Competing with no facilities at home

[littlen]

Have the opportunity to bring my horses to a field at home instead of livery. The field has nothing at all facilities wise and is a 30min hack to the nearest arena. Hacking is good.
It is not close enough to take them to my house without crossing a very busy road but it’s close enough for checks.

Does anyone else compete successfully with no facilities at all or is it going to be too hard to get anywhere?

Can I school in the field itself all year round?
What happens in winter when it’s too wet etc?
How would I bath and prep with no running water?

Obviously the main plus point is the (huge!) financial saving and also that horses can live out however at livery we have 3x floodlit arenas which I use all year round, cross country, help and lessons on site, floodlights, hot wash etc.

I want to continue to compete most weekends throughout the year.

Am I mad to be considering this?

 

[Antw23uk]

Yes you will struggle BIG time! Having no running water alone will be hard work. If I had a couple of horses on retirement I would (with water and natural shelter) but only if it was a case of them living out a quiet life and not really needing anything.

 

[SpringArising]

Couldn't pay me to be at a place without facilities. I've done it a few times and it's so boring. In the summer the ground's too hard, and in the winter too soft. You get a few months a year where the ground is just right, but chances are you won't be able to ride then either as you won't have floodlights!

My advice would be to stay put.

 

[TGM]

Are there no stables or even a shelter? Whilst I am a great fan of horses living out, it is always extremely useful to have a stable available for emergencies (or failing a stable a field shelter that can be adapted to keep an injured or ill horse confined).


Whether you can school in the field all year round depends on the ground - only likely to be an option if the soil is extremely well-drained. However, my daughter did compete successfully for several years without a school at home, but we did have two schools we could borrow or hire within a 10 minute hack from home. A lot depends on how established your horse is and its temperament - it is easier to cope without a school with an established horse than a green, excitable one.

 

[Molasses]

Not mad at all,
I do, but 'successfully' is down to your interpretation I guess, haha
It's possible with good land management and luck with the weather.
It's impossible to school all year unless you have amazing land and lots of it, otherwise you have to wait for those Goldilocks times when the ground it's too hard (like now) or too soft (like most of Jan/Feb)

For washing if you have a small bit of hard standing bathing will be fine, but difficult if you don't have any shelter or hardstanding at all.

You probably won't be able to do as much as you do now with facilities, but you can still tip away and get lots done, that's perfectly possible.

 

[milliepops]

What discipline(s) are you hoping to compete at and what level?

I couldn't do it - I think you could get out to local shows and hop round the low level SJ or do some basic dressage but I think I'd really struggle to actually train to improve without a school or facilities in reasonable reach. I kept a couple of horses ticking over with a school that was a 15 min hack away but it really ate into my time schlepping over there and back each time.

That's before you get to the issues of water/elec etc. My oldies are retired to a field with running water but no hardstanding etc, just a shelter. I could hack from there if I chose but I have given up any thoughts of showing from there

 

[littlen]

There’s no hardstanding although there is a small shelter and lots of natural shelter for the horses.

I have two feisty youngsters so no, not easy established ponies.

They are not Olympic standard ponies but I would still like to dressage/show and so some low level xc.

I would basically have nowhere to school for periods of time other than the field unfortunately as I cannot box out during weekdays it would take up more time than I have due to work. I normally drag horses in, quickly ride and throw back out!

I could school on hacks but one of them is very unreliable on it’s own and I don’t have many people to ride with.

Financially I would save about £300 per month if I moved to the field!

Suppose I’m answering my own problems now as it seems like more hassle than I can manage.

 

[milliepops]

I think it sounds like you could end up with more money but not more enjoyment sadly

 

[littlen]

Millie sorry cross posted! I really was hoping to County level show/prelim dressage.
It’s the bathing I can’t get my head around...that and the practicing any corners out hacking.

I can see how to keep them ticking them over in summer but I am wondering if winter would just finish me off!

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

I've v successfully shown county, hunted and competed ode to inter (eons ago) etc, but I do have stables and water. Likely would never have gone as far if I hadn't.
All flat training was done hacking, with boxing over to arenas if weather was dire for long spells.
OP, are yours happy to be parted? Will one stay home when the other competes or hacks? If that's a possible issue, then I'd rethink

 

[flying_high]

There’s no hardstanding although there is a small shelter and lots of natural shelter for the horses.

I have two feisty youngsters so no, not easy established ponies.

They are not Olympic standard ponies but I would still like to dressage/show and so some low level xc.

I would basically have nowhere to school for periods of time other than the field unfortunately as I cannot box out during weekdays it would take up more time than I have due to work. I normally drag horses in, quickly ride and throw back out!

I could school on hacks but one of them is very unreliable on it’s own and I don’t have many people to ride with.

Financially I would save about £300 per month if I moved to the field!

Suppose I’m answering my own problems now as it seems like more hassle than I can manage.

I am surprised with two horses on livery now, when include fuel getting there, it isn't a much bigger saving than £300 a month. If you cant box out mid week, and you work 9-5 there will be four months or so of winter where you wont ride mid week at all?

