Livery yards near Llantrisant/Cardiff?

[TreeDog]

Hi,

I'm moving to a new job in Llantrisant in July, does anyone have any recommendations for livery yards or know anywhere with a space available for a 15.2hh gelding? Ideally assisted DIY / part livery with good hacking and a school. I don't know where I'll be living yet so I'm looking at places close to my work. He's my first horse (haven't actually got him yet!) so a friendly and helpful yard would be best.

I've had a look at drysgoed and south wales equestrian centre, has anyone been here / know what they're like?

Cheers!

 

[Charlie31]

I don't know that area specifically but there is a Facebook group called "Livery yards are us / South Wales". Loads of yards get advertised on there so it would be good starting point for you.

There is one run by a lady called Lidelle Lewis which is just off junction 34 of the M4 that's meant to be very good. I've never actually been there myself though and can't for the life of me remember the name of it!

My only other tip is to make sure you do your research carefully on the hacking front. It can be really good or pretty much non-existent depending on where you go.

 

[Annagain]

Llantrisant is a pretty accessible place being just off the motorway - you could got south across the motorway and head into the vale (nice forestry hacking) or head east down Llantrisant Road towards Cardiff and look at yards in Groesfaen and Pentyrch or even St Fagans (a bit further but still accessible). West of Llanstrisant you'd be looking at Pencoed sort of area (handy for competitions at the college). I'm not too familiar with anything to the north but it's still pretty horsey.

In terms of yards, there's Stocklands which is just off Llantrisant Road near St Fagans. It has excellent facilities - indoor and outdoor school, hacking onsite. It's very big (not my thing) and also holds competitions most weekends (again not really my thing, I like peace and choosing when to go to a party) but I do hear good things about it. I'm not sure if it's just DIY but I think some of the clients there offer services to fellow liveries. It's easily accessible but closer to Cardiff than Llantrisant so I suppose it depends where you end up living.

There are several in Pentyrch. I don't remember the names as it's slightly off my patch but I'm sure Amymay will be along soon with them. If not it may be worth PMing her as she used to keep her horses in that area.

There's also Handford (http://handfordlivery.co.uk/) in Groesfaen - off the same Llantrisant Road but closer to the Llantrisant end. I've never been there but heard good things about it and the website is very professional.

As Charlie says Lidelle Lewis's (Ty Wyth Newydd Stables - on Facebook) is just off Jct 34 (the Vale side rather than towards Llantrisant) It has a small indoor and a large outdoor. I've been there to a clinic and from the little I saw it seems nice. A girl left my yard to go there when she moved house and is very happy there. There are a few smaller yards in the area too. Trem-Y-Fro is nice (60x20 outdoor school) but is right the way over by the A48 so a fair distance (well about 5 miles) on small country lanes.

I've heard good things about Drysgoed but never been there.

SWEC is very out of the way and can be difficult to get to in bad weather so unless you're very living close by I'd give it a miss. It's not a bad place in itself though.

There's a very active Facebook group "Horses for sale or swap in Cardiff" (I've never seen one for swap on there!) It might be worth joining that and asking on there. There are a few tack shops in the area too that might be worth asking in. There's Jenkins feed in Pontyclun, Hoss Equine in Taff's Well and Pritchard's in Llantrisant.

Hope you find somewhere and Croeso i Gymru (Welcome to Wales)!

 

[TreeDog]

Thanks guys, lots of helpful info I asked on one of the facebook groups and was inundated with responses in no time. Seems there's plenty of places around. I think I was worried there wouldn't be anywhere! I'll probably need to sort out my own accommodation first though so I know where will be most accessible.

 

[AmyMay]

Can thoroughly recommend Bob Potter's yard in Pentyrch. Liveried there for many, very happy years.

Lidelle Lewis has a beautiful yard and is second to none for care and attention. The horses want for nothing. I've known her for 20 odd years. Her yard used to be a racing yard so also has a set of excellent gallops.

 

[maddie23]

Check out Handford’s in Groesfaen, they offer livery and for such a high standard yard I found everyone was really down to earth and friendly. They school is lovely and big and they have a solarium and covered walker(and probably more i just have bad memory) From what I’ve heard about Drysgoed the horses aren’t allowed on grass for 6 months of the year and I don’t agree with her methods, one being that her horse walker is electrified so if a horse stops they get electrocuted :/

 

[Polly Parker]

Hi Maddie 23,
I am the proprietor of Drysgoed Farm Equestrian and I take great exception to the remarks, in your post, regarding my yard. Let me clarify for you. With regard to Winter turn out, I have purpose surfaced paddocks for Winter turn out so there is NEVER a time when horses cannot be turned out, throughout the year. We do not use our grassland during the Winter. Result of that is, we have beautiful grass for Summertime.
With regard to the horsewalker, it is obvious you have no experience in the use of them. Electric pushers are commonplace. There is a reason for that. Horsewalkers are very expensive pieces of equipment. They have a motor and a bearing in the centre. This drives the walker. If horses are allowed to stop it, or push it faster, the motor and bearing would wear out in no time. When we teach a new horse to use the walker, we put a schoolmaster in front and the pushers are turned off. When the horse has learned what he needs to do, the pushers are turned on. Most horses are never aware that there are pushers, because they do not try to stop or push the walker. It is, however, necessary to protect the machine from those that do. The pushers work in a similar way to an electric fence.
In addition, you refer to not agreeing to 'her methods' ONE of which.....' What are you implying?
Starting, from a point, as you do, saying 'from what I hear' [which means you have no first time knowledge at all] and then proceeding to give advice, is a bad place to start. You are simply passing on hearsay, in this case, highly inaccurate.
I imagine you simply used the wrong word when you wrote 'electricuted' I am sure you did not think we were actually 'killing' horses here.
I would like to invite you to telephone me on 07971 660357 and arrange to a visit to my yard, to see for yourself. You will then be qualified to give an 'informed' opinion of my yard.