Overcrowding on livery yards...who regulates?

Hippona

Hippona

Well-Known Member
Joined
23 June 2008
Messages
9,741
Location
The independant state of Yorkshire
Visit site
If you thought a livery yard had too many horses for the amount of grazing/size of fields......would you report? And if so...who to?

We are talking non-BHS yards...working farms- that type of thing, with mainly DIY or part-assist livery. ...where the fields are relatively small ( about 1.5 to 2 acres) with about 10-12 horses in.....:eek:
 
I'm not sure there are regulations for a non BHS registered yard.

If you don't like where you are I would move - easy.
 
Would give the World Horse Welfare a ring ( was ILPH) and also your local BHS officer. How awful, they will give them a visit.
 
There isn't anyone you would report to, obviously as long as the horses are in good condition and fed & watered.
 
I think there is nothing for non-BHS yards. They are pretty much regulated by people voting with their feet.
 
LHS said:
I'm not sure there are regulations for a non BHS registered yard.

If you don't like where you are I would move - easy.
Click to expand...


Not for me.....I have my own place.

For a friend...who is on a yard which generally is nice, but more and more horses are coming on, and its probably going to get worse...new stable block is being built and was toted as 'instead of' the old block and as it nears completion looks like it will be 'as well as'.
 
OP does not say if she is at this livery? If so I would leave a.s.a.p. If the horses/ponies look to be neglected/underfed I would report.
 
poppymoo said:
Not for me.....I have my own place.

For a friend...who is on a yard which generally is nice, but more and more horses are coming on, and its probably going to get worse...new stable block is being built and was toted as 'instead of' the old block and as it nears completion looks like it will be 'as well as'.
Click to expand...


Ah ok, Ditto for your friend though. All those horses squeezed in together is an accident waiting to happen. It only takes for one to kick off and there could be injuries.
 
I have always kept my horse on farms, never been on a livery yard. Of the livery yards I have seen, most have over crowded, badly maintained grazing. My experience of keeping horses on farms is that there are far more acres per horse, fields are regularly rotated and maintained (harrowed, rolled topped). You might have to put up with some barbed wire here and there, but most of the fields I have had the use of have had trees and hedges that horses can browse on and shelter under. I would not want my horse to be in a featureless post and rail paddock, alone or with too many others, I have been lucky in that most of the time my horse has shared his field with only one other horse.

The farm owner here is obviously just being greedy, but I really don't think that any welfare organisation can do anything about it if the animals ae well cared for. As others have said, vote with your feet and move.
 
LHS said:
Ah ok, Ditto for your friend though. All those horses squeezed in together is an accident waiting to happen. It only takes for one to kick off and there could be injuries.
Click to expand...


Thats the worry....I met up with her for a hack last week and her lad had a gouge out of his leg. If I had a spare stable and a bit more land I would have her with me.....She's kind of stuck there for various reasons, and as I say it is a nice yard but too many horses in too small fields for my likeing.
 
I must admit, I can't see how it can be a nice yard if her horse comes in with chunks taken off him. You are at the yard for your horse, if it isn't a good yard for your horse's welfare then it isn't a good yard.
 
glosgirl said:
I must admit, I can't see how it can be a nice yard if her horse comes in with chunks taken off him. You are at the yard for your horse, if it isn't a good yard for your horse's welfare then it isn't a good yard.
Click to expand...

Agree...thing is, its cheap- no frills basic diy livery. Generally nice - horses are all well looked after with nice owners who probably couldnt afford a 'posh' livery yard. Its all cash in hand as well....no contracts as such. Most of the liveries can see theres a problem but won't say anything for fear of being given marching orders......if people do leave they are soon replaced because as I say, they yard generally is nice and well-run - just too many horses for the available grazing. I was on this yard.....and left, I have my own place now.......for exactly this reason.
 
If enough of the owners are concerned they could get together and talk to the YO? Our YO is always keen to maximise the profit (fair play to him, its a business) but when we have had too many a few of us have a word and he will cut back - last summer we had too many mares, fortunately 5 of them left in one go and after a word with him to explain our concerns he just didn't replace them, turned two store rooms into stables and let them to existing grass liveries to generate extra income!
If more than half yard complain together they might just listen?
 
poppymoo said:
If you thought a livery yard had too many horses for the amount of grazing/size of fields......would you report? And if so...who to? No, unless there is a welfare concern it would be none of my business

..where the fields are relatively small ( about 1.5 to 2 acres) with about 10-12 horses in.....:eek:
Click to expand...
I would consider that turnout only, bet that's lovely when it is muddy:eek: It is up to the owners at the end of the day though.
 
Bear in mind on the continent lots of horses are never turned out, and even in UK lots of livery yards only turn out certain days or a couple of hours.

The yard is a business, and if it isnt thought suitable for the horse owner, then they can remove their horse, there isnt anything stopping them other than cheapness and some aspects being good.

I dont think as long as the horses are healthy then 'authorities' should or would be involved.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top