Gucci_b
Well-Known Member
At a riding school!!!
Would you put your horse on working livery? Who has?
- Thread starter Gucci_b
- Start date
jumpthemoon
Well-Known Member
No. Purely because I wouldn't have control over who was riding them.
misst
Well-Known Member
No - daughters first pony came from a riding school and they had working liveries - they are worked very hard and I have seen some quite poor standards of care when owners are not around at other riding schools.
Also if you livery your horse at a riding school you often only have limited use of facilities as they are always in use for lessons.
Not sure if this applies to colleges.
Also if you livery your horse at a riding school you often only have limited use of facilities as they are always in use for lessons.
Not sure if this applies to colleges.
Vicki_Krystal
Well-Known Member
Dont do it!
My parents did when i got my first pony and then took him off a month later.
It didnt save much on livery, i never got to ride my pony, you had to book months in advance if you wanted to take your horse to a show and even when i did ride the schools were always full of lessons!
My parents did when i got my first pony and then took him off a month later.
It didnt save much on livery, i never got to ride my pony, you had to book months in advance if you wanted to take your horse to a show and even when i did ride the schools were always full of lessons!
Divasmum
Well-Known Member
Not unless you want to end up with a horse with a mouth like concrete! Too many possible riders with bad hands.
Vicki_Krystal
Well-Known Member
misst - what location are you??
Your story sounds like the same yard as mine!!
Your story sounds like the same yard as mine!!
Chestnuttymare
Well-Known Member
i did it once with my wee boys pony. my horse was sick and i was struggling. it seemed like a good solution at the time. i had stipulations, like he had his own stable (some were in stalls) and about the amount of time he was ridden.
I went to see him most days and constantly had poo pick his stable, give him a bed, give him hay, give him water. The final straw was when i went up and saw him in a stall. I got transport that night and took him away. Both my son and i were in tears. I felt so terribly guilty. He always had been so gentle and had started nipping (due to so many kids with polos). It was only a very short space of time. This was quite a few years ago and was back to being his normal self and stopped nipping almost immediately.
Apparently the kids were all really upset as he quickly became the favourite, tough sh1t!! NEVER AGAIN!!
god, i still feel guilty about it.
I went to see him most days and constantly had poo pick his stable, give him a bed, give him hay, give him water. The final straw was when i went up and saw him in a stall. I got transport that night and took him away. Both my son and i were in tears. I felt so terribly guilty. He always had been so gentle and had started nipping (due to so many kids with polos). It was only a very short space of time. This was quite a few years ago and was back to being his normal self and stopped nipping almost immediately.
Apparently the kids were all really upset as he quickly became the favourite, tough sh1t!! NEVER AGAIN!!
god, i still feel guilty about it.
DottyConnection
Well-Known Member
In my first year of college one of my ponies came with me on working livery. This worked quite well because only the more experienced riders got to ride her, as she was quite a handful, I got to ride her in lessons and she was being looked after but under my supervision in effect. I'd say 90% of the time she was well looked after.. Plus it was one less to muck out for me.
She did really well off of the busy atmosphere and was 100% on the ground. However, a horse that wasn't good too handle, wasn't used to the hustle and bustle and business and wasn't used to not being turned out would not do well!
However like mentioned above, going out competing got a bit tricky because the colleges work on such routine and clock work. Fudge got a variety of work, she hacked, schooled and jumped. She was always immaculate, rugs and tack always clean and got no end of attention and fuss from fellow students.
If I had another horse that would cope, I would consider it an option.
She did really well off of the busy atmosphere and was 100% on the ground. However, a horse that wasn't good too handle, wasn't used to the hustle and bustle and business and wasn't used to not being turned out would not do well!
However like mentioned above, going out competing got a bit tricky because the colleges work on such routine and clock work. Fudge got a variety of work, she hacked, schooled and jumped. She was always immaculate, rugs and tack always clean and got no end of attention and fuss from fellow students.
