Home or Livery yard?!?

[tgreenaway]

So i have kept my horses at 3 different livery yards over the last three years. We left the yards due to not being able to fit into their routine and lack of winter grazing. I am finding our current yard difficult as the owners are friends and it is difficult to bring up concern's or jobs that need doing with them. We do have the space at home but no easy access to hacking although we do have a lorry. What are the pros and cons to being at home vs livery yards? We would need to build stables and fence off paddocks, any advice on this?
Many thanks in advance, any help will be greatly appreciated.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Home everytime for me I have had my 2 horses at home for 8 years now and can't imagine going back to a livery yard, as you won't have hacking could you put in a menage? I have hacking but no menage but can use next doors whenever I like it's a 5 minute walk so not an issue.

 

[blitznbobs]

I chose livery - I have great facilities but like the company at livery... and I have really good facilities at home ... I have got them on a simply amazing livery yard and they’d be home in a flash if I thought they weren’t being treated like kings

 

[oldie48]

I've had horses at home for the past 21 years, two weeks ago I put Rose on full livery for lockdown and possibly longer. I've still got her companion pony
+ a companion for the companion here but out 24/7 so I am not exactly horseless. TBH I am really enjoying having Rose on full livery, it's only 15 minutes drive away, there's a lovely indoor school and superb facilities + everything is done for me. I am not missing the turning out and fetching in, the late check or the need to get up to feed in the morning. I also enjoy seeing other people when I go up, particularly as it's lock down and life would be very lonely. I can also hack out in company which I can't do as easily at home. However, would I enjoy it if she were on DIY livery? I don't think so tbh I'd find it a real grind but I am rather old! There are pluses and minuses for both and whilst I have loved having my horses at home I'm beginning to think it's time for permanent full livery.

 

[shamrock2021]

Home it hard to find the perfect livery yard that you don’t have to worry about your horse.

 

[spotty_pony]

Moving mine to my new home in 2 weeks and can't wait! ? have had them at home before but they are currently at a livery yard - small and private so I have no issues but I do love having them outside my door. ?

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

We have had horses at home for the last 26 yrs and I wouldn't go back to livery if *they* paid me, although the yard we were on for 10 yrs wasn't bad at all with year round turnout.

 

[sport horse]

I have my horses at home and have had for many years.
Are you committed to only going away after you have planned cover for your horses and that after booking, that cover may let you down at the last minute so you have to cancel your holiday?
Are you committed to thinking about doing your horse every day so that you may not be able to socialise in the same free and easy way you could before?
Are you happy doing the horses on your own, riding on your own etc always?
How wil you manage if you dont feel well or worse are seriously ill - can y ou find someone to do your horse without prior notice?
It worked for me because my husband was as dedicated as I was and now in later life, widowed, I am able to have full time help but otherwise I do not think I would enjoy it for very long.

 

[Not_so_brave_anymore]

My personal experience is that if you don't have anywhere to ride to home (hacking or manege) then you won't ride. Like, sure, there will be days you'll feel motivated to box up, but there are lots of days where you would ride if it were easy, but you probably won't bother if it's a hassle.

But if your horses are older, and/or can cope with being ridden a bit more sporadically then it wouldn't be such an issue. Especially if you're able to give them 24/7 turnout.

Get quotes for all the work that would need doing first, you might be amazed how many months (years!) of full livery you could afford for the same price ?

 

[eggs]

I've got my horses at home (coming up for 20 years now) and it works for me because a friend keeps her horses here too and we help each other out and have company. However if I didn't have that option I think I would opt for livery. Many, many years ago we had the ponies at home (I've got two sisters) having previously had them on DIY. We were very fortunate that we had friends who were farmers and their children also had ponies so when we went on holiday our ponies went to their farm otherwise it would have been a lot harder trying to sort out reliable holiday cover, etc.

The theory of having them at home is lovely but sometimes the practicalities are not so great.

 

[ester]

home cons- no people, no school, poor hacking, trying to find people to do field maintenance, stressing every year about hay making.
home pros - can absolutely tailor care for the horse, not restricted by any timings or anything.

Livery cons- rules, people leaving your horse on their own so it runs round on a dodgy leg , people who are more interested in fields looking pretty instead of functional.
Livery pros- school, fabulous hacking, people to talk to, friends to go to shows with, friends that don't mine you using their transport if you've been event groom a few times.

 

[Micropony]

Friend has hers at home and it's a huge amount of work and a really massive commitment. Think about how much of either you'd expect, then double it. And she has great facilities and it's really well set up to be as labour saving as possible. Cost and effort to maintain it all at that standard is not inconsiderable. But the benefit is you have total control and can establish a routine and standards that are constrained only by the land and space you have amount of time and effort you're prepared to invest. And you get to know your horses in a completely different way when you're constantly with them. Not that you can't have a fab relationship on livery, they know who their people are, but when you're with them all the time you notice more.
I think the ideal is to have them at home with enough money to pay someone deeply competent to do the bits you don't want to, and to enable you to have a break now and then without worrying.

 

[MagicMelon]

I couldnt imagine having to keep my horse at a livery yard. Mine have always been kept at home, yeah sure occassionally Ive thought itd be handy to have someone to ride out with (when Im on a just backed youngster for example) but hey ho, I'd never give up the freedom of having them literally beside my back garden.

You can also set it up to suit yourself. I got a stable block built and leave the doors open all the time straight into their field so they come and go as they please 24/7. I have a big hardcore area out the front of the stables with their hay ring feeder on it so they have a nice mud-free area to stand to eat. Its very low maintenence how I keep them. I buy my own hay from the local farmer so he comes up and puts a bale in the feeder whenever I need one. I can (and do) feed my horses every morning in my PJ's, cant get better than that! Maintenence is pretty low since the stables are still pretty new. Fencing needs done but only occassionally. Otherwise, its just a case of getting someone in nown and again to weedkill etc.

 

[irishdraft]

I've had my horses at home for about 20 years I'm lucky I have an arena and reasonable off road hacking . However I do not have any help and no one to ride with , you do have to stay motivated which I'm finding very hard in lockdown as hunting and doing RC things are my way of riding with other people and all that has come to a halt atm . Also am at the point stables & fencing need replacing so hmm if there was a decent livery yard nearby I think I would be tempted.

 

[Squeak]

I've been on livery yards and now have the horses at home. I can't imagine going back to a livery yard and dealing with all the drama and rules etc. Having them at home and working from home makes it so easy. I can see the horses from my desk and appointments like farrier and vets etc are much easier to fit in.

There is a lot of maintenance but I've been able to alter it to make their day to day care very easy and quick so I think it more than balances out. I've also found it a lot cheaper.

I would be tempted to try putting them at a livery yard for a month or couple of weeks to be able to use amazing facilities and see if being with other competitive riders gives me a bit more of a kick etc.