Livery in Bexley, Chigwell or Epping Forest areas

RachelFerd

RachelFerd

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Hello all!

Am currently working out the realities of keeping a horse on the edge of London - it's not something I plan to do instantly - I need a pay rise first! - and I need to seriously consider my time restraints and work commitments - but nonetheless, I'm trying to work out the costs involved and the best areas / nearest areas with livery yards.

I live in E3, but with direct access onto the A12, 5 minutes north of the blackwall tunnel, and also easy access up the A12 to join on to the A406 (north circular) or M11 - therefore there are plenty of places that are within a half hour drive away. I'm on a motorbike so I get to skip past any queues. However, I work in SW london in Wandsworth - so I have a bit of a commute as it is.

I'm very interested in reccomendations of livery yards in the Bexley area - since it's not far from home, and it is only a (rather large) detour on the way home from work.

I have also heard there are several good yards in the chigwell/stapleford abbotts/havering atte bower area.

I'm looking for somewhere with:

- good grazing, all year, preferably 24/7 option in the summer
- a decent arena - at least a 20x40 with a good surface and some jumping equipment
- open until fairly late in the evenings so that I can go up after work
- direct access to off-road hacking, or at least very quiet lanes to access bridlepaths.

If anyone can give me an idea of yards that can at least part-way meet up to those specs, then I would much appreciate it. Equally if you've got any 'must avoid' areas - please pm me and let me know!

Input is greatly appreciated - it's not something that just searching on google can solve!

Rachel
 
Are you looking for Part or DIY?

Have you looked at Woodlands, Sewardstone Road, Chingford.

Diane Pegrum does DIY in Epping, is a working farm, but lovely outdoor school. Good turn out and knowledgable people.

Hobbs Cross

Harolds Park Farm

These are all M11 Essex way.

Ask Twiglet for Havering Atte Bower type places, she went to look at loads around that way, recently.
 
Hi Finn -

I am looking for part livery - preferably 5 day part with muck out t/o and bring in during the winter, and then just a turn out muck out in summer (unless I can find 24/7 turnout somewhere...)

I heard that woodlands has no SJ facilities and very limited turnout - but that may be wrong. It's on a busy lane, but then I understand you can direct access the forest from their own land?

Hobbs Cross seems primarily DIY, Harolds Park looks very good - website suggests they have 24/7 turnout option - but it's a little further away than is ideal - although I intend to have a look around, and the fact that they run a lot of shows is a big bonus.

I haven't heard of Diane Pegrum's yard... do you have an address/contact number for her?
 
That's true, forgot Woodlands is dressage focussed.

Hobbs X dont turn out in winter...i think. Never seen any horses out in fields in winter.

Harolds Park TO 3 days in winter, not sure about Part Livery though. Facilities very good.

Diane is DIY only.

Hmmm. Ask Twigs she will know of others
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I am at Hobbs Cross - spent about 6 months looking around the area to find a decent yard that ticked my boxes. Untill about 3 weeks ago I too lived in E3 (Bow) but have now moved to Wanstead which is even easier. Hobbs doesn't have all year round turnout but the grazing is amazing in the summer months and there is an option of 24/7. It is DIY but there are grooms working there all year round and they will do things from changing rugs/putting out to full livery depending on what you want. I have assisted DIY so full some days and just rugs etc other days.

Woodlands very limited turnout, very small boxes and loads and loads of rules and can only jump one day of the week!

Harolds Park good but has shows that can make it a bit chaotic and it is freezing up there - like a big wind tunnel! Indoor school useful tho.

Bexley I looked around a few but decided to stay North of the river cause was worried about the tunnel shutting etc and being stranded from the horse!
 
I can't think of any particularly brilliant yards in Bexley but most of them do have direct access to Joydens Wood.
I'm stabled at The Arrow Riding Centre which is in Darenth so not far from Bexley, and they do hunter/full livery and we have two lovely schools, plus jumps and we have direct access to Darenth Country Park. It is an RDA centre so very few other liveries!
 
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I can't think of any particularly brilliant yards in Bexley but most of them do have direct access to Joydens Wood.
I'm stabled at The Arrow Riding Centre which is in Darenth so not far from Bexley, and they do hunter/full livery and we have two lovely schools, plus jumps and we have direct access to Darenth Country Park. It is an RDA centre so very few other liveries!

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the only problem is there isnt particularly nice next door neighbours or have they moved ??
 
If you want decent grazing i wouldnt go to Bexley there are double the amount of horses on that land for the amount there !!

the blackwall tunnel has only ever been closed once in the 3 years ive been driving and i still got back home ( just 4 hours late) but i did get tehre !!
 
Great....I am moving my horsey to Bexley tomorrow, perfect time for this thread. She is going on field livery, and the place has spectacular hacking, xc course, 2 outdoor and 1 indoor school.
 
I was at HPF for several years and often am up there for shows as I am now at a very small yard 15 mins ride away.

Facilities are good, I do miss the XC course. Hacking is good. My problem was that as Cairo got older, having the fields shut for a couple of months in winter was not good for him.

