Things you wished you'd have known BEFORE you moved yards....

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tye_bo

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I am really excited - I have found a new livery yard. I don't know if there are any spaces (probably not knowing my luck and there is no answer when I ring) but I'd be willing to wait IF it seems nice. It's in the very spefic area that I really like.

I want to ask them some questions but what do you wish you'd have known about your yard before you had moved there?
 
Thats a good one.

Other things I thought about are

Turnout - how much, who decides if they can go out (in bad weather etc) who decides if they can go out overnight.

Tack Room - what sort of access/security is there (not only overnight but to stop things getting 'borrowed' by other liveries)
 
If they are planning on expanding. I turned up on a yard in march 2004 which had 17 horses one outdoor and 25 acres. Was perfect when I arrived but By winter 2005 there were 36 horses... I had to leave as there was no grass and couldnt get into the arena
 
try and find out if the YO is a total fruitloop or not
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Echo the turnout..... I moved from a very laid back, decide for yourself yard, to a yard where the grazing was so over used that if it rained you couldnt turn out at all and they were never allowed out for more than a couple of hours in winter and 7 till 3pm in summer!!!

I moved back to my old yard and now it would be difficult to persuade me to move again!!!
 
Thats a good en Shadowmonkey, I moved onto a lovely new yard, was one of 10 horses with loads of grazing. Two years later there was almost 50 horses on there, no grazing and they then turned 5 new ones out together, didnt let anyone know and my friends horse got a broken leg. Sad thing is we'd had our names down on other yards to move but nothing had come up. I managed to move not long after.
Do you have to pay for the school, do you get winter turnout, do you buy their feed, shavings hay etc. Can you pay for someone to turnout in the morning if you need to.
 
I moved to what seemed like the perfect yard, I was only livery, it was a family, with the 'kid' being my age, 20s, and three ponies. I assumed that the girl of my age actually rode her pony - I found out after I had moved there that all three were field ornaments. So, no one to ride with, luckily I like hacking alone but they thought I was cruel because I would hack, lunge or school in the field about four times a week. They would actually say, 'oh you're not riding that poor horse again'! That poor horse being my space hopper shaped cob...

And then I moved back to my old yard, fab!

So, find out what everyone else at the yard does. The other yard to avoid is the one full of panicking older ladies, 'we can't turn left out of the yard because of the cow in the field next to the road, and we can't turn right because of the white bucket in the hedge, shall we un tack and have a nice cup of tea?'

Good luck!
 
Ooooh some more good pointers thank you!

Yep, YO owner one being a nutcase would be nice to know. I kind of take it for granted that they are round here to be honest!!

If there is a waiting list do you ask to view the yard first??
 
* The other yard to avoid is the one full of panicking older ladies, 'we can't turn left out of the yard because of the cow in the field next to the road, and we can't turn right because of the white bucket in the hedge, shall we un tack and have a nice cup of tea?' * Pmsl at that one, but very true.

The best thing to do is ask to see a copy of the livery contract. That will tell you everything you need to know, what is expected of you as an owner and what to expect from the YO. Ask if there are any 'hidden' charges.

Also ask if you are able to use your own farrier or if the yard insists on using theirs. Same applies with trainers. Personally I would be interested in what social activities take place on the yard, i.e. bbq's, yard shows, etc.

Another important one, IMO, is to find out how they introduce new horses into a herd situation. Are the herds mixed or seperated.
 
[ QUOTE ]

The other yard to avoid is the one full of panicking older ladies, 'we can't turn left out of the yard because of the cow in the field next to the road, and we can't turn right because of the white bucket in the hedge, shall we un tack and have a nice cup of tea?'

[/ QUOTE ]

PMSL
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Been there, blummin' nightmare
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yard 'opening times' @ old yard we could go up whenever (but they'd like to know if it would be after 10pm) but new yard would prefer you not to go up before 6:30 where possible but to be as quiet as poss if you do.

access to hacking,
size of turnout groups,
'silly' rules - YO/staff HAVE to turn your horse out over the winter but you have to pay for it!!,
transport - anyone who goes to same RC/comps that you could lift share
is there a predominant RC - when i moved i was 1 of 2 that werent in a RC (other 1 was in PC) so ive quickly joined - it was something i wanted to do though!
 
