Moving from part livery to own yard ... how easy is it?

B

Bedford Joy

Well-Known Member
Joined
4 February 2012
Messages
296
Visit site
Has anyone moved from a yard where their horses were on 7 day part livery (full care without riding) to their own private yard? If so how easy did you find it and how much time do you spend there each day? Do you ever have someone help do your horses if you are at work etc

I have been offered a lovely little private place but I have never gone it alone before and am nervous about how much time it will take to do my own horses each day. I do have lots of local people who are happy to help out for minimal cost but I think I am nervous about it all going wrong !

Any advise would be wonderful thank you x
 
I am not sure I would call it "easy", but it has certainly been "wonderful"!

Having said that my boy is living at home with us, so I think that is easier than a nearby rented yard. Not having to deal with a livery yard has also meant much more involvement from my husband, so much so that he got a horse too :-).

I would say that the one year mark is a tester. If you manage 14 months then it all gets easier. I would hate to go back to livery now. My stuff stays where I put it, I can turn out when and where I like, my school is my own (even though it is small and not flash). I have also enjoyed playing silly games with my horse, teaching him to long rein, pull a barrel, fetch sticks, wave a flag........ and no one is here to tell me I am silly!!!

I do have my husband to help, and two local trusted people who can turn out or fetch in if I have to stay late at work.

Good luck!!!
 
I went from DIY with support to my own yard I shared with a friend when my daughter got a pony. I stayed there for 5 years and did like it but have now returned to assisted DIY livery. There were two main reasons - my daughter gave up and my friend moved away. I wouldn't go back to my own yard again. I only have one horse and I like to be able to have her seen to when I work or when I go away for the weekend etc. The yard buy in food and bedding and make their own hay which has taken that pressure off me too. Just before I moved off my own yard I had three horses at that point and I was taken into hospital as an emergency in the night over the Easter weekend. It was a nightmare as my OH had to cope with the horses and he is not horsey.Make sure you have contingency plans that will cover this type of situation.

I had to go to the yard twice a day every day which was a pain. I went 5.30-6.30 in the morning and again in the evening for about half an hour. I also spent a lot of time maintaining fields and fences at the weekends. Do not underestimate how much time you will spend moving electric fencing (if you use it) repairing rails, de-weeding yard and field etc. If the horses broke something I had to repair it e.g. the electric light socket or the guttering.

Overall it was good as my children had a lot of freedom while we were there but I am happier now at livery. I also have people to ride with there.
 
Can be a bit isolating, no one to hack with or a second opinion with health issues. However, you can do your own thing, to turn out or not, to rug or not, to change your mind, ( I have turned out at 6 and brought in again at 11pm or visa versa).

More help from OH who was not a bit horsey and ended up telling me what was best for pony and created a close bond with said with pony.

I loved being able to feed early in my dressing gown or checking last thing at night, anything from 10 - 12pm.



Never needed holiday cover as OH didn't do holidays but something to consider.
 
We moved from assisted diy to our own field. As others have said do not underestimate how much work you will need to do to set up how you like it. I was also lucky enough that my oh was prepared to help out more than when we were on the yard. I love being able to do my own thing when and how i want. Yes its hard and a quick visit never turns quite as quick as you though. Something always needs done. Almost two years on and i still don't regret going out on my own
 
I second the dressing gown bit!

I love being able to stumble out the door at midnight and be in the yard to do final checks when stabled. It is easier in most ways but you do tend to spend a lot of time outside instead of inside.
 
I did it too. Absolutely love it. We built the yard before we moved into the house, so initially had to travel twice a day (about five miles) which was a little harder.

You will spend a lot more time at the yard compared to part livery. You really need a good network of freelancers to cover hoidays and other things (even things like going to the Xmas markets or even to family on Xmas day needed organising...).

I adore that everything is exactly how I want it (money permitting anyway!), and nobody else moves things.

I never understand the view that there is nobody to ride with. I just text a friend and arrange to meet them ten minutes down the road, or I meet them at their yard/they at mine. Not difficult. Even I, who mainly have days off mid week not weekends, find plenty of people for company if I want it.

