What makes a good livery?

Taffyhorse

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Well, following on from the 'what makes a good YO' thread below - I'd thought I'd post the opposite side of the coin and ask what makes a good livery.

I am a 'livery' now but have worked on yards in the past. I like to think I'm a good livery, generally don't make a fuss (don't need to though as my horse is very well looked after) don't hassle YO unless I need too, she knows neds routine and little foibles and I'm quite happy to leave her to it.

I wonder whether it makes a difference as to how much stable management experience you have got though?? A few of us were having a conversation on the yard about how some of those who don't have any experience of looking after horses (i.e. they have always been on livery) tend to be the ones to cause more fuss than those who have - perhaps because those who have know what's important and what's not. OK, this is generalising (and please don't shoot me down for it) but I have been on yards where the owner has made a complete fuss about x horse wearing the wrong rug when A) they don't really have a clue as to what the most suitable rug is anyway and B) they completely fail to notice if their horse is lame or the beds aren't mucked out properly, not enough water etc etc.

Food for thought? Discuss... :)
 

T-Bag

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Having a horse costs a lot of money, but having a livery yard costs far far more and the cost of livery is not really that much higher than it was £10 years ago I would say, but the demand for better facilities has never been higher.

prefect livery, someone who understands running a yard!
 

joeanne

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A good livery....
Doesn't interfere with other liveries, but is helpful and polite.
Pays their livery bill on time.
Doesn't allow their children (where applicable) to run riot around the yard.
Looks after and has consideration for their horse/pony.
 
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ThePony

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Good post!
I think a good livery needs to basicaly just follow the rules given by the YO. If they have an issue or concern discuss it calmly and polietly with the person in question (not via the whole yard!), look after their horse and keep their nose out of how others look after theirs unless asked - go to YO if you have an issue with others care. Tidy after themselves. Don't take without asking and don't assume that just because you ask to borrow something (nice brand new and shiny expensive!) you will be allowed to - that is up to the owner!
Understand that in paying for DIY livery you don't own the YO 24/7 and it isn't on to hunt them down at home everytime you want to bend their ear over something. YO also aren't magicians or mind readers! Oh, and pay bills on time!!
 

pearcider

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Lovely post that a YO that is injured at present can waffle in!!

I think I have the best liveries by far!!

We have a little yard that is not posh or fancy but all out horses do very well. We have horses that hack and enjoy sponsored rides to horses that compete at BE up to 2 star.

All my liveries muck in and muck out.

Im currently off after a knee op so my liveries are keping an eye on the horses and the yard.

All the liveries OH are brought in to help with fencing and DIY.

We all go out to dinner or spend far to long drinking hot chocolate that riding.
If anyone is upset there is always a friendly ear at the yard to listen to your troubles.

We all help each other and if anyone goes to buy horse feed or a bar of chocolate it often become a yard outing or 6 bars of chocolate!!

I always think of my yard as OUR yard and really think they are the best liveries by far!!
 

Tinks81

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ones that remember all the rules you told them when they first came up and do not turn around and say 'oh sorry i didnt realise xyz needed to be done''
is friendly and polite to other liveries but not over bearing
Are not always right about their own horse unfortunately
pays on time and realises they too would be pi55ed off if their company paid them 2 weeks late because they went away and forgot to tell you
is clean and tidy and is conciencious they share a yard with another 8 people
 

skint1

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I hope that we are good liveries but of course you can never tell. I can guarantee that our last YO didn't think much of us, some I think was down to them and some I am certain was down to us.

