why did you leave your livery yard?

[Mammoth]

Probably been done to death but just wondering what's made you leave a livery yard (or what would).

I'm wanting to leave mine but just wondering what made you leave yours? ...

 

[noodle_]

ive left a few so far.... 1 lovely livery yard due to a loss of a horse (but went back with a new horse)!

one i left due to an out of control stallion which mounted my mare as some teenager let it go while leading it from a headcollar.....same stallion covered another persons mare and YO thought it was hillarious...

another i left due after 6 days from being the most bitchiest place on the planet and we didnt fit in at all....plus worse turnout than offered on arrival....

glad im on a nice yard now! !

 

[TelH]

The last livery yard I was on I left because I got a house with stables and a field so my ponies are at home now

 

[Arizahn]

First time I moved yards was with my old mare, purely due to travel costs.

Second time was with my youngster, as yard could not offer suitable turnout for his recovery period, and also there were some concerns on my part re his care whilst on box rest. I felt some people disliked him but never found out why

 

[Potato!]

The last yard I left was because my horse didn't settle and was becoming dangerous to handle. Since I've been on my own he is good as gold

 

[starryeyed]

The first we left was because it was sold to a very unhorsey couple from the city who wanted to convert the stables into offices and the fields into mown lawns - not a good start! They agreed to keep us on but due to a very unfortunate accident (which they 100% brought on themselves through shear stupidity), everyone was kicked off. Was glad to go really as it wasn't the same without the lovely previous owner.

The second livery was absolutely lovely and we were in floods of tears leaving. It was a farm who offered a few DIY places rather than a "proper" livery, but they were so incredibly nice and on top of that were always going out of their way to do things and help us out. We were there for years and loved every second, only left as we moved to a 'dream house' with stables and land - but we almost didn't move the horses as we felt so terrible leaving!! Still feel sad when we go past and always pop in to say hello.

 

[toomanyhorses26]

my yard owner assaulted my farrier - I tried to work it out as I had been there for nearly 25 years but they wouldn't let him up to shoe the horse so I left

 

[rachyblue]

Left my yard of 23 years after losing my first pony, I still had baby wb there, but couldn't face looking at first pony's empty paddock every day so needed a change of scenery.

Left that place after 6 months due to attitude of some of the yard management and general interference in how I kept my horse. Grazing was pants also.

Back at the first place, horse and me a lot happier.

 

[quirky]

Dire fencing, only bottom rail left, that bordered M6. Rang partner, tacked up, he came to meet me and we went to find somewhere else for pony. Went back to fetch stuff, told them on the way out, next time I saw them was in court. They wanted notice money, I refused as I was 2 weeks paid up in advance. They tried to sue me, I counter claimed for non duty of care. I won, they ended up giving me money. Result

Last yard because my horse wasn't being fed forage. Came in from field 3pm (ish) back out next morning at 7. On full livery. If I didn't go up and feed, she'd be stood on sawdust all that time, not even her bed to eat

 

[mytwofriends]

Lies, deceit, bullying, theft, shady goings-on .... Oh I could harp on for ages.

 

[pippixox]

first one I left because the standard of care kept slipping, after his first origonal groom left, on a big riding and livery yard. he was on full livery as I was at school and lived in London, one day a girl bought him in on saturday and phoned to say he had been kicked as was holding his back leg up, turns out it was mud fever- it had got so bad during the week his leg was so swollen and painful he didn't want to weight bare
moved to a much smaller yard, 20 horses, facilities a bit scruffy but brilliant people and care second to none.
only left to move 60 miles to west berkshire about 2 years ago. rented with 2 other ladies and don't have any plans to go anywhere

 

[blood_magik]

we could never get in to use the school - riding school clients took priority over the liveries so we only had an hour most days to ride three horses. the outdoor arena wasn't maintained so it was flooded in places and really deep and I was told that I couldn't join group lessons on one of my horses because he was 'too big' and might put off his riding school clients. YO didn't even tell me face-to-face - he sent me a text a few hours before the lesson.

In the end we left because we needed help with the youngster. He went off to be schooled for 6 weeks initially and never went back. we ended up moving the other two shortly after.
We should have moved as soon as we heard that my trainer was offering livery again.

 

[micramadam]

Left 1st yard as YO starved horses for 24 hrs then went pyscho when I bought hay and fed all horses including hers.
2nd yard was sublet to YO as an extension of her yard. Owner (previous city dweller) decided he wanted to keep cows instead so we had to go. Bunch of lies, his son and daughter in law now run the yard.
Staying at 3rd yard till we buy our own place with land. Scruffy place with not many facilities but horses are very well cared for and happy and lots of turnout all year round.

 

[w1bbler]

Barbed wire fences with rotting posts getting steadily worse - but my horses fault that he got caught up.
No grazing rotation / harrowing / poo picking - had been on same fields for over 10 years. YO responsible for worming, which happened once a year as "worms don't kill horses" - yes she really did say that!
I could go on, can't really work out why I stayed so long. I'm on th best yard ever now & its cheaper than 1st one.

