Time limit to visit horses in DIY livery

The pp for lights is off at 9pm, so there is no riding after that time.
Not really any time restrictions on visiting. Only 2 liveries go down daily and we are usually done by 8pm.
The other 2 visit weekend days, so Mo ridiculous hours kept by anybody.

I would only be on the yard at 11pm if the horse was ill, I wouldn't be doing routine jobs at that time.
 
I'm not keen on opening hours but I can imagine a YO wanting to know a horse is going to be done by a reasonable time just so they know they aren't going to have to go out at 9pm and start doing haynets and mucking out.
 
First yard (large, probably 60-odd horses in all) was 9am-9pm Mon to Fri and 9am-5pm Sat & Sun. Worked ok-ish for me when I was self-employed although VERY frustrating on a beautiful weekend evening when you couldn't hack out. Early or late on the yard was OK for shows etc if pre-arranged with YO. Once I changed to shift work it was an utter nightmare and totally unworkable - no lee-way at all and potentially I would go days without setting eyes on the boy.

Pony is now on a much smaller yard (14 ponies) with no hours as such. YO gives us all a hand by putting in morning feeds/nets and does a very late net too so mostly we don't need to be on yard before 8am or after 9pm. No problems outwith those times but as a courtesy we would let her know unless it was an emergency (in whaich case she would know and be there with us anyway since she treats them all as her surrogates!).
 
Never been on a yard with a morning opening time but have been on one with a 9pm close although the rule was more there to stop the kids lingering rather than those finishing work late.

All the yards that I've been on have had the YO living on site though so it's only common courtesy not to be there at anti social hours unless absolutely necessary and then to creep around like a mouse!

Personally I would never consider any yard that had restrictions preventing me visiting freely between 6am & 9pm and outside of these times for shows or emergencies.
 
I think its too late to be mucking out at 10pm. Horses need to relax and sleep! So do you for that matter. If I couldn't get there until 9.30pm I would have my horses on full livery. I usually do my late night checks around 11 and the horses are usually quiet and dozing or even flat out at that time.

From a YO relaxing point of view, if you see the lights on at 11 you feel as though you have to go and check that nobody's left them on, or that its not someone that shouldn't be there. Its hard to switch off if there is always someone around at unearthly hours..
 
There is a yard near me where you have to be gone by 6! If you cannot get there before 6 they charge you full livery for the day...

My friend's place it is normally 8-9ish.

When I had a loaner at mine (private yard) there wasn't a night time limit but weekends was strictly after 10am (the horses are out 24/7 though...
 
putasocinit said:
agree Noddle, even if it is their home, the fact they have made it a business and their liveries need to be working people to be financially viable unless they are rich, in which case they would have their own property, so they need to work around times when owners can get to their horses - all within reason, but not allowing owners to be there before 7am is crazy, after 8pm I agree.

In fact how many horse owners actually make a noise when they are doing their horses, so why should it disturb the owners unless they want to be nosy.
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I hear every car that comes up the drive even if I am sound asleep it wakes me. Also, the dogs bark.

It's one of the reasons I don't have diy. It doesn't matter if horses are on full or part livery.
 
Theoretically, our is 5.30-9.30pm. But, YO wouldn't care if it was earlier or later due to competition, illness or emergency - I would always tend to text or call in that scenario, though so she knew who to expect.

I'm on DIY livery with an office job, so although not regularly odd hours, there has been the odd occasion I've been earlier or later.
 
amymay said:
No. Just common sense and curtousy.
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This ^^ We don't have opening hours as such, but if I am going to be super early say, before 6am (highly unlikely as I hate getting up!) or later than 9/9.30 I will let the YO son and DIL know as they live on site and it's common courtesy....apart from that we are very, very relaxed.
 
moleskinsmum the same … the livery cannot offer any service as it is just the owner and 2 other girls here.

criso No i said that SOMETIMES i can leave work at 8.30pm to 10pm. But usually i leave at 5.30pm.
I just don't understand how people can have a busy job and take care of horses after that ?? it is just not possible.


dogatemysalad thanks for your reply. but when i see the other replies i think it is crazy and impossible to have my horses in UK in these conditions

Honey08 don't you think if i had the possibility to put them in full livery, i was not in DIY livery now … ?



She finally asked me to leave at 9pm at the latest, or to leave the stables.
There is an alarm, i asked at what time the alarm is on and off, but she didn't wanted to answer.
I offered her, to text her if i had to be there after 10, but no.
Yes of course, i could do all these things in the morning, but i'll be there at 5am. So the problem is still the same.
So if i have to finish work late once, my horses will stay in their droppings without water and been feed ?? …

That's crazy.
I am very sad, the things are turning like this, and thought "horse people" in UK were more opened minded
 
People in the UK are open minded. But that is not the issue. The issue is about expectations, and what is reasonable. I think a 9.00 curfew is more than reasonable. If your working shifts mean that your unable to work within the confines of 'reasonable' yard hours, then maybe your options are part/full livery, or renting your own field that is not part of a yard.
 
