Working livery?

[crazyhorses1]

not sure if in right section! poss looking to put my horse on working livery when i get it, just wanted opinions thanks

 

[Ealana]

would depend on circumstances and type of horse - I have to have mine on working at college cause there is no space for diy and it's too expensive. It's really helped my horse but I know horses that wouldn't be suited to the life of almost a riding school horse.

x

 

[crazyhorses1]

thanks for reply hopefully an ISH x

 

[caramel]

my yard does offer working livery (on a RS/livery yard). I have a friends horse who's just gone on working livery and she's doing really well.
However me personally.... I wouldn't. Horse just isn't suitable at all and there wouldn't be anyone confident enough to ride him... he's rather sharp, forward and big!

 

[misterjinglejay]

I used to have mine on working livery, but it didn't work out.

He developed all sorts of bad habits, from running into walls to scratching his knee with his nose in canter - lovely!

Because he was pretty (Long maned palomino sec D ) everyone wanted to ride him, and let him get away with murder!

Put him onto full livery after a while.

I would consider w/l again, though, with the right horse and circumstances.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

my first mare was on working livery for a while

 

[rhino]

I would be very reluctant to have my horse on a proper working livery 'contract' having seen it go badly wrong for a few people. However, I have been happy for 2 of my yards to use him for certain clients only - for BHS stage 2/3 training for example, or for more experienced riders needing a horse to do the trickier lateral work with.. I wouldn't completely discount it but would have to know the yard very well indeed.

 

[crazyhorses1]

thanks very much, yeah i dont want one on them, its more from a financial point of view tbh

 

[rhino]

thanks very much, yeah i dont want one on them, its more from a financial point of view tbh

I think with the right yard it can be a really good idea, but 2 friends have had their horses left with permanent injuries because the centres (both equine colleges) thought because they were cobs they were up to 'any' weight; they were both only 14/14.2 and not heavyweights

Some horses thrive on the work though

 

[Wagtail]

I voted 'no' because I don't think the amount of discount offered at most yards is enough to justify losing your freedom over when to ride. For example, the yard may want to use your horse on a hack or lesson, just when you really feel like riding as it is a glorious day. Also, I am very particular about my horse's way of going. I once put my favourite mare on share to a BHSAI. But I hated the way she felt after the lady had been riding her constantly 'up' as she just wouldn't work long and low any more when I wanted to stretch her. So having lots of inexperienced people ride your horse would be even worse. I think it would slow down any training progress you made with the horse as different riders would cause confusion to the horse.

 

[indi4]

A lot would depend on the horse and how much you want to ride, as most places want to be able to use them up to 2hrs a day, and most places work out the same price as DIY if not more. A lot will also depend on the riding school as well. It's not something i would consider for my horse, but if i had a kids pony that was only ridden a couple of times a week then maybe, but a lot would depend on the yard and the type of work they'd be used for.

 

[wyrdsister]

Yikes, no! I'm reschooling a horse who spent time on working livery and got handed back as dangerous! She's not in the least, she's talented, generous and affectionate, but when I took her on she'd fall to pieces in the school, panicking, leaping, sweating, head-shaking, the works. I know her breeder and she was a sweetheart before she went; it was pretty obvious that during the time she'd spent at the college she'd been handled by all and sundry, had her nose cranked in, been ridden with the handbrake on, and been hit when she protested. She's now doing a lovely novice dressage test and much, much calmer in the arena.

I also had my old chap out on loan to someone once, who (violating our agreement on three counts) let him be used in a riding school for kids to show-jump on. Said school then had the cheek to ring up and mouth off at me because he did exactly what I'd warned her he'd do if jumped - belt off a a trillion miles an hour and throw in some truly gruesome sliding run-outs. Did I care that the little darlings were falling off? Nope. I came back from uni during the middle of term and took him back. Never ever again!

 

[Kat]

I think it is far to complicated to answer in the poll.

It can work, I know a lady at the moment for whom it works brilliantly at the moment. The horse is kept fit (welshy so helps with weight), it is looked after so she doesn't have to worry about holidays, working late etc, she gets support and help caring for it and schooling it (first horse). The horse is happy with the work and she can normally arrange to ride it whenever she wants.

I also know of horses who were improved hugely by being used in a riding school either on working livery or loan.

But it relies upon it being the right sort of establishment for the horse, there being a trusting relationship, and the horse being able to cope with it.

It also depends upon your aims for the horse. If you are mainly a happy hacker it probably won't have a detrimental effect on what you do with the horse, however if you compete, particularly above a certain level it may well start to interfere with your training, especially if the horse is suitable for novices. Lady I know had her horses on working livery but took one off when they started to want to move up in dressage and get competitive.

