Q to yard owners

[poiuytrewq]

I currently keep my horses at the farm we live on.
I only ride one, I’d really like to have people to ride with occasionally and a school, maybe not now I may do the winter here at home.
So I’m not definitely looking for a place at a yard, but, as part of the decision making would like to go look at one and ask questions as to how they are run to get an idea if it could work for me. Eg, I don’t want to be one of the posts we saw on here last year where horses at livery had had no turnout in weeks.
I don’t want to be a time waster, so if I explain the situation will that be ok?! ?‍
Can I just pop in or do I make an appointment?
I see a lot of comings and going from the yard so assume it’s fairly popular which must be a good sign.
Has anyone gone back to a yard after having had horses at home? Did it work?

 

[pixie]

I would make an appointment.
I work offsite, have children and run a household. My husband is also a busy farmer. The yard is run around these timings. I'm not always available. I don't want random people turning up for a nosey.
You don't want to get off on the wrong foot with the owner

And yes, I always have a very thorough chat with potential liveries to make sure that what I provide (and expect from liveries) matches up with their requirements.

 

[milliepops]

Has anyone gone back to a yard after having had horses at home? Did it work?

yes. i didn't have a choice as I was moving to a place without stables but it's been fine and actually in some ways nicer because like you say, i missed the company as I work from home and so don't see many people

I'm not a YO but I've looked round a lot of yards. always make an appointment. and i'd say it's normal to ask lots of questions, you don't want to find it's a bad fit after all. i think if you're genuinely thinking of moving, then making appointments to look round yard isn't timewasting - you might move there, you might not, but you have to be able to meet the YO and see what's available to know if it will work out.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Ok, so as far as I know there’s only really one option to me, in that I want DIY and to be able to supply my own bedding etc and the few local yards are full liveries only.
The place I have in mind is close enough, slightly the wrong direction but fine. I know the price as a friend enquired a few months ago and that’s also do-able.
It’s set way back off the road so I’ve no idea what the actual yard is like but the fencing looks well maintained and bits I can see.
individual turnout is a bit of a worry, and another reason this may not work for me.
I’ll try and find a number.

 

[pixie]

have you snooped at it with google earth?

 

[poiuytrewq]

No!! That’s an amazing idea! Will get into that tonight

 

[Merry neddy man]

You might find more info on it on www.*******.co.uk or www.*******.co.uk

 

[dogatemysalad]

I always do a drive by on very wet days. YO 's often promise daily turnout in winter, but the reality isn't quite the same.

 

[JulesRules]

You might find that if they don't currently have space they aren't interested in showing you round. I've had that a few times even if I've explained that I'm not desperate to move and happy to wait for the right yard, and just want to know if I can cross it off the list or be added to the waiting list.

I understand that YO's have better things to do when they are full but it can be frustrating.

 

[pixie]

I always do a drive by on very wet days. YO 's often promise daily turnout in winter, but the reality isn't quite the same.

Great idea, however, our winter paddocks are closest to the yard, so not really viewable from the road, so you probably wouldn't be able to see if the horses are turned out or not. We have a sacrifice paddock that gets ploughed up every year, so they can go out even on the wettest days. I generally leave it up to the owners to decide what they want to do.
They only have to stay in on the very rare occasion when its so icy that it could be dangerous for them to even get to the paddocks. This has been maybe 10 days in total over the past 10 years.

 

[poiuytrewq]

I think this yard has paddocks that are behind huge hedges not just the visible ones. I believe from the friend that enquired they did get out daily but with weird times to bring in etc. As I work part time that could be do-able for me.