What's the big deal ?

burtondog

burtondog

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SE London/Kent, UK and Devon
www.michellehudson.co.uk
Earlier this week I read a post which referred to an owner who had kept her horse on full livery for years and only visited occassionally. I don't see a problem in this, although a few posters did. The horse's care was in the hands of a professional and at least the owner knew it was safe. original thread

A number of years ago I had a 'mini' mid life crisis and decided to quit my job to go backpacking around the globe for a year (or so). At that time I had a lovely little horse I'd owned for 7 years since he was 4 and I certainly didn't want to sell him so I arranged to leave him on full livery at the yard he'd been on since I'd bought him. The yard manager had my authority to do whatever was needed in my absence. I made arrangements to pay everything and I could be txtd in the event of an emergency. He wouldn't have got much exercise but he would have been handled and checked daily.

I don't see any problem with this and I can't see why anyone would
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Now runs for cover
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I work at a livery yard, have been there since April. We have one horse I have yet to met the owner of. We do everything for her horse and she is happy to leave us in charge and pays her bills etc. She will be up more in the winter to ride/hunt etc but works abroad in the summer.
 
I think it depends on the situation - for instance, you went away for a year but did not want ot sell or loan your horse while you were away.

On my yard there is a lovely 16.2hh dressage horse who is only about 11 or 12 years old. He hasn't been ridden for a year and I have not seen the owner for about 18mths. A year ago he was being ridden by someone to sell on the owners behalf. A buyer was found and then the owner pulled out of selling him and he was turned back out into the field and has not been ridden since.

He is fully looked after by the YM, checked daily, fed, feet trimmed etc, but no-one spends any amount of time with him, or grooms him or trims him.

I think in that situation it's a real shame and such a waste of a good horse.

So there are 2 sides I think to full livery and owners not visiting often
 
ive always believed that if a horse is at full livery then it is being ridden by a groom/the livery owner? theres a horse a livery near me whos owners pay the bills monthly by direct debit but havent been to see him for over 2-3 years. all is paid for though and im pretty sure he gets ridden for the price? i thought thats what full livery included? am i just being thick?!
 
Full livery is a matter of personal choice. However in my opinion horses are very expensive creatures to keep and why pay out all that money for only 1 visit a week. I have worked in several livery yards and even though most were good, we never had enough time or staff to do everything really well. It was always just " good enough" The horses were certainly not neglected but I have seen alot with behaviour problems due to being kept in the stable for long hours and such like. Just because you are paying somebody to look after your horse doesn't mean to say that they are!

I fully understand that some people want to keep a horse but can't look after it themselves but feel that they should make the effort to see it more than once a week . I am the opposite and won't let anybody else look after my horses unless I absolutely have to.

Horses are not ornaments and are happiest doing something in their lives and that includes having that special person to love them.
 
There are any number of reasons why an owner may keep a horse forever and yet not visit it much.

I know a girl who got her horse when she was just a teenager. Rode and competed the same horse through her school years, university and early career. Then when she was about 30 moved to New York for work. At that time the horse was 19, and still in general good health but not always 100% rideable. The girl decided that moving the horse abroad at that age wasn't the right thing to do, especially as there was always a chance she'd have to move back to the UK if the job didn't work out. She didn't want to sell the horse or even loan it out just in case it got sold on or mistreated. She wanted to know it was safe so she has kept it at the same yard on livery for the last 10 years only visiting it when she comes back to the UK at Xmas. The horse is now 29 and still looks great. It doesn't seem to mind not being ridden at all and still recognises the owner on the rare occassion she gets a chance to visit.
 
I work part time at a yard. Most horses are on full livery. Most owners do come up regularly. There are exceptions. One girl loves about an hour a way and due to work can only get there at weekends. Horse is feed and excercised for her during the week so I dont see the problem - it sher money.
another friend of mine works exceptionally hard as he owns a business he simply cannot get tdown at regular times so he just comes down when he can. agaion horse is on full livery and excercised etc. Yes, its a lot of money to only see your horse once a week but its what keeps him going and its what he looks forward to!
 
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