Yard Rules

kibob

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Hi

I have just taken on a load of new liveries, having had a break for a while. Now, previously when I have had liveries it was always friends and we tended to all just muddle along nicely (or not so nicely at times;)). Anyway, this time I am determined to run the yard in a far more business like manner and am setting about drawing up a list of rules.

I don't want to be too OTT with it, and have already got a few I will include. Can anyone think of any rules that they have come across during their times as a livery that I could add. You know the kind of thing that has made you think "oh, thats a good rule" and the ones that make you think "hang on that one is just daft:eek:"

Any input gratefully received please:)
 

Luci07

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DIY or part? if DIY, then definately rules about turn out, worming and the dreaded poo picking, also feeding times and back up.

If part livery - just to be very clear about what is included and what is extra.

An good rule I would put into place was that anyone hacking out needs to have their mobile and let someone know/written on a board where they are going in case of any accidents.
 

akashapachamama

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I am in a similar position as you and have just finished my yard rules. I decided that the best way of going about it was to go through each area like stables, fields, feedroom, tack room etc to make sure I didnt miss anything. I also included specifically how often jobs should be done. As I am DIY I also wanted to ensure mucking out of stables was done in the AM rather than the PM for example.
My rules are pretty detailed but that way everyone knows where they stand and what is and isnt acceptable so that we'll all be able to maintain a relaxed atmosphere if everyone pulls their weight.
If you would like a more detailed description PM me and i'll send you my rules.
 

Maisy

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I would stipulate the hours people are allowed to be at the yard to and from.

One yard I was on didnt have this, and people would be there at 5am turning out horses in the middle of winter.....It then upset the rest of the horses who had to wait to be seen to.....
 

madeleine1

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put things bk where u find them

tidy tools away

have a message board

please sweep up your own mess

dont use other peoples stuff without asking
 

henryhorn

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Having run livery yards for many years it's a difficult thing to get right.
Too many rules and people feel uncomfortable, too few and they take the p...
Some are essential such as do not leave just one horse alone in a field if you know it may jump out: sweep up after yourself, my biggest moan here is they lead their horses in and out leving a trail from one end of the yard to the other and act surprised when asked to clear it up.
Using no-one's stuff and keeping your own storage reasonably tidy need saying, as do pick up droppings from driveways and in the arena. You could do with some rules re your jumps too, such as how they may be used and left.
I have tried to have a minimum of rules these days, but ended up adding some such as do not allow your dog to chase our cats or foul anywhere without picking it up.
This week I found 5 dog poos in one of the barns on the straw, obviously a livery as our dogs don't wander loose, but surely they must realise their dogs have to **** somewhere and keep an eye on them? !! I tackled said livery and she picked them all up..
In an ideal yard you would have no livery rules, but you always get some who cause such hassle you have to instill some.
I find speaking politely to anyone works best, usually they haven't the slightest idea they are causing you grief.
I'm lucky, the current ones are tidy, keen to enjoy our relaxed atmosphere and I want to keep it that way. Having spent years as a DIY myself I know only too well how awful some yards can be...
 

narkymare

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I would be very very firm about smoking - i used to be at one yard where everyone smoked whereever they wanted - one woman got drunk one night and went to sleep in her horses stable along with bottle of whatever and her cigarettes!

Im not anitismoking i smoke myself - but my god - it scared me to death - people mucking out with cigs hanging from their mouths.
My current yars has a smoking area outside in the car park - and i can sleep at night knowing this.
 

narkymare

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And another - when horses move fields - dotn just give a day give a time so no poor horse is left alone and distressed when all their friends have gone in the morning and their owner doesnt turn up till evening
 

niagaraduval

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NO SMOKING !! God the number of times I had a fit when seeing another livery smoking in the barn where all the horses were (not only did she obviously not care for her own but none of ours either). This is not acceptable!

Pick up behind your horse, put lids back on feed - HATE this so much ! YO never ever put the lid back on my feed bins after feeding my horse in the morning - It really annoyed me.

Keep tackroom tidy, no one likes having to search everywhere to find their stuff because a fellow livery has left their stuff everywhere.

Times when the yard is open for liveries to come.
 

Shysmum

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could you put a copy of the rules you set into the contract, and get them signed ? Then there's no way peeps can say they didn't know about it, and you have more oooomph for getting offenders out ;).

