Horses at home - pros and cons

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now_loves_mares

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Haven't been on HHO for a while so forgive me please...

Have horses "at home" at the moment, which actually means I have stables by the house, but a rented field that's really too far away for safe leading in and out. So for the last 3 years they have been living out, with a field shelter. Clay soil, yada yada, so it's not been the best. We are now selling up and relocating, and looking for somewhere with our own land, as in, right by the house. But my husband is still suspicious. Life has been hard doing it this way. I've not really enjoyed lots of aspects of it, because it's not really been workable. Somehow I've dealt with it, but it's involved spending money on infrastructure on someone else's field, can't maintain fields well as they are so wet with the horses out all the time, reliant on a farmer putting a round bale in every 10 days or so, which may be of dubious quality, had to take my (then newborn) son down to feed them in the car every day, getting them in for the farrier is a joke; the list goes on.

I realise if we have our own "proper" place I will still have to take care of the fencing and source forage and get rid of muck and all that type of stuff. That's ok as I have to do that anyway. But my husband says I was naive when we moved here (I was); so I want a warts and all view of keeping them at home. I'm not sure I can afford full livery, which realistically it would have to be. But I want to have eyes fully open.

Anyone got any thoughts?
 
Grazing right by the house will make a world of difference. I have stables too which I would always recommend if you have horses at home - OK you have the work and expense of bedding them but against that you have the flexibility if the weather is bad, you need to have the horses to hand say for the vet/farrier but can do house jobs whilst you wait.
We've had the horses at home for over 30 years, wouldn't want it any different.

Pros: the horses are very much part of the family,
you can design your routines to fit in with family life and do your own thing.
you can keep a very close eye on the horses.
no pressure to conform if you don't want to :)

Cons: everything is down to you - are you happy dealing with emergencies (including euthanasia) without help
you need to be pretty organised with ordering in feed/bedding etc.
going away can involve major logistics - a good network of professionals and friends helps enormously but any 'cheap holidays' become less cheap once costs of horse-sitting are included!!

PS forget about having a show home or pretty garden - your kitchen WILL have a muddy floor and hay gets places you didn't know you had places - and as for a garden, hmm, it will become 'the promised land' to most ponies and without fail one day they WILL find their way in and do their own brand of gardening :)
 
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I've always kept at home, apart from a brief 3 years at uni and I really did not get on with life on a large DIY yard.

It will completely depend on your set up. we have stables in the yard, so about 30paces from the back door, and then a further 20paces to the field. We have a wash box, tack room, feed stores, rug stores and a walker, no arena but we're on farm so lots of off road hacking. For me it is infinitely easier than having to drive anywhere, even without any arena or all weather turn out. Our land is managed by us, so I am never told it is too wet for the horses to be turned out - the yard is run to our routine.

However, if you take away the turn out or even things I take for granted like the great fencing, running water or the electricity - I could not do it. I whinge enough I have to barrow hot water 30paces from my utility to the wash box. Little things make a very big difference when you're on your own.
 
I think you have just been unlucky in the set up you had. When you get your own place you will be much more prepared and wont buy a place with the same set up as you have now .. because you know it doesnt work.

Its hard work, especially in the beginning like I am now. Im lucky i started with a good driveway (my yard is a minutes drive from home although can walk between neighbours paddocks to get to top of my fields) with some ramshackle stables (3 and a tackroom block) on a large concrete pad so although rundown it had the bones of being a good yard. Its slow, finding the money to do it how i want it but having pretty much a blank canvas its great to be able to decide how i want the drainage, where i want the fencing etc rather than getting used to someone elses design .. and most importantly living with someone elses rubbish design that doesnt work!

You've had a negative experience but its not all like that. Its hard work yes of course ... there is no magic handyman that comes out at night to fix fencing like they do on a livery yard, you have to do it all yourself. You'll likely poo pick more than you ride and sometimes it gets lonely but honestly its amazing having your own horses at home and being in control of what they eat, when they are turned out, how they are managed etc etc ... the list goes on :)
 
Really you need the whole package which is house, field, some sort of stable, access to hacking / transport /school (delete as appropriate you may not need them all) to enjoy keeping them at home. About 15 years ago I gave up horses because while I had finally achieved my dream of keeping her at home there was little to no hacking, no company and the wrong horse. I haven't moved but in the intervening years I've got a different horse, bred my own company (daughter) and the outdoor access code has meant the hacking is now pretty much limitless. Totally different situation to how I felt 15 years ago yet the same place.
 
