Please give me your experiences of full livery

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Partridg3

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I am looking for it (possibly) for my two old boys 21 and 26 as I am working again now full time and need a bit of help. No riding required.
 
If it doesn't include riding then I think typically that's referred to as part livery (is around here anyway). I'm not happy with my livery as several times I've turned up to find my boy doesn't have water, they've left his stable rug dumped on the ground so he's treading on it, they use my stuff without asking on other horses etc.
BUT.. There are some lovely yards around. The most important thing is that there is an agreement and its stuck to. You and YO must be clear on what's included etc to save any trouble and ensure peace of mind!
I can't wait to leave my yard but hope you find somewhere really nice :)
 
Full livery yards are so dependent on having a YO/YM that you trust.

Mine have been on full livery for the last 3 years and I was always happy they were looked after well as I trusted the YO.
I'm now back on DIY (not any issue with yard about) and it does make me realise how much I relied on the 365/day care that was previously provided- a weekend away now takes a lot more planning :)

Maybe if you advise whereabouts you are, someone could suggest a yard?
 
That to me is part livery. Or could yours live out in a well looked after grass livery? Our grass liveries are fed and checked twice a day so they are out there. Also have same access to facilities etc as all the stabled horses. I would ask for recommendations on here but it really does come down to having a YO you can trust and like. Nothing worse (and think most of us have been there) of being on a yard where you feel uncomfortable and nothing better when it truly is a home from home!
 
Hi,no can't do grass livery as one has had laminitis so will need to come in during day in spring etc. if its part livery I guess it opens it up to more places though. I'm in stafford so need stafford Newport or market Drayton ideally so it's on the work commute :)
 
I had both on full livery i hated it lost control and bond i had with my horses and they didnt pick out their feet or groom them very little bedding and hay both mine lost a lot of weight never again
 
My experience has ranged from my much loved young competition horse being dealt with by an inexperienced groom on the walker, injuring himself and then the YM and head groom lying to my face about what happened in a major attempt to cover their backsides, which down the line looks like a promising 6yo has been written off

to ....

A YM who looks after my horse to the Nth degree, better than I would if I was on DIY (!!), and takes any bizarre request in good humour and does as asked.
 
I went on part-livery for the first time this year - after years of DIY. I must say I love it as the time I have at the yard is quality time with my horse, rather than time spent mucking out, poo-picking etc etc...He's now getting more consistent work and I don't feel like I'm rushing the whole time.

We have a fab YM who I really like, and the other liveries are all friendly, although all tend to go up at different times so I don't often see any more than one at a time. We all have enough space to store our stuff (v. important) and the horses are all well cared for.

The reason I decided to leave DIY was that I was spending too much time at the yard and having young kids, it just wasn't fair on them. I have traded in good, all-year t/o for fab facilities (2 x outdoor arenas, 1 x indoor, lunging pen, horse walker) but more restricted grazing, but the YM tries to get them all out for at least a couple of hours a day. More in summer.

I think you have to decide what's important to you - and your horses, and what you are prepared to compromise on if necessary. The perfect yard is very difficult to find. Good luck x
 
You need to be sure what your full livery includes as it varies from yard to yard and can anything from everything schooling grooming plaiting horse tacked up for you which is what it meanlt on the yard I first worked on to as on a yard near me food , mucking out. No turning out no rug changing owner must do that and nothing at the weekend expect providing food and bedding not full livery in my book but that's their full livery package .This yard is always full And people on it love it so they know what their market wants .
 
With the right yard, staff and services it's amazing. Without it's a disaster.

On the negative, I've had a yard that kept 'forgetting' to give hay my horse that had just finished a course of treatment for ulcers , didn't consider checking to his automatic waterer was working part of their job and wouldn't turn out in the rain, to now an absolutely lovely yard where the y/o looks after him like her own and isfantastic.

As others have suggested be crystal clear as to what is and isn't included - e.g. is 'ad lib' hay really ad lib, or is it up to a certain limit? Will they pick out feet when they bring him in? Will they change rugs or leave them in turnouts for convenience?

For me it is fantastic as my time at the yard is always quality time. Also he always has his routine even when I'm crazy at work, and it's good to know he's well cared for regardless

With the right yard it's definitely the way to go if you are too short on time to do it yourself and you can afford it :)
 
ghostie said:
With the right yard, staff and services it's amazing. Without it's a disaster.

On the negative, I've had a yard that kept 'forgetting' to give hay my horse that had just finished a course of treatment for ulcers , didn't consider checking to his automatic waterer was working part of their job and wouldn't turn out in the rain, to now an absolutely lovely yard where the y/o looks after him like her own and isfantastic.

As others have suggested be crystal clear as to what is and isn't included - e.g. is 'ad lib' hay really ad lib, or is it up to a certain limit? Will they pick out feet when they bring him in? Will they change rugs or leave them in turnouts for convenience?

For me it is fantastic as my time at the yard is always quality time. Also he always has his routine even when I'm crazy at work, and it's good to know he's well cared for regardless

With the right yard it's definitely the way to go if you are too short on time to do it yourself and you can afford it :)
Click to expand...
Oh crikey.. very good point. I take it for granted where I am but have been so stung in the past so..


Feed. Check what brands
Forage. How much, can you add in extra? one yard I was at charged £1 per extra section and that was over 10 years ago. My extra hay bill was getting upto the £250 extra per month. Horses (16.2 plus) were only getting 3 sections.
Rug changes
Feet picked out y/n
Turnout. Check and look at the fields
As yours has laminitis, ask what provisions you could make. So we have a pony prone to it come summer so YO has a starvation paddock he uses come summer.
Storage
Security
Times you can go up there
 
The full livery term does seem to vary regionally as here it would be all care but no riding. We provide that service and look after our clients horses as though they are our own in the respect that what ours get they get. It must work as we have clients with us 21 years, 20 years, 16 years, 8 years etc etc. I'd say word of mouth is the best way to locate a yard where the level of care is consistently high. Best of luck.
 
I think the only way to do it is to try and get word of mouth suggestions, or failing that, get lots of info of tack shop postboards, and go and see yards for yourself - as many as you can. You will often just "click" with a YO and the actual yard itself.

I've been on three yards now, and I love my current one. Good luck :)
 
Full livery varies from yard to yard I've found. My idea of full livery & some yard owners is not the same. Explain what you want which should avoid any misunderstanding on either side & YO can work out price for what you've asked for.
 
If you are happy with where your horses are just now, maybe it would work out better to find someone locally who will come in and muck out etc. for you when you are busy. Then at least you retain some control. I speak from experience: I had my two on full livery for 6 years. For the first 4, everything was fine and I was happy. However, for the last 2 years before I moved, it was a nightmare - moody YO, horses not being brought in even when the weather was horrendous (excuse was "we couldn't catch them", but oddly I haven't had a single problem catching them since I took them back), not fed, not given hay, no water in paddock - and still they charged me full livery rates!! I put up with it far longer than I should have, because I simply couldn't find anywhere else to take them. I finally found an amazing place where we are all really happy, and on the days I work I pay someone to come and do them. If you do go down the full livery route, have a "plan B", just in case.....
 
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