Moving for private hacking liveries-Cornwall or Herefordshire?

[MJGoals]

I was hoping to pick some brains here if that’s ok!
So I’m finally ready to jump back into the world of horse ownership after quite some time away.

I’ll be moving in, hopefully, the next couple of years specifically for this reason (currently live in the middle of a city) as I would love to move somewhere where there is liveries with private hacking- no dog walkers, no bikes, no cars- due to multiple bad experiences.

I know they are out there with searching, usually farms, but wondered if anyone had any actual knowledge or experience of them either Cornwall way or Herefordshire way, which are the two areas I am looking at moving to.

Full, assisted, diy, or track is no matter as long as it is a great place for the horse as much as people are aware!

Thank you so much for any help in advance!

 

[Orangehorse]

I don't know if Monnington Morgans still take liveries. I know at one time they were advertising, but that was a while ago. They ride out in Bulmers Orchards although there are some bridlepaths around too. They are about 10 miles out of Hereford on the Brecon road.
Of course if you bought a Morgan from them you could probably keep it there!

Although Herefordshire is rural the riding isn't all that good, or so I'm told. The person said "everyone goes hunting, so they don't bother about using a bridlepath as they just ride where they want." Although recently on Facebook there was someone wanting to start a new bridlepath group in Herefordshire.

So if you are looking in Herefordshire you really need to do some careful research of where you are looking to live.

 

[Zoeypxo]

I live in cornwall and i dont know of any livery yards with private hacking unless you look for somewhere close to bodmin moor with access straight onto the moor.

your best bet would be to join ‘LIVERY YARDS AND LAND TO RENT IN CORNWALL’ on facebook.
Someone was posting recently of a private yard with direct hacking onto the moors! Nr camelford.

 

[MJGoals]

Thank you for the replies!

@Zoeypxo - Are the moors good hacking, do you know? Kind of empty of other people? Lol. I know it’s a popular location for hacking!

 

[Zoeypxo]

Thank you for the replies!

@Zoeypxo - Are the moors good hacking, do you know? Kind of empty of other people? Lol. I know it’s a popular location for hacking!

thats a good question, i know in the winter there are a few hunts that meet out there. In the summer a few endurance rides happen there too.
There are a few local trekking centres to bodmin moor so it would be worth contacting them to ask how the hacking actually is?
I hope to join one of the endurance rides soon!

 

[MereChristmas]

They are not in your preferred area but I know of 2 or 3 livery yards with their own farm rides.
All are situated in or very near built up areas with no other safe hacking. I would think that would be a bit repetative.

The woods in the county I live in are mostly open to all so we would take care when riding at busy times, holidays, weekends etc. Obviously not what you are searching for.

I have also heard Herefordshire is not great for bridleways.
Good luck with your searches for home, livery and horse.

 

[MJGoals]

They are not in your preferred area but I know of 2 or 3 livery yards with their own farm rides.
All are situated in or very near built up areas with no other safe hacking. I would think that would be a bit repetative.

The woods in the county I live in are mostly open to all so we would take care when riding at busy times, holidays, weekends etc. Obviously not what you are searching for.

I was wondering about the repetitiveness too. Guess I’ll have to suck it up and do my best to find quieter areas to be braver in. Certainly sounding like Cornwall is the more likely option!

Thank you so much for your reply and best wishes

 

[anguscat]

Can you go north? I’ve got Witherslack Hall on my radar. It’s Cumbria.

 

[palo1]

I know quite a number of areas of Herefordshire and I am glad to hear the reputation for hacking is poor...I would disagree with that tbh and would also disagree that hunting people in Herefordshire just go where they like!! Landowners have to give permission. There are plenty of places where outriding is excellent but the county is very varied in terms of terrain, access/rights and roads. Certainly in Cornwall, which I am also familar with, you can hack out on Bodmin Moor for miles and miles though there are hunting people there too.

 

[w1bbler]

Bodmin moor is amazing for hacking, before I had my own horses I used to regularly ride there. It is not so great in winter though. There is no shelter from the regular wind & rain.
Winter we spent alot of time hacking round the narrow counrty lanes or in the school.

