SO IT'S TIME FOR A CHANGE AND YOU'RE LOOKING AT NEW LIVERY YARDS...

There are many things to take into consideration when looking for a new livery yard for your horse or pony. All of us great equestrians believe that we look after our horses the very best way possible and if we are unable to keep them at home we are determined to find that perfect livery yard that offers everything we could imaging for the ultra, super care of our equine partner.

You need to consider the position of the yard in relation to your house or your work. In the event that the yard contacts you and you are needed to see to your horse in an emergency, you need to be a reasonable distance away. If your horse is on DIY livery then it is essential you or someone can get to your horse quickly in the unlikely event of an emergency. If you are on part or Full livery where the care of your horse is undertaken by the staff then you need to be totally confident that they understand your requirements and are completely capable of dealing with any issues that may arise.

Knowing your horse is in the care of capable, confident yard staff means you can go home and rest easy knowing that he is well looked after. If you feel at all worried that the staff will not do what has been agreed by you or you feel that they are not knowledgeable enough, then it is probably best not to pursue that particular yard for livery.

When you begin to search for a suitable place you will inevitably make lots of phone calls and plenty of visits to the places you find would suit you both best. There's nothing better than talking out all of your requirements with the person who is going to be in charge of your prospective new yard. This way you can hopefully judge for yourself what you think of the yard and it's running and they get a good chance of getting to know what type of client you will be.

So once you've talked money and agreed a livery charge you must find out about any hidden extras. Make sure you know if there is going to be a charge for parking your horse box or trailer on the yard, or if you have to pay extra every time your horse has his boots put on. Little things like this might seem trivial at first but if you are budgeting each month on a fixed livery bill and you receive a £60 extras bill for 30 days of boots on and off, this will significantly increase your outgoings, making your livery bill more expensive than you had thought.

What about turnout? How long do the horses go out for and do they go out in the morning or the afternoon? You need to be sure that they can turn your horse out at a time of the day that suits you and doesn't clash with when you are going to ride. There's nothing fun about arriving to find a wet muddy horse when you are in a rush to ride!

And then there's your horse's feed. Most yards feed one particular brand so be sure that you are happy to move to this feed for your horse. Check out the food labels and compare them to what he is on at present. You can then make an assessment as to wether it contains the correct balance of nutrients for your horse. You must be clear on the type of forage you require. Do they supply hay and haylage, will they soak hay for your 'chesty' horse?

Once you have discussed all these things about the daily maintenance of your horse you need to be sure that there are enough members of staff to cater for the amount of horses on the yard. Obviously yards differ as to how they run their staff and some have more experienced staff than others. It is up to you to decide if you are happy with the way your horse will be handled by the staff you are introduced to. You must, under every circumstance inform the livery yard if your horse has any vices that may harm them or another livery. If you have a kicker or biter it is only fair and correct that they know for their own safety. They may be happy to take the horse on no matter what the issues but for your own piece of mind and insurance it is your duty to tell them.

The best idea you will have about the horses and how they are kept is to have a look around and pop your head over the stable door. Have they got clean, fresh water buckets, and does their bedding suit your requirements? But best of all, take notice of the horses in their stables and in the fields. Are they happily grazing or are they standing on bare paddocks? How many relaxed, quiet heads are hanging over the doors - are they munching on a hay net or are they thrashing around box walking and squealing for something to eat? Remember, happy horses are usually a sign of good things. They tell you one way or another if they are not keen on their home and surroundings..

And unless you've pipped in at the post to a brand new yard, a waiting list is a good sign that people are waiting to get in.