However, I think George has improved the turnout for winter now.

There is a livery service available offering full, part or bits and pieces when needed.
 
Lots of yards in Bexley and lots of them are rubbish. I think Shannon Leigh is the best, good facilities, nice yard but only does full livery. Tbh I wouldn't recommend any of the others, The Arrow is nice though
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A couple of people have referred to Woodlands Stables in Serwardstone Road, Chingford. I was a livery there from April 1974 until 1986. When I first moved there, it wasn't a dressage yard but it's 100% dressage now! I was considered a "mad" rider although I was just an ordinary young person enjoying their horse to the full! Turnout was limited to a couple of hours a day, but only when the ground was dry during the summer months. Everything had to be kept immaculate and your bridle/numnah or whatever would be thrown out of the tack room and into the pristine yard if it was unclean! Rules for EVERYTHING (I won't bore you with examples!) and Val, who worked there when I was a livery, is still there after all those years! Riding was good in Epping Forest but now i'm in "real" countryside, I realise just how built up the entire area was, plus lots of busy roads everywhere! STEER CLEAR!!!! (But I guarantee you'd never moan about them underfeeding your horse - mine was like a hippo! Used to scoop feed out of manger into carrier bags and throw it away! Woe betide you if you suggested cutting back to yard owner/manager!!!!!)
 
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Great....I am moving my horsey to Bexley tomorrow, perfect time for this thread. She is going on field livery, and the place has spectacular hacking, xc course, 2 outdoor and 1 indoor school.

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mount mascals any chance ???? ha ha ha ha
 
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Lots of yards in Bexley and lots of them are rubbish. I think Shannon Leigh is the best, good facilities, nice yard but only does full livery. Tbh I wouldn't recommend any of the others, The Arrow is nice though
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yes but the horses dont get a bed - just on rubber !!
 
I took my three year daughter to Woodlands to show her "where mummy used to keep Sapphire" (this was 15 or 16 years ago!) and Mrs Jenner had a little grey poodle called Pepi. Mrs Jenner had her grey hair tightly permed at that time and my daughter pointed out in no uncertain terms that "Pepi has the same hair as his mummy!".

I could write a book about my days at Woodlands and only tonight have I spoken on the telephone to two ex-Woodlands friends (we're meeting up in Friday) - one still lives in the area (Loughton) and the other lives up in the Fens.

Are you an ex-Woodlands person, too?

With regard to Brook Farm in Saffron Walden, I believe this has now closed and I THINK a horse dealer runs it, but please don't quote me on that!!
 
Well... it's good to rule things out! Sounds like Bexley area is pretty much ruled out - although i'd be interested in looking around S-L since it is BHS approved. Does anyone know Old Mill livery near Swanley?

I've not heard anything bad yet about the yards NE of chigwell - Bons Farm, Bower Farm, Brownings farm... any info on these?
 
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Shannon Leigh
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there are 3 ex S-L people at my yard. None of which could recommend it in any shape or form....

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I have 1 at mine aswell - even gave up her livery there just to move out early !!!
 
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Well... it's good to rule things out! Sounds like Bexley area is pretty much ruled out - although i'd be interested in looking around S-L since it is BHS approved. Does anyone know Old Mill livery near Swanley?

I've not heard anything bad yet about the yards NE of chigwell - Bons Farm, Bower Farm, Brownings farm... any info on these?

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Lets just say for the price of it you can find much better !!

Old Mill is full !
 
Norton Heath is very far from you though I would imagine. I used to keep Twig at a yard not far from there, and it took ages from where I live, which is closer than where you are.

Harolds Park Farm does have lovely facilities, but it is a big busy yard with lots of comps on. Don't know if I'd want to share my schools with lots of people at the weekends.....
I second the comment about the wind tunnel, I'm sure I've never been colder than at a HPF winter competition!!

There's quite a few yards on the same road as Brook Farm, ie. Stapleford Abbots - unfortunately I can't remember the names now!
There is one run by a guy called Nathan, who's got a business driving horses for weddings and funerals, and he does film stunt work. He's now offering full livery at his small yard - he's in Stapleford Tawney. Nice guy by all accounts.

There's a yard in Havering-Atte-Bower that I thought looked pretty good - it's down the same lane as the Havering Park riding school (behind the church in the middle of the village).
It had a lovely floodlit 60mx20m school, onsite hacking including some XC jumps, a lot of grazing which I think was all year, and services available relatively cheaply. Some indoor stables, some outdoor, and phenomenal hacking. Direct on to the country park which eventually leads to Epping Forest - according to the groom you can go 5 hours without hitting a road?!

There's also the Water Tower in Havering Atte Bower, which I've heard good things of. It has reasonable facilities as far as I remember, and services - although there's normally a waiting list there.

There's a few more heading out towards Brentwood - although there are some that I would suggest avoiding, particularly in the Collier Row area!!!

Sorry I can't be of more help - I would definitely suggest having a drive round the area, which is what I did. If you need more info, I can send you maps of where yards are, I just can't tell you their names or contact details unfortunately - I'm useless!!
 
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