 

[Widgeon]

Bodmin moor is amazing for hacking, before I had my own horses I used to regularly ride there. It is not so great in winter though. There is no shelter from the regular wind & rain.
Winter we spent alot of time hacking round the narrow counrty lanes or in the school.

That's pretty similar anywhere really though....we have fantastic hacking where I am (totally different part of the country) but it's still a struggle in winter.

 

[Starzaan]

Having been involved when my mother moved to Cornwall in may last year, I would avoid it. Maybe she has been unlucky but she has decided to sell and move on already. It is without doubt the most unfriendly place I have ever been. It’s the least horsey county I’ve ever encountered, and a couple of neighbours in her hamlet have said they stopped riding as the hacking just wasn’t safe. Roadwork is too dangerous and the moors are generally heaving with tourists in good weather.

 

[MJGoals]

Having been involved when my mother moved to Cornwall in may last year, I would avoid it. Maybe she has been unlucky but she has decided to sell and move on already. It is without doubt the most unfriendly place I have ever been. It’s the least horsey county I’ve ever encountered, and a couple of neighbours in her hamlet have said they stopped riding as the hacking just wasn’t safe. Roadwork is too dangerous and the moors are generally heaving with tourists in good weather.

That’s a real shame to hear :/
Think I might have to do some more research into more horse-friendly areas. There’s a lot of horses around the city where I live, maybe worth not moving at all if hacking and riding not actually much better elsewhere.

Thank you so much for all the comments and help so far!

 

[vhf]

Cornwall is a VERY mixed bag. We have some beautiful hacking, but it is almost all shared by other users (quite correctly, but not necessarily responsibly ) Localised hacking will be outstanding or awful, you have to do your research.

Tourism is a big part of the county - so anywhere open, beautiful... etc. also attracts walkers, cyclists, dogs, and so on. Some parts are a lot more incomer friendly than others too. I've yet to meet an unfriendly patch, but there are undoubtedly some very parochial ones. Counter to that, there are the inevitable incomers who complain about everything that isn't what they wanted from their suburban dream. I have experienced a fair few of those...

Cornwall has become a lot smaller and more crowded in the last 25 years - and notably even in the last 4. Down west you can see both north and south coasts at the same time (from horseback if you wish!) so everything is very packed in, and it can feel like the county is full to bursting. There are areas that 'the locals' avoid altogether in tourist season, and parts that still feel like the end of the world in high summer.

The bridleways are frequently very poor, with a handful of flagship routes well maintained. Some amazing beaches too. The roads are often far too busy for the volume or type of traffic they were designed for. Climate doesn't help - a lot of rain, wind, and mist, frequently all at the same time, which is why many of the bridleways are struggling now that there are limited funds to maintain them. Riding in horizontal rain in thick fog is an experience, and I try not to ride on the road if I think I may get blown off my horse...

I find the 'horse scene' itself is very good, so long as you don't want to compete to a high level. A lot of smaller venues, active groups/clubs, supportive people etc.

 

[Orangehorse]

I know quite a number of areas of Herefordshire and I am glad to hear the reputation for hacking is poor...I would disagree with that tbh and would also disagree that hunting people in Herefordshire just go where they like!! Landowners have to give permission. There are plenty of places where outriding is excellent but the county is very varied in terms of terrain, access/rights and roads. Certainly in Cornwall, which I am also familar with, you can hack out on Bodmin Moor for miles and miles though there are hunting people there too.

That remark was second hand and said in a spirit of exasperation by a bridleway person!

I expect there are good areas for hacking in Herefordshire, but as I said, you need to good research first.

Bromyard Downs and Bringsty Common, Castlemorton Common, then up into Shropshire there is Mortimer Forest close to Ludlow.

In Worcestershire the WBRA has about 20 parking places close to bridleway networks for members to take their horses out. It isn't 100% off road, but they are nice rides.

