Your top 5 livery yard must haves, and why?

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HaffiesRock

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Just curious really as I am looking to move, but struggling due to wanting grass livery. So here are mine:

1) Grass livery - My pony hates being stabled so he must have grass livery
2) Flood lit ménage - This is the first winter I have been without a school and I am completely lost without it!
3) Good hacking - I am not so fussed about there being some road work as I think its good for horses, but there must be scope to explore ans somewhere to gallop
4) Distance - Must be a reasonable distance from home
5) Atmosphere - It must be a nice place to be :)

So what is on your top 5 and why? x
 
1. Good hacking, this is the most vital thing for me. A yard can have all the mod cons but if it doesn't have good hacking it won't interest me as I need good hacking for fittening for both hunting and endurance.
2. Large airy stables.
3. Good quality grass. Don't need 24/7 365 days a year but the grass must be of good quality and enough of it. I believe that good quality grass is far better than supplementing with all different supplements.
4. Nice friendly people. My horse is for enjoyment, I want nice people to share this with.
5. Plenty of space to store things. Pretty obvious.
 
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1. Grass livery
2. Good hacking
3. Close to home, currently 1mile away.
4. Quiet, no liveries that like to cause drama, or bitch about each other!
5. Somewhere to bring horses if wet, be it a shelter or a barn, not a stable as old lady doesn't like them!
 
Overnight turnout in the summer
Big airy stable (I'm spoilt as pony's stable backs into a barn so he has a lovely high roof!)
Group turnout
Close to home as I don't drive yet

Anything else I'm adaptable on. Not sure I'd be able to go back to not having a school, but Phil never stepped inside a school until he was 10!
 
1) All year turnout - 24/7 in spring to autumn and during day in winter.
2) Good hacking - quiet roads and access to off road for a blast.
3) Flood lit arena with good surface.
4) Services provided if needed and yard owner whose priorities are the horse!
5) Distance.

Luckily the yard which I moved to has all of the above. It caters perfectly for my daughter's mare and also for my mare who is on box rest with tendon injury. They make sure daughter's stressy mare always has company in the field and they do am controlled walking and skipping out of my mare.
 
1, good grazing because neither of them are good doers and they like turnout
2, big airy stables because they are large horses
3, within 10 miles because i dont like travelling
4, lots of storage space as i have too much stuff!
5, good hacking! i like hacking!
 
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1) At least day turn out in winter and 24/7 in summer. Just because i prefer when she's out and she likes to be out too :)
2) good surface, well draining floodlit menage - we have one atm, there is not drainage so its all a big pond, the surface is woodchip thats also very deep, when it rains in summer, the surface becomes very slippery and if its too dry it moves too much so again horses slip, all round out menage is a deep woodchip slippery pond :/
3) lit storage space - tack room has light which work fine, but feed room has a light that has worked all of 30 seconds this year, not ideal when you want to prepare feeds.
4) good maintanance either staff or YO, currently it's not great, we have told them about the lights not working, last year, we're still waiting for them to be repaired this year...
5) Good hacking - i do like road work, but like you said, it needs to have some local stubble fields, and a few off road tracks too :)
 
I wouldnt go back to a yard again but for the sake of the question.
1. Secure well maintained fencing
2. 24/7 all year turn out on decent grazing.
3. Emergency stables/field shelter
4. Good access in and out of yard (preferably for off road hacking as well as vehicle access)
5. Running water through all fields.
 
1) Sane, friendly yard owner & staff who provide services as agreed before moving on
2) Well fenced grazing & a manege
3) Off road hacking
4) Large, airy stables
5) Friendly, adult liveries
 
If I had to go into someone's yard...
Turnout. Must be able to stay out all year and have restricted grazing in summer. Safe fencing

Decent arena. With lights. And good surface, safe fencing, well maintained.

Nice people- liveries and yo.

Stable that doesn't leak and repairs done if needed.able to bed,feed own sourced stuff.

Good hacking is a big bonus, as is an indoor and walker with decent surface.....
 
Good grass - I have 2 poor doers
Flood lit school -ride after work when it's dark
Enough riding to keep them fit ie somewhere to have a proper gallop
Big stables
Good drainage in fields in have now learnt !!!!
 
1. 24/7 summer/spring and daytime autumn/winter turnout that is not overstocked and overgrazed

2. Good sized, well ventilated stables

3. Lots of off road hacking

4. Adequate storage for feed/tack/rugs/trailer

5. A nice, informal atmosphere.I don't want to spend my horsey time living in fear of a stray wisp of straw escaping
 
-Grass DIY livery is essential.
-Possibility of a stable in case of emergencies.
-within 5 minutes driving distance (although can cope with up to 10 miles if necessary but find it draining).
-Decent YO (will let me get on with it without interfering. If they feel something is wrong with my horse, I expect them to tell me and not bitch to other liveries. Not constantly telling me I'm wrong etc - just someone with common sense really).
-water supply close to hand. - Can't carry barrels of water for long periods due to my back. Having hose close to field is ideal.
 
1. Good turn out all year round with 24/7 in summer - I'd love grass livery with a stable all year round but know of only a few places round here that do it but they are too far/have too many other issues to make them feasible.
2. Floodlit, all weather arena - needs to be rideable most of the year - too many cheap and quickly constructed arenas around here that have lasted less than a year before falling apart!
3. Knowledgable yard owner on site who can provided assisted/full livery when needed.
4. Good hacking.
5. Nice atmosphere and not too big a yard.
 