 

[Sleipnir]

Yard Nr.1. I was there just because I loaned the horse of my dreams from the YO, but I moved as soon as I bought him. Insufficient nutrition, bad air quality in the stables, overgrazed pastures, an overly controlling YM... There were some positive aspects, too, but not nearly enough for me to stay.

Yard Nr.2. Stayed there only for a month. The YO was nice, but the stables were too warm and with no ventilation at all (+20c inside when it's -20c outside is BAD), and the stable hand turned out to be an abusive drunkard. Besides, I wanted to switch my horse to 24/7 turnout.

Yard Nr.3. It seemed perfect at first but quality of management started deteriorating quickly. Overgrazed pastures and the facility needed repairs, which were always promised but were never done. I was very sorry to leave this place, though, I never imagined it would change so much.

Yard Nr.4. Was really good, apart from a couple of kids with sticky fingers, but the YO decided to make some changes in her life and the yard was sadly shut down.

 

[miss_c]

Yard 1 - bullying and new rules that didn't suit me and G

Yard 2 - was only a stop gap between yards as left Y1 very quickly.

Yard 3 - stayed there years but in the end left as I wanted more facilities. Still go in to visit.

Yard 4 - only left because I got my current private yard to rent.

Yard 5 - my private yard - not leaving unless dragged out kicking and screaming!!!!

 

[Antw23uk]

First yard I left due to sending the loopy loan horse back and 2nd yard the owner would only sell me my horse if i stayed as her only livery which is brilliant and wouldnt go back to the first place anyway

 

[NellRosk]

Livery yard 1 - Left because the cantankerous old man that owned it had no interest in horses or their welfare and I needed a stable for my youngster.

Livery yard 2 - Run by a farmer who also had no idea about horses. Fencing was barbed wire, had to graze on cow pasture, the farmers wife was insane, they started building an arena without planning then got forced to stop by the council (didnt they see this coming?!). The final straw for me was when another livery's stable floor collapsed with her and the horse in it and when she told the farmer he laughed.

Now at a professional small yard where everyone is so experienced and I've never been happier

 

[HaffiesRock]

My last yard move was for a couple of reasons. First was the field fencing wasn't very secure at all and on more than one occasion next doors horses were getting in with ours and my friends mare ended up in someones back garden! I seemed to spend all my time putting fences back up and catching strange horses!

Secondly we were on a rota of turnout/bringing/feeding in winter, which was great as I got a couple of days off a week. But as my pony lived out he only had hay chucked out. So twice a week I had to feed and turn out or bring in and feed 7 horses which was quite a job in itself. It then started to be so that on my bring in days, people were too busy to have got up during the day so id get messages like, could you just skip out A, or B needs a feed making up and water topping up, could you just change my 4s rugs etc. It would have been fine if they were doing the same for me, but my pony just had hay chucked over the gate a 10 second walk away.

It got too much last Christmas when I seemed to be put down for most mornings turn out when everyone else who actually had horses to turn out were "too busy". Stuff went missing too. My pony had an advent calender and only got to day 3 before it disappeared!

I moved straight away and my new yard is just brilliant. I am more than happy to help to anyone and dont expect help in return, but hate being taken advantage of!

 

[Shantara]

Because YO left and the woman who took over was a witch.
She blamed Ned for EVERYTHING, even stuff I knew wasn't him.
When he got tangled in barbed wire (I bought tape to replace it, I was assured it would be done. I had to do it myself in the end!) she didn't even acknowledge that anything bad had happened!!

She was a money grabbing deceitful cow. Her horse knowledge was minimal, which was actually very dangerous and she was the most childish person I've ever met!!
I know I sound bitter, but she put me and Ned through absolute hell.

 

[NativePonyLover]

I've been on four yards.

Yard number 1 & 2 - a combination of horse not settling, lacking facilities & a few not so nice liveries .

Yard 3 - I loved & suited the horse I had at the time down to a tee, so was very happy there for a long time. When I got Pete after my previous horse was sadly PTS the yard didn't suit Pete. It's a shame, as I genuinely consider the YM a good friend & the other liveries were lovely, but Pete's needs needed to be put first.

 

[Jingleballs]

Yard 1 - lasted 2 months. It was also a RS and you could never get space in the school. It was expensive, poorly maintained and some of my fellow liveries were pretty horid.

Yard 2 - was there for 12 months. Lack of grazing, facilities not maintined as well as they could be. Y/O was brilliant though and generally a good group of liveries.

Yard 3 - was there for 4 years. Limited grazing particularly when the yard was at full capacity. Turn out and facilities were very good. Y/O was fab as were other liveries but I wanted somewhere that my boy could live out more.

It's not nice moving yards but I've never regretted any of my moves. I'm now at a yard that while more expensive has 100 acres of grazing and my boy can live out from March to November/December. Also now on full livery and I've not so much as had to fill a haynet or make a feed up since I've moved which I love after 5 years on DIY!

