# Liveries do their own horses on Christmas Day



## Judgemental (24 December 2012)

One of my favorite 'hobby horses'.

All liveries should appear on Christmas morning and 'do' their own horses and dispense vast quantities of good cheer.

I have heard it all before, "mine would'nt know where the muck heap is", "I pay for my horse to be kept at livery" and "frankly darlink it's too much to expect before church".

Perhaps somebody will add to my list?

In my experience, The Livery turning up really early on Christmas Morning is greatly appreciated


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## muffinino (24 December 2012)

Depends, I guess. If I spent a vast quantity of money on full livery, as some, particularly in the SE, do, I would expect livery do be done as usual on the day.

As it happens, I am DIY and absolutely insist on riding out, tinsel/reindeer antlers and all, as I never got that pony for Christmas so will damned well ride mine on Christmas Day!


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## criso (24 December 2012)

I'll add a couple to your list.  My family live abroad so often I am not in the same country/town as my horse. The one time I was at home as family came to me, I use public transport to get to the yard and it doesn't run on Xmas day or Boxing day so couldn't get there. If yard doesn't offer cover i usually try and do someone's horse on new years day in exchange.


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## bubbilygum (24 December 2012)

A yard I was at previously insisted that all horses were done by yard staff Xmas day (I'm sure if you took great exception to this they would let you do your own, but nobody did!) - full and part at no extra cost, DIYs at the standard day rate. The reason for this was that the staff could head down, get everything done, and shut shop for the day before returning later. It meant that the main gates could be locked, and all the staff could spend time with their families between the morning and afternoon shifts.

We are all doing our own at the yard this year - I personally like it! Gets me up and out of the house before all the madness commences!


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## Stark Dismay (24 December 2012)

Livery is a service. When you are in the service industry, if something needs doing every day, you can't just expect to get the day off because it is Christmas. I work in a service industry too - if I had my horses at livery I would fully expect my horses to be cared for if I was at work just the same as if it were a normal working day. The service industry I am in means I could be abroad at any given point in time. What would I be expected to do - just leave my horse for the holiday? I am fairly sure that my customers would be the first to jump up and down if I didn't do my job just because it was Christmas Day.

FWIW I always used to do my horses on Christmas Day even when at livery if I was not working. They are at home now, so it is irrelevant.


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## Hunters (24 December 2012)

I'm with Stark Dismay. Livery yards are in the service industry & that's that.

However all good owners should show their appreciation in an appropriate way. Personally I found a bottle or two of champagne always worked well


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## Stark Dismay (24 December 2012)

Champagne and chocolate - always wins!


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## Baggybreeches (24 December 2012)

When I worked at Livery Yards I much preferred doing a half day (muck out and morning stables) with the boss finishing up, mostly because I hated mucking out after someone else's attempts and the time spent trying to find all the tools strewn around the yard!


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## Hunters (25 December 2012)

Furthermore, can you imagine if the same worked in hospitals?

Patients on drips etc having to get their own dinner - not exactly professional ???


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## Irishcobs (25 December 2012)

When I worked at a full livery yard the yard owner did the horses on Xmas day so us girls could have the day off, though I went in as I had my horse there on DIY. All the horses had the day off though. 
On Boxing the owner and 3-4 liveries went hunting so us girls would be in early to get everything done and ready so we could go to the meet. 

I don't think half of the livery owners would know how to muck out and with 25 horses and only 3 wheelbarrows they would be there all day.


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## The Fuzzy Furry (25 December 2012)

My livery is not just doing hers, but doing mine too 

In the past, I've often done my own yard as well as feeding/haying other adjacent yards on xmas day in the morning.


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## mastermax (25 December 2012)

A livery yard I was on years ago insisted that they do the horses Christmas morning and they stayed in, we went up in the evening to do them.
Now.... Milk as normal 4 am, feed cows, bed up, check young stock, turn out horses and muck out, breakfast and then milk again this afternoon. Merry Christmas.


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## spotty_pony (25 December 2012)

Mine are on Part Livery and have been mucked out and fed as usual this morning. My friend has been up and checked them and I will be up this afternoon to exercise and get him ready for hunting tomorrow!