One rule that was def needed at my old yard was that the owner had to come to see his horses *** times a week. There, horses that were "turned away" were literally left over winter, with guess who freaking out about it - not the YO I can tell you. Some people have such strange ideas.

Another was worming (read lack of)..

Another was muck heap stuff, and sweeping the yard in general. :rolleyes:

Mind you, I was at a very poor yard, and am very lucky where I am now.

good luck ! sm :D
 

vicky86

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I dont know if any of your liveries are children or have children but one of my main rules is that children under the age of 14 are to be in the company of an adult and children under 16 must have parents permission to be there alone. Horses are obviously dangerous and the last thing you want is them getting hurt and the parents saying "why were they left alone?" I personally dont like leaving the kids on my yard by themselves but at the same time I haven't got time to wait around every night for them to finish.

Also poo picking out of the school, obvious ones like not leaving yard gate open, tidying up after themselves etc.
 

MissSBird

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One I really want to add to my current yard is 'if you cannot close the lid on the bin firmly, it's your turn to empty it'.
 

vicky86

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Worst rule I have ever heard of was to scrub yard where the horse has pooed. So not just sweep it up but to back with a bucket of water and scrub the stain off. This was just not practical and really quite stupid and anal as the stains never last longer than the day any way. The yard that had this rule was not a working yard - I couldnt imagine how much time id have wasted over the years for absolutely no gain if id had to have done this.
 

Pixxie

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depending on size of yard if it is feasible that all horses breakfasts are made up the previous night left covered and outside stables and whoever is on the yard first feeds them all. we have this on our yard and means no horse is fretting even if someone has been down at 5am

i think a time that horses need to be turned out or mucked out (if horse is staying in) by should be there as i know people that happily wouldnt turn up until 12.

but i dont think you should make it mucking out AM or PM only as some people dont have time in the mornings before work or school or if they finish late in the evenings from work they may find it easier to muck out and ride AM.

and then te obvious ones, poo picking, gate closing, not leaving a horse out on its own, no smoking unless there are specified areas, horses not to be left tied up unsupervised, accounts to be settled by X date of every month etc etc

good luck x
 

Umbongo

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Most of the rules I can think of have been mentioned. I work at a mixed livery yard, the rules are printed out on the contract to be signed so the liveries can keep the list. The main list of rules is also on a board in the tack room along with emergency contact numbers.

At the yard there is also a big book, if any liveries want anything done...turning out, feeding etc then they must give 24 hours notice and write it in the book.

At my working farm yard the little old lady gives us a contract to sign and all it says is to make sure you see to your horse at least once a week....I'm on DIY!! Luckily we are all responsible horse owners and see them twice a day if not more!
 

sem9999

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My 2 pennies worth re yard rule - from a DIY livery point of view:

Too many rules and the livery start hating the place.

In fact looking for new yard mostly on that basis at the moment. When we joined the yard a year ago, the list we had to sign was already 4 pages long, and an updated list has just been published running to 4 1/2 pages now (size 12 font). Now everyone is spying on the other to see who has broken the rules, makes people turn into mini tyrants.

Another side effect is that as a result the yard owner has to stick to the same rules, trust me nothing is more annoying :mad: to a livery to see the yard owner leaving a gate open, when they know the rules say it must be shut.

Livery with lots of rules means unhappy customers. Eg a post above mentions muck out must be done in morning. Rubbish, have fairly long travel into work, go straight from yard to work, do not have time to muck out 3 boxes in the morning. If that is the yard rule then you would certainly not get my custom. In this case personally think you should not offer DIY livery if you need that level of control on your yard.

BTW nothing much wrong with current yard but fed up having to watch every movement one makes or the authorities might come down. I really would prefer my neighbour left a bit of dirt on the yard when their horse is turned out than to have to report him/her...
 

Feathered

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A simple one that covers most things. "Treat others as you would like to be treated"

If everyone followed that yard life would be much nicer, for example would you like someone to use your tools without asking and not put them back? No. Would you like someone to let their dog pee on your hay? Of course not.
Basic courtesy goes a long way.
 

tormor

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Most important:- Hard Hat must be worn whilst mounted, no exceptions

other things to consider,

what hours will your yard be open from and to. You need to have a set times as some people will come at very strange times (one livery where i used to work would still be on the yard at 1am!!)

Insurance, compulsary for all horses on the yard?

