livery issues!!

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oliviacharley

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Im in a bit of a dilema and as usually im asking for peoples guidance on what they would do...Ive been thinking about moving from my field for ages....
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its a nice little field with a solid stable and a little barn area where I can leave my hay/straw - my brother also helped me build a little indoor stable for my old pony out of pallets in the corner of it which works really well.....

The only issues I have with it, is it is on a very busy road. This stops me from riding out on my own - hubby has to guide me out - and it stops me from riding through some parts of the day.

The barn is actually slowly falling down - we have repaired it a few times but the wood is rotten on a few bits, animals have most recently dug and broken away at the bottom of it - its built on the land and has no solid ground. The ground also has holes appearing in it.....and I noticed yesterday the roof of it is starting to lift at certain points....I do not believe it will be safe to house my pony this year really....
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the fencing around the field is also in need of repair...I use electric fence around it and although the fence is old it is still solid.

The positives about the field are -
*its cheap
*I get to have only my horses in it
*im left to do my own thing
*it has 1 solid stable
* owner is lovely and reliable

negatives -
*needs a good sort out - fencing, barn etc
*not much grazing - 3 acres ( had to rent a summer field this year to rest it)
*the land is not fertilized and becomes poor quickly
*a local farmer uses the 2nd stable to store his pig food so drives through the field at times from the main road and the bags of feed have been pulled open by rats who now use my stable as a rat run
*can not ride out on the busy road - have asked for a gate to be added but waiting for owner to get back to me...
*owner does not do much to improve the field.

Ive been renting this field for 4 years now and do love it because I love my privacy, but with everything needing a good tidy up im not too sure whether to spend the money on it myself and sort it....or just move somewhere else....
the owner is busy doing building work at the moment so I dont like bothering him....
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The main point I picked up on is that you cant ride out easily, and not alone, due to the main road. To me, that would mean I would have to find sonewhere else, as surely the whole point is that you should be able to ride?

The other things are fixable by the landowner,IF he wants to. Would the addition of another gate mean you could ride out alone safely? If that is the case, I would be contacting the landowner, expressing your concerns re the structure of the barn (which you cant do without) and the access, saying that you will have to start looking for another place if things carry on as they are. Might spur him into action as you have been there and paying rent for so long.
 
thanks bumper for the info...you are right....
im going to be writing my landlord a letter listing the issues....see where I go from there...Im putting a time limit on it and seeing what else is about in the mean time...
 
You might like to consider the issue from your landlord's point of view. He currently has a reliable tenant who isn't paying much rent but isn't costing him anything. If you ask him to put some money/time/effort into improving the facilities, he is going to want to get a bit more rent from the field. Are you able to pay more rent?

Might there be a compromise solution here? It sounds like the landlord is a bit busy and might not want to do the work himself. Could you offer to improve the stables, so that he gets a rat-proof food store and you get two decent stables and a bit of a barn, in exchange for (say) a year rent-free and a guaranteed further 3 years at your current rent. You both get something from this kind of deal and it might suit both of you well. Obviously, you would need to organise the work (do think about planning permission), but it sounds like you and your brother may have the skills between you.

Good luck, anyway.
 
To be honest if you have had no landowner imput for the last 4 years I doubt you are going to get much now.

You have real safety issues here. the fencing is inadequate, the access to safe riding is difficult and you have what sounds like a dangerous structure to house your horse in.

I wouldnt throw my own money into this project but would be off looking for something more uptogether even if it meant paying a little more in rent.
 
thanks nocollection I see where you are coming from here and do appreciate what you are saying....I have improved the field myself over the past 4yrs without bothering the landlord, but the landlord has not done any improvements/spent any money of the field over the last 4yrs I have been there and like a tenant within a house - there must be some bits that do wear and need to be sorted/paid for...

I do not mind doing the things myself but as a student do not have the funds at the moment and the field is not a complete bargin so I do think it is down to the landlord to pay for things to make sure the field is safe and health...I am going to offer to help with the bits and bobs which need improving as I do not think he will give me any months free unfortunately...

thanks for the advice though - its a good point as I didnt really think it from his point of view before
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I think you are right spaniel....
I am writing a letter to the landowner as we speak listing the issues and setting a reasonable deadline....
The landowner is lovely and I do have the freedom to do what I like, but with all the issues building up I do have to think about the safety of my horses and my own health really...
Ill have to wait until my contract ends in October and whether or not anything has been done....
 
I think perhaps check out what is available locally - be it a small DIY yard or alternate grazing with a better field shelter/stabling that is better maintained. Not being able to hack out alone must be a real pain too. I think if it were me I would move to a small yard if possible - a chance for better facilities and perhaps someone to hack out with. Totally understand liking your privacy though - it is nice not to have anyone telling you how to look after your horse!
 
I suppose it depends how much you are paying really. The yard that I rent currently is more than I can get DIY livery round here for, but I am left to my own devices and dont have other people to deal with.

I am, however, entirely responsible for the fields (and I guess stables, though they are brick built so no issues!). If the fencing needs fixing it is down to me.....The land, apart from not being next to my house, is cheaper for me to rent that if I owned it (taking into account rates etc), so I understand why my owner wouldnt want to go spending money on upkeep etc.

In your situation, I would be inclined to get a longer contract, and then do the work yourself......but then I am sick of livery yards, and wouldnt want to have to go back if I can help it!!
 
Ive just called a local place which does have a space...going to have a look tomorrow at it...fingers crossed...more expensive but I think worth it...
thanks for the advice...I do love my privacy
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I agree with Maisy, I would get a longer contract and improve the land and buildings yourself. OK, it will cost you money but as you say it is cheap and doing improvements yourself is fun, you learn a lot and not necessarily expensive. It sounds like ideally the land needs reseeded but at least if you dont want to go to that extent, you could treat it with lime in the autumn and overseed part of it. This doesnt cost much at all. Or you could pay a local farmer to do it for you, again a very cheap option. Probably still cheaper than paying for a livery yard with all the facilities. This is what I would do, because you learn a lot from doing land management yourself and it is great fun seeing the improvements you make take fruition. Its lovely to be left alone to do stuff like that.

I don't see why the landlord should carry out the improvements. He is quite clearly happy providing a basic facility and the rent reflects this.

I have a slightly similar situation but on my own land. I have a very small paddock and my boyfriend built me a field shelter which cost about £450 for the materials only. It is actually big enough to encompass 2 loose boxes, its like the king of field shelters! I added lime I bought cheaply from a local farmer's merchants to the land in autumn, then overseeded it myself after pricking it all with a fork. I'm now resting it again after having overseeded it again and weeded it - the drainage isn't great but there is nowhere to drain to so can't be improved. I use it as a starvation paddock in summer or for the nights before shows as its next to my house but rent grazing further up the road for permanent.

Fortunatley my mare has a great temperament and will stay there happily for up to a week after which she tells me whe wants to be with other horses. She is very secure there though as she knows I live just opposite and watches me through the windows! Its also next to an incredibly busy road but this doesn't bother me as she is so exceptional in traffic. And once you do 5 minutes on the road,the hacking is fantastic, athough I do things like ride through the car park of Tesco as a short cut, so maybe I am just a bit strange!
 
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