I've just got my own place after 40 years of livery! It is great, it does need lots of work to make it how I want it but we knew that when we bought it and even with it as it is i'm loving it. I still only have one of mine at home and the other at livery as don't have a manege yet plus having moved to a new part of the country I thought it would be a good way to meet more people. I'm also lucky that the lady who was renting it from the previous owners has stayed on and so I have a fab livery. One of my main worries about being at home was it might be lonely so this has worked out perfectly.
 
Pros
You can pop out to grab them in or change a rug while your son is having a nap
As your son gets older you can do a bit more (don't shoot but when mine were still in a cot I rode in the school - c 30m from the back door, with the baby monitor in my pocket!)
Your rules, your decisions your management of your horse re' feed, turnout etc.
No bitchiness
Although the cost is ish about the same, you have something to show for your cash at the end of the day - some of which you can get a bit back when you sell the place
You can choose when to spend money on fixing stuff - livery has to be paid month in month out. You can't wait a month ¬
Lots more turnout than you could ever hope for on any livery yard! Mine are out 24/7 mid March to xmas this year ! trick is to get enough land - I use 5.5 acres of top end pasture (that has been pasture for 100+ years!) for 2 horses and a mini, so it gets well rested and not trashed - the 1 acre per horse I think is largely rubbish if you want them out 24/7 for parts of the time.


Cons
You've experienced some
Cost - it's not really any cheaper for one horse (IMHO)
Back up if your ill/ on hols etc.
it can be lonely and motivation to ride can be low where there are a 1000 maintenance jobs that need doing.

One sensible option is to find a friend/ single livery to share the space - someone to ride with. do the odd day when you need a break, cover holidays etc. is well worth it (although take time to find the right person!) also a bit of cash coming in to cover some costs is handy.
 
I have my 2 at home. 4 acres(clay so I have one as a winter trash paddock & repair in spring) split into 3 paddocks & tiny pony paddock. Plus arena. 3 big stables inside large barn & plenty of storage for everything horse related. For me the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.
Advantages - everything done my way. Nothing gets lost / goes missing. Horses fed, wormed, farrier, dentist, jabs, backs & saddles checked, in, out all at the same time. Calm environment. Regular routine. I check them last thing at night (any time 9pm - 2am!). Can pop down in my pjs if I want. Can go see / talk to them / groom / etc when I have 10 mins to spare. I can see them in the field from the house.
Disadvantages - (there's just me & non horsey, but very helpful, OH). I have to do everything on my own. We have no tractor etc so I have to organise muck spreading (I have mine put on field) harrowing, rolling, weed killing, topping, etc. Fence / hedge / trees maintenance. Going away, even for an overnight stay, requires a lot of organisation! OH will do it for me if I'm away on my own but I have to leave detailed instructions for him as he doesn't help look after them on a daily basis. I have 2 house/ horse sitters that I use, they have their own horses, that are excellent but I have to book in advance & give them as much notice as possible & it's not cheap (but worth it as they are so good). If I am really ill my OH will see to horses but I have to be virtually bedridden.
You need to be very independent & like being on your own. There is no yard social life when you keep your horses at home alone. No one to hack out with, do things with, etc. No one to pick up the pieces if you fall off! I like being able to choose when I have company & when not but it doesn't suit everyone.
 
We've had ours at home for just over a year now, I wouldn't change it for the world after years of livery yards!

Stables are on the opposite side of the driveway from the house and we've got a fenced yard that leads straight into the field. One stable is used as a tack/rug/feed room, no arena yet but I'd like to put one in in a few years time. We've got just under 4 acres of grazing (split in half) for 2 horses. They're pretty hard on it but it's holding up so far.

One horse is mine and one's my sisters so generally we just cover for each other if one of us is out or away. Normally I do mornings and she does afternoons as I'm at work. Luckily my next door neighbour is horsey as well so if we're ever stuck for someone to feed/turn out/catch in she can usually help :)

I absolutely love being in charge of the routine and the management of everything.
 
Theres no contest home is best .
Control control control that's what it's all about .
Of course you have to sort everything and sometimes it's endless the muck moving the fence mending sorting gateways the list is long .
Finding help when you need it managing the help .
I can see some people may miss the company you get on a livery yard bit then you don't get all that bad feeling that can come with yards .
I think though If you keep your horse at livery you can be just 'I have a horse ' IF you have them at home it defines your whole lifestyle.
 