Can you not come to some agreement with the YO to help you on your longer days at work ?

I am not at livery at such, but 3 owners work as a team covering each others personal circumstances of child care/shifts etc.
 
amymay said:
People in the UK are open minded. But that is not the issue. The issue is about expectations, and what is reasonable. I think a 9.00 curfew is more than reasonable. If your working shifts mean that your unable to work within the confines of 'reasonable' yard hours, then maybe your options are part/full livery, or renting your own field that is not part of a yard.
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Unfortunately, as i said it is impossible for me for the moment to think about part/full livery.
So that's why i have to do everything by myself.
To rent my own field could be a good option.
 
AdorableAlice said:
Can you not come to some agreement with the YO to help you on your longer days at work ?

I am not at livery at such, but 3 owners work as a team covering each others personal circumstances of child care/shifts etc.
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No she cannot / doesn't want. And too small yard, to find someone else ...
And don't know anybody around to ask for this, unfortunately.
 
You'd be better looking for a field to rent or being on a bigger yard where you could share jobs. It doesn't sound like the right place for you. I still think you need part livery to cover working those kind of hours. For many years I didn't have a horse as I have a very strange work pattern and I couldn't afford livery.
 
Honey08 said:
You'd be better looking for a field to rent or being on a bigger yard where you could share jobs. It doesn't sound like the right place for you. I still think you need part livery to cover working those kind of hours. For many years I didn't have a horse as I have a very strange work pattern and I couldn't afford livery.
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Yes sure, i have to find a solution in anycase.
But impossible for me to not have them (13 years i have my horse, and 5 years my mare...). I finally found a job and came in UK, it is to keep them with me, and not sell them.

Maybe you can tell me how and where i find a person who would like to ride my mare and help to take care of her ?
 
Put a notice up in the local saddlery/feed shops for a sharer for your horse if you would let someone else ride them. Sometimes people just want to come and groom and help out with chores. Is there a local internet forum you could join and advertise on there? When I was pregnant I got someone to come and ride my pony and I just asked for a contribution to shoeing.

Are you in Warwickshire? I am sure you could find somewhere more suitable for you. I've always been lucky with places I've kept my ponies. I rent fields/barn etc with a good friend now. If we are about at odd hours we let the people nearby know so that they don't get concerned with lights being on etc.

Good luck and I hope you manage to resolve your situation soon.
 
Renting your own place would be an option, my stables/land/smallholding costs less than livery for two

I've been at my place till gone midnight before after working late and have been there 3am etc on show mornings or during lambing time - it's lovely to have freedom

BUT if your visiting pattern is irregular then the security of nearby residents keeping an eye out for trouble goes out of the window as they will assume all visitors are you - don't underestimate that!

In your current situation while 9pm may be unworkable for you personally I do think it's quite reasonable generally
 
Ask at the local saddler for local livery yards. Don't worry, there are many yards where they don't ban owners from seeing their horses :) Lots of people work shifts and while not common, it isn't that unusual for owners to be doing their horses at 4am or 11pm at times.

Some of the time restrictions on this thread are astounding. I don't know how the owners exercise their horses before work or in the evenings. Perhaps these yards are for people who don't ride.
 
Wagtail said:
I only do full livery and like to feed the horses in the morning before the yard opens and again n the evening after the yard closes so that feeding times are not disrupted by people coming and going. Yard is open 8.30 am - 9 pm week days and 9.30 am - 7 pm weekends. If I was doing DIY I would change this to 6.45 am - 9 pm week days and 7.45 - 8 pm weekends. But this is only because our house is directly onto the yard. If the house was more separate, I would not have strict times.
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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
 
WelshD said:
Renting your own place would be an option, my stables/land/smallholding costs less than livery for two

I've been at my place till gone midnight before after working late and have been there 3am etc on show mornings or during lambing time - it's lovely to have freedom

BUT if your visiting pattern is irregular then the security of nearby residents keeping an eye out for trouble goes out of the window as they will assume all visitors are you - don't underestimate that!

In your current situation while 9pm may be unworkable for you personally I do think it's quite reasonable generally
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I was thinking ... if you rent your own place for your horses, you cannot ride at all ?
Because i don't think you have an arena ? and with lights ?
 
Thanks everybody for your advices, i will try to have a look at Watermill Feeds (and don't know where there is saddlery here), if they have some adverts for liveries, in my area.
 
pay a freelance groom to cover the evenings you cannot cover.

time restrictions would be a big no no for me, my daughter has always used the yard as a bolt hole and her horses shoulder as one to cry on. the YO would be more cross if we called and woke them up to say we were there, security is lax to say the least so lots of us coming and going early and late is firly goodas it means strange faces would be more likely to be noticed.
 
A freelance groom will travel to your yard to do the horses on the evenings you can't get there for a payment. You might need to advertise for one (local tack shop notice board, free websites with horse sections - eg Preloved - or horse websites).

I really feel for you jirist, if I ran a DIY yard I would never ban someone from coming after work if they sometimes worked late.
 
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