Your top 5 livery yard must haves, and why?

Ellen Durow said:
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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I'm gob smacked that of your top five there is nothing relating to the happiness and wellbeing of your horse.
 
1) fantastic indoor school.
2) fantastic indoor school.
3) fantastic indoor school.
4) fantastic indoor school.
5) fantastic indoor school.

Because I have everything else I want at home and despite having an indoor booked for 2pm I won't be able to go due to the stinking gale currently raging. :mad:
 
Ellen Durow said:
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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I'm shocked that you specify the type of accomodation your YO may live in. Before I opened my current yard and moved into the lovely cottage on site, I had a much larger yard with a mobile home on site. I lived in that stupid mobile home for two years - it was miserable, but I did it for the horses so that there was someone on site. I chose to get planning permission for indoor and outdoor schools before I got planning permission for a house as I felt my liveries would rather have schools than a house for their YO.

My yard is about as secure as they come - we're down a mile long private, gated drive, with CCTV everywhere. We have alarm systems, I have guard dogs and we live on site. If I were still living in a mobile home and a livery told me they wouldn't stable their horse with me for this reason, I would count myself lucky I'd avoided them.
 
1) A nice/caring yo - im very lucky at my yard yo is fantasic :)
2) A decent/floodlit school - i cant ride till 4ish after school run so in winter darkness lights are a must!
3) Good turnout grass and stable options (i have a 2yr old that lives out)
4) Nice friendly other liveries- i like a natter :D
5) Nice roomy stables - my girl likes to spread out :D

I pleased to say the yard im out ticks all those boxes and more! Im happy and my horses are happy :)
 
1. Reasonable YO that treats the livery yard as a business, and therefore respond to what their customers (ie me) wants/what I am paying for
2. Reasonable turnout all year round
3. Nice school to ride in
4. Reasonable hacking
5. Close to home
 
LD&S said:
I'm gob smacked that of your top five there is nothing relating to the happiness and wellbeing of your horse.
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Also amazed. Alli care is that my horse is comfortable, happy, well cared for. Perhaps Ms Durrow's horse is incredibly famous/worth millions? :rolleyes:

1. Good turnout that doesn't turn into soup
2. Good sized stable
3. Reasonable YO
4. An indoor school
5. Decent fellow liveries

I have 4 of those but at my last yard, there was only 2, so I think I'm better off currently.
 
kerrieberry2 said:
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!
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you pinced my list........only i have no other liveries with me...just the lovely owner with hiw own horses who is just amazing,
 
1. All year turnout, 24/7 summer, at least all day winter, with the option of 24/7 all year round.
2. All year turnout 24/7 summer, at least all day winter with good sized, well ventilated stables and tack space.
3. Safe fencing and access to fields with field shelters or good trees.
4. Hard standing with canopy for grooming etc.
5. My own dream - natural horse boarding yard.

Yes, I'm definitely into turnout and perhaps number 5 should be my number 1.
 
Hi, heres mine:

1. 24/7 turnout and dry stable.
2. Knowledgable staff and caring YO.
3. Friendly people -other liveries, good facilities for me i.e. Kettle, secure tack room
 
Mine would be:

1) My own winter and summer paddock to be shared by my 2 and no others, available 24/7/365, but with good quality stables too
2) Safe hacking, pref direct onto off-road
3) Somewhere safe for all my gear inc transport
4) Friendly, non bitchy, non confrontational yard atmosphere
5) Help if I need it (as I would only ever be on DIY)

There'd be loads of other things I'd want too!
 
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