Honestly I cannot think of any negatives. Apart possibly from the social aspect of meeting other people at yards. However, there seems to be so many threads on here about issues with yards, and I am not particularly social anyway, so that doesn't bother me.
My horses are really part of the family. My horses and dogs and cats will all mingle and even snooze in the field together. I watch them from the house. The horses look up to the kitchen or lounge window and I can see their nostrils flare as they whinney to me. I can nip out to see them whenever I want. Distance from door to paddock is about 12 footsteps. My manure pile is used in the veggie garden and newly planted orchard.
Yes, you have to manage the paddock, fencing etc, but you are on site to pick up and deal with issues immediately.
I glance out the window at them probably about 50 times a day. Just because I can. I have the ability to change my mind about the way they are managed at the drop of a hat without speaking to anybody. I can move them from an exposed paddock to a more sheltered one in 5 minutes if suddenly the weather closes in. Or quickly nip out to the barn and get some hay and fill their haynets if I see at 9pm that they have already eaten their hay. I can go sit out with them under a starry sky at night time just because it is a beautiful night and I see them dozing in the field and I want to be with them.
If I make a spontaneous decision to ride I can have them tacked up and ready to go within 10 minutes. Likewise, I can untack them, put them back in the field and be sat in the lounge with a cuppa within 5 mins of dismounting.
I feel so lucky to have them at home and wouldn't have it any other way.
:) :) :) :)
 
Auslander said:
I love it, except for when they stare at me through the windows!
Click to expand...

Hi there, sorry to bother your washing up, but it's raining out here...
Hello....
Still raining....
Doing my sad eyes now...
Going to start shuffling...
Final straw I will run up and down this fence until you bring me in...
You asked for it then...
 
RunToEarth said:
Hi there, sorry to bother your washing up, but it's raining out here...
Hello....
Still raining....
Doing my sad eyes now...
Going to start shuffling...
Final straw I will run up and down this fence until you bring me in...
You asked for it then...
Click to expand...

Gosh, yours are polite. Here it's all 'Oi, Slave, what bleep bleep time d'ya call this!' or 'Room Service!'
 
Wow thanks, so many helpful responses. OK so far not hearing anything I wasn't already aware of which is the main thing. And lots of pros that I haven't experienced at all. I was really beginning to panic that I was overselling the importance of the grazing being right there.

If we go for the property we have seen, it will be about 5.5 acres of grazing for 2 horses (and probably a small shettie at some point) so I think plenty. There's no infrastructure, so I'd have to build my own stables, so can go for the most user friendly design. I'm hoping to keep it just far enough from the house to try to maintain a clean divide but carrying water is a good shout. I'm also planning on putting my riding horse into full livery for the worst of winter at my instructors yard, who has an indoor. Obviously that will be budget busting but I want to be able to actually enjoy the horse too!
 
RunToEarth said:
Hi there, sorry to bother your washing up, but it's raining out here...
Hello....
Still raining....
Doing my sad eyes now...
Going to start shuffling...
Final straw I will run up and down this fence until you bring me in...
You asked for it then...
Click to expand...

:D

I might not let my DH see this one. I'm not sure he will think that "being at beck and call of horse at all times" is a step forward in our lives!!
 
RunToEarth said:
I've always kept at home, apart from a brief 3 years at uni and I really did not get on with life on a large DIY yard.

It will completely depend on your set up. we have stables in the yard, so about 30paces from the back door, and then a further 20paces to the field. We have a wash box, tack room, feed stores, rug stores and a walker, no arena but we're on farm so lots of off road hacking. For me it is infinitely easier than having to drive anywhere, even without any arena or all weather turn out. Our land is managed by us, so I am never told it is too wet for the horses to be turned out - the yard is run to our routine.

However, if you take away the turn out or even things I take for granted like the great fencing, running water or the electricity - I could not do it. I whinge enough I have to barrow hot water 30paces from my utility to the wash box. Little things make a very big difference when you're on your own.
Click to expand...

Ah yes, so I had a top strand barbed wire which ripped all my rugs. I tried battery electric fencing, but the unit got stolen. No electricity or running water at the field so the horses were constantly clarted in mud. Ugh.
 
Polos Mum said:
Pros
You can pop out to grab them in or change a rug while your son is having a nap
As your son gets older you can do a bit more (don't shoot but when mine were still in a cot I rode in the school - c 30m from the back door, with the baby monitor in my pocket!)
Your rules, your decisions your management of your horse re' feed, turnout etc.
No bitchiness
Although the cost is ish about the same, you have something to show for your cash at the end of the day - some of which you can get a bit back when you sell the place
You can choose when to spend money on fixing stuff - livery has to be paid month in month out. You can't wait a month ¬
Lots more turnout than you could ever hope for on any livery yard! Mine are out 24/7 mid March to xmas this year ! trick is to get enough land - I use 5.5 acres of top end pasture (that has been pasture for 100+ years!) for 2 horses and a mini, so it gets well rested and not trashed - the 1 acre per horse I think is largely rubbish if you want them out 24/7 for parts of the time.


