At home vs livery - pros and cons

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Ahrena

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I'm now having second thoughts about whether I really want to move away to a house with stables ect. xD

You probably think its weird me having such a big say in it, because I'm only 15 but it was actually my idea in the first place, and my parents would probably be moving again as soon as I move out. So if I don't want to move, its unlikely we will if that makes sense.

Here is my pro and con list..if anyone could add, I'd be grateful.

At livery
<u>Pros (inc the yard I'm at now)</u>
- Excellent facilities
- Friendly people
- Brilliant hacking
- 283274193 million show centres very by
- People to ask for advice
- People to ride with
- People on site able to help look after horses if away ect
- Horses won't be on their own ever
- Don't have to poo pick as poies in huuuge fields which get harrowed

<u>Cons</u>
- 5 minute drive so takes a while to get there
- Less privacy i.e. nosey people sticking their nose in
- Things not being done
- People thinking they know best


Then what I assume having them at home, since i've never had..
At home
<u>Cons</u>
- No one to ride with
- No one to ask for advice
- Possibly not good hacking/show facilities
- Having to buy my own jumps, roll the school ect
- Having to poo pick!
- No one to tell when something amazing happens
<u>Pros</u>
- Freedom to do what I want
- Able to pop down and see the beasts whenever I want to
- Quicker as they're at home
- Don't have to follow any rules
- Cheaper so I can have more horses xD

Any more? Thanks
 
sounds like you have everything you could want already at your yard, it can be quite lonely if you are at your own yard, could you not take a friend in on livery, at least you would have company
 
this isn't very helpful.. as i'm in the same postion.. i'm 16 and my parents are moving next year maybe somewhere with stables.. but i don't know either.. to be honest my parents would prefer to have my horse at home less expensive plus they don't have to get up as early for shows.. to drive me to the yard.. that cud be a pro for having them at home?
 
Never been at livery so can't help there but love having my horses at home (mum's place actually). It's just me and my sis and our 3 horses. It's nice just to be able to do what you want when you want. You can plan everything around you and your horse rather than being tied down by rules. Examples:

* if one field gets low of grass, muddy etc we can change them over
* we can poo pick, drag, harrow etc whenever we want
* we can pick up poos from the school when we are ready ie not as soon as we get off and we don't get told off if they get trodden in!
* we can ride in the school when we like and don't have to share it (unless we want to). Also means we can have lessons whenever, we don't have to book in advance to use school at a certain time etc.
* we can turn out 24/7
* we can leave jumps in the school
* we don't have to sweep up hoof pickings etc straight away
* we can ride in the fields whenever we want
* we can use whatever bedding and feed we want
* we can use our own worming plans, farrier, instructor, chiro, vet etc
* we can lunge / free school in the school or fields
* we can set up jumps, dressage boards in the field and leave them for as long as we like
* we can have our dogs loose
* our muck heap can be as untidy as we like!
* there's no bitchiness, yard politics etc
* privacy
* cheaper

The list goes on really
 
The biggest plus is that you really get to know your horse's personality. They are all so different and I seriously believe it is only when you see them all the time that you really see this. In terms of life skills you become independent and confident in your own abilities. You have to be. You have to be committed and hardworking.

Negatives are as you have said. You always need a friend for your horse. You have to be well organised in regards to feed bedding etc as there is no-one else to borrow from. You cant choose your riding, facilities or who you ride with and costs of maintenance and mortgage repayments are probably more than you would pay for full livery!!! But if you want to leave poo on the yard one night you can!!!!!!!! You can choose which field your horse goes in. No-one is going to moan or criticise. Holidays? A logistical nightmare but still possible with the right contacts!

The main thing I would advise is to get a knowledgeable livery in to help or keep links with livery yard friends to keep up to date with current thinking.

I have always had horses at home and would love to have the choice of better facilities/hacking. My OH and I have discussed the fact that if i EVER get down to one horse we would be better off, financially, having it in part/full livery and moving to a smaller house. But would I like to be controlled by others? Would I cope with not being able to walk out of the back door and see my horse? No, tbh, probably not.
smile.gif


Sorry if I havent helped much!

ETA Gina Gem! Just read your post! Youve convinced me! A bigger mortgage is worth it! Thanx!!!!
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I can echo most of the positives above, but I find I ride a lot less now we have our own place, even though I like riding alone, if you've organised to ride with a mate you do get on with it, if you're on your own sometimes you just can't be bothered! Being at livery in the past has inspired me to do more ie shows, pleasure rides etc, it can be pretty boring on your own.
 
