Nov - vet called sedation
9. livery moved to another yard for grass livery, her horse was a coliker and was the one we found cast, once moved owner got called and was told to get to the yard. Mare found dead after coliking.
10. Birth - mare owner thought colking turned out to be giving birth.

I would ask about a rotor system as 6 pm and 7 am is a long time to leave a stable horse without no one around. I would not be happy leaving my horses somewhere where there was no one on site.


I don't disturb the horses at night ( livery) unless while I am out there I hear suspicious or worrying things, ( banging coughing ) anything like that. Hubby takes dog out several times and I go out to mine, so up to 12am we keep eye on them.

 

[tatty_v]

I do night checks (around 10pm) combined with a last hay delivery and skip out. However, it’s easy for me as I have them at home. When I was on DIY livery most people didn’t (although there was usually someone around until 8/8.30pm and we all looked out for each other’s). I think if I was paying for full livery I’d want night checks though.

 

[Bernster]

Most (full livery) yards I’ve been on there’s been someone on site and an evening check. Only one that didn’t and they left around 5pm which did concern me a bit but I wasn’t there that long, for other reasons.

Thinking about it now, they’re still only going to pick up things which happen up to the time of the check, and horses are still unchecked for the rest of the eve. Saying that, at one of my previous yards, their night checks did pick up the odd colic case.

 

[Frano]

Apart from checking horses we’re all ok, I always thought late night checks were to top up water and give more hay otherwise a horse could have an empty stomach for a long time and not enough water.

 

[jnb]

Reolink Go is a lifesaver, literally.

 

[spacefaer]

When I had my livery yard, we did late night checks around 10 - top up hay/water, extra feed and a quick skip out. I don't know if was an added attraction to potential livery owners but it was something we did without a second thought. It was just an expansion to what I did with my own

The skipping out made a definite difference to mucking out in the morning.