High end/premium liveries - suggestions please!

[Winters100]

As Goldie's Mum said I think that you have to be really carefull here. For example a very smart new yard opened near me last year, huge indoor school, several outdoor schools, absolutely beautiful tack rooms, club room, restaurant etc. Although it is more expensive than where I keep them it would be affordable for me, and anyway there would not be much in it when counting costs of driving to the current yard, I could even walk to this one in about 20 minutes.

The only problem is that the newly opened yard would be excellent for me, but not so good for the horses. Turnout is in postage stamp size individual paddocks with no shelter / shade, and I believe it is so because the manager told me that hardly any of their clients want turnout anyway. Where I am it is more focused on the horse, unrestricted turnout even in winter, mine go out dawn to dusk every day, but of course no smart clubrooms / restaurant / changing facilities.

If you really want a hassle free option I would look for a yard with a good knowledgable owner, plenty of turnout and good facilities. If you need extra services such as tacking up, exercise, tack cleaning ask if you can pay the yard for this, or if not find a freelance groom.

I have no idea what your level of experience is, but unless you are an experienced and confident rider then having a horse kept boxed with the only turnout being in a tiny individual paddock could be a recipe for disaster. Apologies if you are very experienced, this is not meant as any sort of insult, it is just not clear.

Good luck, and I hope that you find somewhere great for you and the horse!

 

[ecb89]

You are clearly living up to your username if you think underfloor heated stables are a good thing or even necessary

 

[Widgeon]

I have never heard of any of those, but just googled Gornall Equestrian and wow. The attention to detail from a human perspective is

Very aesthetic, but I'm not sure the horses would care much lol

Because it's local to me and I'm a nosey so and so, I took a look online and they seem to have a grand total of about 7.5 acres of TO. That doesn't seem like an awful lot. We currently have 10 on 10 acres and that's about the limit for making sure everyone has proper winter TO that isn't a bog.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

Gornell - that will be £1440 per month to use our facilities, please…… oh yes, we hire our indoor out to the public between 3-7pm so you can’t use it then!

Pffffft! At £1440 a month I would want to be able to use it whenever I wanted!

Well my other thought was that with a resident showjumper, not only will the only school on site be full of jumps year round, but he presumably has a few to exercise per day so you'd struggle to get much time in there to use it at all..

That being said, I don't think that £1440 is a bad price for the upkeep and cost that would be involved in offering such a livery package and facilities..

ETA: I am utterly in love with the stallion Count Codex on Gornell's stallion at stud page. It's entirely an opinion as I'm not the best at conformation but he is one of the nicest put together horses I have ever seen.

 

[Widgeon]

That being said, I don't think that £1440 is a bad price for the upkeep and cost that would be involved in offering such a livery package and facilities..

No that's true, they seem to have grooms on tap to tack up for you etc. That's not cheap.

 

[equinerebel]

Because it's local to me and I'm a nosey so and so, I took a look online and they seem to have a grand total of about 7.5 acres of TO. That doesn't seem like an awful lot. We currently have 10 on 10 acres and that's about the limit for making sure everyone has proper winter TO that isn't a bog.

It’s wild that it’s advertised as luxury, but the luxury is for the owners.

 

[teapot]

Netherwylde Equestrian is where Sara Cox keeps her horse, and have seen her instagram posts raving about it! No idea on turnout situation though.

South of London Norwood House is a pretty decent set up, albeit smaller https://www.nodwoodhouse.com/

At the end of the day though, you can have the best facilities in the world and still find your horse isn't skipped out properly, or having to book an arena a month in advance!

 

[cobgoblin]

Netherwylde Equestrian is where Sara Cox keeps her horse, and have seen her instagram posts raving about it! No idea on turnout situation though.

South of London Norwood House is a pretty decent set up, albeit smaller https://www.nodwoodhouse.com/

All year round turnout but looks like individual paddocks.
£1367 a month.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

No that's true, they seem to have grooms on tap to tack up for you etc. That's not cheap.

According to their accounts on companies house, the average number of employees is only 4..... hmm

 

[Widgeon]

According to their accounts on companies house, the average number of employees is only 4..... hmm

Well that's no good, I'm not paying £1400 a month for that. I want enough grooms to clean my boots. Preferably without me taking them off.

I'm going to stop now though, the OP asked a genuine question and I think I'm derailing!

 

[sbloom]

South of London Norwood House is a pretty decent set up, albeit smaller https://www.nodwoodhouse.com/

I was under the impression they are no longer offering livery, might only be rehabs they've stopped, or might be wrong entirely!

