Livery yard versus private yard - your preferences

[bimba]

Just thought it might be interesting to see what everyone prefers when it comes to where we keep our horses.

Sometimes I read peoples posts about having friends at the yard, having people to ride with, having lovely facilities etc and get really envious as I don't have any of that. Then again neither of the livery yards I've been at have been very positive experiences which I guess puts me off them in general, the first was great for a while then the yard manager had to have a lot of time off due to health problems and the person who replaced her was quite frankly crap and a lot of people (me included) left as stuff was going missing, things weren't being done properly or done at all and several times people arrived there to find the place locked up so we couldn't access our horses or tack. The second place I was at seemed great when I went to look around but turned out to be even more of a disaster than the first but I think that was largely down to one other livery who basically made everyone life hell through their ignorance and stupidity.

I've now had the boys at 2 private yards, one last summer when Mac babysat for a friends younster while they competed their other horse and I got free grazing in return and the other the yard I'm at now where it's just my 2 or my 2 and their youngster (I have summer and winter grazing both belonging to the same family so it varies) and to be honest both I and the horses have been much happier. I come and go as I please, don't have to deal with other people, can do what I want with the horses without reference to anyone else - there are a lot of positives but it does get lonley and while the family I rent off are happy to let Mac out or in if I can't get there it pretty much means I have to go twice a day every day.

So what do you prefer and why?

[black crow]

I know its not quite the same, but i prefer having my own yard.

Ive been at private yards and livery yards all my life. Overall i preferred the private yards FAR better. Things much quieter, less bitchy, etc.

Only one livery yard was worth it, and i miss being there so much. My friends yard that we turned into a therapy center was technically a private yard as we took on horses with very few liveries. Generally it was amazing but the people let it down in the end.

The last yard i was at was hell, most of the people were dreadful, horse abusive people, the owners were the nastiest, most spiteful backstabbing people ive met in a LONG time and the yard maintenance was absoloutley shocking. For one of many examples they ddint give a toss about the ragwort despite the owner being a farmer himself, so he should have known. I could go on all day

When i was still competing ALL the time, being at a livery made it much harder because i had several horses to exercise, and there were many more wanting to get in the arena and start cantering about over and over the same ****** fence. They didnt warm up, and always got in the way by either cutting me off or nearly riding into me, certainly didnt understand the left to left system at all. It also annoyed me when people tried to aim for the same fence i was, even though i was correctly lined up to it, and they were coming the other way! Id also get a lot of the snobby know it alls stood watching which used to put me off quite a bit. They irritated me to no end when id come back from a show or a weekend away competing and all id hear is some snipy little comment from behind the door. Theres no flipping need for it.

Especially at the last livery, i couldnt cope with the way people treated their horses. I got on with mine and spoke to the people i was good friends with, but so many times you would end up getting caught up in the rubbish of others. There was one lad [who i will happily name and shame] who acted the gods gift of riding, his mother was appauling, and he would constantly punch and whip his horses. I got so close to dragging him off his horse on many occasions as i will not stand for such abuse.

Obviously not all liveries are like this. Ive been on more private yards than liveries, but all but one of the liveries always had something i just didnt quite get on with. Not being picky really, i just prefer things to be quieter, more relaxed and you can do your own thing without people running over you, or causing commotion or spreading lies about another poor livery and wanting your opinion on it.

I love having my own yard. There is an event yard next door to my stables who take on liveries, and Karen rents one of mine, but even so, because it is all on private land theres only a limited number of people who ever come up here, and it doesnt feel like a livery environment and it is so very peaceful. I love it!

[My Crazy Clan]

Not the same as Black Crows but similar, My field was basically a livery yard until everyone left, I decided to take the whole of it on, yes it cost me an arm and a leg every month but its worth it to be on my own, also not many places take stallions, this way they get to live as natural as possible, its a nice big 10 acer field, with running water, good fencing and feeding paddock.
But I don't have anywhere really to school, know one to hack with etc but I do love being on my own, no one to answer too.

[helena]

We own a livery yard, but it is a very small one, so in a way a bit like having a private yard.

Everyone has their own tackroom, large stable, individual turnout and can come to their horses whenever they please, but there is the added advantage of having company, and someone to do your horse if you are ill or on holiday.

We only take people with references from their previous yard, and no under 18's are allowed except with their parents. We have a long waiting list for places.
Its the best of both worlds really.

[Tiaki]

I prefer private to livery but best of all is my own yard (rented).

I've been at my yard for nearly a year now and love it. The YO's live on site and they have their one horse there. It's great. I have the security of them living on site but I'm pretty much left to get on with whatever I want.

We have taken on another lady in the last couple of weeks. She is renting one of the back fields for her one horse. It works really well actually. I still rent the full yard and this new lady is just renting the one field. It is nice to have another face about the place as it does get a bit samey sometimes but I would not want to share with anymore people or anyone else. New lady is lovely and we have very similar views etc which is why I agreed for her to rent the field. Plus, she works very long hours so 9 times out of 10 I don't see her very often

It's great. I love my yard and I am happy with private renting.

The only time I would go back to livery (have done it before) is if I absolutely had to and couldn't find anything private.

xxx

[Roan Mare]

I have the best of both worlds and I'm really happy with it.

I'm on a small yard with one other livery and the yard owners ponies. We have good facilities and not many people that need to use them so it's brilliant.

We help each other out when we need too and the YO gives me and Doris a lift to shows etc

[Catg]

Ditto Apple, I've been in my own and it gets very lonely, I'm too much of a people person to go without company.

Having said that I've been on small and medium size yards that are bitchy and it's just awful. I've now managed to find a happy medium so long may it last x

[Lobelia Overhill]

I have no choice, I have to keep my horse at livery - he wouldn't really be able to get up the stairs to the spare bedroom