Question you'd ask when viewing livery.

H

HayleyUK

Well-Known Member
Joined
25 July 2005
Messages
1,541
Location
Cheshire
Visit site
from a DIY perspective please.

So far I've got:

Prices of everything: stable, shavings, hay etc
What is included in the price ie: use of school/morning feed etc?
Can you buy own shavings/h ay etc in?
Is turn out all year round?Restricted in winter? 24/7 in Summer?
Is turn out in small or large groups? Mixed or same sex?
Is usage of facilities bookable at all times or is it use as and when?
 
From experience, I'd ask about worming regimes, vets/farriers/dentists etc - ie can you have your own or is there a 'yard one'

Also is there an 'earliest' / 'latest' time you can be on the yard

And, what sort of space / area do you get to store tack, rugs etc
 
space is a good one! I tend to expand my collection of crap quite rapidly!

I don't mind lumping in with farriers/dentists but would want my own vet.

Thanks, I hadn't thought of those!
x
 
Are your other liveries nice or up their own backsides could be another if they have a sense of humour!
What do your other liveries 'do' with their own neds.
Are they amenable to being able to help out in an emergency.
What are YO's rules/likes/dislikes.
Do they have set open times or is it free for all.
What/where is your tack/storage area and how secure is it.
Parking for trailer/box if applicable.
What do they class as extra and what are supplied in with the rent.
Do you have to use their supplies or is there enough room to source your own.

Can't think of more just yet, give me time!
 
:-) things I wish I'd thought of when I had my brief stay @ livery.

Further to your other post, I'd agree with others - if you can find a friendly farmer to rent you a paddock or two, this is sooooooo much nicer!! You can do exactly as you wish with/for your neds, without any 'helpful' advice unless you ask for it!!

I have my riding horse & a companion kept this way and all three of us have never been happier!! And it's very cost effective, especially as you can buy good hay & straw off the field
 
To be honest, I've not long since moved round here; so a yard would be ideal for meeting new people really (I'm a bit anti social lol). I don't think ponio would be as happy if there werent people around to stare at (very social she is!)

Pat- Thank you
smile.gif
I'd just added space for trailer to the list
laugh.gif

I get the feeling its a very 'proper' yard.. eek! lol
 
If you want to meet people in a new area, why not have a look at helping at an RDA group, we did this twenty years ago and made some realy good friends, also try a local riding club, perhaps.
 
I agree with what others have said above but I would also try and see if you could speak to some of the current liveries and get their views. Ask them how long they've been there, etc. If no one has been there too long, I may start to have a few doubts as to why...
 
is there a certain time during the winter that neds can be put out/have to be brought in? & what do they class as winter/summer?
<font color="blue">1 yard i know of stipulated (in a V lengthy contract) that in the winter Oct-march horses were only allowed out between 10am &amp; 3pm at YO's discretion &amp; the YO had to put them out but you'd be charged. they also made winter Sept- end of May with restrictions like the above &amp; in sept, april &amp; May horses could only go out from between 8 &amp; 5 weather depending &amp; they only had 24/7 turnout for june,july, august again weather depending </font>

are there any yards rules e.g. clear droppings &amp; jumps in arena after use, no smoking etc

what areas would you be responsible for - sweeping outside your stable &amp; where your horse has been or are you expecting to sweep up here, there &amp; everywhere?
 
just to add re: the writing in blue on my post above, the yard had 80+ acres of land on hills which drained well &amp; was all because of wanting money &amp; being over controlling &amp; needless say all the DIY'ers who they had relied on for years for money upsticks because they were sick of being put down against the 'full liveries owned by London types that only want to come &amp; ride' - they weren't alowed to talk to YO unless spoken to
 
What i would do, if viewing a yard is go along when no one is expecting you and have a chat with someone already up there, to get the whole story of the yard.!!
 
Consider things such as people doing things at different times of the day with DIY horses - Ie feeding times may vary, someone may get a horse in from the field and leave yours on it's own etc. How will this work for your horse?

