Most important things when choosing a livery yard?

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Guesty

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Hi everyone, I've been reading this forum a lot lately, I haven't owned a horse for about a decade (and that was working livery) and I'm looking to buy a horse to keep on DIY livery so have a lot of revision to do! But I'm excited :)

I have a small yard a couple of minutes walk away. I say yard, I don't think there's a school it would just be a field and box, not many other people there but I can roll out of bed and walk down the road. Box and grazing is around £15 a week, fairly sure straw and hay is on top of this. This is important as I'm not loaded so potentially am stretching myself getting a horse.

Alternatively, I could go to a slightly bigger yard about 15 min drive away, with a school and more people (i.e. more help) where they do services like bringing in if you need it (and I have a job with irregular hours where I often work late). Also one of my colleagues who I get on with really well has her horse there. It's a little more expensive there.

So I'm seeking the opinion of people who have been doing it long enough to know what's important. More people/camaraderie and facilities or cheap and cheerful and really close? Many many thanks in advance.
 
While the livery nearest to your home sounds tempting, perhaps you should think about going to a yard where you have more support. It's your first time on DIY and it'll be a new horse who will need help to settle.
Having a school and people around to ride with makes life easier. Imagine struggling to hack out alone on a spooky horse, not being able to ride because it's dark during winter after work. Not being able to hack out in windy, foggy or icy weather.
It would be much easier having people around if your horse gets colic or an abscess. Someone to keep an eye out in between your visits or help if you can't make it when the farrier comes.

Being on a small livery yard without facilities is doable, but for the early days of getting back into horse ownership, it would be less stressful with more help and facilities available.
You could always move next summer if you wanted.

Good luck, I hope you find your ideal 4 legged partner.
 
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