DIY LIVERY - HELP!?

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HelenC

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I've recently found a DIY yard to move my horse to. Its a lovely yard and the people seem lovely. Its going to cost £28 per week including haylage, tons of grazing, outdoor arena with jumps and plenty off road riding. You have to buy the shavings yourself. Is this a good price?

Also I have never done DIY livery as my horse was on full livery for the first 3 years then grass livery the last 2. If anyone can help on the basis of starting on DIY, and doing the first bed. How many bales do you think you need for the first bed? How deep does it need to be, and does it need to be banked up at the sides? The girls at the yard said Id pick it up in a couple days, but any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
 
I would say that's a good price. I pay a lot more for DIY but I'm in the South East.

I prefer Aubiose (hemp) to shavings, and I semi deep litter. You would need 6-8 bales to start off with depending on the size of your stable and whether you're on concrete or rubber mats. Then you just poo pick daily with a lightweight fork like a Future Fork, and about once a month move the dry top layer aside and take out the wet bottom layer (some people prefer to do this weekly). Top up with on average one bale a week. All the wet gets locked at the bottom, the top stays dry and comfy, and it really saves your back.

This probably sounds complicated if you're new to it, but I highly recommend it as a system. Much better than shavings and cheaper in the long run too.
 
The price doesn't sound bad - as brightmount says it depends where you are in the country. If you post a thread in New Lounge you will be able to get a better idea of whetherits reasonable for your part of the world.

Shavings bed - again would be 6 - 8 bales depending on the shavings, size of the stable and how big a bed you like for your horse. Mine have big deep beds and big stables so I would start with at least 8 and they have banks. I muck mine out daily - poo pick of the top then flick shavings up the walls and any missed poo falls out. The wet patches stick together on the floor so just pick up and remove. Top up as necessary - my mare is very clean so a bale every 10 days or so but my boy is filthy so it would be more like 2 bales a week - thats why I have changed to wood pellets! If the others at the yard use them ask if you can watch them muck out to pick up tips. Would also recommend a pair of rubber gloves as its easier to pick up the bits of poo you miss and don't waste so much shavings that way.
 
Well I pay £22 for good turnout, loads of storage, stable etc .... but no haylage, no arena, average hacking on doorstep but good within 20 mins in trailer and no jumps except my own.

But I am also in south east
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I think your price sounds very good
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I would use 3/4 bales to start a bed in an average size box (but I have mats under) and expect to use 1 or 2 bales a week after that ..... depending on if your horse is very clean or normal clean...... a horse like mine will use as much shavings as you put in as he mulches it all up overnight!!

That is why he is out in a field in this 'orrible weather!!!
 
If you are going to use shavings (or in fact Aubiose or anything similiar) then I'd use a semi-deep litter system too. It is initially more expensive at first, but you should only need to use one-two bales a week and it's far, far quicker and easier to skip out daily!

I think I used somewhere in the region of eight-ten bales when I first set up a shavings bed, but I have a big 'hoss with previous injuries to his hocks through insufficient bedding, so I needed a thick bed.

I've since swapped to rubber matting and straw, which I prefer with a messy horse!

The best of luck, I love having my horse on D.I.Y livery and your yard sounds lovely
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hi i pay £45 per week that includes straw hay stable field and and all facilities.

and if instead i want shvings i have to pay an extra £7 and it has to be ordered 24 hour notice also if i cant make it there o see to mmy horse they charge £10 extra
 
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