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## frannieuk (25 December 2012)

I'm on full livery but have always done my two on Christmas morning, plus help out the YO by doing any others, filling the day's nets for the yard and helping sweep etc. All the other liveries do their own too, and the lovely YO brings down Irish coffee and nibbles! Whilst I agree it's a service industry, I think that if you can make it down to do your horse (and do a decent job of it!) then it's a nice gesture.


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## skint1 (25 December 2012)

I've never had a horse on full livery so we just work in 2 visits a day as normal, I think I'd miss seeing them, ideally would like to ride but never have time 

eta I couldn't imagine having horses and not knowing how to muck out that must be nice   <- jealous!!!


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## Merlin11 (25 December 2012)

When I was on full livery yard owner would do Xmas and new year but there were about 40 horses so would normally lend a hand. It's just a couple of days out of the year. Now they are at home I have to do them them every day.


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## fidleyspromise (25 December 2012)

I've always been on DIY and love it. See my ponies and give them their guinness.
Pony has been schooled all week so I relented and popped her over some jump today.

If I was part/full livery and YO wanted to close up early, I'd make sure I still did my ponies but would have them done before YO wanted to close so there's no hanging around waiting for me


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## MerrySherryRider (25 December 2012)

I suppose for the YO who spends Christmas alone, it might be lovely for liveries to turn up and create a festive atmosphere on Christmas morning. For the YO's with families, I'd guess they'd rather get the job done quickly themselves and not have to work extra hard on Boxing day to restore order and sift through the    beds that weren't properly done by the liveries the day before.

For us mere mortals on DIY, the yard is buzzing on Christmas morning and horses are ridden out wearing suspect bits of tinsel and bells. Early start as usual, mass is at Midnight on Christmas eve, so doesn't delay the horse's work and turnout.

 Best part of the day, is the early morning in a stable with the sweet smell of a horse. For the full time owners, its a pleasure not reserved for Christmas.


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## CrazyMare (25 December 2012)

Mine are on a DIY yard that offer services. Services are not provided Christmas Day & Boxing Day to allow the family to have time together. Liveries just pair up to get things done - Just like we do all year.

I spent yesterday playing 'dress up' with the ponies...Including my 8 month old colt wearing a Santa hat....LOVE IT.


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## Shutterbug (25 December 2012)

When I was on a full livery yard all horses were out on Xmas Eve until Boxing day morning - and if you wanted your horse in you had to come and muck out yourself.  I'm currently DIY so was up at the yard at 7.30am this morning to turn out all the horses, did my own boys stable hay and feeds and then went home to drag the kids out of bed to do presents - then I went back to the yard and went for a Xmas day hack with my 2 fellow liveries at mid-day - now home waiting for dinner to be ready.  Wouldnt have it any other way


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## Crackajack (25 December 2012)

Ive been on a mixture of all three...

Full/Half livery yard - where i tended to be mainly DIY as much as she would let me....no clients allowed Xmas day 

DIY - there are no livery services it really is do it yourself but my best friend took them in the AM and we met to have a glass of wine in the evening at the farm 

This year - I had to ensure I did not leave feed out so she would not do it - I said not to but she wouldn't hear of it! Got my own way tho 
I wanted to be first to greet King on our first Xmas


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## Judgemental (26 December 2012)

It's so refreshing to read that the majority do do their own horses at Christmas and/or make an effort to visit the yard first thing and give a hand or at the very least give moral support and Christmas fare.


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## Kaylum (26 December 2012)

They pay they get their horses done, thats what they pay for, and tobehonest our full liveries (think ride but can't do horse management) are better paying for the service.


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## Ella19 (26 December 2012)

Ours almost fell over backwards when we requested horses were left on turnouts on Christmas eve so we didn't have to spend an hour changing rugs on Christmas morning!


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## Luci07 (26 December 2012)

My yard functioned as normal except the horses stayed in. Most people went up to se their horses and other liveries and staff but each to their own. Livery is a service, my YO does not pick and choose when my horses are done as that is not how she runs her yard. Drinks and presents are exchanged but as I pay for my livery than my mortgage I would be unimpressed if it was assumed I would do my own.


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## Judgemental (26 December 2012)

Taking a very general *straw poll of the posts, it does seem that those in the Home Counties are rather more of the 'service' mentality as to livery.

