Looking before leaping, moving to England with horse to Herts/Beds area. Any advice?

Molasses

Molasses

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Hello H&H forums:)

This is my first official post and cry for advice!
Like a polite person I should introduce myself first.
I am a horse’s slave in her early 30’s and I’ve just got a great job offer in England. My current job is a bit of a no hoper and this opportunity can’t be passed up basically.

BUT I come with baggage of the furry variety. Namely a horse (enjoys sleeping), a pony (likes food) and dog (not very bright) and long-suffering OH who puts up with the hair shedding, permanently dirty and unruly travelling circus.
(Should I post pics of the members of the circus or would your gentile English eyes be offended?)

Now that introductions are over, here’s the problem, I live on a small farm in Ireland and I’m looking for anything at all that will help me make up my mind about a life-changing move to England. The balance of my decision will depend on making my horse happy. I’ve never done the livery thing, I’m a fend-for-myself type. I’m also not a hugely competitive rider, we entertain ourselves pretending at comps and sometimes we even have a rosette to go home with. More often I’m picking grass outta my teeth.

So I need to find a house and yard in the Herts/Beds area anywhere from St.Albans to Stevenage to Leighton Buzzard to Milton Keynes. Is their any particular horsey area to seek out or avoid? Any insight into hacking/comps /livery most welcome.

I am googling like a manic but real insights are helpful.
I’d rather see my horse out 24/7 muddy and relaxed but I do realise that may be a dream over there. If I found a small flexible yard, that might suit. I’m not fussy about facilities as currently I have none so I’d probably faint at the luxury of a school!

What’s the sort of basic horsey English stuff does a person take for granted but a numpty foreigner need to know? Is it possible to move the travelling circus of unruly Irish animals to the perfectly manicured English countryside and not be shot for bad behaviour? Will horse be happy? Will dog be ok? Will the OH survive all this?
Yours in appreciation (apologies for all the questions)

p.s. hello to the Irish on here, some may recognise me:p
 
Hi to you and your crew!

I live and work in the areas you have mentioned and at the risk of sounding negative it is a very expensive area with grass livery like hens teeth! You will generally get more for your money in Bucks/Beds than you will in Herts/St Albans as that is real commuter belt.

You may be lucky and find somewhere with all year turn out but they are rare! Lots of decent equestrian centers about for competitions, Addington Manor in Bucks, MKEC in Milton Keynes, Twin Trees in Bedfordshire, Wing in Bucks and many more.

Hacking can vary greatly from area to area, Salcey Forest in North MK area is good but most livery there is pricey, some nice hacking to the West of MK and also south in the Brickhill woods I believe. And generally you will have to be prepared to deal with traffic to some degree.

If you can give a bit more info on the kind of thing you want and the area that is best I will try and dig out some yard numbers for you.

Good luck with your move, personally I love the look of Ireland so maybe we should do a swap! :)
 
lara b said:
Good luck with your move, personally I love the look of Ireland so maybe we should do a swap! :)
Click to expand...

Grass is always greener:D

Thanks so much for your advise lara b
Every little piece of info is helpful, I still haven't narrowed down to a certain area so I know I'm a little vague. Sorry. Job is in the Luton area so I'm basically looking at anywhere within commutable distance to there.

Thanks again:)
 
Oh good luck sounds exciting!

I am more North Beds & I agree with Lara B's comment about it being cheaper Bucks Beds way then St Albans etc. There are some lovely yards around but you have to search for them! I have really struggled to find anywhere decent in the past. I would maybe take a trip over and have a mooch around. Some lovely hacking and the competition opportunities are good.
 
Thanks MarinaBay, it's very exciting and daunting, I've never moved a family of pets to another country:eek:

what's the best method of finding somewhere on a reccie trip?
Do i just drive around aimlessly until i spot horses ;)
Is there a local noticeboard type thing in tack shops?
Any local websites with contact info that are worth checking out:confused:
 
Always loads of good rental houses around Milton Keynes / Leighton Buzzard area. Tonnes of Livery yards, I keep mine on a gorgeous yard (with spaces ;) ) thats not too pricey, 5 miles offroad hacking etc halfway between the two!
if you want any help with the area feel free to PM me :D
 
Thank you MarinaBay! very helpful

Have pm'd you Super-Kat
(at least i think i have, I am new to all this so for all i know i've ordered pizza:p)
 
I live in St. albans and keep my horse between Weathampstead and Harpenden. I is an expensive place to live but Luton and hatfield arent far away and are a bit cheaper, though not as nice,so you have to be careful about where you choose to live.