Consider cover if you are sick or away - Will YO help and what would the charges be?

Take a good look at the fencing and also quality of pasture (availability of rotated fields) - This is an important one IMO. How are fields allocated?

Will YO deal with vet emergencies/meeting farrier etc.

I'd be a little cautious about taking on a farrier you don't know of as I had this at one yd and because he wasn't good he wrecked my horse's feet.

How do school bookings work? Ie can you reserve for lessons? Is it always packed?

As another poster has said, if you can reports from actual liveries on a yard that is helpful.

Is there a contract? What happens if items of yours are damaged, or stolen, and the same if this happens to YO's stuff. Do you have to replace?
 
On top of what Mickey said... Are you allowed outside instructors in to teach or do they specify who teaches you?

(i was at a yard where YO went a bit insane and started telling us who to have lessons with or they would charge the outside instructor to use his facilities... obv no instructor would come... i hastely left that yard!!!)
 

I would ask about poo picking?
Who does it/when/what happens if you share a field with someone who doesn't do theirs.

From my experience, sadly, poo-picking causes lots of issues between field sharers!
crazy.gif
 
In addition to all the above and Mickey's in-depth suggestions, if you ask to see a copy of the yard contract, this should list all the rules of the yard and what is expected of the liveries. Once you have read this, all you need to know is if there are any hidden charges not mentioned in the contract, i.e. Christmas and Bank Hols charges.

I would take a good look at the fencing and see if the posts are loose, along with gates. Look at the grazing - is it poached, are there lots of weeds or any of that yellow stuff! What plants are growing in the hedgerows, any Yew trees.

You will probably pick up on the general atmosphere of the yard when you get there. I would personally want to know if a strict morning/evening routine was in place like feeding all at the same time etc.

Write a check list of all the things which are important to your horse and see which yard ticks the most boxes. You could also ask at your local vets or tack shop for recommendations or places to steer clear of.
 
Oh yes, re: ragwort. I once put my horse on DIY at a yard in the winter when I wasn't aware of there being any ragwort. Come spring/summer it was literally RIFE. My horse's field (and all the other fields) had been totally invaded. I spent just about every Saturday after working all week digging it up, even though the other liveries did not seem interested in digging their's out. (Which of course didn't help me WRT spores spreading it into my field). The issue worried me sick and as I was on DIY the owners said that meant doing any paddock maintenance work yourself.
Blimey I've had some troubles with livery. Thanks heavens I have such a lovely place for my horse now (been there 3 yrs).
 
Oh yes - It's me again -
shocked.gif
Another one;
Check how the school stands up to hot/frozen conditions, how the going is etc. This may be esp pertinent if you end up having a horse with an injury that needs a good surface.
 
Where in Cheshire are you? I always think its also worth asking around at local tack shops and riding clubs what they know about any yards you're considering a move to. Some places sell themselves very well promising this that and the other that somehow doesn't happen once you arrive. Also you don't want to move there before you find out there are lots of negatives you hadn't envisioned. If you ask around you'll get a bit of gossip to disregard but you'll find if a yard has a bad reputation more than one person will know of it and slate it.
 
I'm literally 15 mins from Croft Riding Centre in Warrington (not far from Cockshot either)

Thank you so much for all the advice!

I know a bit about the yard I'm going to look at tomorrow.
Its £27 p/w for stable; not much storage so deliverys of hay/shavings is 3* per week.
Fields are big, single sex ones; no 24/7 turn out (not so sure about that) in summer, but it is daily turn out &amp; there is alternate days turnout in winter.
You can use the schools whenever there is no lessons going on, but indoor electricity is £1 per 1/2 hour for lights etc. Mainly riding is available during the day (not really an issue coz I'm at uni so can be around at odd times.
A lady on my current yard is from there; she left because the facilities were no good for her horse when he was injured, but she loved it. She says most people are happy there etc.

Defo worth a look I think.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top