Part Livery to Friends Field. Would You Do It?

[acorn92x]

Thoughts on a postcard: Friend has mentioned about me moving my mare to her field behind her house to live with her horses and 2 others friends. I'm currently at a lovely part livery yard with amazing staff, great hacking and a lovely school. My friends yard is no further from home and all of the horses there are a very happy, healthy herd, they all live out (Have a lovely barn for shelter so the option of bringing themselves in or out). There is no school (Biggest draw back for me!) but one available basically next door to hire (Not possible during the week however as it's a riding school) and would be significantly cheaper than what I pay now (Hundreds of pounds cheaper...). The reason I ask this is that OH and me are trying to save for a house (And a horse box or car/trailer combo) and the amount I spend on livery per month greatly impedes what we can save. I work full time in London so DIY isn't really an option (Either has to be grass, such as this arrangement or part/full) but I feel incredibly guilty about this. OH claims that he doesn't care and that because I earn more than him, I therefore "Earn" the right to keep my horse on an expensive yard but that tbh, doesn't make me feel any less guilty! Horse could easily live out (Although would need to be rugged as is clipped out all year round due to getting very itchy skin when allowed to grow a long coat and suffers from mites in her legs if they are not clipped) so there is no issue there, it's just not having a school although if I had a box/trailer (Much more realistic to purchase this if at a cheaper yard), I could take her to my instructors yard for a lesson once a week plus hack on weekends/hire school at weekend. I just feel like I'm not pulling my weight in terms of saving at the moment and it's bothering me. OH isn't the sort to ever throw this back at me but I do feel bad about this.

Thoughts?

 

[criso]

I had a similar arrangement and loved it. However like you I work in London so can't do DIY, so what I needed as part of arrangement was daily checks and a fed once a day with supplements. Rugs would be changed if needed.

This was OK as friend was my ex yard manager and taking in a few liveries to help pay the way so I had someone I could pay to do this officially, would have been different if I was expecting this as a favour.

The other issue is in the winter with no school with lights you don't have the option to ride after work. I am self employed so can usually ride in the daytime a couple of times a week but if you can't then you will only be riding at weekend.

 

[acorn92x]

I think that sort of thing would be possible I must admit. It's just the riding element which concerns me a bit - horse is ridden 6 days a week and is extremely fit and well at the moment and I'd like to keep her this way as much as possible! We do a variety of schooling/hacking/lunging which just wouldn't be possible from the sounds of things (At least not in the winter) and I'm not sure how either of us would cope. Horse is an Irish cob with a wonderful, laid back temperament and I know 24/7 turnout would obviously be good for fitness to a certain extent however I'm not sure how much it would help to maintain this and I'm not sure if I would really miss riding during the week. A box would be an option if I moved as I could save for one and afford one MUCH easier than I could atm so could box to my instructors yard about 20 mins away for a lesson once a week so that would at least solve one day during the week.

 

[el_Snowflakes]

My choice would be the friends yard & save more

 

[EmmaC78]

My choice would be the friends yard & save more

Me too

 

[FfionWinnie]

I would move too as long as you have a clear idea of the rules and expectations between friend and you and won't end up with a fall out.

I don't have a school so I school on hacks, the beach, lessons etc. I can do that because I keep them cheaply at home out 24/7 so can afford transport.

 

[indiat]

I would give it a go - it's hard to save the money for a house deposit and this could get you one step closer to a home of your own.

 

[Dazed'n'confused]

I'd stay on part livery!!
I've always been on DIY on a livery yard until 5 years ago when I was lucky enough to be able to keep them on my husband's farm. It's great coz I can please myself, nothing gets "borrowed" and my fields are my own to do with as I please!
However (& it's a BIG however), I have no school and it's a nightmare! I'm not the biggest fan of hacking I'll admit, I do have the farm to ride round, but this gets tedious on my own and although I do school on my hacks I long for a surface that isn't muddy/rutted/stoney/uneven!
I have access to a school twice a week but it's not enough! I miss having somewhere to lunge, do poles or school when I want. I can do all this in the field but in winter it's just too muddy and then when it's dry it's too hard!
The idea of boxing up and going to use a school is a nice notion but it would be a lot easier to just use the school where you are!
If you could go to your friends just for the summer it's possible that you could make it work but trust me, in winter it's soul destroying when you want to ride & it's dark & muddy!
Don't let moaning old me put you off tho, just putting my thoughts in writing to you! I also enjoy a livery yard for the company but that's a whole other moan!!