 

[Bambi.]

I left my previous yard because the turnout was on postage stamp size fields as YO just wanted as many people as possible for more money so kept putting new fencing up to split existing fields and because there always seemed to be a nasty atmosphere there. Plus the school was in an awful state and my horse wasn't very settled there- don't blame him!
Also because I found somewhere amazing where I would never leave now

 

[webble]

Lack of grazing, too many horses, no poo picking, awful new people that arrived, poorly built/ dangerous stables and poor fencing!!

 

[becca1305]

Yard 1 - distance mainly. I loved it and we were managing (had been there years) when YO cocked up and booked a hack she didn't have horses free for and so tacked up and used OUR horse for said client's hack (the man was also too big for him and a novice). I turned up at the yard ready to groom, ride etc to find he wasn't there! She did apologise to me but I felt I couldn't trust her anymore, and was concerned it had happened before. After that the positives of the yard just seemed to pale, and so we left after a few months to somewhere nearer home.

Yard 2 - The facilities weren't great, but all year grazing and nice people for the most part. We left because we bought our own place with land and stables, and its the nicest of the lot by a mile! I'm so glad we did it, we've had the horses at home for over 4 years now, and I can't even imagine going back to livery!

 

[glamourpuss]

Yard 1- I was on for many years. Put up with and came through the otherside of bullying. Left because I moved areas.
Yard 2 - Lasted 8 months. Was promised that there would be some turn out through the winter but couldn't promise daily. When I left in the March the horses hadn't been out since the end of September the year before. We were also only allowed a short 'leg stretch' turn out in the arena.
Yard 3 - Loved and stayed for ages. It was miles from my house, the arena was awful and the grazing poor but the girl who ran it was absolutely amazing, the other liveries were brilliant and it was a really fun and friendly place to be. I left when she decided to give up the yard
Yard 4 - Very posh 'event' yard with amazing facilities. Lasted 2 months. YO was a nasty, spiteful piece of work. Interfered with how I kept my horse (changing rugs/feeds etc) Constantly ran me down and told me I was crap. Favourite line ever was 'You are lucky I've got you on this yard, anywhere else and I could see the RSPCA being involved you are so useless with horses' Actually got to the stage I no longer wanted to ride or be there. Paid up until the end of the month then did a moonlight flit as I'd heard (amazing how you only here these things after the event) that she had a history of locking things away and only releasing them when you paid up completely fabricated 'extras' bills.
Yard 5 -Brilliant yard. Arena was a bit useless (couldn't jump on it) but grazing was lovely,we were left alone and the hacking was probably some of the best in the country. There was no bitchiness/bullying and some of my best friends ever were on that yard. I keep in touch with people on it and I probably would've never let it had I not left the area.
Yard 6 - recommended to me by a HHO member. On the whole I loved it although the yard owner was prone to bouts of irrational anger and 'having a go' rather infamously the poo that hadn't been picked up from the arena which she was determined was left by me. When I pointed out it couldn't be me because I rode in the morning and it had been left by an evening rider she told me it 'looked like one of my horse's poos' Left to move to my own place.

Now I'm on my own farm which we are rebuilding. No electricity, one water tap at the end of the drive, Heath Robinson stables, no arena......and I bloomin' love it!!

 

[mightymammoth]

Dire fencing, only bottom rail left, that bordered M6. Rang partner, tacked up, he came to meet me and we went to find somewhere else for pony. Went back to fetch stuff, told them on the way out, next time I saw them was in court. They wanted notice money, I refused as I was 2 weeks paid up in advance. They tried to sue me, I counter claimed for non duty of care. I won, they ended up giving me money. Result

Last yard because my horse wasn't being fed forage. Came in from field 3pm (ish) back out next morning at 7. On full livery. If I didn't go up and feed, she'd be stood on sawdust all that time, not even her bed to eat

blimey that's shocking when you are paying full livery what happened in the end? Your first yard sounds "interesting" bet you could write a book!

 

[ihatework]

The last yard I left was purely due to the fact they only fed haylage. I had taken my new horse there and she really couldn't cope with haylage, both squitty bum and temprement wise.

The previous yard I left, because my horse had an accident on the horsewalker (possibly due to their negligence, although I never got to the bottom of it). They lied to my face and told me he had done it in the field. Thereafter the trust was gone.

 

[bliss87]

We got out own place but the reasonbfor leavig the previous livery yard was the poor care of horses madeto stand in knee deep in poo, 17hh 3yr old fed one scoop of food andleft in its box all day

 

[hairycob]

Yard 1 was 200 yards from my house. Shabby & no facilities but horses out 24/7. Left when needed to bring sons horse in at night in winter.
Yard 2 - left after 4 years when different family member took over. Doubled no of horses on yard, dealing so new horses coming all the time, rough methods & sticky fingers. Left quickly to temp share of friends field.