 

[muffinmunsh]

Be very clear about:
- amount of work and type
- when you have access (especially if you are working)
- max weight
- notice periods (sometimes prices seem to rise if horse not
suitable for all work)
- who pays vet bills if something happens during school work
- tack maintenance
- feeding regimes and turnout
- can you take him out for shows and holidays
...

 

[Mince Pie]

I wouldn't. I am very particular about who rides my horses, let alone schools them.

 

[Kat]

Be very clear about:
- amount of work and type
- when you have access (especially if you are working)
- max weight
- notice periods (sometimes prices seem to rise if horse not
suitable for all work)
- who pays vet bills if something happens during school work
- tack maintenance
- feeding regimes and turnout
- can you take him out for shows and holidays
...

Also insurance. You need to know who insures for what and what is covered.

Also who pays for routine items like shoeing, vaccination, worming, etc especially if the school have very particular requirements. What happens if the horse can't work?

Finally tack, think about what is done with it, is the storage safe, can you get at it if you want to ride, what if the school need/want something different to what you use, what if something is damaged, what about wearing things out, what about cleaning? It may be worth having a cheap synthetic set for the school to avoid issues.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

Well I had my boy on working livery at the local equestrian college and it was actually a good arrangement; as I had family commitments and couldn't really do him justice, and he needed the work, it meant that I could keep him locally PLUS he got a really good schooling and was kept in absolute luxury!!! So this is one option people might consider. The downside was that this was for termtime only and as I don't have my own transport I had to either rely on a trusty friend to do it OR pay a professional and look sweet so it worked out a bit pricy for that reason really.

Recently I had him on working livery at another yard outside my local area about 22 miles away; basically he went on loan to someone and they undertook to be responsible for all expenses, but due to a family situation they couldn't continue with it, so I as owner took it on, and that cost me £45 a week winter livery for basic hay & straw only (hard feed & shoes extra), PLUS the horse was used for two sessions a day in their riding school. Turnout was very limited, although he came back looking OK on it.

Although when he came back from equine college he was really well schooled and responsive, and absolutely zinging; when he was on working livery recently at the riding school he's come back home now and is noticeably more dead to the leg; so I think you have to consider what sort of set up it is if choosing working livery as an option. Like I say a riding school would be a big no-no.

And before letting the horse go you need to make sure you're happy with the arrangements, i.e. who pays for what and who's responsible for what BEFORE you let the horse go. Don't do it without signing a proper loan agreement with the yard and if they baulk at it then walk away.

At equestrian college the owner had to have insurance which covered £5000 of vets fees; plus owners paid half the shoeing which was at discounted rate; also routine stuff like vaccs were owner's responsibility. College would pay half vet fees if horse injured whilst being used by them. As owner I rode 3X per week by arrangement. College paid for all livery/bedding/feeding costs & like I say horse was kept really well, though there was limited turnout in winter (not the college's fault and something you'd encounter at a lot of yards).

I think working livery CAN be a good arrangement; but personally I would be very relucant to do it again if it was a riding school set-up. However the only place I would consider doing it again would be at an equestrian college where the standards are higher and there is more supervision of who rides the horse. But not anywhere else!

 

[dkwp]

I've just taken my horse out of working livery after two years.

On the plus side, working livery meant I didn't have to look after him all the time, he got exercised if I was ill and there was always other people around when I went up to the yard.

On the minus side, working livery meant I didn't have full control over how he was looked after and I couldn't always use him when I wanted. I was supposed to have first refusal on when I used him if I wrote in the diary that I was coming but that didn't always work, especially last summer. My equipment went missing (especially whips), his bridle was broken three times (only once with any explanation) and his elasticated girth was done up so much too tight that I switched to a non-elasticated one.

Although there was a sandschool, it was often in use, especially at weekends and in the school holidays. I found I was booking lessons in order to use it which meant I was effectively paying to ride my own horse.

The situation seemed to deteriorate over the last year. Last winter he became bolshy and fought with the other horses over the limited hay in the field and more recently, he'd become very hard to catch. I've now moved him to a DIY livery with help available and he's a different horse - relaxed, easy to catch, gets on well with the other horses. I'm blissfully happy and so is he. For the first time, he really feels like mine.

 

[Janette]

My girly was on Working Livery at first, because of 'circumstances'. Having experienced it, I wouldn't do it again however, at that point in time, I didn't have a lot of choice.

I didn't have to pay anything for the livery, but I did pay for my lessons - but seeing as how lessons have to be paid for wherever, then that is of no consequence.
I had no say in her feed, or the fact that she lived in a big stall rather than a box.