Will you allow people to ride to and from the field or only lead horses in hand.

Vaccinations to be kept up to date
 

The Bouncing Bog Trotter

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Because this is an issue we have had on our yard....set a time deadline that stabled DIY horses have to be done by, especially in the morning. It is not acceptable to turn up at 1830 having left your horse in since 1830 the previous night, hoping that some kind person will give your horse hay and water in the meantime. Introduce a rule that if you are not up by X time your horse will be turned out/hayed and watered and you will be charged Y.

I'll just get off my soapbox......
 

MissTyc

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My yard has very simple rules

No swearing
Clean up after yourself
Hard hats when mounted or when leaeding youngstock out on the roads
Hi viz when mounted on the roads (we are on a 40 mph road, concealed entrance ... with signs that drivers igmore of course)
No arguments ... esp not between children on Facebook!
 

M_G

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I would stipulate the hours people are allowed to be at the yard to and from.

One yard I was on didnt have this, and people would be there at 5am turning out horses in the middle of winter.....It then upset the rest of the horses who had to wait to be seen to.....

See that would put me off a yard straight away. I have had normal hours then been made to do early shifts where I had to turn my horse out at 5am and sadly if its DIY its DIY
 

kibob

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Great everyone, thankyou.

Certainly going to use some of those. I don't want too many as I agree that this can put people off and it is only a small yard and rather informal. Just really want to make sure people tidy up after themselves and respect each others property. Will definitely state a time that horse need to be attended to when stabled overnight - hate seeing them left in too long.

Thanks again:)
 

hannah28

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personally i would keep it simple-

NO smoking
NO dogs of lead
clean up any mess you leave
create a poo picking rota and make sure you are checking that people are doing it
NO leaving a horse alone in the field
and have respect for others
 

abina

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Some good points - try to be firm but fair - most people try and look after their horses as best they can between trying to keep a happy home (kids, Husbands etc) and time is often an issue - Ask them to keep the place tidy have pride for their yard.

The only issues that I wish I had been a bit stronger on when I ran my livery yard would be other liveries dogs, the control and clearing up after them. The volume of their radios ! and one thing I was hot on was school rules.

Make sure you have once a month meetings to air problems and or change things. Sometimes a reminder is all that is needed !

Oh and the comment about the bin and it's lid - now that's very true !!

A well run yard is a pleasurable yard = happy clients = happy horses.

Have Fun ! and good luck
 

mytwofriends

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These have all been mentioned before, but a selection of obvious rules could be:

No smoking in yard or around stables. None.

Strict poo picking regime, either a rota or a certain number of wheelbarrows per horse per week (eg. at our yard it's 3 per week).

Hard hats to be worn at all times when mounted.

Liveries should keep their own particular patch of yard/stable area clean and tidy

No horse to be left alone unless confirmed okay by owner.

Basic common sense should prevail. Treat others as you would like to be treated yourself, and make yourself available to answer questions and concerns. Maybe schedule a yard meeting every so often, although these can often turn into mayhem!

Hope it goes well!
 

minniemouse

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To many rules would definatley put me off a yard, i stable on a small Diy yard and can honestly say we never have any trouble or arguments and everyone looks after the yard and their horses really well, yard owner is non horsey and hasn't got a clue really so he leaves it up to us. We have a few rules and they are simple,


Tidy up after your horse (everyone keeps their bit clean even the kids)

Don't leave one horse out on its own in the field

pick up droppings after you have used the school and all jumps/poles to also be put away after use.

If you have a lesson put it on the notice board so other liveries know they cant use the school at that time, other than that we all just share the school.

We have a rota for turning out in the mornings so everyone does their share and no problems there. If someone cant do their morning we just swap between ourselves.

whoever uses the last of the hay bale must sweep up left overs and then ask for help to roll the new bale under the cover( we all share a big bale)

Any new horse has to be wormed before coming on the yard and goes in a seperate paddock next door to the main field for a week to settle in before going out with the others.

No straw allowed for bedding only shavings or wood pellets.

Think thats it! Happy yard with a waiting list to come on!
 

Echo Bravo

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Treat each livery the same, turn out ect, Set down a set of rules and stick to it and from what I've read on the forum,be a hands on YO as they seem to be few and very far between and the best of British as you will need it.:cool::cool::cool::D:D:D:D
 
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