We pay for livery on or as near to the specified date as can

We try and maintain at least polite relationships with everyone on the yard and not get too involved in cliques and gossip- not really a big problem on our new yard anyway

We try and clean up after ourselves if we use the school, and do our share of poo picking

We don't run to the YO with every little problem we have, if we can fix something ourselves we will

We follow yard rules around use of facilities, permitted hacking areas, use of hay/straw and worming protocols

If the YO does anything extra for us we appreciate it as it is technically a DIY yard
 

luckilotti

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IMO, a 'good livery':
follows all of the yard rules, (on my yard i have 4 sides of A4 of rules... mostly common sense but if they are written down, no-one can say they didnt know!)
- but at the same time doesnt go and bother the Yo if someone breaks a silly one (such as leaving a dropping in the paddock, everyones human and forgets things every now and then),
pay their bills on time - or if its late, at least discuss it with the YO

there is loads i could say, but they are all covered by the 'yard rules' bit, such as closing gates, keeping yard tidy, keeping an eye on each others horses and report any issues to YO/owner - but them not sticking their noses in etc.

As a YO, who has been doing it for nearly 10 years now, most liveries in general are ok! (as long as you know their 'quirks' its much easier - everyone has a little quirk! (ie, one of my liveries has owned horses for 18 years now, yet she still cant make her own decision about what rug to use when and asks everyone daily - lovely lovely lady though who is very genuine).

i would type more but one of my little boys is climbing on my shoulders!
 

greenlivery

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I'm a yard owner and I'm very lucky to have wonderful liveries.
I think liveries need to respect the property they are on, be clean and tidy, follow/respect any rules that are set and not cause any unwanted drama with fellow liveries!
My main rule is to keep the place looking smart - no leaving poop on the yard or in the school etc. I'm very lucky with liveries as my place is kept really tidy and well looked after.
The only drama on my yard is that we are all single ladies, so if I ever get a male livery he best beware! ;)
 

Luci07

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I'm a yard owner and I'm very lucky to have wonderful liveries.
I think liveries need to respect the property they are on, be clean and tidy, follow/respect any rules that are set and not cause any unwanted drama with fellow liveries!
My main rule is to keep the place looking smart - no leaving poop on the yard or in the school etc. I'm very lucky with liveries as my place is kept really tidy and well looked after.
The only drama on my yard is that we are all single ladies, so if I ever get a male livery he best beware! ;)

hmm.... bearing in mind the average free male around horses... you do need to caveat that he needs to be straight! Friends who read Jilly Cooper just can't understand the lack of men with horses and think I am being coy when I say that most men who venture into the amateur side of horses are either a: someone elses OH or b: gay! either way, they won't be looking in my direction (unless its my instructor who takes the pee out of me anyway!)
 

Rosehip

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I work on a full livery yard, and have more responsibility at the moment as my boss (YO/YM) is broken.
All the liveries are great, one comes down early to spend 'quiet' time with his mare, and often helps me get in all the other horses. Another livery comes later and always fills her own nets up, often doing a couple of others just to help me out.
Im guessing they all have rules in their contract governing leaving poo's in the school etc, but as a Full yard rather than DIY, they dont HAVE to do anything!
If I were to have a yard of my own (one day *dreams*) a 'good' livery would be someone who paid on time, looked after their horses properly and was a nice person - as apposed to one who b1tched or was sullen or surly.
 

Cazza525

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Oh I'm enjoying reading this.....only had my liveries 5 days and all the above mentioned 'problems' have arisen already.

You're going to giggle now....

I rented 2 boxes on small yard with 3 acres tack room and feed room to 2 women
I rente4d a further 4 acres to another womanwhose only access to field is through carpark and up track to field.

The 2 ladies renting the 2 stables and grazing come with 2 TB's and a shetland,they've cordoned off at their own expense one of the stables to accomodate shetlands.

The lady renting seperate 4 acres has 3 ponies and one welsh D,2 of the ponies are youngsters.

Basically,the 2 ladies at the bottom didn't tell me that their TB's come with a sharer which are 2 teenage girls.....and they come with their family!!

I arrived yesterday to find one lady changing the main padlock on the gate (because her false nails were being in danger of pinging....apparently!!) There were 7 cars in very small carpark so no access up track for other lady. And honestly there was about 15 ppl there, kids running around unsupervised and 2 dogs running around also.

