field broad in Kent

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Xipe

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Hi guy's

I'm a frenchy just arrived a few months ago in Kent (excuse my english). I used to ride a lot in France in a Club close to Paris.

I've just been told that the horse-of-my-life is getting retired very soon at only 14 ! I'm planning to buy her, and make her a foal in the next year, maybe even ride her if I can.

I need to consider if it is possible here, but it is very expensive and I'm not earning a lot. I can spend for her around 150£ per month and I live in Ashford.

I need a place where she can stay independant : most of the time in field/pature, with a proper shelter, food and supervision of course. How much is this kind of basic service ? and how do you call it exaclty ?
I really want her to be able to go a lot outside as she has been in stable all her life.
By the way do you think she can stay all year long outside if she is not used to ? Or shall I find a place with stable in case the uk weather is getting too bad ? I'm afraid I can't afford a stable with daily turnout (I can't do DIY as I'm working until 6/7pm everyday)

Ideally if I can, I find a place that offers a very basic structure to ride her : some room for tack, a shower/groom area, and maybe an arena. Do you think some farms offer this kind of facility but affordable because the horse stays outside ?
To make this kind of plan possible, do you think I can share a part of the expenses with someone who wish to ride sometimes as well ? Lola is very well schooled, good disposition and pretty easy to ride.

And finally do you know where I can find the legal requirements, procedure and costs to bring her here ?

Thank you in advance for all the advices/help you can provide !

Lise
 
Hi, and welcome :)

I used to live in Kent and although it was more reasonable price wise than where I am now I honestly think you'll be pushing it to get everything you want under your budget, especially if you want services and an arena and £150 is your entire monthly budget for her. I'd expect grass rent to be a minimum of about £18 a week and probably more, then you'd need hay and feed, Farrier or trimmer, insurance, wormers, routine vet bills etc. Hay for one reasonable size horse living out is likely to be a fair amount, depending on what size bales you buy, anything from £10 a week to £30 each week, plus everything else already mentioned. I also wouldn't try to breed a foal on a limited budget either.

I think you need to get out there to local yards and do some research into the cost of livery and hay etc before you attempt to bring her over.
 
I think your budget is too tight, and for that reason I'd be suggesting that you reconsider. In particular, it wouldn't seem a good idea to add the cost of breeding from her. If you are serious about this then have a look in your local tack shops and find out some local prices. Basic DIY (Do It Yourself), even at grass livery with no stable, could be £25 per week in your area. Storage, an arena... a shower is highly unlikely... Then you have cost of feed, hay, vets, farrier, someone to look after her. Not possible of £150 per month.
 
Thank you for being realistic with me.
Maybe I can put up to 200£ per month, not much more.

When I talk about an arena or storage, it would be only a "plus". What I strictly need is a proper yard with shelter and water (shared of course), food, some supervision during the week + the routine costs that shouldn't been very expensive if I ride her not often.
The same for breeding a foal : it is a dream, not especially for now. I know it's a lot of costs.

I hope I will be able to find that.
If you have any tips to find such opportunities/lower costs, I 'm here.

I have a few weeks to investigate and give my decision about bying her or not.
January won't be quiet for me !

Liz
 
Hi Xipe, well go into your local tack or feed shop and look at the adverts on the board. Also pick up any free advertising magazines that are available. Contact local yards and get a realistic idea of costs from there.
I think you need to think about this carefully and make a list of what your ideal yard would provide, and another that is a list of the things that you can't do without. Then visit a couple of yards to cost it all up.
A good yard with stables available or decent shelters could easily be £100 per month. Just to have someone look over the fence and see if your horse still has four legs every day isn't going to be less than £5 per day, but if your horse is going to be looked after properly it's going to cost a bit more than that isn't it? If you do DIY at the weekends then you're looking at maybe 20 days per month when you'll need to pay for supervision and care... This is before you've even paid for any hay (my horses live out and are using loads of hay in this weather!), hard feed, insurance, farrier, wormers, vaccinations, equipment such as rugs and tack (oh, don't forget proper saddle fitting).
Several things concern me about your thread. I suppose the big one is that you seem a little bit lacking in knowledge to take on horse ownership, and you're underestimating the responsibilities that will hit you if you take that on. As a result you're underestimating what it will cost, particularly if you want the majority of caring for your horse to be done by someone else. Maybe you could do a bit more riding and caring for horses before actually buying one? Please, don't even think about putting a horse in foal at this stage, getting the mare pregnant is probably the easiest and cheapest part of that particular process.
 
Happy new year everybody !

Thank you for worrying for my project, I understand I don't look very aware of all this. It is because If I have a lot of experience caring everyday of a horse, because I was riding in a club, I was not in charge of some duties like the vet, the worm, the farrier. But I was attending it, I just need some range of prices.
Unfortunately I have to give my answer pretty quickly, this is why everything is going quickly in my head. I'm aware that it is a commitment for many years and that I can't cut too many corners.

I have 2 more questions for you :
- I didn't find much information about the insurance. I guess the minimum required is a public liaibility insurance. How much is it so, and what is usually suggested with it ?
she is 14years old, "Selle Français", chestnut, her pedigree is good but nothing exceptionnal.

- she is getting retired because she has a tendonitis becoming chronic in the knee (carpus, I used to suspect the navicular bone aswell) It is like this since 2 years I would say. She used to be ridden 2 times per day, galopping, jumping and always on a stable. The vet says that living in a field, resting and with much less work, she should get back to normal.
I'm not worrying about the work, I just intend to ride her 2 times per week, I'm wondering about the weather and ground : Kent is pretty wet so easily muddy, not very good for tendonitis.
Will it be a problem if her field is becoming pretty sticky ? Or is it fine because she will be resting most of the time ?
Or hacking can be compromized if the weather is bad ? I don't realize how the ground is the most part of the year
 
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