What to ask when finding a livery?

[Toffee44]

I have rung a few liveries in the area that I am moving to in March and have arranged visits. (5 yards)

All of these liveries have the facilities I am after: school, full turnout and stable. All are happy to have instructors to come to the yard and two have instructors onsite. The liveries are all happy to accomadate my working lifestyle and offer part livery for my shift pattern.

Just as DIY there is the difference between £90-135 excluding hay and £130-160 a month including hay between the 5 yards.

I have rented a field from a farmer for 8 years and actually am not sure what are good questions to ask when looking at livery.

What should be included in contracts?

What do I need to check even stupid things?

Thanks I know you guys are good at these kind of things.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Remember to ask about:
Storage facility (if you want to have your own bedding/hay etc) how big is it - is it easy to access?
Parking (yes, its an odd one, but sometimes its a prob in busy yards)
Times of going there - do they close or open at xyz times that will fit in with your home/work/competing life?
Insurance for tack left there - and how much space do you have in tackroom? (and in rugroom - or what storage facilities do they have for storing rugs - and drying rugs - think of the worst of the winter with dripping NZ's!)
Insurance for liability for horse accidents/person accidents
Damage - do you pay for damage your horse does to others/property etc?
Feeding - set times? Can you have yours fed later or not fed if you tend to ride early/late?
Information regarding vets - eg: you need to sort out if they act in 'loco-parentis' if they cannot reach you - and what do you permit them to do with your horse in case of accident.
Worming programme
Do they have isolation area?
Is there ever any restriction on turnout length of time - even in exceptional weather?

Sorry, but there is prob a lot more, but all relative things to think about, particularly if you've been used to being on your own place

Happy hunting a new home for your equine - its a really good time of year to check out yards as you will see all the paddocks prob at their worst!

 

[zoelouisem]

Erm a couple things
*Check the yards opening times, espeacially if youve got funny hours and need to go early/late.
*Ask those including hay if it is adlib or a limited amount i know somebody on here is only allowd 20lbs while that may suit some may bump up livery if youve got to buy more in.
*Check full turn out is full turn out, my previous yard said full turn out but shut the feilds for 6 weeks in the winter but charged for indivual turnout in that 6 weeks, so in theory they could say full turnout but some peeps on a buget had horses locked up for 6 weeks!!!
*Poo picking if they do/dont and if they dont are you ok with that?

I cant think of anything else at the mo but sure something will pop into my head in a min!

 

[9tails]

Good responses from Xmas Furry and zoelouisem, here's a couple more.

Do you need to pay for lights in arena?
Is turnout individual or group? How big are groups?
24/7 in summer if wanted?
Any bedding not allowed?
Most important - Who is the yard nutter?

Another great idea is to go down there on a Saturday morning, around 9am, and have an informal chat with other liveries to gauge their reaction to questions on turn out, local hacking, other liveries and YM.

Our yard advertises all year round turnout but we do get stuck in for up to 2 weeks at a time during bad weather. YM doesn't mention this to potential liveries.

 

[Toffee44]

Oooooo see I knew you guys were good. I have written them all down.

How about contracts what should be included in one.

Im guessing
?
Insurance-horse insured
Damage-me or YO payment.

 

[Caz89]

To be honest any decent and professional livery yard should have a list of the terms and conditions on a written contract. Ask them for one and read through it as most of the questions above should have been answered in there. if they arn't then you can ask them this will save both of your time