have you given up renting land & gone on livery?

T

tinap

Well-Known Member
Joined
14 January 2011
Messages
4,897
Location
Yorkshire
Visit site
Has anyone ever gone from renting your own land to livery & if so did it work out? I'm in a great big pickle over what to do!!!

We've owned ponies for 10yrs & have always rented land but are thinking of moving to a livery yard. The pros far outway the cons but I'm terrified of taking the leap just for the simple fact that if I don't settle being with other people then I've lost my grazing !!!

Currently pony is on his own with just field neighbours to see over the fence, have no hacking other than busy town streets, no arena just a field to ride in but we can do what we like & when (ie very early morning starts or late nights when out competing)

Livery yard has 10 other horses there, fabulous hacking, arena, hay & bedding included - no-one else on the yard competes, just happy hackers.

I know most of the people on the yard & they are all lovely! I don't know if I'm worrying about nothing - im used to doing things on my own!! (Well with the daughter!)

Do you think I trial run of say a week would be a good idea? Any help/advice would be fab!!! xxx
 
I will be following this thread with interest as I am thinking of doing the same thing! The field I rented was surrounded by lovely off-road hacking but this year the farmer has ploughed up his field margins which he allowed people to ride on so now I have no hacking.

Unfortunately unlike you having a nice big field I went from a 1 horse owner to a 3 horse owner...

Like you whenever I think about it, except the cost, the pros outweigh the cons!

I pay my field rent annually (Oct to Oct) so will look to move to a livery yard in the summer, that way I still have the field to run back to if it doesn't work out.

I think a little overlapping trial period like you suggest is a good idea to check that the grass really is greener!
 
Last edited:
Why dont you go to the yard for a week and see how it feels, you can go back to the field if it does not seem right for you.
Unless there are strict yard rules re. opening and closing times, there should be more advantages than disadvantages. There is also usually someone willing to put a feed in or turn out and you could offer the same for them, so you can have more flexibility not less, but this does depend on the yard to some extent.
Good hacking and company,with use of facilities should make the winter more bearable.
 
You see I pay weekly & its very very cheap! But I do have too much land for 1 pony & I feel so bad that he's on his own. Also it is soo much hard work over the winter. My head & my heart both want to move, as does the daughter, but I've still got this niggling in my gut warning me ill lose my grazing!!! xx
 
Thanks be positive. I don't think the opening & closing times would be a problem ad I know the yo quite well & my daughter is riding a pony of hers too which she will want competing. That's part of the reason for thinking of moving as we spend a lot if time there anyway. I think I may do a trial in the half term holidays when we will be busy with shows & lessons to see how it would work. xx
 
We made the move in June - and to be honest, it was the best decision we ever made :D Okay so there are a few niggles from time to time - mainly to do with other people being in the school when we want to use it, and occasionally things do get borrowed and returned to different places BUT the pros far outweigh the cons - the hacking/stables/security are all significantly better. Plus we have the YO for all the maintenance rather than having to do it ourselves. They are brilliant at fixing fencing, moving muck heaps, trimming trees, topping fields etc etc. All things that I would have had to do/hire someone in to do. And if I got really stuck, there is someone who could help do the horses in an emergency.

We pay £30 a month more where we are now but it was definitely the right decision.

I hope this helps.
 
Could you sub let the land for the winter, if you could find someone that would take care of it, if you then needed to go back it would still be an option.
 
Massive help thank you!! I must say the yard is fab & the yo's live onsite too which is a huge bonus (I'm always terrified someone will come & pinch my boy!) That is just what I needed to hear that you didn't regret it! xx
 
I went from a private yard to a livery yard and am just as happy.

In all fairness, I had been on livery yards before so knew what to expect but I do really like the livery yard that I'm on now so it was a good move.

If you can afford it I would try the new yard for a month, not just a few weeks. This gives everyone chance to get to know each other and for you to get a feel for if you like it or not. There is no risk either as you keep your other grazing ' just in case'.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
 
I seem to be cross posting!!

I can't sublet the land - its a little complicated - the land is behind owners house & the only access is through his garden so obviously he doesn't want people just trapsing through his garden! I could just keep paying his rent too but that wouldn't give me exclusive rights to the field as last year he told me someone else was moving on too but they never showed up (I wasn't very happy about that but was willing to give it a go!)
 
I think you should be brave! It sounds like you have a good set up at the new yard, particularly as you know it quite well and spend a lot of time up there anyway. My biggest fear (and I was really REALLY worried about it!) was losing my privacy. I want to be able to potter about doing my own thing, whether it be schooling or poo-picking! And actually that has been fine. As with your set-up, the majority of the people on the yard (and there are only a dozen or so horses) are non-competitive, which means that daughter and I can just get on with it without intererence!

It IS a big leap of faith, but I think you will be fine from what you've said. Good luck!
 
Oooh I read this with interest as I'm about to do just this:eek:
Have never done the livery thing so I'm also hugely worried about loss of privacy and how to cope with other people.
Glad to hear others have done it and it worked out!
 
I did this and after 3 months regretted it. Luckily none else had moved into my field and i asked if i could go back and so i did, i couldnt go back to livery unless i was really stuck and it was not an option.
 
Well, I have had horses for ten years and kept them at home, then when I moved to a smaller house I moved the horses to a field (without mains water) and it was a nightmare :o So, I have bitten the bullet and moved to a large livery yard of 30 or so horses with my 3 and I love it! The people are mixed hackers and competers but my age (late 30's) and its quite spread out so always has the feeling of being a quiet yard. It has lots of very quiet periods when I am the only one there but everyone is friendly when its busy. I dont get involved in any politics I just stay friendly and chatty to everyone. The facilities are great and I spend LOTS more time with my horses than I have ever done before and its as if its a whole new experience for me!
I love it and havent looked back once, and neither have my horses. The 2 of them are old now and I am looking forward to tucking them up in their lovely stables through the winter.
 
I did this (moved from field to livery) last Friday! :)

The FO got funny with me (for nor reason) and wanted to jack up the rent from £90 a month to an extortionate £128 a month for one acre, 2 stables, no running water except for a rain tank which froze in the winter, no electricity and a tack room which constantly got broken in so couldn't leave my tack there. So I moved to a livery yard nearby for £10 less a month than what I was originally paying and now I have a massive stable, electricity, running water, feed room, an outdoor school which doesn't freeze AND a secure tack room where I can actually leave my tack and not have to haul it on my bike trailer!!

I really like my new yard and it's the best thing I ever did!
 
I don't like the feeling of no privacy and feeling like i'm being judged. because i cant run things how i would want to it winds me up.

On the other hand i do miss the company to ride out with.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top