 

[Zipzop]

I'm surprised the riding school ménage is off limits during the week, the one I work at is quite a big establishment and our three menages are fully booked at the weekend but they are always available during the week as everyone is at work and we don't do lessons in the evenings. In fact lessons are over and done with at 4 pm every day of the week, are you sure your riding sch ménage is unavailable weekday evenings?

 

[acorn92x]

Thanks everyone! Has been really interesting reading your points of view here.

The riding school is an RDA centre which does lessons until quite late into the evening, hence not allowing external bookings. I'd double check though although I'm pretty sure that this arrangement hasn't changed. The riding is the one thing which is putting me off here - my friend is a lovely lady and the other two who keep their horses there are really nice people too. The horses live as a small herd and the arrangement works fantastically and I think it would do my mare the world of good as she does lack some social skills with regards to other horses at the moment due to previous bad experiences before I brought her. This, coupled with the fact that my OH and me would be approximately £500 (Yes, you read that correctly lol...I pay A LOT for livery) better off per month is extremely tempting as I could obviously save quickly for a box which would allow me to take her out at my leisure (Saying that, my friends all have trailers too but I wouldn't want to be a burden on them by keep asking to take me to lessons every week!) then once we have that, aside from it's running costs, we would be saving a lot of money per month (Live at home with OH Mum and only pay £200 rent each per month). It's just so tempting...

 

[millikins]

I would move too as long as you have a clear idea of the rules and expectations between friend and you and won't end up with a fall out.

I don't have a school so I school on hacks, the beach, lessons etc. I can do that because I keep them cheaply at home out 24/7 so can afford transport.

This. I would do it to save for your deposit. But I would ask for a proper contract between yourself and your friend. I have just been in this situation but from the other side, I invited a friend to stay at my yard and all was lovely, but I had to ask her to go when her teenage daughter was taking the pee.

 

[FfionWinnie]

I'd stay on part livery!!
I've always been on DIY on a livery yard until 5 years ago when I was lucky enough to be able to keep them on my husband's farm. It's great coz I can please myself, nothing gets "borrowed" and my fields are my own to do with as I please!
However (& it's a BIG however), I have no school and it's a nightmare! I'm not the biggest fan of hacking I'll admit, I do have the farm to ride round, but this gets tedious on my own and although I do school on my hacks I long for a surface that isn't muddy/rutted/stoney/uneven!
I have access to a school twice a week but it's not enough! I miss having somewhere to lunge, do poles or school when I want. I can do all this in the field but in winter it's just too muddy and then when it's dry it's too hard!
The idea of boxing up and going to use a school is a nice notion but it would be a lot easier to just use the school where you are!
If you could go to your friends just for the summer it's possible that you could make it work but trust me, in winter it's soul destroying when you want to ride & it's dark & muddy!
Don't let moaning old me put you off tho, just putting my thoughts in writing to you! I also enjoy a livery yard for the company but that's a whole other moan!!

Sounds like you need to get on your transport more! This is exactly what it was like for me when I didn't have a trailer and kept my horse at home. Admittedly it was also the wrong horse for my time of life but now, I'm keeping horses in the same place with a trailer and I go out and about about 3 times a week. Meet up with friends to hack and local eq centres have stuff on all winter. Some even completely inside. I've got loads of horsey friends now who I met at the eq centres too and it's a completely different experience. I would still like a school but I don't need one.

 

[acorn92x]

Sounds like you need to get on your transport more! This is exactly what it was like for me when I didn't have a trailer and kept my horse at home. Admittedly it was also the wrong horse for my time of life but now, I'm keeping horses in the same place with a trailer and I go out and about about 3 times a week. Meet up with friends to hack and local eq centres have stuff on all winter. Some even completely inside. I've got loads of horsey friends now who I met at the eq centres too and it's a completely different experience. I would still like a school but I don't need one.

