Livery people: how far do you/would you travel...

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chillidragon

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Well, my OH thinks I am being a bit spoilt and I'd like to see if he's right. BG info: I livery Brandy about 30 minutes drive away, mainly because, as first time buyers, we had to get a house in a not so savoury part of West Yorkshire
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and having toured numerous closer yards, I wouldn't leave a carcass with them, let alone Brandy, the centre of my universe. Anyway, despite the fact that Brandy liveries in a very upmarket part of the world, I resent the hour's round-trip because it's time on the road that I'd rather be spending with her, and because my yard isn't perfect. On the plus side, it's very small (literally me and two other liveries) so plenty of grazing to go round, free hay since the YO grows her own and her two horses can't eat it all by themselves so it would otherwise just rot, the lovely YO will do all sorts for us, and her terms are very reasonable, but on the down side there there is no school (which is a disaster for me since Brandy desperately needs schooling before hacking out) and besides, the hacking is rubbish. To get better facilities will inevitably boil down to me travelling further and stumping up more cash. So, all that said...

How far do you commute (roughly) to your livery yard?

AND most importantly, how far WOULD you commute to a yard that was perfect in every way for you? What is your upper time or distance limit?

(And am I being a bit spoilt in my complaints? Be honest! I'll never know otherwise.)
 
I wouldnt want to travel more than about 10 miles. I wouldnt want to be so far away in an emergency....I suppose it is different for everyone in different circumstances.

that said, I have just managed to secure a private yard just 3 miles away from my house, so I am a *very* happy bunny!
 
A yard wouldn't be perfect in every way for me unless it was nearby.

I visited the most gorgeous yard recommended to me by someone on here, but it was 45 mins away. Now imagine making an hour and a half round trip after work in the middle of winter to muck out.

My new yard is almost as nice and 5 mins drive which more than makes up for it.
 
I'm going to sound a little crazy but I commute 1 hour and 20 mins to get to my current yard, which includes 35 mins of cycling and 25 mins on the train.
I'm not bothered by it now, as I have always had to commute a long distance to get to any half decent yards as I live in London.

Yes the people at my yard call my crazy for doing a total of 70 mins cycling every time I go to and from the yard, but it sure keeps me fit!

But given the choice I would chose a yard much closer.
 
Mines about 7 miles, 15/20min off peak, 45mins rush hour!!! Wouldn't want to travel more than about 15 miles or 30/40mins.
 
I moved my boys out to a yard that was a 30 min drive on the motor way, I lasted 6 months as I found the journey stressful and it would have been a nightmare in the winter.

I'm now back to a yard that is only 5 mins away, its not purfect but it is much easier to get too and if I really needed to, I could walk.
 
It must double the cost of having a horse travelling so many miles away, especially with the cost of fuel going through the roof??

I thought it was bad round here for livery yards, and I havent ever had to travel more than about 10mins!! I must be spoilt!
 
I keep mine on DIY and it takes 5-10 mins by car. If I had to travel much further I probably wouldn't bother as I just wouldn't have the time or the money for the petrol. Luckily it's a nice small yard with lovely liveries so I'm happy.
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Moved our horses a few years ago to a yard about 20 minutes away - DIY so to me that seemed a lot of travelling - twice a day and sometimes 3 times. Did stick it out for about 2 years then moved back to old yard which is about 5 mins max. Definately wouldn't have them any further away out of choice - if I know I am going to be in a rush in the morning I can sneak up late at night to skip out and I don't think OH even notices I've been out!
 
The, furthest my horses have ever been from me is about 5 miles - and that was for a very short spell of full livery when i moved house a few years back. Since then they have been either in the same village or about 2 miles out of the village.
I work, I have a family - I don't have time to be travelling as well as doing the horses and I cannot justify or afford full livery
 
My yard is 6 miles away, 15 mins max. I assume that those of you who have 45 min or so journeys each way have full or part livery???