I unfortunately had a phonecall to say an old mare of mine was colicking so had to dash......but I am flabbergasted!!

As I was leaving the girl up the field on her own was leading her just backed welsh D down the track towards the mayhem to ride out (god only knows how she got past cars and then I met a bloke in a 4wd and trailer bringing in a haylege delivery.!!

I will sort by the weekend and may well kick them all out by Monday at this rate!!
 

greenlivery

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hmm.... bearing in mind the average free male around horses... you do need to caveat that he needs to be straight! Friends who read Jilly Cooper just can't understand the lack of men with horses and think I am being coy when I say that most men who venture into the amateur side of horses are either a: someone elses OH or b: gay! either way, they won't be looking in my direction (unless its my instructor who takes the pee out of me anyway!)

hehe yes, totally depressing!
 

MiJodsR2BlinkinTite

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I do DIY livery and have sadly had to say goodbye to two lovely liveries over the years, so here's my attempt at definition:

They always pay on time, without hassle or disputing, and cheerfully!

They never leave junk around the yard for others to fall over

If their horse damages something, they pay for it (including a stable door that someone's darling horse demolished!)

They are always pleasant and cheerful, even when the chips are down

We shared each others pain: one very sad day when a livery's old horse had to be PTS; later on she supported me when mine had to be

Always willing to lend a hand with fencing/clipping etc - goes both ways

Always willing to let YO borrow the trailer in exchange for a week's "free" livery!!! (much appreciated as YO has no transport)

Able to do each other favours without it being either expected or taken for granted, i.e. clipping/bringing in - all sorts of little things

Being a lovely friend as well as a livery; having a truly interesting horse, totally quirky but pair-bonded with mine

and so on and so on. And if these lovely people are reading this and recognise themselves; then thank you from the bottom of my heart for being such lovely liveries and such lovely people, plus horses too.

I have a new livery arriving next week; so hopefully things will turn out OK for her and her horse.
 

martlin

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Oh, come on, somebody needs to say it:
The IDEAL livery is one who delivers a well mannered, good doer horse on full livery and visits once a month to pay their bill, or even better, sends a cheque/standing order :D
 

minmax

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I think I would rather be in blissfull ignorance than knowing what I do about horses.
I have worked with horses for nearly 20 yrs before giving it up 7 yrs ago.
I am on a DIY yard, most are happy hackers but I and a couple of others compete.
Some things drive me wild that most don't even notice. Oh for a cobby type that doesn't seem to be bothered by anything and can be ridden without having its feet done regularly.
 
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A good livery follows the rules set by the Yard Owner, is friendly to everyone without being overpowering and getting too involved with other people and their horses. They are also not bitchy, look after their horse/pony properly, give clear instructions of what the staff are required to do with their horse and they pay their livery bill on time.
 

spiritstables

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Good liveries should pay on time, follow the yard rules.
Pay for anything that they or their horses damage.
If they have a problem let me know cos if I dont know I cant sort it out & thats when things get bitchy.
Tidy up after themselves & not leave it for someone else or deny it was their mess in the beginning.
At the end of the day they need to remember that they are on someone elses property & they should be considerate & respectful of that. Even though as YO we are providing a service they still need to keep their children & dogs under supervision as things can happen that would otherwise be avoided.
Most of the time my liveries are very good so cant complain too much
 

blitznbobs

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Recognises that the YO is a human being with wants and needs too and is willing to either pay up for everything they want or have a 'give and take' relationship (We have the best liveries in the world... would be seriously upset if they left)

Bx
 

Achinghips

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In my experience, it doesn't matter what you do, if your horse damages property, you are a bad livery. If your horse damages itself on the facilities offered, it's the liveries fault.

If you attempt/offer to pay for repairs or come up with a creative solution, the YO will only put up with you for so long. How long depends on how much of a twonk your horse is and if there is a waiting list for places/overcrowding at the current yard.
 
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