 

[criso]

All year round turnout but looks like individual paddocks.
£1367 a month.

The fields on the website look larger and have post and rail but the ones I used to hack past towards the river were small electric tape plots with a horse in each. I was quite surprised they belonged to netherwylde.

This is from Google maps, if you zoom in, you can see a lone horse in some.

 

[Bernster]

I know a lot of the yards around the North London area, or in travelling distance from there. There aren’t many really top end yards but Netherwylde would be the most obvious (and most expensive!). I do know of liveries there but don’t know enough about it to comment other than I think they only do individual turnout.

I’d also say ime the fancy yards for people, with the best facilities, don’t tend to have the best horse care. Not sure why but thats def been my experience. Watch out for limited hay rations, limited hacking at some, not great turnout, or a high turnover of inexperienced staff. Theres prob not a perfect one so it depends what you’re prepared to compromise on (hopefully never the horse care).

I wish top end yards (eta add, all yards tbh!) catered more for what horses really need. I’d pay top price for that.

 

[toppedoff]

I remember this being on the local fb group asking for the same thing a few months ago

 

[Bernster]

Millie McBride is opening a high end livery yard, I believe she will be ready in a month or 2. It won't have a club house etc but the horse facilities will be perfect. Definitely wortha chat. You can find her on Instagram or PM me for her contact details. Where are you in North London?

Ooh would you mind PMing me please? Always interested to hear about new yards in the area! Thx

 

[SO1]

Little Munden near Watford I think £945 a month it doesn't have a bar though.

 

[silv]

You are clearly living up to your username if you think underfloor heated stables are a good thing or even necessary

That is a bit rude and uncalled for.

 

[criso]

Little Munden near Watford I think £945 a month it doesn't have a bar though.

Same area as Netherwylde, there are yards all around the water meadows.

That's a fairly standard livery yatd, good but not extra or premium in the same way as Netherwylde , shocking how much prices have increased and that's what they charge now.

Actually of the yards in that area, Hill Farm would probably be my pick, it's not as posh as Netherwylde but good facilities including an indoor school, daily group turnout and high standard of care. However lacking in club houses and webcams and some of the stables older and not as smart. At least it was the last time i visited which was a few years ago when friends were on livery there. Used to have a long waiting list and you really had to know someone there to get in. However i don't think it's quite what the original poster is looking for.


There's also Bayford Hall Farm nr Hertford. Again no club house or bar but higher end livery with a dressage focus. Mainly individual turnout but the option to pair up if you can find a like minded livery to share with and they offer night turnout in the summer.

However in terms of all the human based extra facilities, i think Netherwylde is the only option in Herts.

 

[FlyingCircus]

Probs abit far for driving but if anyone wants to check out another fancy yard then Forest Oaks in New Forest is beautiful to look at (and arena nice to ride in!).

 

[Showjumping]

Millie McBride is opening a high end livery yard, I believe she will be ready in a month or 2. It won't have a club house etc but the horse facilities will be perfect. Definitely wortha chat. You can find her on Instagram or PM me for her contact details. Where are you in North London?

Could you give me details for this please? I am looking for somewhere too

 

[Lady Jane]

Could you give me details for this please? I am looking for somewhere too

• 07971 263556
  
  
  
  Millie_m@hotmail.co.uk

 

[Pinkvboots]

Millie McBride Dressage

milliemcbridedressage.com

 

[Wonderlander]

I think only Equitopia fits this criteria. I think their new American barn has automatic heat sensor windows, club house, fancy indoor etc. Netherwlyde is lovely, you can turn out in small groups if requested or other owners are looking to have a friend in with theirs.

North London Equestrian Centre has a bar, club house and lovely schools, although they have a riding school, no hacking and no turnout.

Six Tunnels looks out of this world, although since Millie was there I think it has sat vacant.

It really is dependant on what is most important to you.

 

[Anfisa]

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for suggestions beyond Google for high end/premium liveries within reasonable driving distance from (North) London. I'd like to be able to go there everyday or several days during the week. So proximity is my only limiting consideration.

If distance wasn't a factor both Gornall Equestrian in York and Cotswold Club Equestrian in Gloucestershire are what I had in mind (underfloor heated stables and all). Almost like a country club/private members club feel with no expense spared on the quality of the outbuildings and extensive facilities for both horses and riders (and grooms).

So far the closest I could find is Netherwylde Equestrian in Hertfordshire. Not quite the level of Gornall but it seems to be the only contender in the south east. Are there comparable places anyone can recommend?

Thank you kindly in advance!

www.equitopia.org.uk