Caol Ila
Well-Known Member
Can anyone who has put their horse on retirement livery and would not mind talking a wee bit about the experience for an HHO story please PM me.
That would be fantastic.
That would be fantastic.
Retirement livery
- Thread starter Caol Ila
- Start date
poiuytrewq
Well-Known Member
A friend and I were discussing retirement livery this week.
I'd love to find somewhere for my old horse, not because I don't want or can't be bothered with him (in fact that's why I never find anywhere,all too far to visit regularly enough/check daily myself)
Just be careful and turn up unannounced often.
I'd love to find somewhere for my old horse, not because I don't want or can't be bothered with him (in fact that's why I never find anywhere,all too far to visit regularly enough/check daily myself)
Just be careful and turn up unannounced often.
_GG_
Well-Known Member
I'll ask here'shoping to pop in here. Her horse has been on retirement livery with me for just over 3 years.
Best advice I can give is visit the yard, get references and make sure you can visit unannounced.
I've actually never had a livery owner turn up unannounced but it is written into the contracts that they can. My only rules are that no children or inexperienced people go into the herd, no food is taken into the herd and visits are during daylight hours.
The last bit is for the horses welfare. They are fine with me and Dan doing night checks but the owners are only known to their horse. When others go in in the dark, the herd gets stirred up and I don't like them galloping around in the dark.
No food rule is because if I'm not there, it's just not safe. I know each horse inside out and I know who will do what so I can keep people and horses safe. Other owners don't know that Harry and Eclips will loiter and go for a horse next to you, sending that horse into you. Other owners don't know that if George is right next to you and another horse comes too close, he'll spin without warning at them and if you're stood in the wrong place by him, you'll have his foot on yours as he pushes off to spin.
No inexperienced people or children because it's just not safe. I allow both if I'm present but not if I'm not. Same reasons as food but more so. It's too easy for a child or inexperienced person to scream or shriek when the herd come cantering up the hill at you. I know this is just how they come up to say hello, but it can be very scary having 15+ big horses coming straight at you.
I had two girls from Hartpury here yesterday with an owner. They ended up clinging to their friend feeling bad at having a pregnant woman shielding them from horses....because they were screaming and got the herd wound up. Told them to keep quiet, they did, the herd settled quickly and then they couldn't believe how chilled out they were.
The people working there should do more than just check the horses. They should get a full history of the horse for relevant issues. They should know how to monitor any issues and always be in communication with the owner when problems arise.
You should learn enough about a place to be happy to never visit and still be sure of the level of care. I have an owner that lives in the states. She may be able to visit in a few years. She has a pony that's been a recurrent lami sufferer for 10 years. She was going to have him put to sleep to secure a pain free/worry free future but she learned about our place through a friend.
Riley arrived mid lami bout and straight onto box rest. She came to see him two weeks later before the family moved across the pond and two weeks after that, he was turned out. Been out ever since with not a single footsore day. His owner gets regular updates.
I have one owner that comes every week. Each to their own. Just make sure you're 100% comfortable.
Best advice I can give is visit the yard, get references and make sure you can visit unannounced.
I've actually never had a livery owner turn up unannounced but it is written into the contracts that they can. My only rules are that no children or inexperienced people go into the herd, no food is taken into the herd and visits are during daylight hours.
The last bit is for the horses welfare. They are fine with me and Dan doing night checks but the owners are only known to their horse. When others go in in the dark, the herd gets stirred up and I don't like them galloping around in the dark.
No food rule is because if I'm not there, it's just not safe. I know each horse inside out and I know who will do what so I can keep people and horses safe. Other owners don't know that Harry and Eclips will loiter and go for a horse next to you, sending that horse into you. Other owners don't know that if George is right next to you and another horse comes too close, he'll spin without warning at them and if you're stood in the wrong place by him, you'll have his foot on yours as he pushes off to spin.
No inexperienced people or children because it's just not safe. I allow both if I'm present but not if I'm not. Same reasons as food but more so. It's too easy for a child or inexperienced person to scream or shriek when the herd come cantering up the hill at you. I know this is just how they come up to say hello, but it can be very scary having 15+ big horses coming straight at you.
I had two girls from Hartpury here yesterday with an owner. They ended up clinging to their friend feeling bad at having a pregnant woman shielding them from horses....because they were screaming and got the herd wound up. Told them to keep quiet, they did, the herd settled quickly and then they couldn't believe how chilled out they were.
The people working there should do more than just check the horses. They should get a full history of the horse for relevant issues. They should know how to monitor any issues and always be in communication with the owner when problems arise.
You should learn enough about a place to be happy to never visit and still be sure of the level of care. I have an owner that lives in the states. She may be able to visit in a few years. She has a pony that's been a recurrent lami sufferer for 10 years. She was going to have him put to sleep to secure a pain free/worry free future but she learned about our place through a friend.
Riley arrived mid lami bout and straight onto box rest. She came to see him two weeks later before the family moved across the pond and two weeks after that, he was turned out. Been out ever since with not a single footsore day. His owner gets regular updates.
I have one owner that comes every week. Each to their own. Just make sure you're 100% comfortable.
HeresHoping
Well-Known Member
I have sent you a p.m., CI. Please feel free to get in touch.