I'm on DIY so any further away would not really be pratical, I go up twice a day every day and the thought of spending 3 hours a day travelling is impossible to me
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Mine at the moment are 25 mins away from me, but are on full livery. The most I would travel for full livery really is 30 mins because it's a bit of a pain to be honest. If I was doing them myself I wouldn't want to be travelling for more than 15-20 mins.

It all comes down to preference at the end of the day. I couldn't be at a yard without a decent school and staff that I trust. Unfortunately mine's going a little wayward at the moment so I'm hoping it sorts itself out as I wouldn't want to move Osc.
 
I travel 30 mins to the yard my girl is on. I don't particularly like her being that far from home but she's well looked after when I'm not about, the facilities include a huge outdoor and a smaller indoor which means I can ride whatever the weather
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It's a small friendly yard (10 horses), all year round turnout unless weather really bad and my girl is happy.
I think the fields could be maintained better and the hacking isn't the best but there are pros and cons for all yards and unless it's your own, it's unlikely to be exactly as you would want it.
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Maybe you resent the drive because you are not totally happy at the yard? The drive doesn't bother me in summer although I admit I do find it more of a struggle in winter.
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I travel 25 mile round trip to my livery yard, but it's brilliant there so it's worth it. Takes 20-25 mins each way. Upper limit would be maybe 5-10 mins more than that.

To be honest, to start with it was the time that annoyed me, now I'm used to that, it's the cost. It's £4.50 a round trip in diesel alone, let alone wear and tear etc.
 
The furthest I have gone is 10 miles and I wouldn't go further than that to be honest. Where she is now is about 5 miles but a straight run so only takes me 8 minutes in the car. I don't know if I'd go far even for a 'perfect' yard as in my experience they just don't exist - there is always something you'd want to change.
 
I drive for just under 30 minutes to get to my yard. Like you, I have to live a little further out and the livery yards near us are really awful
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However, the yard where I keep my boy is absolutely wonderful; the people are fantastic, we have a great school, walker, grazing, and the hacking is second to none - we have a free rein of the New Forest and no roadwork
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So, whilst 30 mins driving is quite a bit (especially with petrol as it is), I know my horse is happy, we have all the facilities we need and the people there make it even more of a pleasure. We're very very lucky
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I keep mine on DIY, it takes me no more than 2 mins on my bike, I can walk there in under 5 mins. I love it I can pop up anytime, having been on a yard about 25 mins drive away previously I consider myself very lucky.

I wouldn't want to travel more than 15 mins if I had to, for reasons such as practicality and cost, But again ot would depend on the yard.
 
My livery yard is 3 miles away but takes 10/12 mins to drive due to traffic and endless speed bumps.
I would not like to have to go any further, My yard time is so limited as it is the longer I travel the less time I would have to ride. Also the cost of the travelling might outway any savings I might make by going to a cheaper yard with less facilites.
The bonus to me of it only being 3 miles is that I can and do cycle to the yard when feeling good or skint.
 
everyones different.
we often get told our livery yard is 'too far away' for people, have since before we opened yet it is just a 10 minute drive out of town! (we are one of the few yards in the area offering all year turnout/indoor/small yard etc) yet we then have liveries who will travel to us, the furthest use to commute an hour to get to us!
We just have a livery give notice for leaving due to the hike in petrol prices, which i can totally understand as the yard they are going to is down the road from them so they can walk, but as they said, its a huge yard with no winter turnout and not ideal.
Everyone i guess has their own reasons for either travelling 50 miles or not wanting to travel more than just 5!
 
I have to say that if you have no school and the hacking is rubbish, the long commute would bother me also as when you finally get there - it sounds as if there isn't anywhere decent to ride.,

I always think that if you are nearby your horse, it doesn't matter so much if the standard of the livery isn't terribly high as you can get up there and do most of it yourself. If you are far away and having to rely on sub-standard service, this is more of a problem. (obviously within reason, ie there must be safe fields/good quality hay etc).

personally I used to commute about 15-20 mins to my yard which was fine although I paid for 'morning services' in winter. Now live on site so just wander down the drive LOL
 
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