I had horses at home when I was about your age. I absolutely loved having them there on the doorstep, but then I had never experienced livery so didn't know what I was missing. To get around the lonely/no one to ride with problem we had a 'livery' who paid nominal rent. She was my age and we became firm friends, going absolutely everywhere together. We were never lonely and we helped each other out all the time. Would you/your parents consider this?

Also, even if it's just you at your place you can still arrange to meet up with others for hacks. We used to advertise in local tack shops etc for folk to hack with.

I think that you can replicate lots of the pros of a livery yard at your own place. You will never be able to replicate the big yard atmosphere or the facilities, but if you can cope without them then you'll be fine!
 
Well our pony is at livery but it's next door to our house - well 1 min walk away!

So I feel we have the best of both worlds.

The main advantage to livery I feel is that there is help there if you need it, ie, when you go on holiday. We have DIY livery but if we're on holiday I just pay extra and they 'do' him for me.

If he was at home I would have to either put him in livery or get someone in to see to him.

There are other kids at the livery too (3 others) so my daughter has someone to ride with or to clean tack with and have a chat/laugh while she's doing it.

I used to think I would love my own place with my pony at the bottom of the garden, but having him at livery just next door seems to be the best thing for us.
 
Having just tried DIY after about 20 years of renting my own stables/fields, I can confidently say I'll never try livery again. It's so nice being independent; you never feel forced to justify anything, you are never told whether you can turn your horse out or not, you are not dictated to, preached at, whinged at, belittled, talked about, moaned about if you do not do things in the same manner as some of the more 'vocal' yard members....the list goes on.

Guess it depends very much on the livery on offer, and the other people on the yard. I was 100% convinced Id love being at DIY livery - in fact I really didnt like it.

Did make a few friends to ride out with though, so it wasn't all bad
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It depends entirely on the rest of the liveries. I loved my DIY yard for years. Let's just say it's gone downhill and although I have no horse there, I'm glad I don't have to go up any more after my share horse left! I couldn't cope with being on my own though, far too boring! I'd almost prefer yard politics to being lonely!
Ethel - don't judge the yard by one livery!
 
You are right - but one livery can make the difference between dreading going to spend time with your horse, and loving it (and you get funny looks if you talk to yourself at a livery yard)
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Just taking into account your age - are your parents horsey? could they look after them for you? because you are facing a very busy time with exams and schoolwork (plus social life!)

From my own point of view I consider myself extremely lucky to have my own yard and really don't think I would cope with a livery yard - but each to their own and we all get something different out of owning horses.
 
See what I think my main problem is, if we want to move, to be able to afford the land and house with stables ect, we have to move in a cheaper area (we're in Berkshire and anything decent is like 2 million) so about 4 hours away, meaning I lose all my friends.

The yard I'm at now has a couple of teenagers but I rarely ride with them - 1 has 3 ponies and is very much more interested in her competing than the ponies themselves so she never wants to just mess around, 1 is veyrn ervous and 1 can only just do rising trot and in between ponies. I tend to ride with a couple of slightly older people who are up for a bit of a blast sort of thing.

My parents weren't horsie when we first got into horses, but now my mum is and she'd be able to look after them (except riide) if I was too busy, but then at our own place I could just leave them out 24/7 if I'm really busy, whereas at this yard I have to put them in at night.

I'm feeling more convinced about the own yard again, it would be fine if my 20 year old sister was coming but she's just sold her horse due to uni commitments and is moving out.

Thanks everyone
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I think much depends on your personality. I have my horses at home now after years at livery and I absolutely love it! But then I am a very independent person and I love riding on my own and having my own space when I'm doing my horses. However, a more gregarious person might find it hard not having people to ride out with or chat to.

A lot also depends on where you move to, of course. Where we live there are lots of other people with horses at home, so we are all good friends and help each other out with things. There are several local people who will look after my horses when I am away, so I don't have to worry about that.
 
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Just taking into account your age - are your parents horsey? could they look after them for you? because you are facing a very busy time with exams and schoolwork (plus social life!)

From my own point of view I consider myself extremely lucky to have my own yard and really don't think I would cope with a livery yard - but each to their own and we all get something different out of owning horses.

[/ QUOTE ]

Pretty much what I was going to say.

Bee is 16 in lower 6th, some nights she barely has time to throw the horses a kiss. Good job I can do it all on those days.
 
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