She is a naturally tense type and knowing what I know now - I couldn't have put her in a worse situation. They were never cruel to her, or treated her badly and she was loved and fought over by the clientel. I was considered very lucky to own her.

But she was crabby and bit - whereas now she is calm and patient.
Her way of going was upside down, tense, and choppy. Now, she has a longer, more relaxed outline and is much more supple.
She needed 3 haynets a day plus 2 feeds of concentrates to keep weight on her. Now, she is on soaked hay and Alfa A+topspec.

She's a much ahappier horse for coming off working Livery. Being a large stable, the care was standardised with little flexibility for individual horses. There was one type of care - a good one, but definately 'one size fits all' - but it didn't fit my mare.

I was not bothered about the clients riding her because only the compentent riders ever got on her - she wasn't a ride for the novices. Still isn't though.

 

[proctor]

My boy used to be on WL and I hated every minute of it. I had to give 24 hours notice if I wanted to ride him, fair enough but after a while I was being told to be back at a certain time as they needed him. Once I went out at 10.30 and was told to be back by 11.00 even though I had booked him for the morning, in my book thats up until midday. I bought a new saddle for him as the one he came with didnt fit, and 3 days after I found it in the tack room covered in mud and the reins on his bridle were broken, yet I was the one who had to replace them and clean my saddle! I had also said that he was to jump no higher than 2'6 as he is getting on and has arthritus in one of his hocks, and I walked onto the yard only to see him in the school approaching a 3'3 jump, which he knocked down and almost fell over the poles. And on 2 occasions people got on him and somehow missed the saddle and sat on his back behind the saddle, this really upset him and all the stables staff could do was laugh. My horse was grumpy, loosing weight and I was miserable and not enjoying him as I should of been, he didnt feel like he was my horse. I was paying nearly £200 a month and paying £70 for his shoes every 5 weeks when other people were getting more use out of them than I was!

So no, I would never do it again. I was very lucky to come across a 6 acre field to rent and we moved in as soon as my months notice ran out and 5 months later my boy is happy, fat and has turned into a proper Mummy's boy!!!

 

[bubbilygum]

Working livery suits some horses better than others, and also varies greatly between establishments. My boy is just coming back to me after being on working livery at an Equine College for two and a half years. He's coming back now rather than at the end of the school year because he's gone lame and they can't use him now so they no longer want him. I'm not blaming the college at all, he was well looked after there, the lameness wasn't caused by them (side bones appeared on X-ray which vet suggests is the problem), it suited him well and it took a huge weight off my shoulders whilst I was finishing my degree, as I knew he was being kept fit and healthy.
The arrangement I had with the college was that I paid for his shoes, and they covered the costs of his livery, vaccinations, dentist visits and a certain portion of vets bills (I think it was about £200 per annum which covered a couple of visits for mild laminitis). The deal suited me and it meant I could concentrate on my studies knowing he was being looked after and he wasn't costing me a fortune being in full livery. However, you can't rely on working livery to help you financially - it can be helpful but should anything happen such as the horse goes lame, YOU will be responsible for the costs there on out.
I would recommend an equine college over a riding school, as your horse will be getting more attention in terms of handling/grooming than just having a saddle chucked on it and being ridden by novices; my boy was ridden by a huge range of riders at the college, from complete novices to eventers taking BHS exams.
The arrangement I had with this college suited both me and my horse, and its a shame it ended how it did as I would have recommended it wholeheartedly otherwise. Just bear in mind that working livery will help with the costs of keeping a horse, as well as help keep it fit and looked after if you have other commitments, but at the end of the day the horse is your responsibility, financially and otherwise, and if they no longer want the horse for whatever reason you will have to make other arrangements!
I hope this helps! Good luck with whatever you decide to do!

 

[PolarSkye]

I think it depends very much on the horse. I have several friends who have their horses on working livery and it works for them . . . but then they either bought their horses FROM the RS or while they were clients of the RS to be in the RS . . . so they have never known anything different. Until today, Kal was stabled on full livery at a RS (but only since July - before that he's always been at private yards) and due to finances I considered putting him on WL . . . but the truth is he just isn't RS material. He's far too quirky and sensitive. He really is a one person horse and it takes him a while to trust the rider. My trainer (who works at this RS) schooled him for a year and he totally grew to trust her and she could do most things with him . . . but even with her he would nap and rear. He trusts me - but then I don't really ask alot of him tbh. But he's been a real so-and-so with every other person who has sat on him . . . and really tested them in one way or another. I really don't think he would have been happy being a RS horse. But I do know lots of horses who are.

FWIW, I think RS horses (those who genuinely "give" and settle into their work) are worth their weight in gold.

P