A livery yard is a British name for stables where the owners normally pay a weekly or monthly fee to keep their horses there. This may be referred to as boarding in the USA. A livery or boarding yard is not usually a riding school and the horses are not normally for hire (unless on working livery - see below).

There are several types of livery:

• Full livery - The staff undertake all care of the horse and often exercise and/or compete the horse on behalf of the owner. This is normally the most expensive option.

• Part livery - The horse is normally fed, watered, hayed and mucked out on behalf of the owner.

• DIY livery - A field and a stable are normally provided. The owner undertakes all care of the horse and provides all hay, feed and bedding. This is usually the least expensive option.

• Working livery. Working liveries are particularly common at riding schools and it involves the owner paying a discounted livery fee so that the riding schoool has the right to use the horse in lessons.

See also

• Horse care

Further reading

• Houghton-Brown, J. (2001) Horse Business Management: Managing a Successful Yard. Blackwell Science.
• Macdonald, J. M. (1995) Running a Stables as a Business. London: J A Allen.

External links

• http://www.horsedata.co.uk/LiveryYards.asp Directory of livery yards in the UK.