Size of yards

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cp1980

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What do you think is the optimum sized or the ideal maxiumum sized yard, particularly if you are looking at livery.

I had lessons at Trent Park EC in Enfield, and there were about 100 boxes! Is that safe? What if there was an outbreak of a disease? Or a fire? Would the horse feel stressed surrounded by so much comotion?
 
Interesting.

I am now the only livery - and keep my horse at a friends yard. I was originally on a yard of 40 which was lovely.

There is a yard down the road that has around 90 horses - strangles broke out i February - and is still there.

The sheer number of horses and lack of facillities means that they just can not erradicate this terrible illness.
 
I prefer small yards. We only have 8 liveries.

There is a lovely yard at the end of my road but it has 100 horses. I don't see how you can receive such individual attention. Saying that, the yard has a very good reputation for being well run ! However, they lost quite a few during the equine herpes outbreak a few years ago.

I was at a yard with 50 horses once - too busy for me.
 
Depends on the facilities and layout, but any more than 40 stables in one block and you start having to walk too far to turnout and storage etc...
 
Well I do think it makes a difference

I have recently moved my ponio from a yard of 50/60 which is like breezeblock city (although very nice) to a yard which is around 20.

Within a week my pony is much happier - I think smaller yards are better although all horses are different.

There have been no reported problems at my new yard in the five years its been open but the bigger yard always has a cough going round and had problems with people with light fingers!!

The staff at the bigger yard tended to treat my pony like a number and at the smaller yard she gets lots more attention. which is great!
 
Don't like big yards, there is 12 liveries and YO has about same number herself, it lovely no fighting to get in the school and the horses are split in nice numbers in the fields.

Originally years ago was on a yard with around 40/50 horses and it was a nightmare in the fields, hated going to fetch my two.
 
I also think it depends if it in DIY or full livery etc. Disease out breaks are far harder to control in larger DIY, due to the shear number of people coming and going. My current yard has about 30 spilt between 4 yards, which is enough really.
 
There are 14 liveries and the owner's horse on my yard which is lovely, although I suspect there may be a bit of queing to use the school in the winter but everyone is happy to share unless they're having a lesson. I shared a horse before for a few mths and there were only 5 liveries and I never saw the others, it was very lonely.
 
I am on a huge yard, I moved to a quite yard but she hated it, I think it depends on the horse. Corroy thrives on a busy environment.
 
I like small yards. My own yards generally have no more than 15 livery horses and this number suits me fine.
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was on a diy yard for about 3 months, there were 5 of us in total and that was great, am back at parents yard which has always been home really, there are my 2 horses and 2 ponies, mum and dads 4 horses and my sister has 2. we also have 2 liveries who are old mates and it works great,we all look out for each other and help each other out. have worked on a big yard and do not think i would like to be livery on one.
 
my yard only has 4 liveries currently!!! it has 5 stables and a sandschool-im the only one using the sandschool so its always free-i have a massive tack/feedroom to myself and its all set up with coffee stuff chairs etc how i like it!!! it is lovely and quiet-no light fingers but it can get a little lonely on occasions!
 
I couldn't handle being on a huge yard. Just now there are 4 liveries, but one is never up. There are 9 horses, and I think thats a good number. I wouldn't want to be on a yard with more than 5 or 6 people I think.
 
I have been one of only two liveries right up to a 40 horse yard. I prefer smaller yards in that it is easier to meet people and make friends. Although if problems arise on a small yard they are certainly magnified. Also big yards tend to have better facilities purely as they can afford them - but you may have to fight to use them!
 
We have 15 boxes at work in the "main" yard (2 extra in a barn). I think that would be my maximum, I hated it going down to do a friend's horse at Hartpury where (although split into smaller yards) there are over 200 stables. Where I keep my horse we have 10 horses, and that is just right for me. Enough people that sometimes it's really busy and lessons arrive and there are people to talk to and ride out with, but few enough that I can go up there and be the only one there for hours. Although mine is out with one other horse 24/7 now which is a bit lonely, I'm the only grass livery and the times I go up to do the two horses are after everyone else has been, and I'm only there once a day now as I share with YO (other horse is her daughter's). So I suppose it's a bit like being on a separate yard now with only two of us, and only one at a time!
I reckon 10-15 horses is my perfect sized yard (so about 8-12 owners).
 
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