Time limit to visit horses in DIY livery

OK - I've just seen in your other post that you are struggling to ride too. A sharer might work well for you, plus they would pay you some money to share your horse. Hopefully you can find someone who can do the days that you work late.

As well as Preloved and Horsemart, there is also horsedeals that you could put an ad on. Make sure that you mark it clearly 'Sharer wanted'.

If that doesn't work out, look at other DIY yards in the area as I'm sure that there will be one out there that will allow you to go late on your late days.
 
zigzag said:
Wow , they are pretty strict times, especially in the summer, where I would ride 7 am in morning or late evening, that is pretty much office opening hours lol
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So long as people let me know, I am quite flexible, but would not take a livery on who needed to do that on a regular basis. I am very clear about the opening hours before liveries decide to come. If it doesn't suit them they go elsewhere. As I am open until 9 pm, most working owners ride after work.

Another point to note is that some planning regulations mean that you have a restriction on floodlight use. Here it is 10 pm, so I needed to make sure that people were not using them close to that time or I could find myself having to remove them!
 
Thank goodness I do not keep my horses on a DIY livery yard or indeed offer any sort of livery. The thought that there is no quiet time for the horses and that people are riding and/or doing their horses 24/7 is frankly frightening and the security of having no one on site and the yard open 24/7 is mind blowing. Of course there are times when you need early/late access for competitions or vets etc.and that would need to be made possible.

That you all consider that paying a livery means that you should have access to your stables 24/7 without prior arrangement is bizarre. If you pay for your child to go to private school do you expect to have access to the school 24/7? If you have a elderley person in a private care home do you expect the doors to be open 24/7 so that anyone can walk in at any time? So why does a relatively cheap rent for a stable/turnout/tackroom/car park/ manege/ etc etc give you all these rights with no restriction as to times etc.? Frankly if you work from early morning to 10pm at night you cannot do your own horses and either need to pay for help or as you suggest keep them out.

That is why I will never do livery!
 
While I can understand many of the points made by YOs, having restricted opening times would be a deal-breaker for me.
I am self-employed and generally work from 8am to 6pm. Therefore my usual routine is to arrive at the yard at 6.30am in the morning and at about 6.15pm in the evening. However, I also have to work some evenings - around three a month in general.
I have said before that I am very lucky in my yard and my fellow liveries and we work together to cover each other's absences and to manage the horses in the way that suits us all best. Therefore, I do mornings for one of the other liveries and she brings mine in in the evenings which is great, especially when it's pitch black and raining. I can finish my day's work knowing that he's in and all I have to do is my evening chores.
However, without that voluntary arrangement, I would be stuck for those three evenings a month and he would have to stay out until I finished work.
I am pretty sure that my YO would not welcome a stranger (freelance groom) on the yard, knowing the combination to the locks etc and would rather a) have me turning up late to sort or b) bring him in herself. If that became a real problem, I would have to move as I am in an area where I know no-one to help, other than my current fellow liveries.
Finally, and much more about aesthetics than welfare, I absolutely love long summer evening hacks and would hate to have a time limit, other than the light going, to get back!
 
When I have had adverts for sharers to ride/help with my horse I have used Preloved and Equineadverts.co.uk and had a good few replies. Otherwise try and find your local riding club's facebook page and ask there?
 
I feel for OP. I can understand YO not wanting some one there that late every night but if it was every now and then with prior arrangement it might be tolerable. But it depends on the set-up.

The yard I'm on has restrictions in the morning - opens at 9am. This is because the whole yard would be woken up and the dogs. I have one horse on part livery and one on diy and both are fed and turned out for me. Suits me as I catch 7.30 train to work and not having to go up means I have time to walk my dogs and see my husband (who starts work at seven). It's a good balance.

I get to yard at 6.15 in evening. Everyone else has been and gone and YO has gone in so I'm on my own. There's no time limit in evenings but if I were faffing about and staying late I'd be told. We have no school lights so no reason to be late. if my train is delayed I text to let them know out of courtesy. I've also managed to avert a couple of potential catastrophes by being about between the time they go in and their late night checks so they're fine with my times.
 