I think even with a full time London job, if I had transport, I'd be out all of the time. I could go to my instructors yard once a week and could probably hire another arena somewhere else if the RDA centre wasn't accepting mid-week bookings. It would probably take me a good 5-6 months to save for a box/trailer but I'd just have to try and get through this as best as possible and take people up on offers of transport if they came up. I know there would be ways round not having a school and it would of course frustrate me a little about not having transport initially while I saved but the prospect of knowing that I'd eventually get it would help. I love hacking as does my horse so I think that I could get by with this if I ended up having to save over the winter months.

 

[Deltic Blue]

Honestly I couldn't do it, I've been at a yard without a school once, when I got my first pony, which was fine as back then I worked part time and could ride during the day in winter.

But now I couldn't do it with my current horse, I would miss having a school if I just wanted to lunge after work rather than ride.
I now work full time office hours, and do have my own horsebox, but even then I wouldn't have the motivation to box up 3-4 times a week, when having a school at my yard is much easier.

It's personal preference, but I couldn't be without a school. If I had a different horse and didn't want to compete etc then I would do it right away!

 

[FfionWinnie]

I think even with a full time London job, if I had transport, I'd be out all of the time. I could go to my instructors yard once a week and could probably hire another arena somewhere else if the RDA centre wasn't accepting mid-week bookings. It would probably take me a good 5-6 months to save for a box/trailer but I'd just have to try and get through this as best as possible and take people up on offers of transport if they came up. I know there would be ways round not having a school and it would of course frustrate me a little about not having transport initially while I saved but the prospect of knowing that I'd eventually get it would help. I love hacking as does my horse so I think that I could get by with this if I ended up having to save over the winter months.

Yes that's what I do, usually have a SJ lesson and or a flat lesson once a week and there are evening/weekend competitions on at 3 local centres all year round. For a tenner I can go and school for an hour then jump a couple of CRs. I ride in the dark when necessary too. (horse needs exercised daily).

Does depend on the horse of course. Mine are easy to do and it takes me 20 mins max to hitch up, chuck the tack and the horse(s) in and go. Apart from tack I keep a set of kit in the trailer so it's always there. Haynets are always ready in the trailer. Water container and bucket etc, fill that up while I'm bringing the horse in. Once in a routine of going places, it's dead easy and fast to get away

 

[acorn92x]

Yes that's what I do, usually have a SJ lesson and or a flat lesson once a week and there are evening/weekend competitions on at 3 local centres all year round. For a tenner I can go and school for an hour then jump a couple of CRs. I ride in the dark when necessary too. (horse needs exercised daily).

Does depend on the horse of course. Mine are easy to do and it takes me 20 mins max to hitch up, chuck the tack and the horse(s) in and go. Apart from tack I keep a set of kit in the trailer so it's always there. Haynets are always ready in the trailer. Water container and bucket etc, fill that up while I'm bringing the horse in. Once in a routine of going places, it's dead easy and fast to get away

Mine is very easy - super laid back, loads herself, travels will and is a generally easy in all respects kind of horse so I wouldn't mind having to take her out. The hardest part would be trying to find places to take her around here as there aren't loads of places that have things on mid-week in the winter (There is places like Merrist Wood etc but that mainly has jumping and I don't jump!) so even if I just hired a school and did my own thing, that would be okay.

She's super fit and looks and feels amazing at the moment and I'd like to keep her this way as much as possible. I've never been at a yard without a school and I think it would be a huge shock to my system to go from riding 6 days a week down to 2 if I could only hack at weekends. Although my girl is very laid back, she loves her work and I think she'd get bored (And fat) very quickly if I did fewer than 4 days a week.

 

[Crackerz]

Honestly I couldn't do it, I've been at a yard without a school once, when I got my first pony, which was fine as back then I worked part time and could ride during the day in winter.

But now I couldn't do it with my current horse, I would miss having a school if I just wanted to lunge after work rather than ride.
I now work full time office hours, and do have my own horsebox, but even then I wouldn't have the motivation to box up 3-4 times a week, when having a school at my yard is much easier.

It's personal preference, but I couldn't be without a school. If I had a different horse and didn't want to compete etc then I would do it right away!

It's esay to compete without a school. We don't have one, it's not an issue. My YO has qualified for HOYS 9 times and Olympia - which is in December and has no issues keeping them superfit She only boxes to lessons/clinics at most a few times a month.
I was schooling the other day in the paddock, doing turn on the forehand, leg yield etc, mum said 'when did you teach him that?!' - on the lane! People massively under estimate the variety you can do without a school and using your imagination. Plus sometimes it takes the pressure of a 'schooling session' if you are doing it in a big field or on the road


I'd move, if it's going to save you that much!