 

[Love]

We are on the herefordshire/worcestershire border and our hacking is absolutely fantastic. Miles of bridleways, common land, green lanes as well as private woodland and farmland that we have permission to use from the lovely landowners (as long as we are respectful etc which we always are). We can even get up onto the malvern hills if we want to (although personally I wouldn't as much prefer the quiet areas no one knows about rather than up there that is awfully busy and full of numpties with dogs/pushchairs/kites/you name it)

We moved from North Yorkshire where our hacking was absolutely dire - not helped by a certain well known brewery owner who had a monopoly on most of the land around and had fenced off every possible public right of way.

 

[Squeak]

I have found that the real key to good hacking has been boxing to places - I have my routes I can use from the yard when I'm shorter on time or feel like it but then I box all over the place to the good bridleways/ forests/ commons etc. I find it keeps it more interesting and cuts out the roadwork and you can pick or choose where to go depending on whats going to be busy.

 

[Starzaan]

That’s a real shame to hear :/
Think I might have to do some more research into more horse-friendly areas. There’s a lot of horses around the city where I live, maybe worth not moving at all if hacking and riding not actually much better elsewhere.

Thank you so much for all the comments and help so far!

I’m from the Cotswolds and would definitely say it’s the best place for being horsey. I also ran a big yard in Worcestershire for a while, that was fab too.
For me Cornwall would be a no go now, horses or not. I cannot believe how badly my mother has been treated down there, and sadly it seems to be fairly normal. I hope she’s just had bad luck, but it really has been rotten. If I never set foot in sodding Cornwall again I’ll be happy

 

[Orangehorse]

We are on the herefordshire/worcestershire border and our hacking is absolutely fantastic. Miles of bridleways, common land, green lanes as well as private woodland and farmland that we have permission to use from the lovely landowners (as long as we are respectful etc which we always are). We can even get up onto the malvern hills if we want to (although personally I wouldn't as much prefer the quiet areas no one knows about rather than up there that is awfully busy and full of numpties with dogs/pushchairs/kites/you name it)

We moved from North Yorkshire where our hacking was absolutely dire - not helped by a certain well known brewery owner who had a monopoly on most of the land around and had fenced off every possible public right of way.

That's great to hear. Years ago, when lanes were quiet, we used to rent a field in Alfrick for the summer for several years and the riding round there was lovely. Sadly, like everywhere, a lot of houses have been built there and the lanes carry much more traffic, but there are still good bridlepaths around. I used to jump a line of gates up the hill from Lusley station to the top! I trusted my horse not to crash through them. Wouldn't do it now, but I was young and foolish.

 

[Love]

That's great to hear. Years ago, when lanes were quiet, we used to rent a field in Alfrick for the summer for several years and the riding round there was lovely. Sadly, like everywhere, a lot of houses have been built there and the lanes carry much more traffic, but there are still good bridlepaths around. I used to jump a line of gates up the hill from Lusley station to the top! I trusted my horse not to crash through them. Wouldn't do it now, but I was young and foolish.

We are not far from Alfrick at all and when we have more time we hack up there to do the Lulsley ride! probably the same one you are talking about. It really is a beautiful area - we are up at Birchwood

 

[Sealine]

Having been involved when my mother moved to Cornwall in may last year, I would avoid it. Maybe she has been unlucky but she has decided to sell and move on already. It is without doubt the most unfriendly place I have ever been. It’s the least horsey county I’ve ever encountered, and a couple of neighbours in her hamlet have said they stopped riding as the hacking just wasn’t safe. Roadwork is too dangerous and the moors are generally heaving with tourists in good weather.

A friend and her husband retired and moved to Cornwall from Herts a few years ago. She never settled in Cornwall for two reasons. Despite all their efforts they found the locals rude and very unfriendly. Secondly, it rains alot! She stayed about 7 years before moving to Norfolk the driest county in the UK where the locals are much more friendly.

 

[spacefaer]

100% recommend Shropshire. Lots of open spaces - Mortimer Forest, Clee Hill, the Long Mynd etc.
Very horsey county and you can ride the length of the Jack Mytton Way as well.

 

[vhf]

A friend and her husband retired and moved to Cornwall from Herts a few years ago. She never settled in Cornwall for two reasons. Despite all their efforts they found the locals rude and very unfriendly. Secondly, it rains alot! She stayed about 7 years before moving to Norfolk the driest county in the UK where the locals are much more friendly.

