Not sure what to do re: pony & livery

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Dizzle

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I have my pony on grass livery, just about as close to home as is possible living in a town. It’s grass livery but with full facilities and costs me between about £90-120 a month just for the field and use of facilities. Hacking is ‘ok’ you have to either do some fairly busy road work or very very steep hill, then a couple of little roads to get to the really good off road. Neither way is suitable for me to take my slightly errant Border Terrier with me hacking. Field is a walk away from the yard which is a pain in the backside and to be honest I don’t find myself riding as much as I was when I was on DIY as it’s easier just to check pony and chuck feed in field.

Before I had grass livery near home, I had DIY lively about 10 miles away. I would love to go back to this but now I have a dog and college I don’t have the time to go back onto stabled DIY livery (we’d probably need to employ a cook and a cleaner to make up for lost time!), plus I now have a rear wheel drive car so my chances of getting to the yard down country lanes in the ice are slim to none.

So, I’ve been thinking about part/full livery. But, I have no idea what sort of costs I would be looking at or what distance to travel you would think reasonable for part livery. Pony is tidy in the stable and doesn’t require more than a couple of flakes of hay overnight. Do yards charge less for small fat ponies?

If I could find somewhere with good off road hacking, away from busy roads that did full grass livery that would be idea. Does full grass livery exist? Does it exist in Cheltenham/Cotswolds?!

Answers on a postcard please…
 
For stabled part livery (full care 5 days a week, inc hay/bedding/feed) would set you back about £100 per week around here, but I'm in Hampshire and its expensive down here! Some yards do a separate cost for ponies and horses so you might get lucky and find somewhere that charges less for a fat pony!

Full grass livery definitely exists as I have my old retired mare on it. Costs me £105 per month plus an equal share of the hay in winter. On top I have farrier/dentist/vet etc and hard feed.

Try www.go-grazing.com, or just find anywhere that does grass livery based on a bigger yard and ask if they could do you a deal on extra services? Don't ask don't get :) I used to live near Cheltenham and miss the hacking terribly!
 
Dizzle said:
So, I’ve been thinking about part/full livery. But, I have no idea what sort of costs I would be looking at or what distance to travel you would think reasonable for part livery. Pony is tidy in the stable and doesn’t require more than a couple of flakes of hay overnight. Do yards charge less for small fat ponies?

Answers on a postcard please…
Click to expand...

I'm in Surrey, but part livery (that's basic looking after, including hay and feed) would set you back between £400 and £550. Could you afford that, if you're in college?

Round here, there's no such thing as a discount for ponies. I have two exmoors and they still take up the same spaces, so can't really argue discount. I did have a slight discount for Henry when it was just him and I had part livery, but that was Kent and it was only £5 a week knocked off. Whoopee doo.

I'd look for a grass livery again if you're set on moving. Full grass livery does exist in Surrey, so probably does in the Cotswolds, too!
 
I'm in Shropshire. I'm on what my YO calls part livery. Costs £7 per day through the winter (ie when they are stabled), which £196 every 4 weeks (we are billed every 4 weeks). Includes a TO or BI daily (including any rug changes, legs hosing, feet picked out), adlib hay, a bale of shavings per week, stable/ grazing. I think full livery is £12 per day, and that's all of the part livery stuff, plus the other end of the day done and mucking out, making haynets and feeds etc. Ours are on grass livery in the summer at £4 per day, 24/7 turnout (went out in April, will come in end Oct), then mine will switch to PL once he is stabled overnight.

I've never known a yard charge less for a pony, or for something that eats less hay if your hay is included in the price.

I travel about 15-20 mins away (depending on traffic) to my yard, I go once a day.
 
It does exist but I think I am very lucky. I pay £10 per week for my grass livery with excellent off road hacking, sand school and local show a 20 minute hack away. Its a private yard and YO is amazing. In winter she will happily check, hay and feed my pony twice a day during the week for no additional cost. She also clipped my pony last week and wouldn't accept a penny. I keep her supplied with Strongbow which is her tipple of choice.

So yes it does exist but may not be advertised as part grass livery for example. Ask around local yards/fields and see what you can find out.
 
Part livery on my yard depends on what help you require.

diy is £20 per week includes stable and own grazing
part livery which includes turn out or bring in £25 per week
part livery which includes turn out and bring in £30 per week
Part livery to include turn out, muck out, fill haynet, feed and bring in £40 per week

Hay is available to buy on site, bedding is delivered regularly at liveries request. Use of next doors menage is £2.50 an hour.

Im in notts
 
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