 

[Tyssandi]

Thoughts on a postcard: Friend has mentioned about me moving my mare to her field behind her house to live with her horses and 2 others friends. I'm currently at a lovely part livery yard with amazing staff, great hacking and a lovely school. My friends yard is no further from home and all of the horses there are a very happy, healthy herd, they all live out (Have a lovely barn for shelter so the option of bringing themselves in or out). There is no school (Biggest draw back for me!) but one available basically next door to hire (Not possible during the week however as it's a riding school) and would be significantly cheaper than what I pay now (Hundreds of pounds cheaper...). The reason I ask this is that OH and me are trying to save for a house (And a horse box or car/trailer combo) and the amount I spend on livery per month greatly impedes what we can save. I work full time in London so DIY isn't really an option (Either has to be grass, such as this arrangement or part/full) but I feel incredibly guilty about this. OH claims that he doesn't care and that because I earn more than him, I therefore "Earn" the right to keep my horse on an expensive yard but that tbh, doesn't make me feel any less guilty! Horse could easily live out (Although would need to be rugged as is clipped out all year round due to getting very itchy skin when allowed to grow a long coat and suffers from mites in her legs if they are not clipped) so there is no issue there, it's just not having a school although if I had a box/trailer (Much more realistic to purchase this if at a cheaper yard), I could take her to my instructors yard for a lesson once a week plus hack on weekends/hire school at weekend. I just feel like I'm not pulling my weight in terms of saving at the moment and it's bothering me. OH isn't the sort to ever throw this back at me but I do feel bad about this.

Thoughts?

Lots of things to think about:

• 
  You have to think that sometimes moving to your friends place can put a strain on friendship when she is like a yard/field owner if things go wrong.

• You limit your schooling due to riding school next door

• Is your horse a type that will do ok living out full time when used to being in the stable in the winter

• Would your friend take care of your horse if your ill or on holiday and how much would she charge

• What is her worming program does she poo pick, as you need to be sure she keeps a good routine as I presume your livery does

• Does she have a place to shoe or clip / electricity

• What happens if your horse needs to go on box rest

• Does she supply hay in the winter

• Is it secure this field is the fencing good and are the weeds removed

• Would she allow restrict area if my horses got a laminitis attack

• Would she allow or has jumps or a field arena to school in

• In the winter your horse will get less fit if you cannot school it due to riding school and if your work means you come up in dark then you cannot hack either

I would personally want to walk round her field and inspect it for myself prior to making any decision, and have a list of questions inc the ones above before I made this choice. If all sounds good and to my satisfaction and I could and my horse cope with field turnout then I would move when it is warm nights so my horse could acclimatize to full time turn out.

I would if you choose to move get a sharer who could school it a few times a week so you get extra money to put towards the trailer and you get your horse schooled and kept fit when you cannot do it.
Then I would save save save for my house and trailer.

 

[acorn92x]

You have to think that sometimes moving to your friends place can put a strain on friendship when she is like a yard/field owner if things go wrong.
Yes, we've discussed this. A formal contract would be put in place.

You limit your schooling due to riding school next door
Not sure I understand this point? My riding time would not be affected by the school, you can hire it but I could ride whenever I please if I chose to hack or school in the field that they have that's set aside from riding in.

Is your horse a type that will do ok living out full time when used to being in the stable in the winter
Yes, she'd be fine. She's an Irish cob and although she'd need to be rugged, she'd be fine. She's lived out previously and has come from Ireland where the weather conditions are far harsher than that here. She's a laid back girl so I can't see her minding too much.

Would your friend take care of your horse if your ill or on holiday and how much would she charge
Again, this would be agreed in the contract.

What is her worming program does she poo pick, as you need to be sure she keeps a good routine as I presume your livery does
All horses are wormed every 12 weeks at the same time and put into a new, rested paddock. The old paddock is then rested and harrowed. Fields are poo picked on an every other day basis so are kept on top of.

Does she have a place to shoe or clip / electricity
Yes they have electric and hard standing so places to shoe and clip.