 

[littlen]

Yes that’s right flying, most of winter I would have to ride only at weekends. The ponies are 4 and 7 so it wouldn’t kill them to have time off but I still would like to keep going with the schooling particularly on the older pony.

They are happy to be separated and we have a Shetland companion so that isn’t an issue.

My livery yard is cheap for what it is and I am on assisted DIY so that’s problably why the saving isn’t huge however £300 is still more than enough for me to consider it.
I have had to factor in Hay/feed while they are at grass as this is included in livery at the moment. Also the cost of hiring arenas etc would eat into the savings a little bit.

 

[be positive]

Other things to consider that you don't always think about when on livery, will your farrier come out at the weekend and be happy to deal with working outside in the mud, don't underestimate how much extra hay they may need when living out once the initial grass has gone and can you get it delivered and store it, getting water is probably easy enough but in a freeze or very hot spell their intake will go up considerably, some of mine live out and I have running water to the main field but at the moment I am taking buckets to 2 in another field and they have been drinking so much it would be impossible if I had to bring it from elsewhere.
The one that is unreliable on it's own may improve but equally may get far worse once away from the routine of a yard and the opportunity to school in between hacks.

 

[littlen]

It’s a hard decision mainly as there is a huge waiting list for the yard so if I leave there is no going back.

The unreliable hacking alone pony is easy stressed, sometimes he goes alone lovely and others he is a napping spinning demon with not much inbetween. I would say he is a lively hack and I prefer to hack him in company where possible. I would have solo hacking in the field and also solo schooling (ie nobody to help if I come off!)

Saying that, the field routine would probably suit him as he hates busy but he is prone to attachment to the others. At livery there are 7/herd with differing routines so less chance of over bonding.

The yard is more supportive, there are people who show/dressage and everything inbetween but then again the field would be more peaceful and I could take my dog and spend hours just sitting there. I could also potentially have more ponies!

Still going round in circles!

 

[Xanthoria]

I wouldn't be able to do it now, but as a teen I kept a pony at a field 1 mile away from home with no facilities at all for one summer. We had lessons on the field occasionally, and I worked on fitness and dressage/way of going on our hacks. She built up tons of strength and we competed in working hunters and eventing successfully - she improved a lot over that summer. Admittedly she started very green, and I was totally driven to make it work.

But now - I wouldn't do it.

 

[follysienna]

When I had horses this was all I had (until 2014)! Just a field, no water or electric, no stable or shelter or hard standing. I used to compete successfully at riding club/unaff level in everything really! Including showing, with a grey and a palomino. It was difficult but manageable. Schooling and jumping (and mounted games practice!) was done in the field. It was difficult between November - Feb but due to the shorter days I barely rode anyway and just went hacking at weekends. By mid summer we were going out show jumping enough not to worry about jumping on the harder ground.

Baths were done with water containers (the type people use for caravans) filled with warm water combined with shampoo and many sponges and then fly rugs put on top once dry. The rugs kept most of the muck out but they still needed a good groom in the morning. White tails were the hardest to deal with, they always had that hint of yellow. Farrier was more than happy to come at 6pm, so no issues there. Other people were nearby in case there was an emergency. Never had a need for electricity.

We were lucky to borrow a stable from a farm down the road when my mare needed box rest. Fortunately that was the only time a box was needed in 10 years (we had hardy native ponies and luck). Don't get me wrong, many times I wished for facilities but if I was to do it again, I probably wouldn't go for a yard! It is certainly do able, but that is how I was used to keeping horses - it may be more difficult adapting from having great facilities to none?

I'm sure there are people who qualify for hoys and have no facilities. I remember reading about someone who qualified for a show class at HOYS (possibly cobs? but I can't remember) and all she had was a steeply sloping field next to the motorway.

 

[TheMule]

2 horses doesn't work, you'd need to factor in a companion pony or 2. I do it with no facilities but I do really value my penned hard standing area and running water. You won't get much riding done in the winter and you'll have to plan to go out somewhere at least twice per week to get any consistancy into the horses' schooling throughout much of the rest of the year.

 

[milliepops]

I'd also mention the social aspect of being on a yard. I had mine at home for a while *with* facilities and eventually I found it a bit lonely. Just having people around to bounce ideas off or talk about training etc is so useful to me. Might you feel the same after a while?

 

[littlen]

Thanks everybody.

Think I’ve decided to stay put. Had a long chat with husband and friends who all think it will be lonley, dark and I will loose motivation especially stuck alone with two youngsters and nobody to help.

I am not very social on the yard anyway but it’s nice to know the horses are safe and the support is there so I suppose it’s worth the money in that respect.

Plus I will miss the floodlights too much!

