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The tack room

Discuss horse riding and ownership on our Horse forum.

Original poster

Full livery and lockdown.

43 replies

Snoringmouse · 09/02/2021 15:55

What rules do other people have from the yard owners at the moment?
I must admit to getting fed up with the rules at ours particularly as my mare is often to be found without hay and being kept in 24/7 due to bad weather.

I was told off for visiting more than once today despite no one telling me this was even a rule before now.

Her stable is disgusting and I went in to clear it out rather than say anything as the manager just gets defensive.

I am paying £600 pcm if that is relevant, we get one bag of sawdust a week, it’s a big yard in the SE.

OP posts:
Original poster
Snoringmouse · 09/02/2021 15:56

This is a double moan really I suppose. Nothing near to move to either.

OP posts:
LockdownIsDragging · 09/02/2021 16:12

One bag a week if they are in 24/7 is nowhere near enough, I use two or three and mine are out for about 6 hours. The lack of hay is more worrying and I would hate to have my horse with people I didn’t trust.
I know you say there is nowhere else but I would look, if you are visiting more than once a day could you do part livery?

maxelly · 09/02/2021 16:13

That sounds rubbish OP, I do have sympathies with yard owners right now as the weather is hideous, fields in a bad way and harder than ever to get and keep enough good staff. I'm more understanding than usual of horses getting limited turnout etc., but I'd be really unhappy about the lack of hay and the dirty beds as that's really bad for the horses, plus if that's how lax they are with things the owners can see, what are they doing behind your back....

We're on one visit a day for everyone right now, theoretically in timed slots although it is noticeably much more busy than in the first lockdowns esp. as my yard is a riding school as well, and the riding school ponies now all have 'loaners' who come and ride at the same time as liveries. Also I don't think YO is really policing the time slots/hand-washing/keeping distance rules as such, just expecting people to be sensible which is a whole other issue (inevitably some are being more sensible than others)...

Is there really no other option locally? Could you investigate smaller/DIY yards and buy in the care you need for her? Some of the nicest yards are small private ones which wouldn't necessarily advertise but if you ask around on local facebook groups etc someone may have heard of something?

lastqueenofscotland · 09/02/2021 16:22

I’d move my horse if they were keeping them in 24/7 against my wishes
Our lockdown rules are basically 1 person per horse. So no one bringing up their boyfriend/kids etc and we have a little coffee shed that’s been locked for now

Original poster
Snoringmouse · 09/02/2021 16:28

Oh thanks for replies, I was doubting my own judgement. This is a big yard and I will try to be vague but it’s part of a big estate, lots of money around so it’s not a struggling owner.

I think it’s incredibly mean about the sawdust too and lots of people buy their own but of course we are not allowed to go there to much out. It’s so stressful.

Hay is hit and miss depending on who is doing our part of the yard.

Honestly nothing around here at all, can’t do DIY for a variety of reasons.

OP posts:
Original poster
Snoringmouse · 09/02/2021 16:32

I totally understand no outside instructors, coffee room etc and no sharing of anything. I am just getting so stressed about whether she has hay and water.
I am useless at being assertive too.

OP posts:
Frouby · 09/02/2021 16:45

You need to be assertive. Say you are monitoring her weight cos too fat/too thin and want to know the weight of hay she is getting.

Also have they dropped her hard feed to allow for being in more?

Original poster
Snoringmouse · 09/02/2021 16:52

I do and she dropped weight when we first moved her there so I was trying to top her up. Sounds as if once a day rule isn’t unusual though for visits.

I might buy another net and leave it in there.
I find a lot of horse people really tricky to communicate with.

OP posts:
Original poster
Snoringmouse · 09/02/2021 16:54

Not sure about hard feed, she is liable to lose weight easily though.
It is only recently for 24/7 in but I would rather she got turn out for a couple of hours at least in a rug.

Are yours getting turnout in snow?

OP posts:
RatherBeRiding · 09/02/2021 17:05

Once a day is the rule on my full/part livery yard but they receive excellent care. In your shoes I would be leaving several nets and several buckets of water if you can't trust the staff to provide basic care, but for that amount of money it's pretty disgraceful.

I'm in the north and weather hasn't been too bad and they do get daily turnout no matter how foul the weather and how bad the fields, even if its only for a few hours.

I know you say you can't do DIY but you can often find someone on a DIY yard who will do jobs for cash, or you can find a self employed groom- probably work out the same in terms of ££ but you'd at least have more say in her care.

Floralnomad · 09/02/2021 17:10

If you could give us an idea of where you are @Snoringmouse someone may be able to suggest a different yard . I’m also SE based and there is no shortage of livery options near me .

Original poster
Snoringmouse · 09/02/2021 17:39

@RatherBeRiding

Once a day is the rule on my full/part livery yard but they receive excellent care. In your shoes I would be leaving several nets and several buckets of water if you can't trust the staff to provide basic care, but for that amount of money it's pretty disgraceful.

I'm in the north and weather hasn't been too bad and they do get daily turnout no matter how foul the weather and how bad the fields, even if its only for a few hours.

I know you say you can't do DIY but you can often find someone on a DIY yard who will do jobs for cash, or you can find a self employed groom- probably work out the same in terms of ££ but you'd at least have more say in her care.

