Livery yards in Herts - Woodhurst, Kings Oak (others??)

Bernster

Bernster

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Sorry if this has been done to death - everyone is looking for that perfect yard eh!

Interested in recommendations for 7 day livery, with decent turnout, good horse care, access to hacking, an outdoor and/or indoor school, and nice friendly people. Do these exist?? In the South Herts/Middlesex area e.g. around Barnet, Enfield, Mill Hill etc.

I do know of some in the area like Mote End (too pricey), Cross Oaks, Patchetts. Anyone know of Woodhurst Livery in Cuffley or Kings Oak in Enfield or Bury Farm Barnet?

I do know of one great yard (where I am at) but it's full ! Have a friend moving down South - she has no idea where to start looking in that area so said I'd help.

Many thanks peeps :)
 
My friend used to be stabled at Kings Oak but left because it is very strict. Wern't allowed to hack alone, wasn't allowed to jump unless having a lesson, wasn't allowed in the school as lessons took priority. So from what I've heard I wouldn't go there. I've heard good things about Woodhurst though
 
Kings Oak - NO - showjumping yard with hardly (if any) turn out

Woodhurst - great facilities, not much hacking (but there is hardly any hacking round enfield!

Other options

Park Farm Northaw http://www.northawmanor.co.uk/ (10 mins from Woodhurst) - might be worth a look

This is in Goffs Oak http://diamonddressage.vpweb.co.uk/ - just the other side of cuffley

http://www.woodsidelivery.co.uk/prices.html

Sorry only know Enfield/Cuffley/Goffs Oak areas

I know there are lots of nice yards round Bayford way so maybe have a look out there?
 
Thanks everyone, v helpful. I suppose there is always one or two things not perfect about any yard, or if they do tick all the boxes they are flipping expensive.

Northaw and Diamond Dressage both look v nice, posh yards but with the price tag to go with it :(

Woodhurst looking like the fav so far, depending on hacking and tolerance to the M25 !!

Kings Oak - uhm, think I wouldn't advise going anywhere where the hacking is that risky I'm afraid. That poor story about Ruby is enough to put anyone off going on the roads now
 
Can't comment on the turnout as I have no idea.

However I would not go somewhere, where I was told I could not ride out (Although I do understand why the school wouldn't let their students and school Horses out on a busy road) But if it was a livery, surely it's up to the owner to weigh up the risks and hack at their own risk?

As for the schools, I wouldn't livery at a riding school as the lessons do take priority and I would only be allowed to ride when the lessons aren't on (fair enough, it's a bussiness at the end of the day and liveries would be aware of this before they moved onto yard)

This is my opinion of the school, I have heard other comments from others who have been there and have pretty much the same response from all of them. Sorry if you don't agree but I am entitled to an opinion.

Very sorry to hear about the owner of Woodhurst :(
 
The owners of kings oak used to own london equestrian centre in mill hill 20 odd years ago. Greg Gill is great and has always taken on a massive responsibility with other peoples children. Not allowing kids to ride on busy roads is quite sensible really especially if they are as stupid as I was. As much as I love the Gill family thier business has always been riding school first and livery only really started as pupils kept buying ponies! Hence the over protective (correct) livery.
 
The people I know don't slag it off :confused: they are good riders and have obviously had good riding instructors. The school sounds great (I have seen photos of some of the Horses and they look very well cared for) However as a livery yard, I would not go there. But then again, I'm not into SJ and I am an adult so would not like people telling me where to ride my Horse.

Not too sure, I think it's still up for sale. Not too many Horses left on the yard now (I guess 5 or 6) are still there but the owners seem to be running it among themselves. I liked Stoneshot, was a lovely little yard and very sad about Sue :( She was a lovely woman!

Harolds Park Farm, I also wouldn't livery at (I have been sharing there for about 4 years so know it well) the facilities are great. Hold own shows which is also fab. However the tunout is pretty non existant. 24/7 in summer. But 3 days in winter for around 6 hours each time. My Horse could not handle that!! However if your Horse would be fine with very limited turnout then it's a nice yard.
 
It's a shame as HPF really is a nice yard. But with my Horses stifle problem and very mild COPD stabling for that lengh of time would do her no favors! The facilities are fab though :)
 
:eek: Can't really advise except to say I'd avoid any yard where two horses were killed trying to get out of the gate! Okay, not literally but that particular yard's location sounds unacceptably dangerous for horses. All riding on the roads is dangerous, but two horses killed hacking out from the same yard? Yikes, that would be enough for me. It might be okay I suppose if all you want to ever do is school at set times - but I'm assuming you want more!! Thank goodness they dont take in liveries.
 
Winter turnout is very tricky anywhere commutable from London - not surprising given house prices and cost of land, but there are so many horsey folk in the SE wanting good turnout ! Maybe if I win the lottery eh.

My instructor is at Bury Farm, Barnet, which looked nice although again not sure of the winter turnout situation. And an indoor school !
 
Bernster said:
Northaw and Diamond Dressage both look v nice, posh yards but with the price tag to go with it :(
Click to expand...

I'm at Northaw on 5 day livery at £455 which I wouldn't say was pricey for the area.

It's got good facilities and I'm very happy with the livery standards but wouldn't call it posh as it has a real mixture of people. Some came from Woodhurst and I understand the hacking is slightly better here, there is off road hacking in the fields and bridlepaths but you do need to do roadwork if you want more variety.

They might be full but boxes do come up.

Further West, Hill Farm in Radlett is lovely but expensive but in an area that has amazing hacking and within hacking distance of Patchetts.
In the same area are Little Munden and Winslo

All the ones I mentioned have genuine winter turnout.
 