Cons
You've experienced some
Cost - it's not really any cheaper for one horse (IMHO)
Back up if your ill/ on hols etc.
it can be lonely and motivation to ride can be low where there are a 1000 maintenance jobs that need doing.

One sensible option is to find a friend/ single livery to share the space - someone to ride with. do the odd day when you need a break, cover holidays etc. is well worth it (although take time to find the right person!) also a bit of cash coming in to cover some costs is handy.
Click to expand...

Thanks, loads of useful stuff in here. My son is actually 19 months now so the big issue is keeping him away from the horses!
 
I have kept my horses at home for over 35 years. I love the freedom it has given me to look after the horses in my own way BUT it has been almost impossible to go away when they are stabled overnight. This is mid / end of October to occasionally mid May.
Now my children grumble that we do not see our young grandchildren enough as they live too far away to visit in one day. Also as we get older the maintenance of the fences, stables etc becomes more difficult and there is no tractor access. As pensioners we cannot afford to pay others to do these jobs.
I have never experienced a livery yard so I cannot make a comparison however I think that perhaps in the near future I will have to find out as there is no way I can live without my horse and I can see our time in this lovely home must come to an end.
I don't wish to 'pour cold water' on your plans as we have had a great life in this house and our children grew up with ponies and Pony Club but life changes.
I hope whatever you decide to do that you are happy.
 
now_loves_mares said:
Wow thanks, so many helpful responses. OK so far not hearing anything I wasn't already aware of which is the main thing. And lots of pros that I haven't experienced at all. I was really beginning to panic that I was overselling the importance of the grazing being right there.

If we go for the property we have seen, it will be about 5.5 acres of grazing for 2 horses (and probably a small shettie at some point) so I think plenty. There's no infrastructure, so I'd have to build my own stables, so can go for the most user friendly design. I'm hoping to keep it just far enough from the house to try to maintain a clean divide but carrying water is a good shout. I'm also planning on putting my riding horse into full livery for the worst of winter at my instructors yard, who has an indoor. Obviously that will be budget busting but I want to be able to actually enjoy the horse too!
Click to expand...

If you've a totally blank canvas then plan, plan and plan some more. Dont just think concrete pad, stables on top, think drainage, plumbing .. think more about drainage .... and then a bit more about drainage. I have post and rail round my concrete pad where the stables are and they come and go as they please (gate and two slip rails to limit muddy areas). The theory was they wouldnt get the area around the stables/ hardstanding muddy because they would be walking straight off the field and not loitering ... No, its horribly muddy! This year ... dig out around the hardstanding/ yard about 6-8 inches, put hardcore down (deeper a foot round the yard for even better drainage) and then top it with gravel/ type one. So next winter there will be field, gravel, yard ..... goodbye mud!

Give me a couple of years and my yard and fields WILL be 'mud' free (ie anything over the top of the hoof deep!)
 
I have 2 at home on about 4 acres and 3 stables I don't have a school but can use one 5 minutes walk away whenever I like, it's the easiest way I have ever kept my horses I would definitely try to never go back to keeping them on livery.

I think your main problem is having the field too far away from your house I would look for a property with the field space you want and possibly even space for a school later on if need be then I might sure you will find it much easier.
 
I think people have covered the pros and cons. If you need to build a shelter or stable think about having a corral or small paddock so you can let them out into different fields or a paddock paradise system. I have to catch and lead mine across a yard, night and morning, it would be so much easier if I could just open the gate and let them come in themselves!

The only issue I have is being lonely with no near horse friends and my family don't take any interest, although I used to do Pony Club with daughter those days are long past. The worst aspect is having to get someone in to cover if I want to go away or even just be late back after dark in winter (see above re corral!). I wanting any time away the first thing I always do is to make arrangements for horses.
 
It completely depends on your set-up, work, attitude and lifestyle choices, and those things can change over time. The pros and cons are often the reverse sides of the same thing, e.g. if you have them at home it's easier to juggle horses and family life because you can pop out and do things as and when you get chance; if you have them at home it's harder to juggle horses and family life because you need to be back from family trips to see to your horses. It also depends on your horses and what you do with them. There have been times when coping alone has been really difficult, from getting on a just-backed youngster, to dealing with a cast horse, to euthanasia, and the daily grind of exercising alone in non-stop rain and mud. I used to have horsey neighbours and I miss them, someone to call in and see when out hacking, someone to phone in an emergency. Don't underestimate the benefits of a nice livery yard with good facilities and company, and don't forget that of course people post about issues at livery yards because they want to discuss them, but there are many, many great yards and there's no reason to post to say that everything is just great.
 