The reason we stopped doing livery is because running a DIY yard with people arriving back at stupid oclock was driving us nuts - lorries arriving back from shows at midnight, setting the dogs off - it isn't fun, not when you enjoy it as a home as well as a business.

When we used to rotate turnout on a wet year, I liked to have 2-4pm no one on the yard at all, so the horses got into a routine of just quiet time, they all used to lie down and dose. Having people arrive at all hours of the day and night is incredibly disruptive to horses - especially with lights coming on and off, horses arriving at odd times, buckets getting knocked about - it was a real headache.

But I'm a stickler for routine and decided that the only way I can ensure my routine is being on my own.
 
jirist said:
Not yet, tonight.

She texts me "Just wondered why u were up so late last nite doing your horses"
I replied i finished work late, so at the stables between 8.30 to 11pm
and her answer : "I'm sorry we will need to have a chat"

So i will know tonight.
Just wanted to know how it works in UK usually, before talking to her.
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Depending on whether there is a floodlit school or not - it might actually be planning rules that dictate 'opening times'. Our yard technically closes at 9pm. In reality, what it means is the floodlights have to be off by 9pm to stop the neighbours complaining. Same as in the morning the earliest that they can go on is 6am.

Also, while you think you might not make noise, you might actually be doing so, and I know I would get narked at someone rocking up at 10pm to sort their horses out regularly, especially as they might not be off the yard until 11pm.
 
Nugget La Poneh said:
Depending on whether there is a floodlit school or not - it might actually be planning rules that dictate 'opening times'. Our yard technically closes at 9pm. In reality, what it means is the floodlights have to be off by 9pm to stop the neighbours complaining. Same as in the morning the earliest that they can go on is 6am.

Also, while you think you might not make noise, you might actually be doing so, and I know I would get narked at someone rocking up at 10pm to sort their horses out regularly, especially as they might not be off the yard until 11pm.
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yes there is floodlit school, but the neighbours cannot be disturbed by that, as it is too far from them.
 
jirist said:
yes there is floodlit school, but the neighbours cannot be disturbed by that, as it is too far from them.
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How far is the floodlit school from the yard, and who else has horses there - the YO? Personally I would not want stable/arena floodlights on at 11pm at night - our horses have routine and apart from emergencies I would not be wanting someone farting about at the stables with the lights on at 11pm.
 
The DIY yard I was on didn't have an opening time in the morning, but you couldn't have the farrier before 8am - you had to be off by 10pm.

My yard now is full livery, opening hours are 7am-7pm but she is flexible as long as you let her know. Also more flexible in the Summer. It is a hunting yard so the grooms are often on the yard for 4.50/5am. So coming back late from a show/leaving early for hunting/shows etc is fine as long as you let them know.
 
RunToEarth said:
How far is the floodlit school from the yard, and who else has horses there - the YO? Personally I would not want stable/arena floodlights on at 11pm at night - our horses have routine and apart from emergencies I would not be wanting someone farting about at the stables with the lights on at 11pm.
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I don't know exactly, the arena is behind the stables, in the middle of the paddocks.

Anyway, it doesn't match with what i want / need.

For the moment we are 3 people, the YO, an other girl, and me.
usually i am at the stables between 6pm and 8.30pm. but last week i had to do 40h in 4 days, so i finished to take car of the horses at 9.30-10.30pm from Monday to Thursday, so 4 days.
And Sunday night, i told the YO's mum and the other girl at the livery that i will arrive at 10.30pm
But my flight was delayed, so i left stables at 12.15am, but it is NOT everytime !!!
 
sport horse said:
That you all consider that paying a livery means that you should have access to your stables 24/7 without prior arrangement is bizarre. If you pay for your child to go to private school do you expect to have access to the school 24/7? If you have a elderley person in a private care home do you expect the doors to be open 24/7 so that anyone can walk in at any time? So why does a relatively cheap rent for a stable/turnout/tackroom/car park/ manege/ etc etc give you all these rights with no restriction as to times etc.? Frankly if you work from early morning to 10pm at night you cannot do your own horses and either need to pay for help or as you suggest keep them out.