Whereas the further west one goes, there is a jolly attitude and an ambience of _esprit de corps_

A great feeling of all being muckers joining in and pulling together, leaving money out of the issue for a day or two.

Oh that we could leave money out of the equation 365!

* Intentional pun


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## Kaylum (26 December 2012)

No home counties here we in Yorkshire.


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## criso (26 December 2012)

At the risk of generalising, it does seem around London there are alot of people who are not local who go to their families who live elsewhere or abroad. At my last yard an announcement was made about 3 weeks before Christmas that there would be no services on Christmas day and boxing day.
This was a mixed diy and part livery yards. Cue mass panic as people tried to make last minute arrangements to get their horses mucked out and fed on those days. Begging favours, asking some of the teenagers who lived locally if they wanted to make some cash over Christmas.  Was glad I was leaving and my new ym had agreed to do mine. Owe her big box of chocs though as field kept boy developed raging mud fever and had to come in on Christmas eve requiring livery and creaming/bandaging while I'm away.


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## redmone (26 December 2012)

Dolly is on part full part working livery (ie full 3 days per week working 4 days per week) and she's also a member of our family! Therefore we deliver her Xmas breakfast early Xmas day and muck out with the staff. I wouldnt dream of leaving them to do her, I WANT to see her, cuddle, pressies and then make sure she's tucked up warm and happy!

We also do our "block" of 7 stables, I muck out, OH barrows and does buckets and daughter does dolly and sweeps back beds and then sweeps the block.

We do this every Xmas day and boxing day and usually new year too.  The yard looks after us 365 days per year, it's the least we can do. 

I have my first ever mucking out blister this year!! I must have worked hard!!! : )


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## shadeofshyness (27 December 2012)

Not everyone has the luxury of a car. It upsets me to think that those who rely upon a tram or bus or train, which of course don't run on Christmas day, may be looked down upon by other liveries who can drive to the yard whenever they like.


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## Luci07 (28 December 2012)

I honestly wouldn't care if someone else thought they could be superior because they mucked out their horse on Xmas day. I had to pack in a local family visit, trip to the yard and walking 4 dogs properly before changing and going upto London for lunch.  Yard staff get the last laugh when they are hacking in the sunshine while I am stuck in an office!


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## SO1 (28 December 2012)

I think a lot depends on if your family lives locally or not. For some xmas is the only time of year when their family gets together. My family cant come to me as I live in a tiny one bedroom flat and to fit 6 people in there would be impossible I don't even have a table that would seat 6 people and expecting my uncle who has cancer to travel a long distance would not be fair.

It would not be possible for my family to come just for the day as it would take so long for them to get here and additionally there would be no-where for them to park their cars either.

I think it would be quite fun to come to the yard on xmas day with some family members would break up the day a bit and get everyone out of the house. However for some people it is just not possible if they do not have family near by the yard and have to travel, sometimes family have to take priority over horses. I think now many people move away from their family to find work especially in rural northern areas where there many not be enough work to support everyone in the community. 

I know this is always going to be an issue whilst my parents are alive (and long may they live!) unless one we move nearer each other or I get a big house neither of which is likely, therefore I need to be on a yard that can provide services on xmas day and I don't mind paying extra for this. 

I would hope that yard staff working on xmas day will be getting extra pay especially those providing services for people who would normally be on DIY. I think full livery should incorporate xmas day and other bank holidays and the charge for full livery should take into account paying staff extra to work unsociable hours.


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## Drakerath (28 December 2012)

In my eyes, christmas day is no different to any other day when you have horses. If I had a horse in full livery, I would not question whether it would be done as usual by the YO (or staff). (I would give a present for it being Christmas.) Likewise DIY, I would expect to turn up like any other day and DIY.

As it is, I have never had a horse on livery nor will I. I like doing my own and if I do go away, then family step in to fill the breach for a day or two. My holidays  are reserved for out of hunting season so all my horses are turned away when I do go away (so little/nothing to do).

I have about 8 spare stables in my yard and I could not bear to have liveries in. I like my equipment right where I left it - and the radio on a the station of my choice and pretty much everything my own way :-D


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