why have a horse if you have it on full livery?

[LuandLu24]

Before you all scream at me, let me just say that I saw this on a Facebook group and there was some very interesting answers, I'm not attacking anyone, this is only a little discussion and opinion sharing. If you have a horse why have full livery? If you have a job or some other kind of commitment that takes up your time in the day or you do nights then I completely understand but people who just can't be bothered mucking out etc really annoy me, if you want a horse and have time then go up and care for your horse! A girl on my old yard had 3 horses and had full livery even though she only worked from 9 until 3 and only came up on weekends to ride them. I go to my horse everyday to do my yard jobs and love it. I'd love to see everyone's opinions on this. Please keep the thread mature and respectful even if you disagree with someone's opinion.

 

[Jango]

I have my horse on DIY and I'm the same as you I enjoy looking after him as well as riding but some people only enjoy riding and if they can afford it and the horse is well cared for why not!

 

[PolarSkye]

When I was working full time, for a global, multi-national company, commuting to London and travelling (internationally) for a minimum of two weeks out of four a month, I had my boy on full livery.

I would never do it again . . . I enjoy spending time with him and looking after him. However . . . there are people who have the means to pay for their horse's care and only want to ride. It's not what I would do, but I'm afraid I can't (and won't) judge . . . horses for courses and all that (pun intended).

P

 

[[59668]]

I have my 2 on full livery because I commute an hour to my job in London. They are cared for superbly, and have everything they could want. As it is I get up at 5am so I can ride before work, the horses are a 30 min drive from home, and then a 30 min drive to the station, and I see them on average I would say 5 days a week. Sometimes I just can't do every day. They want for nothing though, and are my whole world.

 

[MerrySherryRider]

Can't see a problem with full livery, if the horses are well cared for it can be better than being a haphazard DIY er. It also keeps someone in a job. I'm on diy because I have the time but wouldn't mind being on full livery if I had reason to be.

 

[misskk88]

When I was on full livery it was due to the fact I was at a yard out of the way of my workplace, and I also did a lot of travelling with my job which meant I was limited on time especially in mornings- somtimes I couldn't even make it up for a few days and so I really did need help often. Full was the only way to ensure it was done every day without any worries! Even though I still work away ocassionally, I am hoping to swap to assisted/DIY shortly, and the yard is on the way to and from work. For me it was a time factor, and moving to DIY is so I can have more money in my pocket!

I would say that as long as horses are cared for either by owner, or professionals in their absence, it is up to individuals what they prefer and what they wish to do with their time and money.The only time I get angry is when horses wellbeing or care suffers due to an owners complete arrogance and laziness.

 

[NellRosk]

Having worked on a full livery yard I noticed there were 2 types of people. Those that loved their horses but just didn't have the time to do everything so put them on full, and those that just couldn't be arsed and liked having a horse as a kind of 'status symbol'.

 

[Greylegs]

I'm retired, occupy my time doing domestic things, gardening and have other hobbies/friends etc. I'm fit and well and technically there's no reason why I couldn't do my own horse, but nevertheless, I choose to keep him on full livery at an excellent yard with great facilities. So I guess I'm one of the people you're talking about.

Why? Well, because he's cared for brilliantly by good people and has a great life. He's in a regular care routine. If I want to go away for a weekend (which I do from time to time) I simply tell the yard and I have no worries about who's looking after the horse while I'm not there. I don't have to make a special arrangement with other liveries or pay extra charges to YOs etc. The owners live on site and are there 24/7 in case of emergencies. Whilst I'm happy to do stable chores and often do, they're done automatically anyway if I'm not there. The yard is 20 minutes away (depending on traffic) so not next door, so wouldn't want to have to go twice a day ... an hour and 20 mins in total travelling time. I generally go every day regardless.

In short, it's convenient, good for my horse and works for me. I have no worries about my horse and his care and I can spend my "horse" time enjoying my horse not mucking out, poo picking, lugging buckets, filling hay nets etc etc.

