The livery yard visit

Hopefully, you’ve been able to use Livery Finder’s search facilities to narrow down your search to a few possible yards and have arranged to visit them. Make sure that you arrive on time and suitably dressed. You will want to be able to visit all areas of the yard and therefore ensure that you have a warm coat and wellies with you to allow you access all corners of the yard in comfort. Even if you leave your jacket in the car it’s always worth bringing as exposed sites can be cold even on a warm day.

Take your checklist and a pen to write down details that the yard owner may give you along with your initial impressions to allow you to compare yards later. If you want to take photos, always ask permission and don’t be offended if they refuse as this is to protect the security of the horses and tack on the yard.

Areas to visit on the yard, what to look for and what to ask

Look at:

• Are they large and airy?
• Do the stables look be big enough for your horse to turn around and lie down?
• Are they well drained and ventilated?
• Do they look clean and well kept?
• Is the area around the stables well swept?
• Is there enough space to groom your horse?
• If a horse is the stable during your visit, does it look to have enough hay?
• Does the hay and haylage storage area look clean and regularly maintained?
• Is it clean in the feel room? (Remember:spilt food and vermin go together.)
• Are the beds of sufficient depth?

Ask:

• Which stable will your horse be in?
• Do you have a choice of bedding options?
• What type of muck out regime is used? i.e. deep litter vs full dig out
• How often are the beds skipped out per day?
• Can the hay be fed form the floor, haybar or haynet?
• How often do the horse get hay refills?
• What is the feeding regime, i.e. how many times a day, on what and are there any restrictions on brand?
• If DIY, are you allowed to buy in your own forage, bedding and feed, or do you have to buy from the yard or yards supplier? If you have to buy from the yard, check the quality on offer before you move your horse there.
• Are there any extras you’ll need to buy yourself?

Look at:

• Have a look at the fields that would be used for your horse, Don’t just look at the first field on the yard as this may not be used for your horse.
• Are the paddocks of sufficient size for the number of horses?
• Are the fences solid and horse friendly? Check that they are free from barbed wire, chicken mesh or other unsuitable materials?
• Are they free from dock leaves, thistles and ragwort the demonstrate poor field management?
• Do the fields have electric fences?
• Are the gates big enough with good fastenings?
• Is the grass in good condition for the time of year?
• Do the fields have a good supply of fresh water?
• If there are horses in the fields, do they look content?
• Do the paths to the fields look safe and well kept?

Ask:

• Are mares and Geldings Separated?
• How big are the groups of horses?
• How often the horses are turned out and are there a restriction on number of hours/day?
• Is the summer and winter turn out routine different?
• Is there an option to do night turnout in summer?
• What time do they get turned out in mornings and get brought in winter/summer
• Is hay fed in the winter and, if so, how is this managed?
• Are legs are washed down after being in field?
• Can turnout boots be put on and off?
• Can a field be sectioned off in summer to restrict grass?
• What is the poo picking regime?
• What is the paddock, regime, i.e rotation and harrowing etc to smooth after winter, what they use for fertilizer (is it nitrogen-free?)
• What is the maintenance protocol? For instance, if your horse was to break a fence, would you have to pay?
• Is there a worming or worm count programme in place?

Look at:

• Does the service look level and clean?
• Is the construction of the school good and is the surface suitable for your needs?
• Is there evidence of a good poo picking philosophy in force?
• Is the school well-kept with safe easy to use gates?
• Is it free from deep tracks, ill-placed jumps and abandoned cups and other signs of lack of care and maintenance?
• Are there floodlights?

Ask:

• How often is it harrowed/graded?
• Does it stay good in summer and drain in winter? Does it freeze?
• Is the arena hired out to non-liveries and if so how communicated to liveries?
• Is there are restriction on use or booking arrangements? i.e. for lessons or schooling
• What are the rules of the school? i.e. Do you have to pay extra for anything, such as to use the floodlights, What is the maximum number of people allowed in there at any one time?
• If more than one, do they have specific uses, i.e. showjumping, flat work or lunging?
• What other options are there for schooling or exercising your horse? e.g. Is there a jumping paddock, cross-country course, lungeing pen, horse walker, gallops, or off-road hacking?
• Ask about lessons from your own instructor. It is not unknown for yards to refuse to allow anyone but their "own" instructor to teach on site.

Look at:

• Does the yard feel secure or is it open to people walking in unchallenged?
• The tack space - if individual tack areas, can they be secured and is the space adequate for your needs? If communal, how the area is secured and is there a specific area for your equipment?
• Are there clean toilets, kitchen and social area facilities?
• Is the muck heap clean and tidy?
• Is the Solarium, horse wash areas easily accessible and can your horse be secured safely in this area?
• Lorry and trailer parking. Is there ample parking and could you easily turn trailers round?
• Are Instructors and contractors qualifications and insurance displayed?
• Did the horses look relaxed and healthy?
• Where any other horse owners around? Did they seem friendly and relaxed?
• If you get the opportunity to talk to some of the horse owners and gauge their impression of the yard

Look at:

• Ask about the Livery agreement. Is it simple and clear?
• What types of liveries are offered? What does each one include and how much does it cost?
• What exactly will you pay for and what is charged as an extra? Is it good value for money?
• Are the security arrangements in force during the day and night? Is there CCTV coverage of the yard and tack areas?
• Has the yard been broken into and if so when?
• How often is the muck heap emptied?
• Ask about any rules linked to the toilet and kitchen areas?
• Are personnel on site 24/7 for 365 days a year?
• Are the staff BHS qualified and BHS teaching staff available for lessons?
• Ask about the teaching routine are slots available and can visiting instructors come to the yard?
• Does the yard hold small horse events, lecture demonstration or social gatherings?
• If Solarium, horse wash areas and/or rug wash are available do these attract extra costs and if so how much?
• How many staff to how many liveries?

Ask:

• Are late night checks performed and if so what time are they at?
• What time is the last re-hay?
• If not on automatic water feeders, when are waters last topped up?
• What is the rug changing routine?
• Will extra rugs be put on in the evening and taken off during the day?
• What is the worming regime?
• Will Farrier and Vet visits be supervised for you?
• Are there regular Dentist, Chiropractic or Physiotherapy visits
• If included in the price, how often are the horses groomed?
• Who handles the horses and is on yard?

Ask:

• Check through the checklist and ensure that all the ‘must have’ requirements were met. If not consider if you really can live without this facility, will you regret the compromise in the long run.
• What was your impression of the yard owner and staff?
• Where they friendly, approachable and knowledgeable?
• Did the staff look under resourced and stressed?
• Did there appear to be a sympathetic horse management policy. Essential horse-husbandry
• Were Safe riding practices in evidence. Whereabouts monitored
• Was it a business-like livery yard operator who treated you as a valued customer.
• Gauge reputation. How did the atmosphere feel
• Is the location suitable? The yard must be close enough to allow you to visit your horse but must also have the facilities you need, such as safe hacking.
• Get an Ordnance Survey map and find out which bridleways are near the yard. Ask the yard manager, owner or liveries if all the marked bridleways are open and safe to use.
• Return a second time unannounced after your initial viewing - and use not only your eyes but also your nose!