[ QUOTE ]
I
The other yard to avoid is the one full of panicking older ladies, 'we can't turn left out of the yard because of the cow in the field next to the road, and we can't turn right because of the white bucket in the hedge, shall we un tack and have a nice cup of tea?'



[/ QUOTE ]

you young confident ones may mock - one day you may be a nervous older lady. Once you pass 45 it's all downhill and sometimes a nice cup of tea is more appealing than riding! And if there's a packet of biccies even better.
 
Sniggers

... and that is coming from someone the wrong side of 40 and a mare who threw a wobbler in the school today
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A cup of tea and biscuits in the rest room is always nicer than putting up with a stroppy ned
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Having just moved yards and feeling the benefits of doing so already I can wholeheartedly say if you are unhappy where you are then move. If not entirely sure of whether you wish to move or not then stay put.
Since my move last weekend both my lads have been more responsive and seem so much more happier in their surroundings than before.
It is not just the 'newness' of their surroundings either as both are acting very differently settling in to this place than when they arrived at the old yard.
Happier, more alert. big lad less aloof, what more could I want.
I am happier because they are happier and they can see I am more settled, less stressed and less angry and as a result it rubs off on them too.
Despite what some people may think horses are very responsive to our actions and our frame of mind and I can say with hand firmly on my heart that my lads are feeling the benefits of me being happier.
I can only echo what has already been said before and if you are thinking about moving I would draw up a list of all the positives and negatives of your old place compared to prospective new yards. If the positives of the new place far outweigh those of your current yard then go for it.
One thing I will say though is find out if the new place has a toilet if it is some distance away from your home or you don't have a self drive box with a loo.
My new yard has a toilet and it may seem a basic need to some people on here but I can assure you all that after nearly 18 months of peeing in a bucket with no proper hand washing facilities it is a luxury!
Caz
 
How much space do you get for hay storage?

My first yard I didn't get any at all because the liveries that had been there longer had taken over all the barn and the rest of us had to keep it outside or do what I did. Keep it at home and bring it up in bin bags

What is the hacking actually like?

i.e. I wish I'd been for a walk along the hacking rather than just taking their word for it that it was good

Does the stable roof leak?
 
Do the lights work?

How often does the water supply get frozen?

Are the gateways passable in winter?

How often are there tractor movements etc across the yard?

Which box would you have and does it flood regularly - last in often gets the worst box.

Wouldn't bother with the mad YO question, just think yourself very lucky if they aren't.
 
Not something you can gauge by asking, but yard atmosphere.

Altho where we've just moved to is a pretty serious competition yard, there's such a happy family atmosphere it has already rubbed off on my previously rather stressy mare (not stressy to ride but in the stable) and she's a much happier bunny.

Get chapter and verse on turnout arrangements - they cause more heartache than anything.

Also if you can ask other liveries about any 'unwritten' rules eg whether YO prefers to have a quiet time of day with not too many horse owners bumbling about.

Use of school and if you're allowed to use it for lessons with an outside instructor is another important one.
 
with regards the first yard I was at the questions I wished I'd known the answers to before I went:
Is the YOs partner completely mad
How long are the horses really turned out for
When do the horses get their last check / haynet
Does the school get booked for a lot of lessons
Is the groom a nightmare
Are the horses bought in from the fields one at a time,or in big unsafe groups

I'm pretty glad I left that one! The yard I have recently moved to is a joy, I'm sure it's not perfect, but I feel relaxed and George is 'mr chill'- he even went to sleep lying in the field on friday, not like him!
 
Do all four sides of the fields have a fence?
Does one of the fields have a no-mans-land where the horses are slowly tunnelling out great-escape style?
Is the YO father a closet pyromaniac who enjoys smoking whilst sitting ON the hay bales?
Will the qualified resident BHSII actually HELP me with my youngster?
Is the permanent puddle in my stable a water feature?
Is the surface of your school actually sand you nicked from the local building site
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-?
I could go on..
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xxx
 
God no - I fell out with them over the puddle, was the last straw really, and they then accused me of neglect for using rubber mats with less bedding - I was trying to create an 'island' over the sea!
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Taught me a few lessons though - and Im very careful about yards now!

xxx
 
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