Bury Farm has all-day turnout in winter, albeit muddy, and 24/7 for maybe 4-5 months in summer. There are also some surfaced (ish!) play pen type areas. Horses go out in rather large herds, which suits some brilliantly but others not at all!

It's basically a DIY yard. There are freelance grooms who will 'do' your horse, but it isn't the same as a full livery service overseen by a yard manager. Again, depends on what you need as to whether it works or not.

For a DIY place it is very large and there used to be scrums over use of the facilities sometimes. The facilities are okay, but with about 50 horses whose owners all want the best for them, you have to be pretty forthright or you won't get what you need.

I've been off the yard for a few years now so it might have changed a bit. Like anywhere, it has its good and bad points, from what I remember.
 
Theer are some nice yards (Cross Oaks etc) in the Ridge/South Mimms area (close to Borehamwood). Plenty of quiet road hacking to South Mimms Woods etc.
 
Bernster said:
Winter turnout is very tricky anywhere commutable from London - not surprising given house prices and cost of land, but there are so many horsey folk in the SE wanting good turnout ! Maybe if I win the lottery eh.

My instructor is at Bury Farm, Barnet, which looked nice although again not sure of the winter turnout situation. And an indoor school !
Click to expand...

I'm very close to HPF and have daily turnout :)

Woodhurst used to do grass livery too. Not sure if they still do though.
 
I used to be at Etteridge farm (Pembridge lane, Broxbourne) and they had all year turn out, nice yard, outdoor school and loads and loads of hacking.
 
I've been a livery on a few of the yards quoted. I learnt to ride at Kings Oak and its a great place to have a pony when you're under 16 as there's great support from the staff and everyone is encouraged to have lessons. It does mean that as a livery you are less in control of your own horse and turnout is very limited (summer only). Though as they've mentioned they don't take outside liveries so you can cross it off your list anyway - though I will mention that if you wish to go hacking from Brookbank stables, Woodhurst (outside of its on-site hacking), and Guy Lodge (to an extent) you will need to use the same roadwork as Kings Oak - its not so bad and I think it's just unfortunate that two horses have died as many others are ridden out daily.

Woodhurst is my personal favourite in the area and a spent a good three or four years liveried there. The only reason I can't keep mine there anymore is because he needs individual turnout and with being such a big yard (though it otherwise doesn't feel like it) its hard for them to provide this. They have excellent facilities (huge outdoor school, another outdoor school, horsewalker and lunge ring, nice fields and washbays) but hacking is limitied (one track around the fields or a bit of roadwork to get to bridlepaths). The owner did recently pass away (RIP) but it is certainly carrying on as a livery yard for the time being and I can genuinely say the owners are absolutely lovely, as is the manager. I was more than happy there.

Guylodge I would avoid - their school is very deep and the turnout is in large herds and their fields are not well looked after and always look sparse/riddled with weeds. The actual stables themselves are nice and there's a lovely pub opposite and path straight into the nearby hacking.

Gillians is a riding school which does offer livery - only one school so you'll have to give way to lessons and it is predominantly aimed at teens/children. There is good hacking there though but their fields could do with some love.

Northaw manor is under new ownership and looks to have been improved very much - they have great fields and good hacking but I think are on the more expensive side.

New park farm is in newgate street as is a DIY yard but there's a lovely lady who does job services. Its another lovely yard with well-maintained fields, nice facilities (school and lunge-ring) and (IMO) the best and most varied hacking in the area. Their DIY was £50 when I was there which included hay/straw (which wasn't limited). I have liveried there and thought it was a lovely yard but unfortunately my pony has sweet itch and the YO wasn't keen on him rubbing on her stables (fair enough) and it seemed the location did aggravate his sweet itch.

East Herts EC is another yard with lovely facilities BUT was very expensive and I was unhappy with the service I got for what was essentially a lot of money! Hay and straw were very limited despite paying upwards of £100 a week but they have beautiful hacking and its a very pretty yard to look at. If your friend wanted DIY and didn't mind the journey then it would be a great option, but I would never recommend the actual livery side of it.

I know of someone who is happy at Brookbank (DIY) but its currently full. There are yards in Barnet but I've never liked the look of any of them, did share a horse at Strangeways which has great facilities and good turnout but was just too big for me (absolutely huge!).
 
Just wanted to say thanks for all these - really helpful. Northmaw my personal fav so far but think might be too pricey. Possibly Woodhurst depending on hacking. Lots of options though!
 
Bernster said:
Sorry if this has been done to death - everyone is looking for that perfect yard eh!

Interested in recommendations for 7 day livery, with decent turnout, good horse care, access to hacking, an outdoor and/or indoor school, and nice friendly people. Do these exist?? In the South Herts/Middlesex area e.g. around Barnet, Enfield, Mill Hill etc.

I do know of some in the area like Mote End (too pricey), Cross Oaks, Patchetts. Anyone know of Woodhurst Livery in Cuffley or Kings Oak in Enfield or Bury Farm Barnet?

I do know of one great yard (where I am at) but it's full ! Have a friend moving down South - she has no idea where to start looking in that area so said I'd help.

Many thanks peeps :)
Click to expand...

There is Stanmore riding school in stanmore which is quite close to patchetts and bury farm. grass livery at £35 p/week. nice yard and really good hacking with over 30 acres of fields behind which are used for exclusvely hacking! access to stanmore common and woods and also road work round the next door orthopaedic hospital. friendly people and really nice if you just wanna do your own thing.
 
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