22/03/2025
What is it actually like to keep your horse on livery at Rein and Shine?
*Do you really have year round turnout?
Yes! 18hrs over night out in dry months, day time turnout in autumn and spring, and hard turnout daily for the wettest 2 to 3 months. Horse must go outside!
*what facilities are included in my livery? In All livery packages full facilities use in included. Schools, cross country, onsite hacking in dry months, access to hard track hacking all year, seasonal show jumping paddock, indoor school access in wettest months, solarium, hot shower.
*is any feed included?
Yes, hard feed, bedding, hay and haylege are included for all liveries, there is not a set ration- use whats required.
*what support is there?
We have a BHS qualified professional on site manging the yard 7 days a week. Tack support, mounting help, feeding questions, worried about your horse, injury questions etc. With access to qualified professionals you always know if your horses is OK. You can choose to have development plans for your horse, and even for you!
*is it too busy for me to get in a school?
No. The centre is large, schools are under a booking system - if you book your slot you get a dedicated 20x40 space you do not have to share. If you ride during quiet times you will find you have 40x40 or 60x40 spaces to yourself.We are flood lit, so you do not need to keep riding to daylight hrs.
*who manages grazing? I'm scared my horse will not settle in his group, get too fat - been bullied in the past.
The BHS Senior Eventing Coach and proprietor manages the grazing maintenance and groups. Fencing, poo picking, rolling, mole ploughing, harrowing, rotavating, resting etc. Horse are introduced slowly, and have small same s*x groups. If they do not settle they are moved to different group. In wetter months horses are often reduced to pairs to make the ground last longer. We match personalities so that horses have the best chance at settling. Groups are also based on dietary needs, we do not allow muzzling, there is a lot of grazing land and also areas of bare grazing and hard paddocks for those who have previously had laminitis. Horses need to touch, be together and muzzling prevents social grooming and essential scratches. We have 93 acres and currently 43 horses on site.
*is the yard full of children? It must be right?
No. Free range children is not something we can support here. If a livery owner brings a child to the yard, or any guests we need to be made aware for our site safe guarding policy and health and safety policy. The child/or guests cannot freely wander- Guests are the responsibility of the livery owner and must be supervised. We cannot enter into unsafe scenarios of children playing in our hay barn/tractor etc or anyone trying to access our staff on young workers permits. In terms of riding school clients, they are taken from a designated waiting area to and from their lessons by BHS Coaches, they are not allowed to freely wander, or treat the yard like a visiting zoo. We do not allow child voulnteers of any kind, there are no children just "hanging out". All young workers are supervised by their managers, who report to the proprietor running the yard, who is present on site as the senior qualified yard manager.
*if my horse breaks something am I liable for damage?
No. Damage sadly is a part of owning horses, horses will break things in panic, and not realise their size. This is not the fault of the owner. We ask you to follow health and safety rules to prevent accidents, and others getting hurt. We repair damages quickly and work in a preventative manner to try and eliminate further damages. If you have broken something because you didn't use weak link, we are going to ask you to use one next time... (for example).
*my anxiety means I can feel judged and intimidated by others I think are better riders than me - it prevents me from looking at other yards which may suit my horse better.
Most of our liveries are first time horse owners, we are a learning together, there is no judgement. We genuinely want to see people enjoy their horse and support this process on a daily basis. Some liveries can't attend daily or even weekly at busy times in their lives. That's no problem, their life and time table is their own business. We are here to care for your horses and will always communicate issues, injury, things you need to know. We do not judge a person for attedance. Every day we have riders learning from scratch, trying to learn and enjoy horses. This is a fantastic learning environment.
*what is security like?
Extensive cctv is in operation 24/7, tack rooms are locked with alarms set when we are closed, a double gated entrance and exit are padlocked and under cctv when we are closed. We live on site, we check all horses early am, and late at night. During the day you need to be able to come onto site and access your horse, if you need something the office is manned and we are there to support you if you need it.
*is there anything for me to join? Be a part of?
Yes! We run lots of learning clinics you can book into, some involved your horse, others are for spectating with a coffee.
Ground Work, Working Equitation, livery only dressage, conformation talks, Bones, Muscles, etc - as well as the opportunity to join dressage groups at the level you are working to, one day and half day courses. We have 10 coaches - you can book lessons on your horse, or our Racewood Eventing Simulator.
Our Huntertrials always need fence judges too!
*what types of livery do you do?
We have full livery 7 day or 5 day, and assisted diy (we call flexi livery), and working livery. prices are on our website. We use livery contracts, we have a site worming policy, and we have lots of happy horses who respond well to the excellent yard routines - cared for under our 5 star graded Animal Welfare Licence.
*are you regulated/measured? I've been on yards not run well, by unqualified people - makes me nervous to move again?
We are a British Horse Society Highly commended centre - the BHS visit us unannounced every year, unplanned visits are a good thing. They are checking the standards the yard is run to, the Health and Safety, procedures and care/conditions of grazing, stabling, the yard and horses. The local authority inspections are every year, they give a vetting to every horse working under the terms of the Animal Welfare Licence - this includes many liveries (who are working liveries). The grazing, stabling, yard, horse records, medical records etc are again inspected too. Year on year a picture of individual horse health is established- weighing horses, maintaining ideal weight, muscular condition, and general health, and mental welfare, comparison of grazing land.. creates the ongoing picture of how well we care for horses to the LA. We have the highest grading.
Get in touch if you would like a chat about livery [email protected] 01666 860068
Rein and Shine Equestrian Centre, 1Buryhill Farm, Braydon, Wiltshire, SN5 0AD