If I had another horse that would cope, I would consider it an option.
wench
Well-Known Member
depends on the place. If the horse is going to be used 2 or 3 hours a day plodding around in a circle, I wouldnt. However, if it was for 2 or 3 hours a week, thats a different matter. (That can exist, as my horse was on working livery, and thats roughly how much he was used) However, he got taken off working livery as he was used for something that made me very mad, so made sure it wasnt going to happen again.
dwi
Well-Known Member
Yes if I needed to. It would depend on where to but its something that I may consider if I become pregnant as an alternative to loaning. D would be a lousy field ornament, she likes to be worked and the reality is that for all of the questionnable RS out there there are just as many questionnable one horse owners that i would not loan D to either.
JessPickle
Well-Known Member
Yes, Pickle is on working livery. He does 1 hack a in the week. Two on a busy week! then he does 1.5 hours lessons with my dad on saturday. Then 1-2 hours on a sunday. Reduces the price dramatically and my yard is really good and try and fit it in so if I am planning to ride they don't use him.
If you find a decent yard it's fine, I know this is going against the grain. Many people who write no will have never had a horse on working livery and will just be going with a RS stereotype! (not saying this applies to everyone)
People moan about Riding Schools having plods and riding schools not having enough horses. Yet after learning to ride at one few people will then put a horse on working livery.
If you find a decent yard it's fine, I know this is going against the grain. Many people who write no will have never had a horse on working livery and will just be going with a RS stereotype! (not saying this applies to everyone)
People moan about Riding Schools having plods and riding schools not having enough horses. Yet after learning to ride at one few people will then put a horse on working livery.
Colleen_Miss_Tom
Well-Known Member
I suppose you could say tommy is on working livery , but I have no costs whatsoever , He was loaned out to the riding school and it has done him the world of good , He mainly does lead rein lessons, one or two lessons that involve jumping and I have to say the little riders that ride him for these lessons are fantastic .
His mouth is not as hard as a brick .
The care he recieves is to a very high standard .
Some times nearly too good when it comes to feeding .
I think it depends on the riding school , I have visited him on a number of occasions and hes happy as larry .
I am very happy with him being there .
His mouth is not as hard as a brick .
The care he recieves is to a very high standard .
Some times nearly too good when it comes to feeding .
I think it depends on the riding school , I have visited him on a number of occasions and hes happy as larry .
I am very happy with him being there .
lauraanddolly
Well-Known Member
I did when I was at college, D was working livery on the college yard. I found it very useful as I could get into the swing of things at college without worrying about her.
I have no complaints about how she was cared for, although a few of my items went walkies and I had make it clear her brushing boots were hers and not to be used on other horses! (it was the other students that tried to put them on other horses).
I would never put her on working livery at a riding school. With a college(an equestrian one) students want to learn and the standard of riding is normally better than at a RS IMO. D quickly became a favourite and was used during exams as a stable management horse and as a ridden horse. While she was there she was ridden by people of a better standard than me and although some days that got me down, now I can see the benefit it had.
The yard managers and instructors were great at picking people to ride her, in fact in my 1st year no one but me from my year even got to ride her, she was ridden by the year above and degree students.
Did us the world of good!
I have no complaints about how she was cared for, although a few of my items went walkies and I had make it clear her brushing boots were hers and not to be used on other horses! (it was the other students that tried to put them on other horses).
I would never put her on working livery at a riding school. With a college(an equestrian one) students want to learn and the standard of riding is normally better than at a RS IMO. D quickly became a favourite and was used during exams as a stable management horse and as a ridden horse. While she was there she was ridden by people of a better standard than me and although some days that got me down, now I can see the benefit it had.
The yard managers and instructors were great at picking people to ride her, in fact in my 1st year no one but me from my year even got to ride her, she was ridden by the year above and degree students.
