Harihorse
Well-Known Member
Is there anyone here from Jersey? We could be relocating here through our jobs soon and was wondering what its like owning horses there.
Jersey
- Thread starter Harihorse
- Start date
virtual
Well-Known Member
I went over to Jersey a couple of weeks ago to judge at a show there. The main things I came back with that the horses there have to be allrounders if you want to compete (because it's an island, there's only a few of each type of competiton per year), and food has to be imported, so it's more expensive than on the mainland. I'm sure there's much more to having horses in Jersey than that though.
Santa_Claus
Well-Known Member
Lived there for years and only now in England since uni though pop back regulary to see family.
Agree with Virtual most are allrounders though not all! a lot of people will just drive or show or do dressage or jump depending on what is their thing but a lot do everything.
BSJA is cheaper to join and lower heights from 70cm (we had 70cm well before UK did affiliated
) up to norm 1m20 although there are only a few in the top classes. Most jump 90cm-1m max. entry fees are also far lower. Courses are well built though with most shows at the club showground which is very nice with comparison to lot of UK venues. (read huge arena, decent surfaced warmup and very good fences including derby fences (devils dyke, bank, ditch) ). You get the likes of Stephen Renouard (because he came from jersey and his Dad George who is also a very good coursebuilder (does HOYs and the like)) and several other top coursebuilders over as we treat them well
Class size wise you get max of 20 but normally more 10-15 and as most of the classes at main shows are sponsored prize moey always goes to 5th or 6th. Entry fees are far lower as well although prize money not quite as good as UK but then entry fees are lower and if you can jump consistent double clears your going to do very well! plus diesel costs are next to nothing ha ha.
Dressage wise there are BD shows (and prefrable regional qualifying standards for Jersey peeps if you fancy going to the UK for regionals
) which run side by side with unaffiliated so you are garanteed good judging. Lots of judges keep coming back as the clubs make sure to treat them well and I know a few who treat it as a holiday when they come over. Classes run mainly at prelim-Elementary but will run up to ad-med though with limited entries.
Showing is all run predominatly by the BSJA. Get your standard hunters/riding horses/workers/cobs/coloured and then the pony classes but at a far far less serious level to the UK. hell even I will do showing in Jersey
There are a couple who will always end up at the top end of the line but for them showing is there thing and if they wish to spend loads to win Jersey show classes that is their choice!
Riding club is very active, they run all sorts from dressage to showing, to showjumping to cross country to instructionals. It is only open to adult members though so no juniors.
Pony club is a reflection of the riding club though activities wise for the kids.
Majority of the XC is over portable fences due to limited land and they are basically over the winter season only as that is when the crops are out of the fields and the farmers will let people use the fields! There is one event per year that is over permanent fences which is a charity event.
Couple more open/charity shows for good measure.
There is a popular drag hunt (no foxes/hares/deer etc in Jersey!) which runs over the winter months. Great fun, great crowd but fast going with lots of banks in comparision to fox hunting for example! nothing too taxing though jump wise!
erm that most of the competition aspects, basically to compete regulary you need to belong to a club or two though fees are much lower than UK in general.
Actual looking after horses wise, grazing is limited unless your lucky (we thankfully are but thats due to family land passed through generations that until sold not subject to 'zone' rules!) so hay/hayledge use in field is far more common. Hay wise we make our own which is good quality meadow stuff but if buying expect to pay £6-8 for English hay or £4-6 for Jersey stuff which varies in quality depending on who you buy it from.
Hayledge is about £8 for a horsehage bale but local farmers will sell ones double the size for £10 and big round ones for about £40 so not too bad.
stabling/livery charges depends on the yard but normally comparable to the UK.
transport wise either trailer or small lorry is best way to go due to the lanes. You are not meant to have anything over 7ft6 wide without a special licence (which more trouble than worth) so most people have trailers as well living not required considering even with trailer nothing is much more than 30mins away
Any more questions feel free to ask!
Its very much a case of everyone horsey knows everyone over there and overall they are a very friendly bunch with one or two notable exceptions
Agree with Virtual most are allrounders though not all! a lot of people will just drive or show or do dressage or jump depending on what is their thing but a lot do everything.
BSJA is cheaper to join and lower heights from 70cm (we had 70cm well before UK did affiliated
Dressage wise there are BD shows (and prefrable regional qualifying standards for Jersey peeps if you fancy going to the UK for regionals
Showing is all run predominatly by the BSJA. Get your standard hunters/riding horses/workers/cobs/coloured and then the pony classes but at a far far less serious level to the UK. hell even I will do showing in Jersey
Riding club is very active, they run all sorts from dressage to showing, to showjumping to cross country to instructionals. It is only open to adult members though so no juniors.
Pony club is a reflection of the riding club though activities wise for the kids.
Majority of the XC is over portable fences due to limited land and they are basically over the winter season only as that is when the crops are out of the fields and the farmers will let people use the fields! There is one event per year that is over permanent fences which is a charity event.
Couple more open/charity shows for good measure.
There is a popular drag hunt (no foxes/hares/deer etc in Jersey!) which runs over the winter months. Great fun, great crowd but fast going with lots of banks in comparision to fox hunting for example! nothing too taxing though jump wise!
erm that most of the competition aspects, basically to compete regulary you need to belong to a club or two though fees are much lower than UK in general.
Actual looking after horses wise, grazing is limited unless your lucky (we thankfully are but thats due to family land passed through generations that until sold not subject to 'zone' rules!) so hay/hayledge use in field is far more common. Hay wise we make our own which is good quality meadow stuff but if buying expect to pay £6-8 for English hay or £4-6 for Jersey stuff which varies in quality depending on who you buy it from.
Hayledge is about £8 for a horsehage bale but local farmers will sell ones double the size for £10 and big round ones for about £40 so not too bad.
stabling/livery charges depends on the yard but normally comparable to the UK.
transport wise either trailer or small lorry is best way to go due to the lanes. You are not meant to have anything over 7ft6 wide without a special licence (which more trouble than worth) so most people have trailers as well living not required considering even with trailer nothing is much more than 30mins away
Any more questions feel free to ask!
Its very much a case of everyone horsey knows everyone over there and overall they are a very friendly bunch with one or two notable exceptions