Home or livery ?

[MereChristmas]

I'm the same age at my tongue and a little bit older than my teeth . I'm no where near retirement, but also not a youthful 20 something.

We kept horses at home for over 40 years. We began in our early 30’s. It was fine then.
Age changes everything.

 

[eggs]

I've had my horses at home for over 20 years after being in livery - a mix of full / DIY / part for many years before that.

It is a lot more work than you think but you have the advantage of keeping your horses how you want. I am fortunate to have enough land and stables for a friend to keep her horses at mine. This is great for motivation and company - it also helps that she has competed up to Inter 1 so is a great help to me with my riding.

I also have a very good freelancer who does a few hours every week and then covers if I am away.

However I am now getting to the stage where I am definitely doing more 'looking after' the horses and land/buildings than I am riding and if we were to ever move I wouldn't be looking to keep the horses at home again.

Having said that it could well be that it would be a good financial investment.

 

[Barton Bounty]

Cant believe your even asking HOME…

 

[Zoeypxo]

Home !!!

 

[PeterNatt]

I used to keep my horse at livery in London and then moved to North Hertfordshire so that I could have him at home. The big advantage is that you find the yard as you leave it and don't have to clear up after others. One can come and go as one wants. The disadvantaged is getting cover for holidays and maintaining the land as well as getting rid of the horse maure and bedding. Also building a house is a big stress and you need to make sure taht you have a realy good and reliable surveyor and architect to manage the entire build for you. Good luck!

 

[blitznbobs]

Build the house - stressful but seriously fun … and then decide - you can always sell up again if you change your mind

 

[Ahrena]

Home 100%

I was on a DIY livery yard for about 15 years and loved it, always said I would prefer to have horses on livery etc.

Then I moved 30 minutes away and had to move my horses. Had a nightmare of a time finding somewhere suitable (and I’m not overkill, I mean not saggy, broken barbed wire fencing) so gave up, moved 200 miles and now have my ponies at home.

It’s been serious work so far but my land was very neglected. Once I have it all on an even keel, it will be far more manageable. There’s nothing like popping out the back door in my dressing gown to check they’re all ok before a morning cuppa and wandering down at 10pm to kiss some noses. Plus the added advantage of having time to ride on lunch breaks etc!

I’m lucky and moved to a very horsey area and have quickly made some horsey friends who are happy to muck in with holiday cover. Also have contacts for freelancers and the neighbours are horsey so I’m not concerned about that. Same in that I have a few people to ride out with if I wish but I’m also quite antisocial and love having the place to myself. OH is a non-horsey total convert and always happy to lend a hand and watch when doing tricky stuff (currently backing a 3 year old) for safety.

The only issue is it’s far too easy to collect more horses when you don’t pay livery!

 

[Lexi 123]

Home with what happening to livery yards a lot of them closing down there is going to lack of livery yards in the future so people are going to travel further and livery will get more expensive as lass competition. If you have the opportunity then I would definitely go for it .

 

[sunnyone]

You have to go for it: stay where you are and you'll forever wonder "what if.."
Just as a thought could you buy the lot, then partition it so as you keep the fields and put shelters up, but sell off a chunk as a house and garden plot? Could save you the hassle of selling where you are now.

 

[JBM]

100% home
I love it

 

[meleeka]

If you do it and regret it you could always sell and go back, if you don’t do it and regret it you’ll be stuck. For me, the security of having my own land trumps everything. Several friends have seen their rented fields go for housing lately, after being there decades, so there’s always the uncertainty.

 

[Nicnac]

Home every time. Just check the cost of a 20 x 60 these days as prices have more than doubled over last few years!

 

[wills_91]

I keep mine on my own. It's been fine until recently when I've needed extra support and there is no freelance grooms in our rural areas. It's definitely changed my thoughts/views. If you've got solid back up incase something happens id choose home. If you can't get that I'd stick with yards.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I'm the same age at my tongue and a little bit older than my teeth . I'm no where near retirement, but also not a youthful 20 something.

Sister and I have spent a fair amount of money making our place easier to manage, as we are both in our 60s. We do only have 2 horses now, when we have had up to 5 in the past. If you are designing your new place yourself, I should think that you could easily make it easily managed.

 

[WelshD]

I had mine a private small yard/fields behind my house for 10 years.

In the end winter got me and the endless maintenance was draining.

I sold one pony and moved the other to livery and it was the best decision I made, no hassles with maintenance, a lovely concrete car park and a floodlit school.

I’d want horses at home if I was young but honestly the constant moving of hay, fences needing to be mended, leaky roofs etc was awful as I got older and the draw of things being someone else’s problem was great

 

[ycbm]

I had mine a private small yard/fields behind my house for 10 years.

In the end winter got me and the endless maintenance was draining.

I sold one pony and moved the other to livery and it was the best decision I made, no hassles with maintenance, a lovely concrete car park and a floodlit school.

I’d want horses at home if I was young but honestly the constant moving of hay, fences needing to be mended, leaky roofs etc was awful as I got older and the draw of things being someone else’s problem was great

Me too, word for word but 30 years.

 

[MereChristmas]

Me too, word for word but 30 years.

insert 40

 

[Muddywellies]

I had mine a private small yard/fields behind my house for 10 years.

In the end winter got me and the endless maintenance was draining.

I sold one pony and moved the other to livery and it was the best decision I made, no hassles with maintenance, a lovely concrete car park and a floodlit school.