The yard i keep my horse at offers all year turnout in single sex herds (unlimited except for the fact that you can't feed hay in the field so you have to bring your horse in if he needs it), Stables are a decent size, Ok ish school, FANTASTIC hacking (can go out for hours), great access to major road networks for getting to competitions and several competition venues locally. £90PCM. It isn't at all posh, its a working farm, but it's functional.

My OH is Irish and the benefit of living in Luton is that he can hop on a plane and be back 'home' in an hour!

PM me if you want to know more.
 
If you end up looking around the Stevenage/Hitchin/Luton area then I can point you in the direction of yards around here. From the basic grass livery at £50 a month to a great DIY yard with all the facilities and tonnes of off road riding at £100 a month :D
 
lilaclomax thank you, those areas are also inside my search circle, glad to know the options exit there too. Its there any local noticeboard you'd recommend for info in that area?

CBFan thanks also...will pm:D
 
Word of mouth! Most yards do not advertise as they get the liveries by people knocking on doors :)

Feel free to PM me too if you want - I live in Luton and work in WGC. My boys are within 5 mins of the airport but no where near the flight paths and out in the countryside, they are on the Herts/Beds/Luton border... perfect!
 
Personally I would decide where exactly you are going to live and then let us know and by the looks of it there are quite a few of us in Herts / Beds & Bucks and we will be able to 'point' you in the right direction of nice riding areas etc

I live in Dunstable and keep my horses about 10 minutes away from home and the hacking is lovely.

Please feel free to PM if you need any local guidance and good luck with your adventure.
 
Thanks so much guys,
I totally understand how vague i'm being:o
At the moment I'm trying to get a feel of what area to concentrate a search on as not really knowing the region at all I don't know where to stick the pin in the map. All i know is i'll need to be commuting distance to new job.

It sounds like the areas so far I should concentrate on are north of luton as south of there is going to be hugely expensive.

I really ought to post pics of my mini-herd:o
 
Molasses said:
Thanks so much guys,
I totally understand how vague i'm being:o
At the moment I'm trying to get a feel of what area to concentrate a search on as not really knowing the region at all I don't know where to stick the pin in the map. All i know is i'll need to be commuting distance to new job.

It sounds like the areas so far I should concentrate on are north of luton as south of there is going to be hugely expensive.

I really ought to post pics of my mini-herd:o
Click to expand...

Definately pictures required :)

Luton and further north will give you more for your money... how will you be commuting and where abouts is work?
 
Thanks so much Faracat and OWLIE, i really appreciate the local info :)

lilaclomax said:
Definately pictures required :)
Click to expand...

I can resist everything except temptation :o:o


Sometimes we make an effort and jump over stuff;)
HarryHillcrest-1.jpg


But more often we’re the ones queing at the burger van:o
DearHH.jpg


But really, sleeping seems to be the main talent around here:rolleyes:
cuteness.jpg


And of course dog/mascot
april-3.jpg
 
Yard in my sig is literally for two horses only and the owner wants someone to muck in and help.

I know most of the livery stables round Bushey, Watford, etc so feel free to pm me and I can give you the low down on them. :)
 
I have no useful info to give whatsoever as I live up north (Tyne & Wear) but I love the 2nd pic of the furry herd, made me giggle :D They look like a herd full of character :D
 
Thank you MarinaBay, she is gorgeous and knows it:rolleyes:

Thank you cinammontoast, will pm you:)

Thanks leflynn, nice things said about my lot are always welcome, character they have oodles of....talent less so:rolleyes:
 
Molasses said:
Grass is always greener:D

Thanks so much for your advise lara b
Every little piece of info is helpful, I still haven't narrowed down to a certain area so I know I'm a little vague. Sorry. Job is in the Luton area so I'm basically looking at anywhere within commutable distance to there.

Thanks again:)
Click to expand...

If it the Luton area you want, have a snoop round Redbourn/Flamstead/Markyate. All nice villages, lots of little yards and v easily commutable to Luton.
 
Gingerbird said:
If it the Luton area you want, have a snoop round Redbourn/Flamstead/Markyate. All nice villages, lots of little yards and v easily commutable to Luton.
Click to expand...

Thank you Gingerbird, all going on the list of searchable areas :)
Great to hear local insights, thanks:D
 
If it the Luton area you want, have a snoop round Redbourn/Flamstead/Markyate. All nice villages, lots of little yards and v easily commutable to Luton.
Click to expand...
Agree with this. I livery at Flamstead cost £150 per calandar month + hay + bedding + hard feed etc... Lovely yard, lovely YM and lovely liveries.

Livery and houses are cheaper if you go north, but will take more time to commute if driving you will be travelling with everyone else. Living in the are I prefer to live south and travel north - far quicker.
 
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