For those that live in London - where do you keep your horse?

F

fine_and_dandy

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 August 2005
Messages
2,795
Location
Hiding in the Cadbury Factory
Visit site
My life is a little upside down at the moment, and there are a variety of places I may end up moving to, the latest of which cold be London.

OH and I would prefer to live in the leafier suburbs instead of, for example, Clapham. OH brother has moved to Earlsfield which is somewhere we quite like, so something similar would be good. But, my concern is where to keep Bailey. I couldn't keep him in London so it would be on the outskirts I'd imagine.

Whereabouts in London do you live and where do you keep your horse? What facilities do you have, what is the relative cost and what other things can I expect?

Thank you for any and all help. Chocolate fudge giant cupcake to all :)
 
I don't know your end of London, but a friend of mine keeps her two at a place called Slades in Bexley.

There are a few in that end of Kent/S E London. I can ask about prices and stuff if you like?

I have just started sharing a pony in Surrey, he's kept on a small DIY yard near Chessington in Surrey. Hacking there seems good, but no real area for schooling.
 
SW London is good as you've access to surrey which has some fab hacking. Expensive though! I paid nearly £200 a month diy which didnt include bedding or hay. I think SE is more affordable out into Kent, don't know the area that well though. Housing looks cheaper too.
 
Bring several flexible credit cards with you. Basically all round capital costs several arms and legs. Expect round £700 mark for half livery. I know of one yard in Herts that charges £1,100 a month for full. I kid you not. And expect to commute a long way if you're actually living in London but want to keep horse in decent hacking country.
 
Thankfully I keep mine at a smal yard/farm in sussex and stay with my grandma every weekend (Otherwise there is NO WAY I could afford to keep horses). Hence I'm afraid I don't know much, but I believe there are places around London but expect to pay a fair price. Friend rode in Lea valley and said the facilities were good?
 
I live in Enfield - I keep one horse in Potters Bar, and one also in Enfield when he's not out on loan (both get all year turnout, one gets 24/7). There are multiple inexpensive (as in certainly under 500 a month for full livery!) livery yards around me (some better than others). I have a 25 minute commute to Liverpool street, and can get to west london etc in 40 minutes by train and tube. In the evening I can drive to Camden in 15 minutes and Leicester Square in 25 - London's not a big place when there's no traffic! I'm born and bred London so its I don't mind the commute - its inevitable unless you're rich enough to live centrally and it really doesn't bother me, plus it allows me to keep my horses 10 minutes drive from my front door.
 
So what's wrong with Clapham, eh? It's very leafy, & back in the day they had a major show on Clapham Common ( I live there, in case you hadn't t worked it out by now)
If you are planning on living in Earlsfield, there are a couple of options - close in - Richmond Park & Wimbleon Common there are a number of v expensive yards - Stag Lodge, Holly Losge, Wimbledon Village Stables to name a few.
A bit farther out just off A3 there is Chessington EC, Manor Fm, Barwell & Debbie Houghton's place, among others - a bit cheaper ( I am at CEC & pay £500 per mo basic)
Epsom/ Headley has numerous, The Durdens, Woodruffe, Gasston, Andrew Gould's place & others - but not easy to access by public transport.
Lots of choice, but probably more expensive than you are used to. pM me for specifics.
 
Hi.

I am in a similar posistion as I have just moved to clapham from leafy Kent. I have done ALOT of research and basically Bromely/Bexley area of Kent is the easiest to get to in a car from Clapham. It is a 30 min car journey. So far I haven't seen many yards as I am looking for a loan/share but those I have seen are a bit hit and miss. Some lovely some very rough. The chessington/claygate/Epsom area is certainly posher and has some excellent dream yards with super hacking - you have to pay for it but as with all livery you normally pay for what you get. The only thing with that area is the traffic - I have trialed the journey and minimum it is 50 mins from Clapham max 1hr30. So for that reason I have ruled it out! Good luck with your search and keep me posted if you find any good yards or anyone looking for a sharer/part loan x
 
madmav said:
Bring several flexible credit cards with you. Basically all round capital costs several arms and legs. Expect round £700 mark for half livery. I know of one yard in Herts that charges £1,100 a month for full. I kid you not. And expect to commute a long way if you're actually living in London but want to keep horse in decent hacking country.
Click to expand...

Oh my goodness!!!! £1100 a month!!! That is extortionate!! I don't feel well!
 
I live in South Woodford and keep my horse out Loughton way. The downside is turnout - which is limited on the Essex/London borders, but it is a compromise which works for us.

House prices are much cheaper in east London so we could afford to buy a three bedroom house five minutes from the tube for what we'd have paid for a flat in most other parts of London. Where we live is lovely, very safe, quiet and friendly with some nice shops. restaurants and bars but I can be at my desk in the City in under 40 minutes via the Central line.

There are a lot of different yards and we are quite lucky with hacking as Epping forest is amazing for free range riding. If I could drive there would be a lot more choices for livery yards with more turnout, but sadly not an option for me. As it is I am reliant on public transport but I can still ride before work and then get to to work for half nine :) We have lots in the way of riding clubs etc, a very active horsey scene.

If you want more detailed suggestions then drop me a PM as I've investigated most the yards out this way and can give you ideas of prices.
 
ghostie said:
Don't panic, you can get full livery quite a bit cheaper than that if you move to East London ;)
Click to expand...

LOL thankfully we live in Lincolnshire which is considerably less expensive than London! Full Livery locally to us about £160 per week, with arenas and turnout etc. We keep our horses at home though.
 
Suelin said:
LOL thankfully we live in Lincolnshire which is considerably less expensive than London! Full Livery locally to us about £160 per week, with arenas and turnout etc. We keep our horses at home though.
Click to expand...

sorry, was directed at OP, not suggesting you move to London ;)

I'm paying £750 including grooming and tack cleaning, but there are cheaper options, particularly if you don't need full livery. I get good facilities for that - indoor and outdoor school, jumps, horse walker and amazing hacking. Cheap lessons at this yard too for liveries (compared to my last one that was extortion!)
 
Thanks guys :)

Suelin - I wish I could move to Lincolnshire instead!

If we move it will be to the areas near Earlsfield etc (nothing wrong with Clapham, just seems that bit noisier,) so I'm kinda preparing myself that it will mean livery near Richmond, twickenham, and into Surrey.

I think at most I'd need assisted DIY or Part. I'm only on part now because of my job and if we go to London it is because my job will have changed and I won't have out of hours to deal with.

Once I know what we're doing, I will PM those who have said to :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top