That is why I will never do livery!
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If I was responsible for the child/elderly persons care then yes I would expect 24 hr access the same as with on DIY, it does not mean I would be up there late all the time, I am usually off the yard by 9pm, except if I have been held up (once or twice in 8 yrs) a horse is ill/on box rest I like to do a 11pm check if horses on box rest and back at 6am (just check water and throw hay in).

the yard I am on does not want any responsibility for the horses there and that means they need to be more flexible (fine with me I would not trust them to care for a loo brush).

It is nothing to do with rights and people who work from early morning till ten pm CAN do there own horses if they wish to they just need to find a yard happy with that, it sounds like OP did not think it would be an issue (naively maybe) but it is and may mean that things need to be planned out so YO is happy as well as OP.

in the summer i like to be out hacking by 6 am when it is cool and quiet-where I am is a big enough yard the YO does not really notice anyone unless they park by the house, for all its faults threads like this remind me why I stay on a scruffy laid back yard.

we have timers on the school lights that vary but are always off by 10.30-the lights are outside YO house, but the stable lights can be on as late as we like
 
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^^^yeah but that's quite a lot in a short space of time... (OP, directed at you, too many people posted first :P)

To be blunt, the YO has rules. You may not like them, but there's not a lot you can do about them. Your options are either to accept them, and find a way to work with them, or to find a different yard.
 
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My YO's live on site, I can't imagine they would be pleased with people messing around at 11pm but generally I think most people are gone by 10pm at the very latest and there's no issue with it as long as the last person locks the gate.
Early morning wise the YO is a diary farmer and I would hazard a guess he's up early anyway which is why I've never heard any problems with any earlybirds doing their horses.

Most lessons and RC things often go on until 7/8pm as well.

I couldn't be on a restrictive yard, however in my case it's highly unlikely I would be up any earlier than 9am or any later than 7pm so I guess I never really need to worry too much.
 
Fwiw, OP, I regularly used to be found schooling at midnight when I was on a DIY yard. There were people (not YO or YM) living onsite, but due to the layout of that yard, they wouldn't have noticed school or yard lights etc. I specifically checked there were no rules or expectations about yard times when I moved on, though.

I personally find the notion of "disturbing" horses late at night faintly absurd - like all things, it becomes part of their routine, and surely it's better to have someone around to notice if there's a problem. That said, it's the YO's place and if they have an issue with you being there late, your only option is to move on.

I now have a private rent field, and I often go up on the wrong side of midnight for late night checks. I wouldn't have my horses anywhere I couldn't check on them late at night if I need to.
 
My YO lives on site, as do I , and a family in the caravan - due to threads on here (and when I wasn't on site) I did ask re. opening times as not come across them before. We don't have them and actually I don't think the horses get disturbed by others being around. YO and I both go down about 10.30 pm for late night checks and the only ones who ever wake up are ours!
 
JFTD said:
Fwiw, OP, I regularly used to be found schooling at midnight when I was on a DIY yard. There were people (not YO or YM) living onsite, but due to the layout of that yard, they wouldn't have noticed school or yard lights etc. I specifically checked there were no rules or expectations about yard times when I moved on, though.

I personally find the notion of "disturbing" horses late at night faintly absurd - like all things, it becomes part of their routine, and surely it's better to have someone around to notice if there's a problem. That said, it's the YO's place and if they have an issue with you being there late, your only option is to move on.

I now have a private rent field, and I often go up on the wrong side of midnight for late night checks. I wouldn't have my horses anywhere I couldn't check on them late at night if I need to.
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Yes, i didn't know about any limit time, before moving there.
And i told her, that i have a busy work.
I was stupid to not ask, i will know for the next time.

For disturbing the horses ... sorry but a whole night is not enough for a horse to rest ?
No her horse need to rest during the evening.

Maybe yes i will move on i think ...
And she will be so happy for sure.
 
Have a look in Red Horse Equestrian too, OP, (they are on the A422 between Oxhill and Tysoe) - they have a notice board with lots of ads for livery on and Tina who runs it keeps horses locally so she may know of somewhere. The other place to look/ask is at Spring Paddocks/John Brook vets - just outside Gaydon on the road into Bishops Itchington,
 
jirist said:
Hello everybody,

I am wondering if you have a time limit to take care of your horse in a DIY livery.
If yes, what it your time limit ?
Is it everywhere the same ?

