what do you look for in a Full Livery yard

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StaceyTanglewood

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What facilities do you look for on a full livery yard???

And roughly how much would you pay for a nice yard on the outskirts of London??

x
 
Nice big airy stables
Good size arena with a nice surface
Good safe turnout in small groups

Around here a good full livery is about £120 a week including everything apart from the farrier, vet and schooling.

I think its important that a full livery yard be very manitain and tidy as this gives the impression that your horse will be looked after well and that you can trust the yard staff to me thats the most important. Its not worth paying money for full livery if your just worried about your horses well being the whole time.
 
Ginger_Nut said:
Nice big airy stables
Good size arena with a nice surface
Good safe turnout in small groups

Around here a good full livery is about £120 a week including everything apart from the farrier, vet and schooling.

I think its important that a full livery yard be very manitain and tidy as this gives the impression that your horse will be looked after well and that you can trust the yard staff to me thats the most important. Its not worth paying money for full livery if your just worried about your horses well being the whole time.
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Thanks !! yes you are right full livery is about being able to go to work and not worry about your horse during the day or if you cant get there x
 
We pay just over £700 a month in East London for full livery (without exercise). It was really our only choice due to various circumstances, but it is a very nice yard. The standard of care is high and there are 3 outdoor arenas, and one indoor, so riding is nearly never a problem. There's a horsewalker and limited turnout (they get one or the other every day). There's also (very) limited hacking and a small x-country course that can be used in Summer.

I also appreciate that my stable has it's own mini-tack room, although not all do. Everything is well maintained and it all feels very secure, with people living on-site to ensure the horses are checked late at night as well as throughout the day. So far I've also been impressed with the staff, although do wish that each livery was assigned one groom who was responsible for their care consistently.

The price is very steep, but that's because of the location, so most liveries here have sharers. That said, I've not seen anything much lower at any of the yards that are easily accessible via public transport from central London - I'm sure if you're heading out into Epping Forest/deepest darkest S London then the price may start to come down again. Before taking the decision to move her here we looked at some of the bigger livery yards in Hants/Surrey for a price comparison and to be honest, even they weren't much cheaper (eg. Wellington is about £670 a month).
 
good stables
all year turnout with good fencing
good school with good surfaces
nice off road hacking
horse walker if poss
secure tackroom with plenty of room
washbox

more important than all of that though- people you can trust 100% to look after your horse and who are flexible to your needs.

my current yard moved the entire feedroom along so my 4yro could have a big foaling box (at least 16 x 14).
he is 17.2hh and most yards wanted to put him in a 12x12 which he can barely turn around in.
that sort of detail means a lot.

also, mine have swapped from out in the day to out at night to back out in the day in a week due to the weather- with no complaint from the YO.

cost, not sure for down there but in the midlands you are looking at around £80/week all in (i pay slightly more but have a huge xc course on site as well :))
 
millitiger said:
my current yard moved the entire feedroom along so my 4yro could have a big foaling box (at least 16 x 14).
he is 17.2hh
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:eek: A boy horse having a foal .... you're gonna be rich :p:D:D.

OP - As well as facilities, I agree that the people who are handling your horse are up to the job. As somebody else said, the whole point of full livery is that you don't have to worry about them (too much).
 
I'm more than willing to compromise on facilities, I would rather prioritise finding a yard with honest reliable YO & staff!

Minimum facilities I would want on full livery are: 12x12 stable or bigger (pref brick/block rather than wood), good turnout in well managed groups with at least 5hrs a day through winter and out overnight/in during day through summer. 20x40 school or bigger with floodlights and good well maintained surface. Some off road hacking. Trailer/lorry parking. Secure tackroom with sufficient room. Any other actual facilities are a bonus.

However my priority would be good quality ad-lib forage (no stingy YO please), ability to choose what hard feed my horse was given and be confident that it was getting what I thought, adequate clean bedding, staff that would notice if there was something wrong with horse and act accordingly, staff that followed owners instructions (rather than making up their own because they are too lazy/don't agree) .... rarer than you would think on some yards ;P

In the London Commuter belt I would expect to pay £90-120 per week excluding exercise or £130-£180 including exercise/groom/tack clean
 
FionaMc said:
We pay just over £700 a month in East London for full livery (without exercise). It was really our only choice due to various circumstances, but it is a very nice yard. The standard of care is high and there are 3 outdoor arenas, and one indoor, so riding is nearly never a problem. There's a horsewalker and limited turnout (they get one or the other every day). There's also (very) limited hacking and a small x-country course that can be used in Summer.

