Questions...livery...help me out :)

Sparkles

Sparkles

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Please? haha :)

Theoritical questions.

IF you were moving over into a new livery yard [Private, big, competition type yard], would you advertise for liveries and take deposits before you moved into it or after you'd moved into it?

Liveries would be aimed at full/producing/hunter production/breaking/etc livery, not a standard DIY/part yard. Viewing's etc for owners obviously would be done.

Just want to know your thoughts whether it would be rude to advertise for liveries, before the official 'opening'.

Answers on a post card :D
 
I would probably advertise a month in advance along the following lines:

'Opening October 2010 - Viewing days 15th, 20th, 30th September.'

I'd probably look to take a deposit to secure stables in the month preceeding opening
 
Are you open for viewings? You could have an open day and lay on a few nibbles etc?
I don't think it's cheeky advertising yourself early but I would put a date your planning on taking liveries so people can plan their move.
I personally wouldn't move my horse to a yard I hadn't viewed but if it was a nice yard that wasn't available for a month I'd be willing to wait.
I wouldn't pay until I was on the yard but on arrival I would pay one months deposit and a months rent on arrival.
 
ihatework said:
I would probably advertise a month in advance along the following lines:

'Opening October 2010 - Viewing days 15th, 20th, 30th September.'

I'd probably look to take a deposit to secure stables in the month preceeding opening
Click to expand...

What she said.

Sounds exciting tell us more:-)
 
Brilliant, thankyou for all the replies.

Can't say a lot sadly at present as all up in the air and just in plans at the moment BUT If all goes well, will be a full exclusive livery yard, and hopefully even with the possibility of a few DIY places also.
Full facilities - HW, gallops, lunge arenas, staff on site, all weather school, steeplechase, set of jumps etc. XC course to be put in possibly over the year once all up and running and hoping to be a venue to host various shows etc if all goes to plan.

In process of website building for it etc and would definately be open to holding open days for it.

What else do YOU like to see at a livery yard [whether it be about aspects on which ever livery you'd be on, facilities, decorations, rules, etc.]?
 
Sounds very exciting! :)

Binky01 said:
What else do YOU like to see at a livery yard [whether it be about aspects on which ever livery you'd be on, facilities, decorations, rules, etc.]?
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Some important things to me are:

-Security (of horses, tack room, horsebox parking etc)

-Decent lighting, esp in winter, in stables & outside

- Maintenance - obv fencing/gates etc, but also things like the driveway/parking area (potholes wrecked my suspension :(), the area around the muckheap (wading through 4ft of mud with a heavy barrow all winter's no fun), drainage etc

- Doesn't have to be at all posh, but just somewhere to get warm & dry, with a kettle!

Best of luck with it :)
 
All boxes ticked on them, very secure/gated/alarmed/cctv too I think etc.
Lighting all round, indoor stables, floodlights all outside everywhere.
Maintainance would be kept, as idea would be to keep a functional smart yard :)

And espresso machine too if you're lucky :p
 
Binky01 said:
All boxes ticked on them, very secure/gated/alarmed/cctv too I think etc.
Lighting all round, indoor stables, floodlights all outside everywhere.
Maintainance would be kept, as idea would be to keep a functional smart yard :)

And espresso machine too if you're lucky :p
Click to expand...

Sounds fab, can you open this yard in South Cheshire?!!?

Small things anoy me like rules on dogs being off leads, kids running riot, sudden charges to use what used to be free facilities, Booking issues for the indoor school, things not being fixed when they get broken and that even included blown light bulbs!!!! I don't like yards with strict open and closing times and I understand you don't want people turning up at all hours but I want to see my horse when it's convenient to me, not the YO!!!
 
Open day sounds like a good idea.

Things to consider iaside from the obvious (security, turnout, good arena etc.) inc:

Water / drains in easy reach: if it's a big yard several tap points etc. - one near each block. Automatic waterer's if possible and auto-filling troughs in the field!

Also, plenty of space to hang up rugs to dry etc.

For a comp yard a bathing area that is inside, preferably with hot running water.
 
Thankyou :) For re, the bathing area, there's a hot shower unit put in a wash bay area...if that sounds suitable? :)


Good point re space for rug drying also!
 