What happens if your horse needs to go on box rest
I've raised this point with her, awaiting an answer.

Does she supply hay in the winter
Yes she does, hay/haylage is supplied all year round with a big bale always open in the barn.

Is it secure this field is the fencing good and are the weeds removed
All fencing is solid post and rail and weeds are removed daily and when poo picking.

Would she allow restrict area if my horses got a laminitis attack
Yes.

Would she allow or has jumps or a field arena to school in
I don't jump so that point isn't relevant to me but there is a field which is rolled that can be used for schooling (Obviously ground permitting so not to churn it up).

In the winter your horse will get less fit if you cannot school it due to riding school and if your work means you come up in dark then you cannot hack either
This is my main point of concern haha. I'm not sure how I'd feel about a sharer either as I'm extremely fussy! I might be able to pay my friend to ride once a week or so on though.

 

[Tyssandi]

You have to think that sometimes moving to your friends place can put a strain on friendship when she is like a yard/field owner if things go wrong.
Yes, we've discussed this. A formal contract would be put in place.

You limit your schooling due to riding school next door
Not sure I understand this point? My riding time would not be affected by the school, you can hire it but I could ride whenever I please if I chose to hack or school in the field that they have that's set aside from riding in.

Is your horse a type that will do ok living out full time when used to being in the stable in the winter
Yes, she'd be fine. She's an Irish cob and although she'd need to be rugged, she'd be fine. She's lived out previously and has come from Ireland where the weather conditions are far harsher than that here. She's a laid back girl so I can't see her minding too much.

Would your friend take care of your horse if your ill or on holiday and how much would she charge
Again, this would be agreed in the contract.

What is her worming program does she poo pick, as you need to be sure she keeps a good routine as I presume your livery does
All horses are wormed every 12 weeks at the same time and put into a new, rested paddock. The old paddock is then rested and harrowed. Fields are poo picked on an every other day basis so are kept on top of.

Does she have a place to shoe or clip / electricity
Yes they have electric and hard standing so places to shoe and clip.

What happens if your horse needs to go on box rest
I've raised this point with her, awaiting an answer.

Does she supply hay in the winter
Yes she does, hay/haylage is supplied all year round with a big bale always open in the barn.

Is it secure this field is the fencing good and are the weeds removed
All fencing is solid post and rail and weeds are removed daily and when poo picking.

Would she allow restrict area if my horses got a laminitis attack
Yes.

Would she allow or has jumps or a field arena to school in
I don't jump so that point isn't relevant to me but there is a field which is rolled that can be used for schooling (Obviously ground permitting so not to churn it up).

In the winter your horse will get less fit if you cannot school it due to riding school and if your work means you come up in dark then you cannot hack either
This is my main point of concern haha. I'm not sure how I'd feel about a sharer either as I'm extremely fussy! I might be able to pay my friend to ride once a week or so on though.

Well with those answer's and depending on the waiting reply to those above not answered then I would move your horse

Sorry........... to the one you did not understand I meant due to the riding school not letting you use the arena week days your limited to only weekend schooling with your horse. I based this on your working a 9-5 job and did not get there till evening and in the winter your horse would not be ridden week days. My apologies if you can get up their daily in the day time providing the answers are in your favour that your waiting for I would take up the offer of moving

 

[Gingersmum]

I would just add that travelling a horse to a school/forest in order to ride does become a chore if you are forced to do it on a regular basis. It is so much easier to tack up and jump on if the school is on site.
However, if I were saving for a house I really wouldn't be paying £500 pcm for horse livery - I would think of a way to make the cheaper option work

 

[acorn92x]

Well with those answer's and depending on the waiting reply to those above not answered then I would move your horse

Sorry........... to the one you did not understand I meant due to the riding school not letting you use the arena week days your limited to only weekend schooling with your horse. I based this on your working a 9-5 job and did not get there till evening and in the winter your horse would not be ridden week days. My apologies if you can get up their daily in the day time providing the answers are in your favour that your waiting for I would take up the offer of moving

No problem, I thought that's what you might have meant! I work in London (Although it's only a 35 min commute), so I'm unfortunately not able to get down during the daylight hours during winter. I'm lucky to have flexible hours meaning that I work 7-3 or thereabouts each day so I would JUST catch a little daylight but still not really enough.

