horsesatemymoney
Well-Known Member
Tongue in cheek, or serious, what tips would you give to a first time owner who had never been on a livery yard before? Mine is, lock up all your stuff or take it home!
Tips for surviving a livery yard....
- Thread starter horsesatemymoney
- Start date
piebaldsparkle
Well-Known Member
Mind your own business 
horsesatemymoney
Well-Known Member
Dolcé
Well-Known Member
say hello/goodbye and speak not another word to anyone the whole time you are there!
Orson Cart
Well-Known Member
Have broad shoulders and a wide smile!
Tiffany
Well-Known Member
Learn to listen to people you trust and ignore all other advice that may come your way whether you ask for it or not 
Shysmum
Well-Known Member
what dolce says - and don't get targeted as the new "ooo I can ride out with you !!! " person either - steer well clear 
noobs31
Well-Known Member
I gave up livery yards years ago. Can't survive em! I board at a stud now lol!
TrasaM
Well-Known Member
Make sure you are familiar with the old story about the Old Man and the Donkey no matter what you do someone else will have a different opinion and they are Always Right. 
no matter what you do someone else will have a different opinion and they are Always Right. bennibones
Member
go in do your horse and be polite where needed, comments where people are not going to like what you say are not needed
dappyness
Well-Known Member
OMG!!!!!!!! what a lovely, loving bunch of people you guys are! No wonder equestrian people are stereotyped as snobby b*$&hes!
dappyness
Well-Known Member
Obviously not aimed at everyone posting......
Burmilla
Well-Known Member
Say nothing other than good morning/afternoon/evening. Tidy up after yourself and your horse. Do not rise to any gossip or add to it. Pack all your possessions away in a lockable trunk. Pay your bill on time and in full. Keep your dogs/children under close control at all times, or not there at all. Discuss any concerns or queries with YM/YO only. Be immaculately polite to yard staff.
Review these rules after six months and decide if you wish to relax them or add to them!
Review these rules after six months and decide if you wish to relax them or add to them!
Hairy Old Cob
Well-Known Member
You Need
The hide of a Rhino
The Patience of a Saint
The hide of a Rhino
The Patience of a Saint
Smarties
Well-Known Member
or a dam good left hookYou Need
The hide of a Rhino
The Patience of a Saint
nosenseofdirection
Well-Known Member
Same as I would say to a new Mum- listen to everybody, nod wisely, smile sweetly, say thank you...and then do what suits you best.
pogface
Well-Known Member
Keep your eyes open, keep your nose clean and your mouth shut.
As shut to gossip.... Not shut all the time!
As shut to gossip.... Not shut all the time!
piebaldsparkle
Well-Known Member
as in your'e not telling, or that's your tip!?
LMFAO, no that was my advice!
Gingerwitch
Well-Known Member
Find out the UNWRITTEN rules a.s.a.p - then check them with the real ym or yo !
Do not offer to do anything for anyone until you know who the ones are you can trust to repay you or not take the micky out of you.
Sweep up your poo and hoof mess.
Do not offer to do anything for anyone until you know who the ones are you can trust to repay you or not take the micky out of you.
Sweep up your poo and hoof mess.
noobs31
Well-Known Member
This was my strategy and categorically does not work. I got branded "up myself" :/
horsesatemymoney
Well-Known Member
That's my next question- how do you stay friendly but not aloof?!(not saying you were aloof OP!)
Pongwiffy
Well-Known Member
Staying friendly but not aloof...
Offer to make others a drink if putting kettle on.
Bring coffee/tea/sugar etc periodically
Say hello/goodbye when passing
If you see certain people around a lot, try and make a little bit of time to ask how their horses are doing/ make small talk about weather/ how their week has been once in a while.
Try not to walk around with a face like a slapped ar*se or blank people just because you are having a bad day.
Treat people how you wish you to be treated.
Tidy up after yourself and put things back where you found them.
Don't borrow other people's belongings without asking.
Don't leave anything valuable lying around - just in case.
Don't offer advice or opinions on other people's horses or situations unless specifically asked for it and if in doubt be non-committal! Don't get involved in b*tching.
If people invite you to a social event make the effort to go sometimes even if it isn't really your cup of tea- shared experiences help create a sense of community IMO
I just try to employ the same tact and discretion as you would when dealing with colleagues in a work space. Some people you will naturally click with but you don't have to be everyone's best friend - just be kind and pleasant
Offer to make others a drink if putting kettle on.
Bring coffee/tea/sugar etc periodically
Say hello/goodbye when passing
If you see certain people around a lot, try and make a little bit of time to ask how their horses are doing/ make small talk about weather/ how their week has been once in a while.
Try not to walk around with a face like a slapped ar*se or blank people just because you are having a bad day.
Treat people how you wish you to be treated.
Tidy up after yourself and put things back where you found them.
Don't borrow other people's belongings without asking.
Don't leave anything valuable lying around - just in case.
Don't offer advice or opinions on other people's horses or situations unless specifically asked for it and if in doubt be non-committal! Don't get involved in b*tching.