Thank you

We don't have a curfew as such at our yard, thank God although I think 9pm is really late enough and I am always gone by 9.15pm latest unless my horse has colic or I'm at a show. I know a lot of yards impose a time of 8pm weekdays which is almost impossible for me so I wouldn't be very happy.

Not all of us can afford to put our horse on full livery. For those of us that work over or have a long commute and don't get to the yard until half six or seven in the evening having to be off by eight would be impossible if you were on DIY and wanted to ride/cool down your horse appropriately afterwards.
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jirist said:
Yes, i didn't know about any limit time, before moving there.
And i told her, that i have a busy work.
I was stupid to not ask, i will know for the next time.

For disturbing the horses ... sorry but a whole night is not enough for a horse to rest ?
No her horse need to rest during the evening.
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She may not have had a time limit in mind and has never had to raise it before because she didn't expect anyone having to be there at midnight except for exceptional situations like vets and shows etc.

I think there is a big difference between a yard having an unreasonably early closing time which means that working people struggle to finish after work and midnight.

I have been on huge busy London yards where there are a lot of working busy people, many on DIY but the yard cleared by 9pm. I was often one of the late ones, even in the summer we are talking about 10pm at the very latest and occasionally if we had a late hack, and even then would have finished and put the horses out and a few of us are having a chat and cup of tea before we go.

As for horses being disturbed, one of mine doesn't switch off if there is anything going on at the yard, he is too much of a busybody for his own good and is a happier horse where there are not too many comings and goings. If there were people still there at gone midnight and then things start at 5am, that is not much off time for him to relax.

Like all these things it is good to ask when you go to view potential yards. Just be very honest about the sort of times you will be there. As you have found out to your cost vague phrases like 'busy work times' are open to interpretation.
 
We have opening hours of 6-9 but its flexible for shows ect as long as you let YO know and its not a regular thing all horses are on full/Part mon - friday so all owners have to do is ride. if horse is ill/you need to leave early/get back late its generally fine!

one yard i worked on YO wouldnt let you on yard before 8am and off by 7pm - luckily 3 of the owners worked near by so it wasnt a problem but it was made very difficult for the ones who didnt work as close - if you were still there nearing closing time you'd be shuffled off!
 
ironhorse said:
Have a look in Red Horse Equestrian too, OP, (they are on the A422 between Oxhill and Tysoe) - they have a notice board with lots of ads for livery on and Tina who runs it keeps horses locally so she may know of somewhere. The other place to look/ask is at Spring Paddocks/John Brook vets - just outside Gaydon on the road into Bishops Itchington,
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Ok thanks for the name of Red Horse Equestrian.
I know where is Spring paddocks, i will try to have a look.
 
JFTD said:
I personally find the notion of "disturbing" horses late at night faintly absurd - like all things, it becomes part of their routine, and surely it's better to have someone around to notice if there's a problem. That said, it's the YO's place and if they have an issue with you being there late, your only option is to move on.
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I like routine, having a slightly neurotic ex racer who gets lit up like a beam at sparrows fart, I prefer to manage down time down to a T - as soon as he picks up on any movement on the yard he is box walking, weaving and crapping for England. As much as I do it for his peace of mind to have a few hours of genuine peace - it also means it does not take me an hour to sort his bed out each morning.

Horses are all individual and of course there are a good many who do not care what you are doing and at what time - but I wouldn't be having liveries on a yard at 11pm unless there was genuine cause.
 
I know some yards to have time restrictions, in fact I nearly moved to one but it was a tiny yard attached to a private house so not really a livery yard. Quite frankly, I could understand if the house was very close to the yard and YO personal life would be adversely affected but DIY is DIY and you should be able to carry out DIY duties around your own working hours. That is not unreasonable. If you don't work and you still want to go up out of 'reasonable' hours then I think if I was YO I would have words but as a YO you should not change the goal posts especially with full time workers.
 
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