 

[Quadro]

I am in the process of buying land, which is literally just 75 acres of grazing. The first thing I will do is stick up a shed to have American barn types stables with water and power. I could currently use the farmyard of the farmer I am buying from. I will have miles and miles of hacking so a school will be further down the list (also a rather large cost). A xc schooling field will be done fairly quickly so at least will have something to jump. Currently on my own with no arena so happy with no company. Horses jumping up to 1m25 and down to 3 year olds

 

[Ddraig_wen]

I compete without facilities. No school, stables are optional but usually only get used in winter.
I school on hacks or in one of the little paddocks or a taped off bit of a big field. I have running water in part but not in the rest. We're doing ok at showing up to county so far. Over winter we boxed to an indoor with the awful weather.

I do have portable lights I can use to ride in winter if its not piddling down

 

[Bubblewrap]

I have no school, but use the fields in the summer, we also have fab hacking here. I box up every week for my lesson, twice a week in the winter. Plus any clinics I can get to.
I think the water problem would be more of an issue for me. x

 

[JFTDWS]

I had no facilities for a number of years, on ghastly clay soil. I started a couple of ponies from scratch, trained one to medium level dressage, competed at RC level SJ and XC on another, played horseball, TREC and all sorts of stuff.

It is entirely doable - everyone having an arena is a fairly new phenomenon (and not necessarily a good one for many horses!), but it's hard work and you do have to moderate what you do when the ground isn't perfect, and you have to be happy doing a lot of work out hacking.

The lack of water, shelter and hard standing would be a lot more of an issue for me.

 

[Boysy]

No I wouldn't move to anywhere without running water and at least some hard standing and shelter, no electricity is not a problem, my yard has no electric but you wouldn't know it as I have lights everywhere wired up to leisure and car batteries. I also have an arena of sorts 60 x 30 fenced off grass area in front of my yard/stables which to all intent and purposes looks like a posh arena complete with a fully marked 40 x 20 dressage ring and a full set of homemade but rather posh colourful show jumps - whoot! - However this is only usable when the weather dictates and is pretty much unusable from Oct-Apr as soon as the ground starts holding water and is in fact totally unusable now as it's like a concrete plate so so far this year I've probably ridden in it for a total of 4wks as we were sodden for so long then couple wks later rock hard and rutted as couldn't get to roll before it dried out.

I love the freedom of doing what I like when I like and having the yard to myself and I very rarely get lonely but it is a bind when I get a notion to have a jump and there is no-one around to catch me should I pop orf - LOL!

It will drive you insane leaving what you have and going to nothing, I've been on my yard well over 30yrs now and have built everything up from scratch myself so am totally used to it although I can still get thoroughly spooked in mid winter when the ponies are watching something in the dark and I can't see a thing

 

[Notimetoride]

'Back in the day' this was pretty normal. I've known people compete to a fairly high level in all disciplines inc jumping Foxhunter and dressaging to PSG (different people). A good SJ friend of mine used to jump in her field in winter under the streetlights using white poles ! But times have changed and now it's commonplace to have facilities. I would personally struggle without facilities, but I know that with grit and determination, it can be done.

 

[Equi]

Having had horses at home with nothing more than a round pen, i would NEVER have a large horse home again. My riding/confidence/things i have done have been more vast in the past three years than they have in 20. If you were just a happy hacker looking to tootle about the roads now and then, id say yeah go for it. But if you want to compete i think you could really struggle with it.

No water/shelter would be a big no no for me though. Its all doable of course, but would you rather have it all harder for yourself, or a few less £ in the bank?

 

[Bob notacob]

Go with what makes you happy. We do this for enjoyment .

 

[asmp]

Not read all the replies but I remember Mary King saying that she always schools on grass as that is the surface she will get at competitions.

Not sure I could do without water though.

 

[MagicMelon]

I think itd be quite difficult which for me - everything is about ease these days, it makes horse ownership so much more enjoyable! I have always kept my horses at home so have never had a school which is one thing I would absolutely love (but cant afford). When I moved to my current house, it was just a field but it did have running water (its right beside my house) and I built a stable block and harcore hard standing outside them along with a tap etc. So I DO have the basics and couldnt live without if Im honest. So yes you could live without a school but its a pain - Ive competed to CIC* and 1.20 BSJA having never had one but as people have said you have to tailor your riding to the ground in the field which is rarely perfect. With all these warm weather and no rain, Ive not cantered in my schooling sessions for the past 2 months as the ground is just solid! Ive basically hacked, not ideal when we've got eventing etc. coming up. It really helps to have a flexible, chilled out horse who doesnt have to be ridden every single day (I live on a hill so its often windy and if its chucking it with rain Im not riding!).

The water thing really does it for me though, my water to my field freezes when its particularily cold in the winter which is a nightmare. Although my field is right beside my house (and sheds where we have another tap which doesnt freeze) - lugging buckets back and forth every day usually in a howling wind or blizzard is just horrible!

 

[Tiddlypom]

Lots of folk manage without an arena and still compete, me included for the first 25 years that we lived here .

However, managing without shelter, stables, hardstanding or water is what the OP refers to. I wouldn't contemplate anywhere without a water supply or an easy way to tap into one, it would be a nightmare. The other facilities can be added gradually, if finances and planning permission allow.