ponynutz
Well-Known Member
20 minutes. I did 40 previously and hated it.
How far would you travel for livery?
- Thread starter TheChestnutThing
- Start date
ILuvCowparsely
Well-Known Member
40 minutes From Hammersmith to Wexham would rather travel further and have good hacking and fas than on the door step and no facilities or poor facilities.
gunnergundog
Well-Known Member
Several hours! My two hunters are now in a country where fox hunting is still legal.
Fieldlife
Well-Known Member
My yard is 10 miles from home, and 23-45 minutes depending on traffic. I largely avoid all traffic by my timings.
I work 12 minutes / 4.5 miles from yard. I mostly work from home, but on days of 2 visits / appointments etc. can be handy to use office.
So 50 minute round trip typically to get to yard. I mostly only go once day.
I am DIY but on a track / equicentral system and we have a rota for doing all the horses both ends of the day. So I could get away with going 3 times a week average to fulfil my rota duties. Though I probably go 9 times a week! Or spend day at weekends. But the flexibility of having days off / not going twice is there.
I also have access to a large outdoor school, an i
I work 12 minutes / 4.5 miles from yard. I mostly work from home, but on days of 2 visits / appointments etc. can be handy to use office.
So 50 minute round trip typically to get to yard. I mostly only go once day.
I am DIY but on a track / equicentral system and we have a rota for doing all the horses both ends of the day. So I could get away with going 3 times a week average to fulfil my rota duties. Though I probably go 9 times a week! Or spend day at weekends. But the flexibility of having days off / not going twice is there.
I also have access to a large outdoor school, an i
Poingsettia
Well-Known Member
Old thread but I was doing a search. Where I live now, near Dunoon, there is no livery nearby to be had. When I moved here in late 2022 I had to sell my youngster and put my Shetland on loan.
If I want to get back in to riding I can get full livery an hour away. Stabled, all bedding, feed, hay, and full turnout. I’m tempted but realistically I would not travel daily to ride, so not sure if it’s worth paying so much for minimal riding. Lessons available and decent hacking.
Does an hour seem acceptable? I’ve never had to travel further than about 5 miles before! This is the nearest yard not involving a ferry trip at £22 a day.
If I want to get back in to riding I can get full livery an hour away. Stabled, all bedding, feed, hay, and full turnout. I’m tempted but realistically I would not travel daily to ride, so not sure if it’s worth paying so much for minimal riding. Lessons available and decent hacking.
Does an hour seem acceptable? I’ve never had to travel further than about 5 miles before! This is the nearest yard not involving a ferry trip at £22 a day.
Landcruiser
Well-Known Member
Realistically not. In periods of bad weather, snow etc you may not be able to get there for days at a time. Unless you have bottomless pockets I don't think it would be worth it.
AShetlandBitMeOnce
Well-Known Member
I would travel an hour, once you get into the routine of it it's not so bad, but it also depends on what other life pressures you have eg: children will make that tricky. Is there not something that perhaps is near where you work (assuming you commute somewhere), as that would ease a week day.
I travelled 30mins to and from a yard on DIY and I just settled into the routine of it eventually.
SO1
Well-Known Member
1.5 to 2 hours due to living in London and going on bus/train/walk. Depends on traffic and how quickly the bus comes. I am on full livery at the moment with my instructor riding 3 times a week and me riding at weekends. When I had Homey I was riding 4/5 times a week 2/3 times after work.
There are closer yards but the quality of care all year turnout and it being a rehab yard as well as normal livery means that they can do everything which is perfect with my family and work situation at the moment. Bert was 5 when I got him in August and I originally was not looking for a youngster when getting a new pony after loosing Homey so it has worked well with my instructor riding him during the week even though that was not my original intention.
There are 4 of us on full livery with riding at the moment due to family or work commitments.
Having said that there is a big difference between driving 1.5 to 2 hours than sitting on a bus or train and chilling out. If you are going to be an hour way then you need to be confident that the yard is able to deal with vets and any treatments etc. If I get a taxi part of the way I can reduce the time to get to the yard to 45 minutes.
However I am very used to commuting for at least an hour to get into work pre covid when I was in the office every day.
The first yard I was at with Homey was within walking distance and the second was 45 minutes but I rode less there because getting Homey in from the field in the dark in the winter was a challenge and it took an hour to get him in and put him back. When I moved and went on part livery stabled rather than DIY grass livery I rode a lot more even though the distance was further as he was already in when I got to the yard after work.
At the moment I am riding most weekends and then going after work once or twice a week to see Bert for cuddles/bonding as my if I am not looking after my elderly parents. My mum became unwell a couple of days after I got Bert and they are not local and so some weeks I am working from their house to share the caring burden with sister and BIL who live 10 mins away from them but need a break especially as they have to fit in caring with working and mum and dad are housebound and the moment and can't cook or do much for themselves. Mum went from being very active and bright to being unable to do anything much within the space of a few days after getting pneumonia and we had thought she would get better but after nearly 6 months she is going downhill and things are not improving in the way we thought and we now think she might have the start of dementia. Dad already has vascular dementia.
