what would you look for in the ultimate livery yard?

J

JenHunt

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I'm trying to write a business proposal and am looking at all the possible options....
I want to create the ultimate livery yard that is as much community for the owners as for the equines.
we would like to provide a 'club house' with food and drink and social events, showers, changing rooms and decent toilets.

we want to know what you would look for in such a place if there was no limit to the amount you (or the company) could spend.

can you tell me what type of stables, bedding, arena surfaces, jumps etc would you prefer.
what tack room/feed room arrangement? (one at the back of each stable or one for the yard)
would you want cctv for the yard or for each stable?
would you want security gates?
anything else?
 
Security would be very high on my list but even higher, and something you don't mention, is a relaxed friendly atmosphere but with zero tolerance of trouble making. Stables - as airy as possible, in an American Barn type lay-out. Year round secure turn out is a must have too. I know I haven't been comprehensive in my answer but I'm pretty non-fussed about the rest of it.
 
For us, it would be security, and successful management. From our point of you, if a yard wasnt post & rail allround then we wouldnt want to put our boy there. He also has COPD so airy stabling and good shelter outside would be great. Automatic water drinkers in stables and to fields would be great. Tack wise we take all ours home as I keep ours under the house insurance, but a super safe tackroom would be wonderful.
 
I would add that on one yard I was at, each stable had a little cupboard in one corner (triangular...built into the corner iykwim?), which was dead handy for storing brushes/hoof picks etc.

Somewhere to hang rugs is a must, as well as decent storage for everything else. I would think that it would be better to have a feed room and a tackroom for everyones use (perhaps with lockers for tack?) rather than loads of smaller areas.

Good turnout would be essential. Properly maintained etc.

Most of all though, good management can make the least of facilities more inviting. I would far rather be on a yard that was well run, but didnt have a school (for example) than a yard that boasted all singing and dancing everything, but was run by a bunch of no-hopers without a clue!
 
Security is the main priority for me as well, the yard would ideally be away from big roads, I wouldn't want my horse to be visible from a motorway in his field. I love a peaceful setting, so it really feels relaxing to go to the yard after work or whatever. CCTV is great, but not necessarily in every stable unless there was something specefic to use it for, like a foaling box, or if my horse was on box rest and I'd like to keep a closer eye on him. I'd rather have proper gates for the fields rather than moving electric fencing to the side, ideally fencing would be post and rail with electric as well, or post and electric.
As for feed and tack rooms, I keep all my tack at home but I think its nice to have a communal feed room because thats more sociable, providing things don't go 'missing'. Maybe a communal feed room with individual safes or lockers for the more valuable things like boots etc.
Its lovely to have a separate tea room and nice toilets etc, actually a yard I went to view today had a really nice room with a proper kitchen (worksurface, sink, microwave etc) and heating and a table, luxury for a converted stable!!
Good luck with the business proposal. Nx
 
I prefer outdoor type stable with good overhang rather than barn type. Rubber matting
All year round turnout
Indoor school
Lessons available
Flexibility in livery arrangements - e.g. diy, but can have assisted at short notice, part livery when on holiday.
Good hacking
conscientious manager on site, who notices if anything is wrong with the horses even if they are DIY
Loos
Somewhere to make drinks
Secure tackroom
A decent level of security but not fussed about cctv
 
what sort of surface on an indoor and outdoor arena (wouldn't have to be the same) and what about all weather gallop?

post and rail or hedges or a combination - assume all well maintained

bedding provided (but flexible) or not provided?
 
[ QUOTE ]
Security would be very high on my list but even higher, and something you don't mention, is a relaxed friendly atmosphere but with zero tolerance of trouble making. Stables - as airy as possible, in an American Barn type lay-out. Year round secure turn out is a must have too. I know I haven't been comprehensive in my answer but I'm pretty non-fussed about the rest of it.

[/ QUOTE ]
This is exactally what i was going to put!
I could cope with most things but a bad atmosphere and bitchiness is a definate no.
Other than this if i could afford my ideal yard it would have security gates big airy stables where no-one was allowed to use straw and it was kept as clean as possable.
There would be plenty of storage space and the fields would be taken good care of- hardcore or something around gateways, poo picked and well fenced.
 
