Horse Retirement Livery

[GKate18]

I really like to see if anyone would be interested or looking for a retirement home for their beloved pony /horse.

I am looking at starting up a retirement livery center. I am wanting for the horses to have a relaxed, loving and more of a natural life.
I have a new large open barn with 4 bays which will fit two to five horses in each, depending on size and well being for the horse.

In the summer they will live out. 50 acres in total (room for more). They will be checked multiple times everyday, be groomed and anything else they need. They would be treated as my own which I love dearly.

In the winter they will be in the barn in there large communal areas at night. In the day they will have access to a larger area to stretch there legs and forage.

They will be housed on thick beds of straw. Plenty of hay and hard food if needed and any supplements if needed.

Any request the owner wants/ needs for their horse I will do. Any owner can come visit at anytime.

I have not started this up yet as I want it to be perfect and have the best interest for the horses.

Thank you very much for your help. Please do contact me if you want to know more. ??

Located Lower Stretton, Cheshire

 

[be positive]

It sounds like a potentially good set up with one thing missing, winter turnout.

I have similar at home for the winter as I have very limited land at my new home, mine have 2 barns and several areas of yard/ hardstanding to wander around but I soon realised that not having grass turnout with room for a proper gallop/ roll/ play was not going to keep my retired horse happy for the winter so moved him to a local yard where he is in at night out in fields during the day where he is far happier, my 2 ponies have a small paddock for daily use and take advantage of the time to roll and have a good run most days which keeps them happy, so I would recommend setting aside some grazing so they can get out each day, just because they are retired does not mean they will not need the chance for some proper movement, the other option would be a good sand paddock where they can get rid of some energy, they will be far happier covered in mud and not groomed daily in my experience.

 

[Muddy unicorn]

We’ve just been looking for retirement livery and have discounted any with your proposed set-up as ours needs 24/7 turnout. We also decided against places which only had boring, small paddocks as the horses on those looked miserable.

Your summer regime sounds perfect though.

 

[tiahatti]

My mare is on retirement livery. I'm not sure whether she would be happy not having her field available in the winter. Having said that I am sure that plenty of horses would love being with you.

 

[Tiddlypom]

The lack of winter turnout for an oldie will be a major disadvantage with the set up you describe. It would put me off.

Are you on clay?

 

[GKate18]

That's not a problem at all and I really appreciate all your advise for the winter turn out. I will definitely have some turn out available for the winter and then in at night or out if preferred. I want the best interest for the horse and for the owner.

 

[View]

Where our lad went to retire, the herd was out in the further fields 24/7 as much of the year as possible, and during winter came into a set up of a large barn with a door at either end, opening into different fields. Up to the horses whether they were in or out.