I also appreciate that my stable has it's own mini-tack room, although not all do. Everything is well maintained and it all feels very secure, with people living on-site to ensure the horses are checked late at night as well as throughout the day. So far I've also been impressed with the staff, although do wish that each livery was assigned one groom who was responsible for their care consistently.

The price is very steep, but that's because of the location, so most liveries here have sharers. That said, I've not seen anything much lower at any of the yards that are easily accessible via public transport from central London - I'm sure if you're heading out into Epping Forest/deepest darkest S London then the price may start to come down again. Before taking the decision to move her here we looked at some of the bigger livery yards in Hants/Surrey for a price comparison and to be honest, even they weren't much cheaper (eg. Wellington is about £670 a month).
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OMG that is expensive !! Im in chelsfield and its no where near that for Schooling livery x
 
I don't know how much you'd pay in London however at my yard (Shropshire), "part" livery (everything bar riding and tack cleaning but inc walker mon-fri if required) is £370 per month.

From a full/part livery yard I look for:

-Good sized, airy stables. I won't have my horse on a yard with those awful stables that are split up to the ceiling and fully filled in so that the only opening is that above the door. I like American barns with bars, or walls that allow horses to see each other and touch but not fight.
- Good turnout, in terms of how the fields are maintained and how much TO my horse gets. I won't go to a yard without winter TO. As long as he gets a few hours every day, I am happy. Also expect the fields to be well maintained with post and rail fencing that is looked after.
- Yard should be clean and tidy (at the other end of the spectrum, I dislike sterile looking yards but that's just being picky!).
- I expect to get all of the services I pay for... this means not having to muck out myself because it hasn't been done, not having to check my horse has been fed and hayed (I have been on "full" livery yards where the YO doesn't bother to feed or muck out horses if they know the owner isn't coming that day). If I'm paying for FL then what I want is peace of mind, to know that my horse is looked after 100% when I'm not there.
- Decent arena that is well looked after. Doesn't need to be an indoor, just a good sized outdoor with quality surface.
- Horse walker
- Knowledgeable staff who care about the horses in their charge and know when something is wrong. I won't move to a yard where the YO pays kids to look after the horses half of the time, regardless of how long the kids may have been riding.

Basically just that I get what I pay for, that my horse is looked after, and the facilities are good.
 
Basically what everyone else has said.

would have to include all mucking out and it would be cool if it could it include a bit of excersise too.
would need to include all bedding, feed and hay
big stables
clean yard
proffesional staff
nice big tack room where I can keep all my tack, rugs, bits and bobs
the ability to ride almost anytime I chose
a late night check
rugging up
turnout throught the summer and winter.

things like a cross country course would be a bonus.

basically the peace of mind that my horse is alright
 
ok so how does my add sound - all my liveries have been with me for years but this summer one lady is moving to australia and the other is off to Uni

I dont have a waiting list as i rarely have a space come up and if i do its by word of mouth it is filled but obviously i now have 3 spaces to fill and want to advertise

I wasnt sure if i missed anything out ??


2 x Full/Schooling Livery at Private Yard in Chelsfield

* Internal stables from Hancox ranging from 14x12, 12x12 and 10x10

* Includes all hay, bedding, feed, muck out, hold for vet/farrier 7 days a week

* 30x60 All Weather menage with floodlights and full set of Show Jumps

* 40 acres of good grazing with P&R fencing (mares/geldings split)

* Hay grown on site

* Fantastic BHS groom who is also available to exercise horses

* Tackroom is locked and alarmed to insurance company aprroval

* On-site 24 hour Security with alarms

* Track around 40 acres so no need for road work

* Lovely hacking right on door step can go out for hours

* Dressage rider and Show Jumper at the yard weekly for lessons or to ride liveries horses

* option to buy your own hard feed to suit your horse

* Many other options available please just ask and we will always try to accomodate

* Clinics/ BBQ during the year

* Friendly yard of only 12 horses with people that do ride in the evening after work

full livery £440 pm / Schooling livery £650 (horse is worked 4 times)
 
I would say:

7 day Full/Schooling Livery available at Small Private Yard in Chelsfield

* Yard consists of 12 internal stables from Hancox ranging from 10x10 to 14x12

* Includes all forage (grown on-site), bedding, daily care. Large range of feed available or you can provide your own