If people invite you to a social event make the effort to go sometimes even if it isn't really your cup of tea- shared experiences help create a sense of community IMO
I just try to employ the same tact and discretion as you would when dealing with colleagues in a work space. Some people you will naturally click with but you don't have to be everyone's best friend - just be kind and pleasant
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Shooting Star
Well-Known Member
Become friends with the YO / YM ... everybody else is optional
D66
Well-Known Member
Don't offer advice until you're asked, and sometimes not even then.
horsesatemymoney
Well-Known Member
I think ill add, if you haven't got anything nice to say, don't say anything
Dolcé
Well-Known Member
Lol, you have obviously never been on either of the 2 yards I have been on, will never go on a third!
acw295
Well-Known Member
Give as good as you get! Seriously though, I love yards and never have any bother. I manage a big office of mainly women though, I'm used to being hated. I also have perfected the "death stare". Consequently people are only ever lovely to me and my mare and I'm still relatively new to owning (4 years although ridden for donkeys) :-D
_GG_
Well-Known Member
Wow....here is what happened today at the livery yard my mare is on...luckily also just a mile from home.
Up early, OH decides he wants to come with me. Have a lady coming at half nine to view one of YO's horses. YO had family wedding last night, so I deal with the viewing and offer the lady the chance (second viewing, already met her) to stay for the morning and treat the horse like her own as a little trial. My OH makes us all coffee and two other liveries turn up. We all get on with stables, chatting away, taking it in turns to brew up.
Lady viewing leaves, another livery arrives but goes straight out to field as I have already done his horse for him...he milks on all ate weekends, so me or YO will do his horse first and last thing. He poo picks all the fields, despite us all telling him not to!
I made the cupcakes for YO's sister-in-laws wedding, so we tuck into the extras I made and mine and another liveries OH's remove the battles from YO's lorry to charge them up as she needs to sell it.
YO pops in soft a bit despite having an unusual day she she is meant to be away from the yard...she just can't help but come and see her babies and she brought us milk and chocolates
OH does a McDonalds run, gets our dogs from home and we have a play with them in the school for an hour. I give one of the liveries a lesson.
Brought horses in, exercised those that needed it, bedded them down and then a few of us helped to get my land rover in the school to level it as the quad not at the yard.
Spend an hour after getting home texting the same people, including YO that I have been with all day about random cr4p before making dinner.
I have never been on a yard like it. We are a family. No judgement of each other. No egos, no pi$$ taking. If I need to work, YO does mine. If she needs to go to an appointment or have a day away, me and other liveries do hers.
We are adults, we just all work together to make everything fit. YO has happily turned away the business of liveries that would upset our happy home.
I could not imagine being anywhere else and find it so sad that so many others have to put up with so much cr4p.
This thread makes me realise how lucky we are at our yard
Ibblebibble knows the YO as well so she knows just how chilled our yard really is!
Up early, OH decides he wants to come with me. Have a lady coming at half nine to view one of YO's horses. YO had family wedding last night, so I deal with the viewing and offer the lady the chance (second viewing, already met her) to stay for the morning and treat the horse like her own as a little trial. My OH makes us all coffee and two other liveries turn up. We all get on with stables, chatting away, taking it in turns to brew up.
Lady viewing leaves, another livery arrives but goes straight out to field as I have already done his horse for him...he milks on all ate weekends, so me or YO will do his horse first and last thing. He poo picks all the fields, despite us all telling him not to!
I made the cupcakes for YO's sister-in-laws wedding, so we tuck into the extras I made and mine and another liveries OH's remove the battles from YO's lorry to charge them up as she needs to sell it.
YO pops in soft a bit despite having an unusual day she she is meant to be away from the yard...she just can't help but come and see her babies and she brought us milk and chocolates
OH does a McDonalds run, gets our dogs from home and we have a play with them in the school for an hour. I give one of the liveries a lesson.
Brought horses in, exercised those that needed it, bedded them down and then a few of us helped to get my land rover in the school to level it as the quad not at the yard.
Spend an hour after getting home texting the same people, including YO that I have been with all day about random cr4p before making dinner.
I have never been on a yard like it. We are a family. No judgement of each other. No egos, no pi$$ taking. If I need to work, YO does mine. If she needs to go to an appointment or have a day away, me and other liveries do hers.
We are adults, we just all work together to make everything fit. YO has happily turned away the business of liveries that would upset our happy home.
I could not imagine being anywhere else and find it so sad that so many others have to put up with so much cr4p.
This thread makes me realise how lucky we are at our yard
Ibblebibble knows the YO as well so she knows just how chilled our yard really is!
Montyforever
Well-Known Member
Be polite but don't get overly involved! Make sure you keep yourself tidy, if your horse breaks anything - fix it etc just generally do things for an easy life most of the time!
noblesteed
Well-Known Member
Work out when the other liveries go up and avoid those times...
I have moved back to a livery yard recently after a bad experience renting with a friend - and have to say the new yard is a total exception. Lovely people, helpful, relaxed, positive atmosphere. Facilities aren't great but horses and people are happy.
I have moved back to a livery yard recently after a bad experience renting with a friend - and have to say the new yard is a total exception. Lovely people, helpful, relaxed, positive atmosphere. Facilities aren't great but horses and people are happy.