Help! Livery needed...

[Sophiesophie]

Hi all, I am looking for livery for my two event horses, we require a well maintained arena, showjumps and an individual turnout paddock that we can share between them. This is not proving to be easy! We are friendly, reliable and the care of our horses is of top priority. Would prefer a small, quiet yard and want DIY. Would prefer a yard where we are left alone to get on with our horses rather than one with rules like 'weighing your haynets' etc. my daughter has worked at a 4* event yard and events all through the season. We live in Cardiff and would be happy to travel around 15 miles away. Many thanks in advance.

 

[_GG_]

My advice would be to make contact with professional competition yards and explain your situation. It doesn't sound like you would be happy on a standard DIY yard so think outside the box, get on the phone and offer people something they will value...competitive riders who pay on time and don't want any drama.

Good luck.

 

[Annagain]

The only ones I can think of that would fulfill your wish list are all really big (like Stocklands) or full livery places (like Alps Court or Argae House). Alps may offer a DIY option, they do occasionally to the right person if they haven't filled their full livery places. It can get very busy there with events however, but if you're off competing a lot at weekends it may not affect you.

I think you might be forced to make some compromises. For example, my yard (as in where I keep my horses, I don't own it!) has everything except the showjumps (we have a few but school - 20x40 - isn't big enough for more than one or two fences. We're 5 mins hack from Argae if you wanted to hire their arena for jumping once or twce a week.) and the individual turnout. We have 10 horses at the moment but there are 2 spaces. They're in one herd of 4 and another of 6 and they merge to go onto 25 acres of hay fields once the hay's been cut. They're all very settled and get on well and they're introduced very carefully. It's adults only and geldings only and very chilled.

All the other yards I know of in the area (I'm only really familiar with west Cardiff / Vale) operate the same sort of grazing policy - or even bigger herds.

AJT Equestrian in Dyffryn might be worth a try. I'm not sure what their turnout is like or their rules, but they have fantastic facilities. There's a fair few kids there though which would put me off!

Your other option would be to find your own little yard - there are quite a few popping up especially in the Bonvilston sort of area. They often get advertised on Facebook groups like "Horses for Sale or Swap in Cardiff" so might be worth checking on
there.

Good luck.

 

[HorsesRule2009]

Hello,

Not sure what area of Cardiff you are but Cwm Hedd in Bassaleg might be worth a go.

Cwm Hedd Livery Stables
Croes Heolydd Farm
Bassaleg
Newport
NP10 8RW

Tel: 01633 896995