That’s a good point actually.
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Original poster
Snoringmouse · 09/02/2021 17:39

@Floralnomad

If you could give us an idea of where you are *@Snoringmouse* someone may be able to suggest a different yard . I’m also SE based and there is no shortage of livery options near me .
I am in west Kent area (will name change again after this thread).
OP posts:
BertramLacey · 09/02/2021 18:00

Honestly nothing around here at all

I'd be moving. My boy is a good half hour drive from where I live but with someone I trust absolutely. She'll take care of him if I can't get there because she cares about all animals. I had to go that far afield to find someone I trust that much though. I get the thing about avoiding confrontation, but your horse cannot speak up for herself so you need to. Lack of turnout, little food and water is a recipe for colic.

I go up once a day, weather allowing. When the weather stops me the yard owner does him. Whatever the weather, he goes out somewhere. If the ground is really bad it's a couple of hours in the arena, morning and afternoon. Since it is a small yard the owner can afford to let us up once a day. I can understand more restrictions on larger yards but then they must look after all horses properly.

In your position I'd be fuming and I'd be going all out to find a solution.

Original poster
Snoringmouse · 09/02/2021 18:07

Fully appreciate I sound like a right drip on this thread, it’s hard to trust your own judgment sometimes when everyone else seems happy on the yard. Then again I never really get involved with anyone beyond saying hello etc.

OP posts:
Forest90 · 09/02/2021 18:48

We don’t have a limit on the numbers of times we can visit, we’re just asked to be sensible and not to spend all day at the yard. Some of the riding school horses now have loaners and the school is booked out most of the day but we have a system where you book out a slot in the school and it seems to work itself out.

We also have no turnout in winter, he’s my first horse I bought last year and i’ve kept him at my riding school as I have great support and all the other liveries are wonderful but it has been really really hard. We have a round pen, walker and lunge pen so I ask that he does something everyday (in addition to me riding every evening), but I hate seeing him in. I live near to you and there are a lack of options, but I’m not sure I can do another winter like this one.

I have one bag of shavings included in my livery which isn’t enough to last the week being in, his stable was often left disgusting by the end of the week so I buy an extra bag and ask they use this halfway through the week, which they happily do. At the end of the day I’m their client and i pay them to look after my horse. If they didn’t show they cared or listened to any niggles I had then I would move him 100%. No livery yard is perfect and there’s some things I sacrifice but basic care like having hay wouldn’t be one of them.

If I was you I would be raising my concerns, if nothing changed then I’d be taking my pony and 600pcm elsewhere.

huuuuunnnndderrricks · 09/02/2021 19:01

Whereabouts are you? I know a beautiful small yard with amazing facilities.

Original poster
Snoringmouse · 09/02/2021 19:03

@huuuuunnnndderrricks

Whereabouts are you? I know a beautiful small yard with amazing facilities.
West Kent area.
OP posts:
huuuuunnnndderrricks · 09/02/2021 19:06

Oh shame , prob too far !

NewYearNewTwatName · 09/02/2021 19:11

I'd definitely move yards, it doesn't sound good at all, if you can't fine full livery then maybe part livery or DiY with a freelancer.

At a local big yard.
During Lockdown it's normal to book a slot for turning up especially on big yards that can become busy very quickly if everyone turns up at the same time. If there are enough slots left you can book a second slot for the day.

2 shavings bales a week is usual as part of package, extra can be requested and paid for.

all year turn out whatever the weather even if it's just a few of hours.

Hay, 2 to 3 nets (depending on how long they are in) nets will vary in size and holes depending on size and how much horse/pony eats.

I would say when looking at a yard, see how fussy they are about their beds, most good yards take pride in their beds being big and fluffy whether its straw of shavings. (yes I know some have very shallow shavings beds on matting and people like it, but then I would'nt keep my horse there though)

I'm not near your area so can't help with finding a yard.

Original poster
Snoringmouse · 09/02/2021 19:16

Thanks for all your responses, really appreciated. I am getting more and more annoyed about the bedding seeing what is normal in other yards.

The yard is owned by a very wealthy landowner, it’s just tightness.

OP posts:
Cecillie · 09/02/2021 22:30

There's no way a bale of shavings is enough for a week when in 24/7 and not enough hay would really bother me. That's not good enough at all.
There must be somewhere else near you , have you tried asking on Facebook? Are there particular facilities you need , if not there may well be private yards you don't know of where they will do full livery . I have lived here over 20 years and still regularly come across yards I never knew existed

Original poster
Snoringmouse · 09/02/2021 22:37

I can’t risk asking on Facebook as it would be seen by the manager/other liveries.
I am supplementing the shavings by buying my own but wondered if I was being fussy so it’s good to hear what other people think.

Spurred on by this thread I have emailed a couple of places which are quite a distance but I have heard good things about. They are full but will let me know when they get a vacancy.

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Pleasedontdothat · 09/02/2021 23:34

Definitely move - we’re half an hour away from our yard but the only places nearer have rubbish/no turnout. You need a minimum of 2 bales of shavings to maintain a bed when they’re in at night - more if their turnout is restricted. The horses didn’t go out yesterday but the yard was like an ice rink and they all had a leg stretch in the indoor arena and plenty of hay. They all went out today for a couple of hours to have a buck and a roll.

One of the things you’re paying for with full livery is not having to worry about the care of your horse - if you’re not convinced she’s being looked after properly, then it’s definitely time to move. Can you ask a friend to post on Facebook for you? We were surprised by how many yards don’t advertise/have a very minimal online presence so it’s worth asking around

NotPaloma · 10/02/2021 16:52

I'm on quite a small yard, full livery. We have timed slots for going up with no more than 3 households there at the same time. It's a bloody nuisance to be honest and sucks all the joy out of having a horse but we are where we are. Hope it's over soon.