Did us the world of good!
toomanyhorses26
Well-Known Member
people have a very pre conceived idea abot working livery and I agree in some cases the standard of care isn't up to scratch but many riding schools are nowhere near this bad. I keep my two horses on working livery at a riding school and the amonunt of assessing that riders need to have now before they even go off lead rein is immense. My two are both big horses who do about 5 hours a week which is a mixture of work not just going round in circles - they hack,jump and school - all the horses on the yard get at least one day off but the norm is normally two. It helps with both their schooling and my riding as I can see if these people have the same issues as me or whether it is an issue with me. My horses have no issue with different people riding them which comes in very handy for ridden showing when judges etc ride them. They are by no means complete novice rides but they go well when people ride them correctly - the look on peoples faces when they ride their first leg yield or canter is priceless!They are both ridden in snaffles ,are happy to hack out alone and school alone and are alot fitter and happier than if I just had them in a yard by myself. My yard are happy for me to try different tack on them (tried a hackamore on one never again!!!) Some riders at riding schools are amazing and some that come fom equestrian colleges are hopeless and vice versa it can't be generalised like that. I also think that the low intensity regular work helps horses keep active and feeling young - we have a littel part bred arab who is 35 and still doing a couple of hours a week and loves it . I think as long as you properly look at the school/college etc and as the right questions it can be a win win situation esp at the moment with the darkness/weather as my horses are fit and ready to go when the weather and light improves.
SouthWestWhippet
Well-Known Member
I have to say that it does depend on the riding school. We have lots of working liveries, it is a popular option where I work but I really think that it because we are very careful with the horses and also flexible to the owner's needs.
We do say that if you want the horse on a saturday, you need to tell us either morning or afternoon (busiest day) and if you want him in the evenings during the week, please try to jot it down in the diary in advance. But we are pretty laid back about it - if you turn up and your horse is about to be used, we will try to swap him out of his lesson.
We also try to use lessons to improve the horses - so a lazy horse would be used in lessons with stronger riders to ensure he was encouraged to move forward off the leg. Likewise, wizzy ponies won't be encouraged to 'canter to the back' and nappy ponies will be made to take the lead. Of course they all have to put up with the odd lesson with beginners bouncing around but most horses will tollerate this sometimes provided they have plenty of 'decent' lessons as well.
I think that if working livery clients can see that their horses are happy, well cared for and, if not improving, certainly not deteriorating in their way of going, they will be happy. It isn't really an option for a seriously competative rider who wants access to their horse every day and competitions on weekends but for those that want to do a bit of hacking, have a few lessons etc it works really well.
It takes the pressure off being responsible for the horse's welfare if you are a novice owner as well and for some of our 'first time, inexperienced owners, I am confident that being regularly used in the riding school, in a disciplined and structured environment has kept their horse sweet when he otherwise may have begun to take the mic a little!
We do say that if you want the horse on a saturday, you need to tell us either morning or afternoon (busiest day) and if you want him in the evenings during the week, please try to jot it down in the diary in advance. But we are pretty laid back about it - if you turn up and your horse is about to be used, we will try to swap him out of his lesson.
We also try to use lessons to improve the horses - so a lazy horse would be used in lessons with stronger riders to ensure he was encouraged to move forward off the leg. Likewise, wizzy ponies won't be encouraged to 'canter to the back' and nappy ponies will be made to take the lead. Of course they all have to put up with the odd lesson with beginners bouncing around but most horses will tollerate this sometimes provided they have plenty of 'decent' lessons as well.
I think that if working livery clients can see that their horses are happy, well cared for and, if not improving, certainly not deteriorating in their way of going, they will be happy. It isn't really an option for a seriously competative rider who wants access to their horse every day and competitions on weekends but for those that want to do a bit of hacking, have a few lessons etc it works really well.
It takes the pressure off being responsible for the horse's welfare if you are a novice owner as well and for some of our 'first time, inexperienced owners, I am confident that being regularly used in the riding school, in a disciplined and structured environment has kept their horse sweet when he otherwise may have begun to take the mic a little!
misst
Well-Known Member
vicki_krystal I am in Surrey. The riding school she came from was small and private and I do not think it is running any more. I have seen a few since and none would persuade me to put my horse with them. The local big one has great facilities but the liveries are so restricted in how they can use them they might as well not be there!