Ok, it's expensive and I'm on a very tight budget, but, for me, it's worth it.

 

[Sparkles]

Because current situation till early next year means I can't get to my yard on days off, so for them days he needs to be cared for. For the rest, its slightly different as my livery is also where I work.

 

[quirky]

I'm the only diyer on a yard of full liveries.
We have somebody with erratic hours and international travel - she does do weekends herself if she's not away.
Another who has a full-time job and a young child. She has time to muck out, or ride. She chose the riding over mucking out.
We have another who rocks up 3 times a week, once on a weekend.
And lastly, one who rocks up once in a blue moon and will bath and polish horse before going away again.

 

[Janovich]

When I was working full time, for a global, multi-national company, commuting to London and travelling (internationally) for a minimum of two weeks out of four a month, I had my boy on full livery.

I would never do it again . . . I enjoy spending time with him and looking after him. However . . . there are people who have the means to pay for their horse's care and only want to ride. It's not what I would do, but I'm afraid I can't (and won't) judge . . . horses for courses and all that (pun intended).

P

Agree with above entirely...

 

[rara007]

Why have a house if you have a cleaner?

 

[shadeofshyness]

If I bought my own horse, I simply wouldn't have time to do the jobs myself every day due to my job and travel required for it. I'd much rather be safe in the knowledge the horse had good care and a good routine - then when I did have time to be there, I would be able to devote all my time to quality time with them i.e. grooming, bonding and riding rather than rushing about mucking out frantically while the horse is tied up outside the stable not interacting with me anyway.

 

[Janovich]

Having worked on a full livery yard I noticed there were 2 types of people. Those that loved their horses but just didn't have the time to do everything so put them on full, and those that just couldn't be arsed and liked having a horse as a kind of 'status symbol'.

Agree with the above too!

 

[quirky]

Why have a house if you have a cleaner?

If you didn't have a house, you wouldn't need a cleaner.
I don't get what you're trying to say!

 

[Hackie]

Surely being a good owner is about seeing that your horse's needs are met - the horse doesn't care who mucks it out, changes its rugs or feeds it. DIY doesn't make anyone a better owner in any sense of the word. And I think that all the threads on here about DIYers who don't pull their weight is evidence that your livery arrangements are completely irrelevant to your abilities and enjoyment as an owner.

I've had horses all my life, mostly at home so have done 20 years of yard jobs for multiple horses, to me they are a necessity, not something to enjoy. I also think that having had competition horses, I'm more inclined to look at a horse pragmatically as opposed to a pet. I've always loved them, and bonded with them, used it as my downtime and enjoyed it but to me it always had a slightly different purpose than to having a horse to ride for fun and 'spend time with'.

OP, I wonder why you think 'if you want a horse and have time then go up and care for your horse'? I'm pretty picky about having horses on working livery which I've done from time to time, and I would guarantee that the standard of care that my horse recieved in places like that was better than they'd get in your home or mine - plus the added benefits were that I learned a lot about stable management. So whats your issue?

 

[Greylegs]

Having worked on a full livery yard I noticed there were 2 types of people. Those that loved their horses but just didn't have the time to do everything so put them on full, and those that just couldn't be arsed and liked having a horse as a kind of 'status symbol'.

Erm ... No! Where does that leave me then? I do have the time, but chose to let others do the work. My horse is very much my pride and joy not my "status symbol"
And I can be "arsed" to look after him myself if I choose to do so. So I don't fit with your categorisation at all.

 

[ihatework]

People all lead different lives with different pressures & priorities.

If you own a horse then you have a duty of care to make sure it is looked after. Whether that is by DIY or full livery I couldn't give a flying fig.

The horsey world would be much nicer without the significant proportion of judgemental or (reverse)-snobby people around!

 

[millitiger]

Does it matter as long as someone is looking after the horse's needs correctly?

 

[PaulnasherryRocky]

I'm moving from DIY to part livery- not because I can't be bothered to muck out but because the yard i'm moving to only offers part livery, but it is great for me in most other ways so I can put up with not mucking out 5 days a week haha

 

[rara007]

If you didn't have a house, you wouldn't need a cleaner.
I don't get what you're trying to say!