I have thought about moving nearer to the yard now I only need to be in the office a couple of times a week but where I am now is convenient for not only the office but also for getting to Liverpool street to get the train to Norfolk to get to my parents which I need to do more frequently.
My energy levels are quite low at the moment due to the emotional stress and dealing with the unexpected situation with mum and dad but I am hoping that once spring comes I will start riding Bert in the evenings a couple of times a week and that either mum will be better and need less of my time or we will have a care plan in place.
There are closer yards but the quality of care all year turnout and it being a rehab yard as well as normal livery means that they can do everything which is perfect with my family and work situation at the moment. Bert was 5 when I got him in August and I originally was not looking for a youngster when getting a new pony after loosing Homey so it has worked well with my instructor riding him during the week even though that was not my original intention.
There are 4 of us on full livery with riding at the moment due to family or work commitments.
Having said that there is a big difference between driving 1.5 to 2 hours than sitting on a bus or train and chilling out. If you are going to be an hour way then you need to be confident that the yard is able to deal with vets and any treatments etc. If I get a taxi part of the way I can reduce the time to get to the yard to 45 minutes.
However I am very used to commuting for at least an hour to get into work pre covid when I was in the office every day.
The first yard I was at with Homey was within walking distance and the second was 45 minutes but I rode less there because getting Homey in from the field in the dark in the winter was a challenge and it took an hour to get him in and put him back. When I moved and went on part livery stabled rather than DIY grass livery I rode a lot more even though the distance was further as he was already in when I got to the yard after work.
At the moment I am riding most weekends and then going after work once or twice a week to see Bert for cuddles/bonding as my if I am not looking after my elderly parents. My mum became unwell a couple of days after I got Bert and they are not local and so some weeks I am working from their house to share the caring burden with sister and BIL who live 10 mins away from them but need a break especially as they have to fit in caring with working and mum and dad are housebound and the moment and can't cook or do much for themselves. Mum went from being very active and bright to being unable to do anything much within the space of a few days after getting pneumonia and we had thought she would get better but after nearly 6 months she is going downhill and things are not improving in the way we thought and we now think she might have the start of dementia. Dad already has vascular dementia.
I have thought about moving nearer to the yard now I only need to be in the office a couple of times a week but where I am now is convenient for not only the office but also for getting to Liverpool street to get the train to Norfolk to get to my parents which I need to do more frequently.
My energy levels are quite low at the moment due to the emotional stress and dealing with the unexpected situation with mum and dad but I am hoping that once spring comes I will start riding Bert in the evenings a couple of times a week and that either mum will be better and need less of my time or we will have a care plan in place.
holeymoley
Well-Known Member
I would consider how long (time-wise) you’re able to travel if the horse became unwell. I wouldn’t want to travel over 30minutes if there was a call to say they were colicing. Likewise if they needed extra care or monitoring ie 3-4 trips to yard per day
throwawayaccount
Well-Known Member
at the moment my yard is an 1hr+ drive away, I stay at my mum's a few nights a week and the other days my pony is on full livery. this was only ever meant to be short term, due to her coming down with mud fever badly and also rain scald. i want to get her back on 24/7 soon or on a retirement livery, as the full livery + petrol is a LOT of money.
MidChristmasCrisis
Well-Known Member
PaulineW I honestly don’t think you d end up wanting to do it. The roads aren’t great and are relatively slow…it would be paying a fortune for full livery and riding as if at a riding school. It would be a four hour minimum travel and ride trip…
HopOnTrot
Well-Known Member
It depends on your situation. Do you work full time? Do you have a commute? Is your work flexible? Do you have children? School run? Full or DIY? Do you have dogs?
I would happily drive 10 miles twice a day for DIY in my 20s. Now I have children (one of whom has ASD) horses need to be at home/no more than 5 mins away.
I would happily drive 10 miles twice a day for DIY in my 20s. Now I have children (one of whom has ASD) horses need to be at home/no more than 5 mins away.
sunnyone
Well-Known Member
At one time it was 25 miles each way due to :
living on the south coast means there is only sea to the south , residential spread,
large landowners estate managers not renting to equestrians,
availability of what grazing was available at the time.
living on the south coast means there is only sea to the south , residential spread,
large landowners estate managers not renting to equestrians,
availability of what grazing was available at the time.
Poingsettia
Well-Known Member
I work from home, kids grown up and away. I think I need to be realistic and accept I‘d be better looking for a shared horse, as I know I won’t travel there more than twice a week.
Thanks all.
Thanks all.