Try it. You can always go back if you don't like it..
 
As Red-1 said, not easy, but wonderful!!

I went from a small, but busy livery yard (I went up once a day, but there was cover if I couldn't get up) to a field.

I have literally no one to help me if I can't get up. It's not easy all the time, but it's so nice and peaceful, no more drama and Ned has never been happier :)
 
redtiftaf said:
a quick visit never turns quite as quick as you though.
Click to expand...

I totally agree with the above, I have always been lucky enough to have my horses and ponies kept at our own yard I love it I would hate to keep them any where else.

Pro's
You have so much freedom
No one judges you
No bitchy people
No rules you can come and go as you please.
Most importantly My horses are happy, their horsey friends don't come and go, they have a routine which suites us both.
A nice quiet yard
Turnout
Cost- cheaper than livery

Con's
It can be isolating- this is counteracted by the fact I have so many wonderful horsey friends literally on my doorstep. But something to bear in mind especially if your horse won't hack alone.
No one to put up jumps lol!
Time It takes time to get into a quick routine and there are always things to do and repair
You need people you can rely on to help cover sick days, emergencies and holidays (you seem to have that covered)

In all I'd encourage you to go for it you won't look back the transition will be hard but it will be worth it good luck!!!
 
i rent a place with 2 other ladies, and 1 of them i help out a lot, and she can help me in return- i think it is important to have a back up person for if you are away or very ill. a lady half a mile down the road has hers at home and pays me to do them 3 days a week sometimes when she is travelling for work.
other than day to day care taking time- i spend about an hour in the morning and evening not including riding, it is the maintenance you have to plan- field care, fencing being fixed, hay and feed orders ect.... quite a lot of extra work. however, where i am is considerably cheaper than livery diy, and i have more freedom- just a few group decisions with the 2 others. i would not want to be completely on my own- i like other horsey people to talk to and ride with.
 
It will be a bit shock to you!

I love looking after my own horses but it does take a lot of time and everything has to fit around them.

Are there other people on this new yard for support?

If not can't you try diy on your current yard for a while first?

If you want to do it go ahead.
But right a list of all the jobs and timings etc and ask for advice (as you are here!)
 
I went from a small private yard of a friend, with only 5 horses and 2 'liveries' - myself and the other livery shared a field, organised ourselves pretty much, but I was riding alone 90% of the time. From that to a big diy livery yard of 40+ horses, with an indoor, outdoor, jump field, canter track and next to no storage space!

Personally I love that there is lots going on, always someone to chat to, lots of lights, can ride in all weathers, my equine business reaches more potential clients, and get motivated to do more and get on with more as you feel braver with other people around you. I miss having the school to myself, but my boy was getting naughty in warmup rings due to not liking sharing the space so it is good for him, we still hack alone some days, and I miss having loads of storage space, but love that there are 'livery toilets' for use in mucky boots, compared to trekking up to old yo's house, stripping off outer layers and using her loo...
 
I had my two on part livery for a number of years as I have health issues and was unable to look after them on DIY anymore. On first glance it wouldn't seem to be a logical step to go from part livery to keeping them at home in my circumstances. I was unable to drive very often so in the end we decided to keep the horses at home so that I didn't need to drive to see them. It's now easier for me as I can split my time with the horses around rest breaks and other things and I get to see them even if I am too ill to drive.

The key to making it possible for me was to buy a house and yard in an area where I know lots of people and where I know I had good freelance grooms to rely on and good friends nearby for the social side. I am also near a good livery yard so I have friends from there to hack with but I've also met local people who I now ride with.

I love the flexibility of keeping them at home and I leave them out full time with access to their stables and the field shelter so that I am not tied to a set routine. That flexibility really helps as does having a good little yard with some space undercover. The first year here was much tougher without stables and somewhere dry to tack up or store everything. I also find it much much easier now I have an arena. It was hard going from a good yard with good facilities to keeping them out full time with no facilities at all.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top