Binky01 your yards sounds great can you open one in West Essex please, I will be the first to move in, I would agree with the others advertise your self as opening soon, an open day is a really good idea good luck with your new yard.x
 
Thankyou....though like I said all just plans at the moment so won't jinx it ;) Just speculating pre-opinions on it beforehand :D

Will be SW area [Som/Dor/Wilt to put it broadly at the moment without giving too much away] if it does go ahead however :)
 
Binky01 said:
Brilliant, thankyou for all the replies.

Can't say a lot sadly at present as all up in the air and just in plans at the moment BUT If all goes well, will be a full exclusive livery yard, and hopefully even with the possibility of a few DIY places also.
Full facilities - HW, gallops, lunge arenas, staff on site, all weather school, steeplechase, set of jumps etc. XC course to be put in possibly over the year once all up and running and hoping to be a venue to host various shows etc if all goes to plan.

In process of website building for it etc and would definately be open to holding open days for it.

What else do YOU like to see at a livery yard [whether it be about aspects on which ever livery you'd be on, facilities, decorations, rules, etc.]?
Click to expand...

If only you were relocating to Preston ..... :D:D:D:D
 
I like to see rules, a list of, in a prominent place!! I am DIY though which probably makes a difference. But yes, rules are the way forward.

Oh, and a toilet. :)
 
For me (although the facilities sound fabulous), the most important thing is that 'personal touch'. I want to know that my boy is going to receive the same (high!) standard of care, day in, day out and that care/handling is tailored to him.

The reason I like my current yard so much is exactly that - we do have good facilities and we're a reasonable sized yard (approx 25 horses) but she knows each one's personality, likes, dislikes, best way to handle them, who turns out with who etc etc and if you ask her to do something it gets done - there is never any 'I forgot' or 'I couldn't catch him to take his rug off/put on' and her stable management is exemplary. She is also eagle-eyed and spots any change in the horses very quickly and will let you know/advise on what she thinks best course of action is. She is excellent with my boy (who can be a bit a 'princess' at times) and I trust her implicitly so I guess I would say providing a high quality service and building trust with your clients is the most important thing.

A yard I was on previously (BHS approved) had great facilities but the stable management was pants! YO was hardly ever on the yard, nobody knew who doing what, there wasn't a great deal of knowledge on the yard and I had no faith in their ability to spot any issues and felt that my horse was being treated as a number rather than an individual. People would move there because of the great facilities, become disillusioned with the management of the place and move somewhere else. I am not suggesting for a second that this is how you will behave but at the end of the day, most peoples horses are extremely precious to them and they want to know their charges are in good hands that can be trusted to do the right things :-)

Though of course great facilities really help too (esp in the long, cold, dark, muddy winter - boo!) and it sounds a fabulous place - good luck I really hope it works out for you :-)
 
Binky01 said:
What else do YOU like to see at a livery yard [whether it be about aspects on which ever livery you'd be on, facilities, decorations, rules, etc.]?
Click to expand...

What a lot of yards seem to lack is professionalism....after all, you are providing an expensive service. Not saying that you wouldn't but there is a pattern that livery yards often follow that involves liveries and YO/YM blurring the lines between between business and friendship with all the ongoing hoo ha that can involve!!!

FWIW, I would draw up an exhaustive contract stating what is and isn't included in the different liveries and stick to it. Same with yard rules and they should apply to all owners, even you if you keep your horses on site. As far as facilities are concerned - all I'm concerned is that they are safe, secure and that any promised on arrival are actually available.;)

Also, if you are going to run shows and events, maybe take into account that some of your liveries may not be interested and will not appreciate that "their" yard resembles Picadilly Circus at rush hour and they can't turn out, use the school, park where they normally park etc, etc. Events can be very disruptive for the full time residents :eek:

Yes, I'm a very fussy livery :o but IME a lot of yards promise the earth, often with the best of intentions but no actual ability to provide it which causes bad feeling before you even start - the livery has the hump because they've been told they will get a certain service (like everyday TO for instance) and the YO is then on the defensive and so on and so forth. Causes so many problems that could be avoided IMHO and all because of bad communication.
 
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