How far would you travel for livery?

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lunarmagic

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Hello and happy new year to all!! So as the title suggests, how far would/do you travel for livery? I'm going to be getting another horse soon after losing my boy and though I have stable and grazing for one close to home for free (neighbour has non ridden horses in adjacent paddock so horse wouldn't be alone) I found that before i was very lonely with no one to ride with and found it difficult to work around bringing in and turning out when they where so my old lad wasn't left alone (This often happened). I also want to do more with my dressage passion and have no arena at mine and the hacking is awful. My old yard was perfect, I had some fab friends there, always someone to help out, ride with, top facilities, good hacking and just enjoy horses with, but we moved for my husbands work and though I'm welcome back to my old yard whenever it's a 22 mile drive there. I would have to have someone pop horses feed in and morning hay then go down once my kids where packed off to school, then again have someone feed in evening or go part livery (being a groom for 20 years this would seem very strange). Is this just ridiculous, does anyone actually travel like this just to be on a perfect yard or should I suck it up and find a livery yard closer to my new home (the nearest is 10 miles I believe). Just after opionions really I guess.
 
lunarmagic said:
Hello and happy new year to all!! So as the title suggests, how far would/do you travel for livery? I'm going to be getting another horse soon after losing my boy and though I have stable and grazing for one close to home for free (neighbour has non ridden horses in adjacent paddock so horse wouldn't be alone) I found that before i was very lonely with no one to ride with and found it difficult to work around bringing in and turning out when they where so my old lad wasn't left alone (This often happened). I also want to do more with my dressage passion and have no arena at mine and the hacking is awful. My old yard was perfect, I had some fab friends there, always someone to help out, ride with, top facilities, good hacking and just enjoy horses with, but we moved for my husbands work and though I'm welcome back to my old yard whenever it's a 22 mile drive there. I would have to have someone pop horses feed in and morning hay then go down once my kids where packed off to school, then again have someone feed in evening or go part livery (being a groom for 20 years this would seem very strange). Is this just ridiculous, does anyone actually travel like this just to be on a perfect yard or should I suck it up and find a livery yard closer to my new home (the nearest is 10 miles I believe). Just after opionions really I guess.
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I personally would find a 44 mile round trip twice a day too far but I suppose it is down to personal preference. If you were to go for it, I would consider the difference in cost of fuel driving twice a day to the cost of part or full livery as fuel costs rack up. I moved my horse to a yard around a 15 minute drive from home and put him on assisted DIY so I only have to go up once a day due to a new job with more commuting and at the weekends even the 15 minute drive can be a bit of a pain. I suck it up for a lovely friendly yard with lush hacking on the moors.

Whereabouts are you as someone localish may be able to suggest some closer yards to you.
 
That's my main concern, the cost of fuel, I'd only be able to go once a day, which may bother me. Assisted livery could be an option though rather then part. I'm in fairford.
 
I thought going once a day would bother me but it's lovely to have my mornings back on days off. As much as I love Dizz it's given me more time for myself which can be difficult especially in the winter with working full time and the dark evenings. I pay £5 extra a week for YO to feed in the morning, turnout and bring in later in the day. I then go up after work and muck out, ride, get everything ready for the next day and put to bed. The extra petrol going twice a day would cost more several times more than that not withstanding I would need to get up ridiculously early to get him done before work. I then also look forward to seeing him each afternoon/evening as it doesn't feel like so much of a chore.
 
I've just moved mine from 5 miles to 7.5miles away. Its a DIY yard but you can add services. I pay for mine to be turned out and brought in everyday, as its cheaper than going twice and I dont have to worry about him being left out alone if I'm delayed for any reason.
 
I'm on DIY livery and work full time, because of that I would probably have a 10 mile limit, would also depend on the location as traffic can be awful in certain parts of town. Right now the horses are about 6 miles from my home and 10 from work.
 
I'd agree about working out fuel costs. I drive a lot of miles to work so I'm kind of used to it, and I was already at my current yard when I moved jobs. I think if I were starting out I'd look for a closer yard first.
 
I'd look closer to home.
44 miles is along way for one visit.

Are they sane people at your old yard?
How long ago did you leave?
I'm sure you can find another yard and make new friends closer to home.
 
I think I'm just hanging on to how good it was there, my friends there have become friends for life, everyone is like minded and the facilities are top spec, i know I could go back and they've all offered to help me but it just seems silly to be so far away. I'm also really struggling to find anywhere close to me. The joys of having to move house 😔
 
The other thing to consider is if something happens, how fast can you get there?

You do get used to full livery - I still went up twice a day for the first week, but now as I have a 1hr30 commute to work each way, it's a god send and I wouldn't be without it.
 
My livery is 17.5 miles away, he is done at one end of the day though and I just much out, do hay, water etc to leave it ready.
It is 8.6 miles from work, so not so bad in the week. Again, I have yards closer but went with the one I thought I would be happier at and don't regret it.
 
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