I’d want horses at home if I was young but honestly the constant moving of hay, fences needing to be mended, leaky roofs etc was awful as I got older and the draw of things being someone else’s problem was great

Thank you for this. I've been going over and over this in my head, and tonight had a frank chat with husband. I feel we actually may not go for it. We're both not getting any younger, and will probably only have two horses for up to 5 years. We will then be down to one. The whole having them at home thing is what we need NOW. It will probably take the best part of 5 years to get it all finished, for then possibly just 1 horse. By which time I expect we will want more freedom. Cue horse back on livery and 4 acres lying empty (it's v close to the proposed house so renting the land out would be a non-starter). I'm still going to view it, and may get ours valued, but I think sense is starting to prevail.

 

[dorsetladette]

Do it! I couldn't think of anything better. If your lonely offer one of the friends you made on livery a place on your yard. If it becomes to much of a tie get a freelancer here and there or regularly if affordable. I'd never want to go back to livery.

 

[gallopingby]

It depends what type of horses you have and how you want to look after them. I’ e only ever had mine on livery when l’ve moved from one end of the countrue. Occasionally I think it would be nice to jus5 have a couple on full livery but l’ve Lways had horses around and until recently also a stallion, who was very laid back. I’m now reducing the numbers a bit and will be able to stable more easily over this next winter and move around to muck out if the weathers bad. I’m fortunate as l have friends near by who whilst not particulacy horsey are well able and enjoy coming to help if l’m away fora couple of nights.
I’d certainly consider a project as long as I was convinced the trades people were reliable and would do the job.

 

[santas_spotty_pony]

Home for me for sure! Although it can be hard work, and the facilities aren’t as sparkly and modern, I know my horses are happy and I’m happy because I can keep an eye on them.

 

[Spotherisk]

OP another factor in your position (which I wouldn’t expect you to answer!) is how much money means to you. If you buy and develop you have an appreciating asset which may make a difference to future life plans.

Livery is dead money, but may well be worth the spend (tbh, in your shoes I’d stick with livery).

If it were me (and Mr StR), well four years ago we were planning to do the same thing, then we found a lovely property with land but no equestrian facilities and bought that instead. In hindsight we made the right choice considering our finances and age.

 

[ycbm]

I had mine a private small yard/fields behind my house for 10 years.

In the end winter got me and the endless maintenance was draining.

I sold one pony and moved the other to livery and it was the best decision I made, no hassles with maintenance, a lovely concrete car park and a floodlit school.

I’d want horses at home if I was young but honestly the constant moving of hay, fences needing to be mended, leaky roofs etc was awful as I got older and the draw of things being someone else’s problem was great

insert 40

Have you regretted it at all? I regretted the change my horse at the time had to make, for his sake, though he also preferred being in a busier place. But not once have I regretted giving up the work, especially winter, the responsibility of maintaining the place, and I'm revelling in going away knowing nothing is going to cause problems just because I've dared to go away. In the end we got trained never to leave for more than 2 nights, we've been building up and our next holiday is 8.
.

 

[MereChristmas]

Have you regretted it at all? I regretted the change my horse at the time had to make, for his sake, though he also preferred being in a busier place. But not once have I regretted giving up the work, especially winter, the responsibility of maintaining the place, and I'm revelling in going away knowing nothing is going to cause problems just because I've dared to go away. In the end we got trained never to leave for more than 2 nights, we've been building up and our next holiday is 8.
.

No, not so far.
I had up to 5 horses at home when the children were here but they’ve left and I had one pony.
F was unhappy alone and I / we no longer have the energy to do more than one pony plus hay carting, disposing of muck, general maintenance and finding horse sitters.
Mr M loves that we can go on holiday without anxiety. He did not want to be tied by a pony when retired as we had been tied by work and horses previously.
I have more energy to ride although of course this is still a lot less than I had in earlier years.
I don’t want a school or Xc course, am happy with good hacking and reasonable access to local lessons and fun rides and my yard fulfills all this.
Should I have done it earlier? probably.

At the moment we are away for the weekend in Oxford, have seen an exhibition at the Ashmolean, visited the Botanic Gardens and wandered around the outside of various universities etc.
Never would have thought to do that before full livery.

 

[Sarys]

I'm the same age at my tongue and a little bit older than my teeth . I'm no where near retirement, but also not a youthful 20 something.

I love this. Following this thread as I’m now in similar situation though not having to build. What did you do in the end.

 

[Muddywellies]

I love this. Following this thread as I’m now in similar situation though not having to build. What did you do in the end.

Walked away and stuck with livery. Land now sold. I have another opportunity to but another plot but I think I don't 'want' it enough. I'm on a nice full livery yard at the moment and life is easy

 

[blitznbobs]

I have done both and now have all
My horses on a yard that I own but don’t live there … with lots of help of course… this is my favourite solution so far . I love the company but yet have all the control… but of the home vs full livery I actually prefer full livery if it’s a good yard but I have always had the option of bringing them home if things didn’t pan out right

I ride a lot more with horses at livery tbh

 

[McGrools]

I have mine at home and this winter is just about finishing me off. The mud and rain are just relentless. I wish I could just get on a plane and escape for a week but that’s not easy when you have horses in the winter. If I could afford I would stick them on livery for a month and jet off.
and then somehow dodge every winter for ever more!

 

[Crugeran Celt]

Mine have been at home for thirty years now and being able to get up on a lovely spring morning and walk out the stables in my pyjamas to see the horses is bliss. Saying that haven't ridden for eight years as but just love having them wher i can see them through the kitchen window.

 

[Sarys]

Walked away and stuck with livery. Land now sold. I have another opportunity to but another plot but I think I don't 'want' it enough. I'm on a nice full livery yard at the moment and life is easy

It’s a lot of work and it sounds like you have it sorted. X

I have mine at home and this winter is just about finishing me off. The mud and rain are just relentless. I wish I could just get on a plane and escape for a week but that’s not easy when you have horses in the winter. If I could afford I would stick them on livery for a month and jet off.
and then somehow dodge every winter for ever more!

its been a wet old winter