Everything for
horse & rider

Regardless of whether you believe that it is better to go for the DIY option and take care of your horse personally 100% or whether you are looking for a full livery to fit in with your busy lifestyle, there are certain considerations you should take into account when deciding which livery yard is the perfect one for you and your horse. Stables are not just where your horse will sleep, they the social centre many a horse community – it is where you and your horse will make good friends and it is essential that you are both happy with the choice that you make.

 

• Is the stable suitable? Ask to be shown the actual stable your horse will occupy as you don’t want the nasty shock of being shown an all singing all dancing stable to find you actually get one of the lower grade stables hidden round the back that may be smaller, have damp issues or be too drafty for your horse.

• Is the bedding and food included in the rental price? Most stables will expect you to provide your own, especially if you are DIY and want to maintain a 100% hands on approach with your horse, but occasionally these may be provided. If they are than you may want to check out whether the yard owners have any objection to another company delivering food or bedding, if your horse has special requirements.

• Will you be able to put your horse in a paddock all year round or is this facility restricted at all? Some horses prefer to be left out 24 hours per day especially as the weather starts warming up in spring and summer but are you allowed to leave them out? Will they have a paddock to themselves or will they be sharing with other horses? What happens if your horse requires an individual paddock for whatever reason, e.g. a mare with a new foal, a starvation paddock etc?

• What facilities are available and on what basis? Is there an arena on site and do you have access to it? If so do you need to book a slot or can you just use it if it is free? Are these facilities also rented out to the general public, other riding schools etc., which may limit their availability. Is your access limited to a set number of hours per week or month based on the rent you pay?

• What are the local bridleways and tracks like? Much like buying a house you should investigate the area before signing up to anything and establish whether they meet your needs, whether the council look after the bridleways sufficiently to make your riding pleasant for both you and your horse.

• What safety measures are in place on the yard? This would cover areas of not only general health and safety but also what would happen should your horse take ill or injure itself while you are not on the yard? If you can leave your horse in the paddock, especially at night, what precautions are taken to prevent intruders from taking your horse or tack? Is there always someone on site, what security measures are in operation.

• Are you expected to sign a contract? This is by no means a bad thing as it provides you with peace of mind and safeguards you, your horse and the yard in a variety of situations. It will also detail, for example, notice periods, how you are expected to pay bills, whether you can bring outside professionals such as your own instructor onto the property (some yards do not allow this, especially if they have one on site). Always ask if you can take the contract away to read it before signing and ask any questions you have regarding it, irrespective of how trivial they may seem.

• What are the other tenants and their horses like? Stable yards are, as mentioned above, one of the social epicenters of the equine community and you and your horse will make some great friends providing you chose the right livery yard. You will increase your equine knowledge and riding techniques through the experiences of others and hopefully have a good laugh along the way! If you don’t feel like you will fit in or are not happy with the people or horses around you and your horse then you will not get the best livery experience and will probably end up looking for a new yard wishing you had taken notice of the pointers above.

Naturally you will have a priority checklist of what you want to get out of your livery yard but if you look at a more rounded picture of exactly what you are getting yourself into, avoiding any pitfalls, wherever you choose will be practically perfect for all involved!