* Excellent facilities including 30x60 floodlit All Weather menage with full set of Show Jumps

* AYTO turnout on 40 acres of well maintained P&R fields (small groups of mares/geldings)

* Extensive bridleways on door step for long hacks or short hacks around the track around the fields so no need for road work

* Tackroom is locked and alarmed to insurance company aprroval

* On-site 24 hour Security with alarms

* Fantastic BHS groom who is also available to exercise horses

* Dressage rider and Show Jumper at the yard weekly for lessons or to ride liveries horses

* Livery package is individually tailored for each horse and owner - we will always try to accommodate

* Friendly yard holding clinics/ BBQs throughout the year

full livery packages start from £440 pm (all inclusive) / Schooling livery from £650 (including 4 training sessions per week)
 
CBAnglo said:
I would say:

7 day Full/Schooling Livery available at Small Private Yard in Chelsfield

* Yard consists of 12 internal stables from Hancox ranging from 10x10 to 14x12

* Includes all forage (grown on-site), bedding, daily care. Large range of feed available or you can provide your own

* Excellent facilities including 30x60 floodlit All Weather menage with full set of Show Jumps

* AYTO turnout on 40 acres of well maintained P&R fields (small groups of mares/geldings)

* Extensive bridleways on door step for long hacks or short hacks around the track around the fields so no need for road work

* Tackroom is locked and alarmed to insurance company aprroval

* On-site 24 hour Security with alarms

* Fantastic BHS groom who is also available to exercise horses

* Dressage rider and Show Jumper at the yard weekly for lessons or to ride liveries horses

* Livery package is individually tailored for each horse and owner - we will always try to accommodate

* Friendly yard holding clinics/ BBQs throughout the year

full livery packages start from £440 pm (all inclusive) / Schooling livery from £650 (including 4 training sessions per week)
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Yours sounds soooo much better than mine thank you !!

Anyone got any other changes i should make ?? x
 
Sounds like a lovely yard :)

For me, full livery is paying for someone to look after my horse with the same level of care that I would.

I expect the basics - large airy stable, excellent turnout with secure fencing, good facilities and hacking but for me routine and level of care is equally as important!

I know so many full livery yards where the horses are fed/turned out at different times due to staff shortages or laziness. Rugs are never changed, feet never picked out etc, cuts/grazes not noticed for days.

I've only found 1 livery yard offering full livery up here that I would move to on full livery but it's miles from me - that's why I'm on DIY!

Pricing sounds very good for yours - I know somewhere near me who is £90 pw for full livery and the level of care is poor IMO.
 
Probably will sound really nit-picking but I would like my horse to have his feet picked out daily when he comes in which my full livery doesn't cover so if I can't make it down he isn't stood with stones in his hooves...
 
Babybear said:
Sounds like a lovely yard :)

For me, full livery is paying for someone to look after my horse with the same level of care that I would.

I expect the basics - large airy stable, excellent turnout with secure fencing, good facilities and hacking but for me routine and level of care is equally as important!

I know so many full livery yards where the horses are fed/turned out at different times due to staff shortages or laziness. Rugs are never changed, feet never picked out etc, cuts/grazes not noticed for days.

I've only found 1 livery yard offering full livery up here that I would move to on full livery but it's miles from me - that's why I'm on DIY!

Pricing sounds very good for yours - I know somewhere near me who is £90 pw for full livery and the level of care is poor IMO.
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Thanks i am very lucky my groom is my best friend and been with me for over 8 years she also competes my horses in dressage as i show jump

do you think its worth mentioning this also maybe something about the routine ??

i have a lovely girl at the weekends when i am also on sight all day every day
 
Bens_Mum said:
Probably will sound really nit-picking but I would like my horse to have his feet picked out daily when he comes in which my full livery doesn't cover so if I can't make it down he isn't stood with stones in his hooves...
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would this not be something covered off if someone rung or emailed me??

Also i dont have any stones or mud so am very lucky but their feet always get checked x
 
StaceyTanglewood said:
Thanks i am very lucky my groom is my best friend and been with me for over 8 years she also competes my horses in dressage as i show jump

do you think its worth mentioning this also maybe something about the routine ??

i have a lovely girl at the weekends when i am also on sight all day every day
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yes I think it's worth mentioning - the yard I refered to as a good example has this on their website.

It details the summer/winter routine

http://www.scottishhorsehelp.co.uk/about/livery-services/

Strangely, I'm also attracted to yards who have I nice looking website!
 
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