Dynamo said:
It completely depends on your set-up, work, attitude and lifestyle choices, and those things can change over time. The pros and cons are often the reverse sides of the same thing, e.g. if you have them at home it's easier to juggle horses and family life because you can pop out and do things as and when you get chance; if you have them at home it's harder to juggle horses and family life because you need to be back from family trips to see to your horses. It also depends on your horses and what you do with them. There have been times when coping alone has been really difficult, from getting on a just-backed youngster, to dealing with a cast horse, to euthanasia, and the daily grind of exercising alone in non-stop rain and mud. I used to have horsey neighbours and I miss them, someone to call in and see when out hacking, someone to phone in an emergency. Don't underestimate the benefits of a nice livery yard with good facilities and company, and don't forget that of course people post about issues at livery yards because they want to discuss them, but there are many, many great yards and there's no reason to post to say that everything is just great.
Click to expand...

Very well put Dynamo
 
I wanted to post the other way. Im on a livery yard (DIY) and ive always been on this yard and love it!

my pony is out with 30 others in big fields in summer, with views of nothing more than other fields (no roads) the grass is OK (he's a welsh so i dont want amazing) and having lots of other horses means, he does look 'bored'. the summer t/o is 24/7 and the winter is half day, but theres no times to stick to. the winter fields are 'moor' type and are OK mud wise away from the gate.

my stable is nice and big, the yard owner sorts all the hay buying, repairs, maintenance etc etc. the school is OK (i dont use it much) there is ALWAYS someone to ride with, some to 'run ideas buy' someone to help if i just cant make it hold my pony for the farrier, often owners arranging trips somewhere that you can join in on if you want. someone to check on him in the summer if im away etc etc.

all i have to do it turn-up, enjoy my pony, enjoy the company of others and help (if required) just like peeps help me (if needed)

there are down sides, the yard is a 20 min drive from my house, but also 5 mins from work, so im generally in that direction anyway, apart from weekends.
 
I'm moving my boy home on Saturday.
Only cons to me are the cost of repairs etc.
But when you think about it... I'm paying 35 per week.. So nearly 2k a year and that's DIY.

A lot of repairs will be done ourselves so not 2k a year hopefully :p

I realise I won't have hacking buddies but tbh I'm not all that sociable anyway and I can trailer him to go hacking with others!

But the FREEDOM will just surpass everything I believe... But I'll let you know in a years time if I still feel the same way!!
 
The set up is important. We bought somewhere with land etc 18 months ago. The best thing is I can see the yard from back door. So I do a lot of running between the 2. I can cook the kids tea while horses eat theirs. Turn out while kids eat etc. In the summer I poo pick after they are in bed. My only complaint is my school is too far away from the house to ride while kids in bed/watching TV.
As others have said it is a responsibility and a money pit. There is always a fence that needs mending or similar.
 
We have kept the horses at home for 20+yrs, I certainly wouldn't go back to livery, even though we spent about 10yrs at the same livery yard with very few issues.
You cannot beat looking out of your bedroom window first thing in the morning to check that all are upright and at the right side of the fence, when they are out in Summer. Unless it is when you pop across the yard in your dressing gown while the kettle boils to check that all is well on Winter mornings. Being able to check o them just before you go to bed is great too.
We live in a horsey area with horsey neighbours, so can ride with them but there is also an active RC, which means that there are more people tocride and socialise with.
 
I have always had mine at home, I couldn't imagine what its like to have to travel to do them. I am, however, very happy with my own company, but realise others quite like being on a busy yard.
 
It's changed my life a lot to have an area that I know the horses will go into several times a day in summer, and can be shut in in winter, covered by web cam. I'm planning a night way tomorrow if the weather is good in the morning. I will load racks up with forage and check barn cam while I am away. I will call a friend if I see anything amiss.

I recommend it, otherwise you are stuck with serious difficulty doing anything spontaneous, and high cost of temporary grooms on planned trips.

I would like the company of a yard but I don't miss the bitchiness and I couldn't back going back to being told how to manage my horses.

For me, you just can't beat seeing them out of the window, or waking in the middle of the night and watching them snooze on barn cam.


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