I agree about the rain - we call it Cornish sunshine! We moved here from the East Midlands... sometimes think I may have grown webbed feet.

 

[Auslander]

I’m from the Cotswolds and would definitely say it’s the best place for being horsey. I also ran a big yard in Worcestershire for a while, that was fab too.
For me Cornwall would be a no go now, horses or not. I cannot believe how badly my mother has been treated down there, and sadly it seems to be fairly normal. I hope she’s just had bad luck, but it really has been rotten. If I never set foot in sodding Cornwall again I’ll be happy

Grockle syndrome is definitely a thing down there, and I think it's a crying shame.
My parents moved to Devon from Wiltshire, and although they were fortunate in that Dad's family all live down there, and they moved there for him to take a harbourmaster job-so the locals were more inclined to be friendly, my mum found it quite tough at first. She's the sort who will talk to anyone, at great length, and she finally wore them down, but it took a long time to get there!

 

[paddy555]

Grockle syndrome is definitely a thing down there, and I think it's a crying shame.
My parents moved to Devon from Wiltshire, and although they were fortunate in that Dad's family all live down there, and they moved there for him to take a harbourmaster job-so the locals were more inclined to be friendly, my mum found it quite tough at first. She's the sort who will talk to anyone, at great length, and she finally wore them down, but it took a long time to get there!

I'm in Devon and we do have that. We had one old farmer friend who told us he lets them winter over for a couple of winters first. He is right because many have put their property up for sale by then and they are off. Then another new one moves in, tells up how much they love the moor and are planning on retiring to their new home, you soon realise there is little point in believing them as it becomes yet another holiday let. They never do retire here.
You don't get any relationship with them. The first conversation is usually very enthusiastic and I usually have a horse in tow, you invite them to see the horses and then you don't see them again for many months. There is no chance of actually forming a friendship with them. A few are different, genuinely want to live here and always stop for a chat.

 

[TTK]

I’m in north Herefordshire on the Shropshire border, and have very good hacking. Feel free to pm me about areas if you are looking

 

[Bobthecob15]

We are in Herefordshire...there are bridlepaths it depends where you are. I don't hunt but that's never stopped us...not everyone hunts here

What we have a LOT of is forest rides, woodland rides, farm rides etc which are not strictly bridleways but you can definitely ride on them and no cars!

So totally depends where you are.

 

[Fieldlife]

I think like everything you need go explore first. I’m in Surrey but there is amazing and terrible hacking within a few miles of many parts of Surrey.

Avoid clay, and work out where the nasty roads are.

 

[Orangehorse]

We are in Herefordshire...there are bridlepaths it depends where you are. I don't hunt but that's never stopped us...not everyone hunts here

What we have a LOT of is forest rides, woodland rides, farm rides etc which are not strictly bridleways but you can definitely ride on them and no cars!

So totally depends where you are.

That's good to know.

 

[Starzaan]

I'm in Devon and we do have that. We had one old farmer friend who told us he lets them winter over for a couple of winters first. He is right because many have put their property up for sale by then and they are off. Then another new one moves in, tells up how much they love the moor and are planning on retiring to their new home, you soon realise there is little point in believing them as it becomes yet another holiday let. They never do retire here.
You don't get any relationship with them. The first conversation is usually very enthusiastic and I usually have a horse in tow, you invite them to see the horses and then you don't see them again for many months. There is no chance of actually forming a friendship with them. A few are different, genuinely want to live here and always stop for a chat.

My mother was one who genuinely wanted to live there, and spend the rest of her life there. She went out of her way to ensure she was using local businesses as much as possible, and has thus far been ripped off to the tune of £180k which is absolutely devastating.
I feel so so bad for her. It's such a beautiful place she's bought, in a beautiful area, and it has so much potential, but I've never known her to be so low and defeated. People have just been consistently horrible. She's a very friendly, approachable person who has lived all over the world (not really "from" anywhere as grew up with father in the army so lived all over the world with no real home), and is normally amazing at making new friends. The Cornish just don't seem to want to know -she's an emmett, and that's that. Not worth talking to, only worth trying to sting for money. It's such a terrible shame.