Yes this is the issue. OH has absolutely no problem with me paying this but I do feel VERY guilty. Between us, we earn a very respectable amount considering our ages (I'm 23, OH is 21) but it's not the point really. I'm starting to feel very selfish and it's not fair on OH. We live in a very expensive area and affording a property is not going to be a mean feat! This will be the 2nd time that I've moved my horse in the past yr (First yard was DIY and literally a mud abyssal pit in the winter, horse was getting beaten to a pulp and I was spending £100 a month on hay...) and he doesn't want her upset and moved again which is really sweet but doesn't make the fact that he is still saving more than me in a situation that in my opinion should be an equal 50/50 split. I think he is happy that we are still saving a decent amount but this could be improved massively by me moving her (And after a few months, still being able to afford a box/trailer). Am very lucky to have him.

 

[DD265]

If I could save that much without feeling like I was compromising on mine and my horse's happiness, quality of life and level of care, I would.

I think for me the lack of arena during the week would be the deal breaker but then the past few winters I've barely ridden anyway for various reasons and we have a floodlit arena!

 

[SO1]

I think there are a couple of issues that you need to consider regarding having ad lib access to big bale hay/hayledge in the shelter. Firstly if your horse is prone to getting fat and you are not able to exercise her as much over the winter due to no school and working in London will she become overweight?

I was at yard that had a hay feeder with big bale hay and my pony is very food orientated he ended up guarding the hay feeder making it difficult for the other horses to get hay and in process he got fat whilst the others got thin. He also ended up with mud fever as he just stood by the hay feeder either eating hay or guarding it and it got very muddy around it.

If you don't mind riding less in the winter and your horse has similar food requirements to her field mates and none of the horses are possessive about the field shelter or big bale hay then I would say give it a go and see how you get on.

 

[acorn92x]

I think there are a couple of issues that you need to consider regarding having ad lib access to big bale hay/hayledge in the shelter. Firstly if your horse is prone to getting fat and you are not able to exercise her as much over the winter due to no school and working in London will she become overweight?

I was at yard that had a hay feeder with big bale hay and my pony is very food orientated he ended up guarding the hay feeder making it difficult for the other horses to get hay and in process he got fat whilst the others got thin. He also ended up with mud fever as he just stood by the hay feeder either eating hay or guarding it and it got very muddy around it.

If you don't mind riding less in the winter and your horse has similar food requirements to her field mates and none of the horses are possessive about the field shelter or big bale hay then I would say give it a go and see how you get on.

This thought did cross my mind. She's an Irish cob so would possess fatty tendencies although is literally built like a muscular tank now (Was obese when I got her) through correct work and the fact that I'm careful about what I feed her.

She'd be sharing with a TB, Standardbred, Warmblood and a draft horse so all very different to her! None of them are particularly dominant or possessive over food as far as I'm aware but my horse can be (She's not greedy though and isn't the sort to stand and scoff all day if she's genuinely not hungry but won't be happy or allow herself to be bossed around or pushed away from an area where she is eating). I'd also have to be careful about haylage as it upsets her tummy a bit (Gives her the runs) if she's fed too much or if it's too rich and I know that they feed it more in the winter.

 

[LynH]

I moved mine from part livery to living out on grass at home. I didn't have an arena for the first year and it was really hard to get them exercised. It's surprising how much harder it is not having a stable to tack up in when it's wet and dark in winter. It does become very unappealing to box somewhere to ride when you have to go get them in from a dark muddy field.
You must be near me as I used to box to Merrist Wood or Parwood to use their arenas, are there other private yards to hire from nearby?. I suspect you won't ride nearly as much as you think but your horse will probably be happier. I'd never move mine back to livery now they are used to living out but I'm very glad to now have an arena and stables to dry them off in or for overnight before a comp or when sick or fat.
Have you any idea how long it will take you to save the deposit for a house? Could you back to part livery if you take a year or two on grass to save up or will mortgage payments prevent a return to part livery? It's not an easy decision and as I know how much happier my horses are living out I'd be tempted to say go for it. However maybe consider spending a couple of more years riding every day and competing etc and then turn her out and start saving once you've had some fun with her. You're only young once and once you buy a house there are always things to spend your money on before a horse.