If you didn't have a horse you wouldn't need full livery!

Some people enjoy cleaning, others just like a clean house to live in and pay someone to do the dirty work. Some people enjoy mucking out and lugging buckets of water first thing in the morning, others just enjoy a well looked after horse and pay someone to do the dirty work.

 

[Jazzy B]

I think owners who stump up the money for full livery or part livery are much better owners then those who are on DIY and make a bad job of it. In the last four years on being on two different DIY yards, I have met people whose stable management has defied belief their horses are badly kept, their stables are disgusting and they either just don't know or they don't care!

 

[WindyStacks]

Right now it works for me. I have two small children, a new business and have just moved country - oh and health problems meaning almost constant exhaustion. I'd rather keep my energy for the fun stuff. I feel too frazzled to do DIY right now even though I want to. As an example I went up to say hello yesterday and was so tired I wasn't even sure which one he was in the field and it was only 3pm.

Trying to get my life sorted out and hope to do DIY starting spring, don't want to jump into it with winter looming.

Have had 3 major screw-ups in 3 months with full livery at old yard - so I can see why some would rather take self responsibility.

 

[tiga71]

My horse is on part livery - everything except grooming, exercising, tack cleaning.

When I first got him 5 years ago I was an inexperienced novice. Had volunteered at Horse rescue centre for 18 months doing plenty of mucking out etc but was not knowledgeable about stable management, feeding etc. I read up a lot but I felt that between my inexperience and running my own business (flying to Europe every other week) I felt part livery at a recommended yard was the best thing I could do for my horse. I knew I needed help both in terms of knowledge and time to do basic jobs. I would have managed on DIY as I am not an idiot but being on part livery has been perfect for us.

I still run a business and travel, although try to travel less, but he is still on part livery. i go up everyday unless I am away but it is much easier for me to know that he is looked after without having to organise for people to help when I need to go away or am very busy with work.

I don't need to poo pick a field or muck out his stable to have a bond with him or to get a massive amount from having a horse. We do an amazing amount together and he is the fittest horse on the yard. I wouldn't be able to do as much with him if I had to do everything, particularly in the winter.

 

[NellRosk]

Erm ... No! Where does that leave me then? I do have the time, but chose to let others do the work. My horse is very much my pride and joy not my "status symbol"
And I can be "arsed" to look after him myself if I choose to do so. So I don't fit with your categorisation at all.

That was at the yard I worked at, I can't speak for your yard as I have never been. I agree, you don't fit with my categorisation.. and never said that everyone else did!

 

[Spring Feather]

I have around 50 horses living on my farm and except for a small handful, every one of them is on full care livery. I couldn't care less what owners choose to do, none of my business, I look after the horses and make sure their needs at taken care of, and that's all that's important imo.

 

[crazymaisey]

I pay someone to poo pick as I'd rather save my energy to ride. I'm not in the best of health. I have horses to ride I'm afraid, I love riding. I have dogs as pets!!

Each to their own though

 

[JulesRules]

I looked at one full livery option before I recently moved my horse and although my first though was "ooh wouldn't it be nice", my second was "What on earth would I do with myself? I'll need a new hobby"

Ended up sticking with DIY all be it DIY plus including t/o and b/i.

 

[martlin]

I like riding my horses, quite enjoy grooming them, too. Not fond of shovelling poo, despise filling haynets and would rather have a lie in, that's why if i don't have to, I don't do the mucking out. Nowt to do with lack of time, international travel or very hard work I'm afraid. I suppose I'm lazy.

 

[chestnut cob]

If someone can afford full livery and that's what they want, I don't see what business it is of someone else's. I've been full livery in the past, it's great. Am currently on assisted DIY but doesn't mean to say I wouldn't go back to full. I detest mucking out and poo picking, if I can afford it why shouldn't I pay someone else? doesn't make me any less worthy a horse owner.