All year turn out,
Good hacking
well maintained fields (poo picked, topped etc)
safe fencing
understanding of grazing needs of muzzle hating fat ponies.
flood lit school available to ride in all the time, doesn't freeze or flood.
Secure tack room.
Loo and somewhere to make a drink.
corner storage space in stable

Above all good atmosphere and value for money.
 
* Security
* Light, airy stables, American Barn style
* Individual tack, feed and bedding areas, preferably lockable to prevent stealing
* Automatic waterers in stables and fields
* Hay bar
* Rubber Matting on the floor of the stable
* Storage in the stable
* Individual turnout available as well as group
* Safe fencing - post and rail preferable
* Outdoor and Indoor school - all weather for the outdoor
* Floodlights for the outdoor (indoor with lighting as a given)
* Horse Walker
* Warm wash area
* Horse Solarium
* Rug cleaning facilities
* Tack area heated
* Comfortable area for clients, kitchen facilities, toilet
* Additional services available for DIY
* Easy, safe access to turnout and schools

Don't want much do I, lol!
 
Decent safe storage, good fencing, good yard management and knowledgeable horse management, well maintained fields and good security on the yard.

If those were in place I would be happy.

Not to put in your business plan but I would also be looking for a yard manager who had a firm hand on liveries and could deal with problem behavior or people who were not caring for their horses properly.
 
On top of all the obvious, like an indoor school big enough for big horses to stride out in rather than mince around in! Good staff, particularly those who will stay long term, rather than students who will stay for a few months. Staff who will try to do the essential things you ask them and who don't have to be asked the obvious things (like the staff at my current yard!)
 
[ QUOTE ]
* Security
* Light, airy stables, American Barn style
* Individual tack, feed and bedding areas, preferably lockable to prevent stealing
* Automatic waterers in stables and fields
* Hay bar
* Rubber Matting on the floor of the stable
* Storage in the stable
* Individual turnout available as well as group
* Safe fencing - post and rail preferable
* Outdoor and Indoor school - all weather for the outdoor
* Floodlights for the outdoor (indoor with lighting as a given)
* Horse Walker
* Warm wash area
* Horse Solarium
* Rug cleaning facilities
* Tack area heated
* Comfortable area for clients, kitchen facilities, toilet
* Additional services available for DIY
* Easy, safe access to turnout and schools

Don't want much do I, lol!

[/ QUOTE ]

All of the above except I don't like automatic waterers in stables.
Turnout to be available 365 days of the year, and 24/7 for at least summer, if not winter too.
A Paradise Paddock set up for good doers, laminitics and those who need to move around more to get fit
A professional, experienced horse and client friendly YO. Ditto for all staff
 
One simple word - Competence.

Both in respect of all relevent equestrian/equine matters and in all relevent aspects of business management.

Competence of those who run it and of the staff engaged.

Competence is defined as knowledge, experience, training and personal attributes (e.g attitude).

Add to that ongoing Continuing professional development (CPD) for owners and staff (It needn't cost the earth - often just time and sometimes travel costs).

If you have the above the rest should fall in place.

For most people the ultimate livery yard is one where their horses are secure, in safe hands and where there is a high level of mutual trust and respect.

Simplistic I know, but forget the rest if the basic foundations aren't there.
 
Ditto all the above, also at my yard which is DIY the YO arranges farrier, vet etc. You're welcome to have your own farrier if you want but if not your horse is booked in every 6 weeks and the cost is added to your bill. Worming is completely non-flexible and jabs, teeth etc are arranged too.

It sounds like it would be annoying but it saves any of us the bother of trying to find a farrier or book regular appointments, and as the yard is a regular reliable client he offers us a small discount and comes out at short notice to replace lost shoes etc for free.

So my perfect yard would include a YO who arranges vet and farrier visits, and of course a strict worming rota even on DIY. All weather gallops, XC jumps, on site hacking would be a bonus, as would 2 acres+ per horse. Far too many YOs build 20 stable s on ten acres and wonder why their grazing is non-existent.
 
All of the above and a few more...

Heated rug room
Warm bathing area for horse
all weather gallop
xc course
indoor and outdoor school
Flexible turnout including sick bay with small resticted turnout for recovering cripples! (can you tell I am contending with a tendon injury) lol
 
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