Livery Yard Recommendations around the Manchester area.

[golden_paloma]

Hello!

I'm moving up to Salford for Uni in a few weeks and looking for livery for my little horse from December time. As I don't drive (and definitely won't learn in the next few months!) I need yards that are near or nearish train stations connected with Manchester. There are a few which are quite near and could be useful, but I'm a bit sceptical due to their lack of hacking.

I have done lots of looking through google, but obviously the only information I have is what's on the website, so I can't tell what the places are REALLY like etc etc so I'd appreciate some recommendations from people around the area. Also, I'm sure there are probably other good places, just perhaps they don't have a website.

Any info from those in the know would be fab, as I really am a clueless Southerner!

Thanks in advance x

Oh and edited to say- I know it puts me in less of a choosy position with not driving and all, but I have a bike! So I'm happy to cycle up to 20 from a station

 

[shadeofshyness]

I can really sympathise with you- up until recently I've been relying on public transport to get around Manchester/Salford for horses too! Luckily my boyfriend has a car and drives me to the yard (Carrington Riding Centre- hideously difficult to get to via public transport but it's a lovely yard if you can find a way! There's also Manchester Equestrian Centre near it which is meant to be amazing, and a few others... but it takes over an hour by bus/train to the Carrington area, bahh)

For somewhere easier to get to.. well, I work in Swinton in Salford, which is a short walk/bus ride to Kersley, on the edge of Bolton. Ryder's Farm and Wardley Grange are both riding centres/livery yards in Kersley that are easy to get to, literally a minutes walk when you get off the bus. I've never ridden there but whenever I've been past their fields and horses look OK, and I'm sure someone on here will know something about them. If you're living in Salford it should take under half an hour to get to Kersley by bus, the Number 8 goes there from Shudehill in Manc city centre every 10 mins, and it goes right in front of Salford uni and their halls, so it might be ideal for you?

Another one that comes to mind is Hall Farm in Urmston, which is about a 10 minute walk from Urmston train station, so if you got the train from Salford Crescent station (as a side note this station has the best and funniest train conductor ever) to Urmson station you could go there- that journey takes about 20 mins but you have to change at Deansgate- I suppose if you plan to live in Manc city centre and not in Salford for uni, you could just walk/bike to Deansgate station or Oxford Rd station.

Hope this helps, it's hard living in a big city and commuting outwards to the countryside I really miss living near Liverpool where I was 5 mins from the stables and miles of beach hacking!

 

[golden_paloma]

Ahh thanks so much! We've always had the pones at home, so I don't really know the north apart from going to shows when I SJ'd as a junior, which was six years ago!

I'll be living in Halls, so Salford Cresent would be my station. I'm going to get on with checking out a few you've suggested tomorrow, so thanks again.

 

[golden_paloma]

Just remembered my Grandfather used to CYCLE from New Cross in SE London to meets with the West Kent back in the 50's- that's anything from 15 to 30 miles, up to four times a week. Cycling 30 mins from a station doesn't seem so daunting now!