Some livery yards seem to have a ton of rules, regulations, and restrictions, while others exist with very few. Having too few rules may sound like a good thing, but if that means everyone does what they please and there are no systems to ensure that you and your horse are treated fairly, it is not that attractive. The other extreme is death by regulation, where everything is restricted by a list of instructions.
Many yards are a mixture of the two. They have very few written rules and regulations, but when you try to do something, you discover a number of unwritten rules that become apparent only when you break them.
When visiting a yard, ask for the list of rules. Horses can be dangerous and some rules will be related to people's safety, although it's easy to blame health and safety when it's just yard policy. There may be things you haven't thought of as rules, but they still restrict the actions of customers, for example what kind of bedding is supplied or what kind of hay or hay will be fed.
Access to the patio at certain times of the day may be restricted. When can you visit your horse and what if you need emergency access at night?
Depending on the type of livery you want (full, working, hunter, assisted, DIY, turf), there will likely be different levels of supervision. This can be an essential aspect to ensure that current rules are implemented and enforced. Some yards say they use informal supervision where more experienced clients supervise others. This leads to the development of cliques and to the exclusion of some clients who later feel able to do their thing, as supervision is only informal and has no real authority.
Some indicators of a well-managed yard that can be identified by the rules
If the rules are periodically reviewed and updated and reflect what actually happens
If the rules identify the people responsible for different aspects of the yard
If there are clear emergency procedures dealing with both humans and equines
If the reasons for the rules are identified (for the safety of all passengers, drive left to left in the manege)
Whether the rules reflect the shipyard's policies and ethics
If the rules seem fair to everyone
Reading and understanding the fine print of all the rules and regulations of a new Livery yard can be a tedious and time-consuming task. Many of the details may seem pretty innocuous at first, and it's very easy to dismiss a minor query as irrelevant. It's much better to make sure these things are clarified and understood before the start of the relationship so that in six months the same irrelevance is not a sticking point.
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