Nighttime checks livery

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raefor123

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Hi everyone.

Possibly needing to move livery due to our yard being sold. Looking at all sorts of options, but one of the things I'm not sure about is nighttime checks. We currently have these done about 9/10pm (on full livery). For people on DIY and other livery, do you do nighttime checks? For part and full, do you have nighttime checks? We are looking at a yard that leaves them from about 7pm until 6am the next day (stabled with hay) and I'm not sure if that's unusual or not. Any help appreciated!
 
Mine are at home so not strictly livery but DIY in principle.

During the week I finish mine anywhere between 5-7pm and back out 5.30am the next morning. Weekend mornings I leave them until 8-9am. They live out most of the time but when they do have to be in overnight the only reason I go out 9-10pm is to skip out so it’s easier in the morning. They don’t get extra hay (they’re not greedy so don’t scoff the lot between 5-9pm anyway). If they didn’t get skipped out it wouldn’t be the end of the world.

Essentially the lack of a late night check wouldn’t bother me.
 
When I was at my previous yard I did go up and do a late night check. I did it for about a year then stopped as I was just getting too tired! I was up early and work full time. Previous to that they were at home so did the check when I let dogs out for a wee! I don't do late night checks now. They are out all summer and get visited twice a day. Currently they are in at night, out in the day and are left from 6pm til 5.30am.
 
The big yard I was at didn't strictly speaking do night time checks. But I know they would have a little wander some evenings.

Does the livery yard owner live on site?
 
Ours are at home, so slightly different, but at this time of year that get their evening hay at 5.30, and then don’t get checked again until
morning.
 
sarcasm_queen said:
Ours are at home, so slightly different, but at this time of year that get their evening hay at 5.30, and then don’t get checked again until
morning.
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When I kept my horse on my friends yard they always had late night checks. I would occasionally stay over and it was such a special time of night. I just loved it.
 
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I never had late night checks until I had them at home.
I always go out at 9.30/10. Skipping out makes it easier in the mornings.
In the summer when they’re out 24/7 I have a very strong torch I shine out to check everyone looks alright. I don’t go down to them those
evening (my fields are down a steep hill from my house) as long as everything looks ok. I do the same first thing in the morning.

Also have stable cams which I check last thing at night and first thing in the morning when they’re in.

I do admit to being extremely paranoid after finding my horse with a broken leg a couple of years ago and if I ever moved to livery again, I would have to have night check or stable cameras now.
 
never been on a yard that does night time checks, but i know of some that have full cctv so will check the cameras to make sure everyone is okay.

fully DIY now with a non-horsey, farmer owner, so i can do my own night check as late as i like - i have a reolink go pt plus, that runs on a sim card and doesn’t need wifi, so i tend to do a midnight or so check on there! i’ve been up at 3am before now because lily has thrown her hayball in her water😂
 
Amymay Again said:
When I kept my horse on my friends yard they always had late night checks. I would occasionally stay over and it was such a special time of night. I just loved it.
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Me too! I love doing lates, its my favourite time, all dark and quiet, it feels like the time I get to come close to entering their world. To be practical, I also skip out and give more hay its the last thing I do before going to bed, and I never, ever tire of it.
 
I was on livery until January, our yard didn’t do late night checks but they did live on site and had cameras. Most nights there would be someone around until 9pm or so, and first person on site in mornings would be around 6am. I think what your new yard has on offer sounds reasonable, especially if you might have the option of cameras etc.
Horses are at home now and I check them before bed, usually a quick skip out and top of hay.
 
DIY YO here. I run the yard from home, and it is my normal practice - summer or winter - to go out round the yard with the dogs last-thing at about 9.30pm'ish and check all is well.

At that time, if something isn't right, then it isn't too late to ring the owner.

All my owners know I do this.
 
As a yard owner (not on site but I live a few mins away) no, I don’t usually go back after they get hay in the evening at about 6pm, or a bit earlier in winter. Ours is assisted rather than DIY. If owners want to do their own checks they are of course welcome.
 
I've always been DIY and never been anywhere that has official late night checks but there's usually people about until 9pm and most people have a wander around before they leave.

I'd say get a camera but it's easy to become obsessed, especially if you have some reason to be concerned or are an anxious person.
 
Mine are at home. I usually take them in around 8 but if it’s horrible they will be in earlier. I never do a late night check. Once I leave them that’s it’s. I guess it wouldn’t take long for them to get used to it but I know me going back down would unsettle them so I don’t.
 
Mine doesn’t have a yard check, but owners are on site and do a general walk around about 8 ish when they lock the gates up.

I have a igeek camera in her field which I will move to her stable when we come in. It’s really reassuring I check her just before I head off the bed, and then again when I wake in the morning.
 
mine are at home and always without fail get checked and skipped out around 10.30/11pm before bed (ad lib hay so doesn't need topping up but gets checked regardless).

i cant imagine not doing it, esp given they are about ten steps from my back door.......
 
Our yard checks at 9pm then there are no more checks until 7.30am/8am the next day. There is nobody on site but there is an alarm system and cameras of the general site. The exception is if any of the horses seem unwell or a bit off, the owner passes every two hours throughout the night (takes temperature etc). Same if there are new horses for the first week. And also if the weather has been bad, so storms, excessive wind or rain, then he will pass again around 11pm.
 
When I was on livery it wasn’t an option 40 mins round driving trip onto someone else’s property to do night checks. We were expected to be gone by 7pm except competing etc. It was really weird at first but I got used to it. YO lived on site tbf. If there’s that and/or cameras you’ll be ok.

Currently horses are now 2 min down the road from me but I only go and do night checks if I have the time. If I’m out or have company I don’t, sleep is way more important 😂
 
Cameras and last thing at night checks but they live at home.

As long as someone lives on site you’ll be ok I imagine.
 
I do late checks with mine to do welfare check but also skip out and re hay as I find it saves money on bedding and cuts down on hay waste but tbh my horses don’t appreciate the lights coming on at 10pm 🤣.
I’ve been on livery where they’ve not done late checks and it’s never been a problem. Cameras are great if you can.
 
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