[Rosemary]

I do sympathize though as we had a few lovely liveries who were penalized because of the majority of dreadful liveries.

This isn't a pop at NLL.

But isn't this just a symptom of the "me, me, me " attitude that has become disturbingly prevalent? No concern for the common good, with tolerance of others' foibles and a bit of come and go, a bit of compromise. If I don't get what I want, I'm throwing MY toys out of the pram - regardless of the impact on others.

[NLL]

the problems we got were as we got bigger.it started off really lovely, with bbqs and everyone helping each other.all liveries had their own paddocks and locked hay store.there was 4 per tack room with saddle locks all provided.running water in the fields and a free phone supplied for emergencies, which was never abused.
I supplied holiday relief foc and what did i get in return for the livery fee, complete stuppidity and abuse.one livery got so bad i gave her notice to leave and even found her somewhere to take her 2 horses, in return she broke my horses ribs,tornequed his throat and slashed his sides, great.rspca and police called in.
i didnt need it or the stress involved.I was always there for anyone vets visits etc and on hand to help
never again.

[Rosemary]

The yard I used to be on had 40 looseboxes, all full and with a waiting list, plus some grass livery. Probably 30 owners and I can honestly say that it was a pretty happy place. There was the odd spat - handbags at dawn stuff, but everyone pretty much got along and helped each other out. The YO was very helpful if you needed something done (although there were a few that were more demanding than others, and a few who were downright odd) but for the most part we rubbed along pretty well. Sometimes, I do miss them all. But not enough to go back!!!

[Hardfeather]

I visit quite a lot of livery yards for one reason or another, and it's very difficult to find one which is ever-harmonious. However, there is one which seems to be close to that ideal, and here's one of the reasons why...the owner tells any enquirer in search of a place that he thinks there may be a vacany coming up, takes the details, and then asks his livery clientelle for their opinion on the enquirer. Their judgement stands, and the yard is generally trouble-free as a result.

[claire]

NLL, I am very sorry you put so much effort in to create a nice place and got nothing but grief from it.
Claire

[waterhouse]

In 15 years we've been at five yards.  They all had their good and bad points, but I think the livery mix may have been key

1 was working livery at a college.  Wonderful facilities but the horse was too good and was overused by students which caused him major tendon trouble so we then had to move to

2 a dressage yard where the horse care was great but the paddocks were awful.  The owner died in a car crash so

3 was a yard where the owner had brought in liveries to keep her horse company.  Facilities were awful but the hacking was great and the people were nice.  But we moved house and the horse went to

4 the oddest yard where the owner was convinced that geldings and mares could mix without problems.  There were problems! so we went to

5 the yard with the best reputation locally, great hacking and great people.  We had wonderful times.  The people changed, got older etc and one day it just seemed to be an unhappy place.  The owner was either too hands-off or too involved depending on what happened and eventually lost patience (and money) and closed it.  The odd thing was that most of the yard could see the problems and wouldn't say anything while a few said far too much. 

I don't believe that there's a perfect yard anywhere (or if there is then it's about to change) but only the first yard had a livery contract which set out what you got, what you paid, what you didn't get and how you were expected to do behave.  It's a business and has to be run that way.  But even as a business it needs people to get on with each other and pull together

[Hermit]

The first livery yard I was at only had five of us and a few rules. First there let the horses out....usually me! Last there put the horses in ...usually me. People got their timing right! One lady used to be proud of filling the nets up for nightime till she was found to be feeding my top hay to hers and feeding my horse her crap! etc etc. I soon moved to a private rented field which another girl joined later and it was perfect, we just did for each other whatever what was needed at the time... hay for each, waters for both and so on,both horses were treated the same ,never just do mine sod yours.I took time off work to be there when she had her horse put to sleep and she was their to load my horses for the long trip to Shetland while I was already here. A true horsey pal.

[claire]

having spent the last couple of weeks with just enough hay to last the yard has now decided they are ordening hay again for us.......
its very disconcerting.............

the yard is an ice rink, we had another burst pipe.....they are away on holiday for two weeks......

[waterhouse]

You're lucky - neither of our local feed merchants has any hay, and both are struggling to source any.  One has now run out of straw as well. 

[Hardfeather]

There must be a local machinery ring in your area. It's like a co-op of farmers. They share machinery and resources. Phone the mart and ask for a contact number. The ring will be able to source fodder.

[waterhouse]

No way.  A small farmer round here has 2,000 acres and they don't do rings.  My neighbour farming 1850 acres struggled to replace his combine, eventually writing a cheque for £104,000 on a trade-in on a discontinued but new one.  He tried to do it jointly with another small neighbour but they couldn't agree.

He owns the local common and normally gets his annual hay needs (plus lots to sell) from one cut.  This year he got 20% of normal, and the horses don't like it.  We just have a hay shortage around here so prices have rocketed.  The feed merchant with no hay or straw is the one my neighbour buys from.

Enjoy not being close to London!

[claire]

and it goes on and on............have officially started to phone round and look for somewhere else but its not a good time of year...folks are too busy to think!!

[Rosemary]

The rug thing is just scandalous. I wish you were closer - it woudl be great to have you here. We think the same and Rebecca's just a sweetheart.

[waterhouse]

People are odd!

No yard is perfect but most seem to have working compromises.  We had our horses at a really lovely yard until we built our own yard and moved out earlier this year.  We know all the liveries and the staff really well so we're astonished how the place imploded and has now closed.

Two liveries did it.  One teenager took against the yard manager for trying to impose rules (no bareback riding in the yard, hard hats to be worn etc) and launched a campaign of anonymous text messages.  She was asked to leave but the full story couldn't be told because the girl was a minor.   The other liveries thought this unfair and a fairly destructive muttering started against the staff.  People stopped letting the highly experienced yard manager get on with managing and started demanding special turnout times, exercise routines, feeds etc. and would go over her head to the owner.

Then a middle-aged livery had a row over something pretty trivial and reduced another staff member to tears.  Which she followed-up by making more accusations plus some deeply personal abuse to anyone who would listen.  The owner had had enough and gave everyone three months notice: he didn't want the hassle.

Most left quickly - a bonanza for the local yards - but one decided to hang in for the whole three months, using the sole remaining staff member as her personal groom via a torrent of texts.  Both BHS qualified staff have now left the horse industry.

Because we'd already left the yard we've now heard the different stories from the liveries, the staff and the owner.   We now have ambivalent feelings towards some of our friends.  The moral of the story seems to be that a good yard only works if people make it work.

[belgianblue]

There must be a local machinery ring in your area. It's like a co-op of farmers. They share machinery and resources. Phone the mart and ask for a contact number. The ring will be able to source fodder.

try ramsack