Hi and please advise- livery or house with land?

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lara b

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Hi Everyone
I have just joined the forum and thought you may be able to help with my dilema..
I have owned horses most of my life and always had them on pretty much DIY livery (with occasional help when money allowed!). I have then had a break for the last 7/8 years (initially due to an injury), just riding friends horses once/twice a week.
Recently the bug has bitten again regarding owning my own and I would love your opinions on my options.
1) Part DIY yard (around North/West Milton keynes area if anyone knows of any). However I would need the option of help when work gets in the way.
2) Owning own place with 2 acres of land, and possibly with a diy livery to help share chores and for company. Down side would be no school (although I am going to see if there are any nearby that I can hire). Upside would be long suffering husband can help with land chores (and horse chores under duress!)
Guess I am looking for anyones advice on costs and work of livery verses home and any other pro's and con's?
Thanks for reading
lara :)
 
Buying your own place with land is always going to be a better investment than paying livery, that's a no-brainer. We couldn't afford a house with land so bought a yard 2 miles away and it's nearly as good, we had enough in the budget to put a manege in which was a life saver as my young horse was only 4 when we bought the place.

I keep my two on about 2.75 acres of grazing but I have to look after it well as it's very wet in winter. The horses live out mostly, if it's very wet I shut them in the yard with haylage both to save the grazing and dry them off. Although it's hard work going alone I prefer not to have a livery and the ground would probably suffer with 3 horses anyway, I've just found someone to come and ride the older horse and hack out with me so got the best of both worlds now.
 
I've had my own land, had liveries on the land and now I'm on livery at a new yard (had to sell the house with land..boohoo!!) but honestly hand on heart if I hadn't moved to a livery I wouldn't have done half the stuff I've achieved with my lad!! Since moving to a livery I've done dressage, XC, SJing, Le trek, drag hunting and had lessons from some fanastic instructors, in the 4 years before being on livery all I did was hack out!!! Don't get me wrong I love hacking and it's always my first love but now I hack out with different people nearly everyday, go for gallops on the beach with mates who love a mad moment (even at over 40!!! Lol!!!) and generally enjoy my time with my horse and like minded people.

I think if you find a good yard with nice people who share your way of keeping and enjoying a horse then you cannot beat it!! Having your horse at home is of course fanastic but given the choice now I would definately pick a livery yard with indoor school and someone on hand 24/7 to help out if needed.
 
Thanks for the replies guys, interesting to hear some new views on the subject.

All my horsey mates how have had there own land just say it's hard work, but the charm of not having to travel, and seeing my horse at the end of the garden is definately pulling my heart strings.

Unfortunately we are having to compromise a lot on the house to get the land (needs loads of work, going from detatched to semi, near a busy road, althought the land has separate access away from the busy road for hacking).

Will let you know which way I go.
:)
 
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