Im struggling to find a place which suits my needs atm, but guess thats because horsey needs full time grazing only, hates being stabled, and not many places offering it rounf here :-(

1. 24/7 365 turnout
2. undercover area for grooming on wet days/ storage
3. decent hacking
4. school
5. friendly people

Just moved from place with 1,3 and 5, to one with 1,2 and 4. Not sure what to do re staying or going back :(
 
1. Herd turnout in large, sheltered paddocks.
2. Secure fencing/well managed pasture.
3. Secure airy stable of decent size with good drainage.
4. menage with very good/excellent surface.
5. Mud free yard with electric, water and storage room.

Also must haves;
Good bridleway network and roads that are rideable on.
Horsewalker, for rehab and for laminitis susceptable horse.
 
Floodlit school (winter nights)
Decent hacking (for fittening and chilling out)
Competent and approachable YO
Security (safety of horses and tack/belongings)
Flexibility.

I'd say they are my top 5 and TBH I wouldn't go anywhere that didn't fulfil all of them.
 
I'd like:-
1. Decent sized stable (messy horse) that doesn't leak.
2. Unrestricted grazing (full day in winter and 24/7 in summer if wanted).
3. At least 20x40 school with floodlights.
4. Decent amount of storage space.
5. A washing bay with warm water (I can only dream!)
 
1. Good hacking - as this is what we mainly enjoy doing!
2. Good sized stable - For obvious reasons
3. Adequate grazing - Something which we are lacking at the moment :(
4. Security
5. Nice people
 
24/7 turnout available
Turnout with other horses
Nice people
Covered area/barn to tack up/groom in if you don't have a stable
Electricity & water

I wouldn't go anywhere that didn't have the above, BUT thats sort of due to personal circumstances, I don't have a choice to be on a yard with an arena, but if I ever moved from current yard to one that I would have to drive to then it would HAVE to have an all weather arena too, I would never move to another yard than the one Im on without an arena.
 
1) Safe group turnout all year round ideally 24/7 with automatic water - pony not great with stables and likes living out and I want him to have company as I think he is happier with some friends to go out with and I don't want to be carting water to fields all the time.
2) YO/YM who is knowledgeable, friendly, approachable, willing to listen and wants to help solve any potential problems - if something does go wrong or need improving then need to feel that can talk to YO/YM and for them to be supportive/understanding and open to change if possible and that they are knowledable enough to know what to do in an emergency or to provide some advice sometimes if requested or needed.
3) Services (single person with no family near by to help out so need services in case of emergency, work committments or illness)
4) Good Hacking don't mind doing some roadwork if roads are very quiet - I like hacking!
5) Storage for grooming kit, tack, rugs, feed, hay etc (no room at home to store anything and no car so bringing everything back and forwards all the time would be a tricky)
 
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1) Large floodlit school (indoor one too is a bonus)
2) All year/weather turnout
3) Large stables
4) Off road hacking
5) Knowledgeable YO

I also like the yard to be well lit (often there in the dark), individual turnout is a preference, friendly and helpful people around, undercover area for farrier or when it's just raining and excellent security.

Unfortunately my current yard has none of my top 5 (except a knowledgeable YO, but this is debatable!)
 
1. Friendly, reliable people and staff who are conscientious and professional.

2. Off road hacking so dog can join on rides.

3. Floodlit non flooded arena!

4. Decent grazing in size and management.

5. Nice people again just to emphasise as per 1... repeated ad infinitum... as have ridden at awful bitchy places before and swore I'd never put a horse at livery again 10 years ago but recently got our own again and chuffed to bits with my lovely yard mainly due to the people and YO. Bad people can make the nicest yard a misery!
 
Good fencing
all year grass turnout
water
electricity
close to home within 10 miles but closer would be better
I wouldnt go anywhere where the ring fence was two strands of electric fencing I would have to have a strong hedge, post and rail or stout four strand wire as I am paranoid about horses getting onto the road. Internallly electic fences would be ok but they would need at least four strands if the ponies were not in their own fields as I am sure they would annoy any neighbours
 
Haffy yourself a merry Christmas said:
Just curious really as I am looking to move, but struggling due to wanting grass livery. So here are mine:

1) Grass livery - My pony hates being stabled so he must have grass livery
2) Flood lit ménage - This is the first winter I have been without a school and I am completely lost without it!
3) Good hacking - I am not so fussed about there being some road work as I think its good for horses, but there must be scope to explore ans somewhere to gallop
4) Distance - Must be a reasonable distance from home
5) Atmosphere - It must be a nice place to be :)

So what is on your top 5 and why? x
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1. Owner or Manager(ess) must be permanently resident on site in purpose-built housing (ie proper house not caravan, chalet/log cabin or other temporary structure) and when they are on holiday another responsible senior member of staff must sleep on site.
2. CCTV and intruder alarm system
3. Automatic locking gates at night with fobs available to clients in emergency and other unusual circumstances.
4. Lockable storage for equipment
5. Land-line telephone available at all times. (Yes, I know most people have mobiles but sod's law has it that reception will go down when you need the vet urgently.)

This is not unreasonable and is the norm on the yard where my horse lives. The other aspects of a good livery yard are no-brainers and not worth discussion but I'm greatly surprised at how few of you mentioned security.

I'm not getting at anyone here but am really appalled at the way that some otherwise sensible horse owners find it acceptable to keep their horses on remote yards with little or no security arrangements and no-one living on site. And at the yard owners who expect their clients to accept rubbish security! I recently went with a young friend and her father to inspect yards for the pony they were about to buy. I was gob-smacked by the YOs' reactions to my questions about security arrangements. One non-resident YO actually said "Oh, we don't need anything like that" - this after several thefts and a fire on livery yards in various parts of the county.
 
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