Grass Livery

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eahotson

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Would you consider having your horse on grass livery? There is a yard near me that offers really good turnout, winter feeding and general supervision plus services if you need them.2 stables are kept empty for emergency use and the overall facilities on the site are excellent.I have a welsh cob who I think might like this.Downside of this would be winter mud etc. I supose.Any comments? Anyone else done this?
 
If I had the chance of a livery like that I would be straight there! Unfortunately round here its all stables and very limited winter turnout (at the moment my boy is on about 2 hrs a day). I did use to keep my cob and pony out 24/7 and they loved it. Good rugs, forage if needed and natural shelter - the least stressed I've ever been (but no hacking - always a downside!).
 
tasteofchristmaschaos said:
I'm on grass livery and love it. Horse hates being stabled. You just get used to having a mud monster rather than a horse...
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^^^^^^

This.............. same for me too! Sympathise completely with the mud monster & grooming takes a while, but my girl loves being out 24/7 so wouldn't have it any other way. I'd say go for it OP.
 
Without a doubt! My horse hates being in, it's muddy in the winter, but it is anywhere really, at least if your horse is staying out you don't necessary feel you have to have them mud free all the time! Decent rugs and plenty of hay and IMO alot of horses are perfectly happy, if not happiest!
 
I love it :D As long as they have emergancy stables for box rest etc (speaking from experience here ;) ) it's brilliant :) Plus saves me looooads of money which is always handy (helps cover the vets bills any way :p )
 
Yes I would definitely consider it. In fact if the turnout at the current yard doesn't improve I have a yard in mind which does grass livery and I will be taking my horses there from March next year.....
 
yes mine is out on exactly this type of livery and I love it! The only thing you do need is good hardstanding to tie up your grass livery pony on, it is vital for farrier and de-mudding! A roof over your head is great too when it's pouring and you need to dry off your pony before putting turnouts back on.

I hunt mine on grass livery, she's a connie x and lives out fully clipped in winter. She's just had another clip so is out in a heavy 350g rug but that's normally her max. Good forage is important too. For me it saves me in petrol and time (full grass livery mean's I don't have to go up every day and as she's out on a valley she keeps herself relatively fit). Downside is not having anywhere to put them to dry off unsupervised and trekking to the field and back takes a big chunk of time.
 
rockysmum said:
Out of interest will your farriers shoe if they are out all the time. Ours wont, refuses to work on wet muddy horses.
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Yup, when my boy had fronts I had several farriers shoe him, never had a problem. And I used to work at a yard with 20+ horses, all out, and most with some form of shoes, again with no protests from the farrier. Unless I am running late I always bring in in plenty of time to clean legs off. I can see a farrier refusing to work on a horse with muddy legs, but I would think that would be regardless of shod or barefoot. TBH I would be furious if my farrier refused to work on the horse because they lived out, can understand if muddy though.
 
I moved from livery yard with all facilities to grass livery and my horse is much happier. It is hard in the winter months but in theory priceless to see my horse being a horse which defo has resulted in him becoming a dressage diva as he appears so happy being out 24/7 I do also have a stable if needed but horse chides to stay out - try it you and yr horse won't regret it x
 
Most of my customers opt for Grass Livery over Stall Board, I have spare stalls should an emergency arise, and everyone has the use of the barn, water, power, tackroom etc, but horses live out all year round.
Certainly every single one of my own horses live out unless they are foaling down, I've done the stable thing, never, ever, will I, personally do that again for my own animals unless there is a valid reason for it.

Fortunately we don't have a huge amount of mud, certainly my horses aren't standing in it, the paddocks aren't poached bogs. Photo below shows what our ground is like, even after the wettest Autumn for years.

I have small herds of very happy horses, most of the owners like it too, the only one that doesn't (but her horses are happy and relaxed here) has decided to move somewhere where she will be happier. :D

d5fd42be.jpg
 
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Thanks.You have certainly given me something to think about particulary those who compete/hunt from grass livery.We are all being told that stabling is a MUST for COMPETITION horses aren't we.
 
rockysmum said:
Out of interest will your farriers shoe if they are out all the time. Ours wont, refuses to work on wet muddy horses.
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How much do u pay him, at the end of the day that's his job and he should work on horses that are muddy horses that aren't, horses that have feathers horses that don't.

My farrier is good though he just gets on with it.

I have heard of many farriers that don't shoe horses that have long feathers or that are muddy but there paid to do a job and that's wot they should do

Xx
 
IMO, grass livery is the best option. For the majority of horses, it's a lot better for them to be out than in. My current yard is 6 miles away, I travel the distance because they allow 24/7/365 - wouldn't have it any other way :)
 
I kept Nadia in a field for a year with no access to a stable, or water or electric but we did have hard standing a short walk away. I found it very hard especially since I could not get there in the daylight mon-fri.
 
I agree that horses need as much turn out as possible and would love a natural horsekeeping livery yard. All the yards in my immediate area have no winter turnout. I have moved further away in pursuit of a yard with the option of all year 24/7 turnout, and would never keep my horse on one of these winter 'prison' yards.
 
welshcob* said:
^^^^^^

This.............. same for me too! Sympathise completely with the mud monster & grooming takes a while, but my girl loves being out 24/7 so wouldn't have it any other way. I'd say go for it OP.
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^^^ definitely !! sounds great. Im on grass livery and although i dont have access to stables other liveries have kindly offered use of theirs in an emergancy. Horse is so much more relaxed. yes i dont always brush them sparkly clean just the essentials but I find I ride more as dont have to spend time mucking out :-D
 
I keep my 2 horses on grass livery, an anglo arab & a tb, they're both clipped out (apart from head & legs) & they're healthy & happy.
The YO keeps a couple of stables empty in case of emergency, I'd be very unwilling to stable them as it's so much easier & cheaper.
They have got decent rugs & the fields have thick hedges, when I first moved to my yard I was the only grass livery, now hardly any horses come in at night.
 
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