Salisbury Livery

[Bellalily]

I’m hoping you peeps can help me out as after an extensive search and an expensive visit to Salisbury, I have drawn a complete blank.
Looking for DIY livery as close to Salisbury as possible, for obvious reasons.
I am hoping to move there to be nearer my daughter who is expecting my first grandchild as well as it being a good time financially for me to move out of rented accommodation. I can’t believe there are no yards with any vacancies and if I don’t find somewhere very soon, I am going to have to pull out of the purchase of my new home.
Does anyone know of anywhere? TIA

 

[asmp]

Will pm you

 

[Peregrine Falcon]

Which side of Salisbury? Traffic can be a nightmare to get through.

Have you looked on NFED? It's the local bible!

 

[Bellalily]

Yes, so I’ve heard, but no worse than the SE. I’ll be pretty central, but leaning slightly west.

 

[ester]

There's also a pretty busy wilts facebook group. I only know east options (used to be in winterslow)

 

[Bellalily]

I’ve joined all the ones I could find. ?

 

[sunnyone]

The problem for riders from Salisbury is that they are constrained from 2:sides. To the North/ North east towards Andover most of the land is either owned or rented by the MOD. To the south is Bournemouth and Poole whose riders are constrained by the sea and the fact that a field used as a campsite earns the owner a lot more money over a short period of time. The New Forest also acts as a constraint as does the Wilton Estate. Hence finding anywhere close to any of those locations is practically impossible; adult riders almost always have to travel a long way to keep their horses.
It seems that it was ever thus. 35 years ago we moved from the Hampshire side of the Forest where the horse was less than a mile from the house to Bournemouth for work. We were gazumped on a property in Ringwood but the horse initially had to go to a field in West Moors which was 23 miles from our new house in North West Poole, less if we went from work. Had we not found that one field then, we'd have been prepared to look as far as Fordingbridge. My colleague in the same office had her horse even further up the Salisbury Road. After a few years we moved again to a place where we could keep the horses at home over the winter but by then my employers were willing to accept me doing a 1 hour each way commute.(they paid overtime travelling expenses).
Riding as a sport has become more popular since then, but the land available for horse owners has not increased.
Currently Highfield Farm at Fordingbridge is advertising vacancies as they have recently built new stables. If I were you I'd certainly go and have a look and if need be move there initially accepting any increase in livery as part of my moving costs, you can always move later. However I hope one of the PMers on here may have already found you somewhere ideal.

 

[Bellalily]

I absolutely can’t afford to go as far as Fordingbridge. It would add an extra £7 per day in fuel onto my costs, and that’s at today’s prices. I also don’t have any spare money to put down to “moving costs”. Like millions of others, I am watching every penny and nothing can be wasted. Wish I lived in your world, must be nice not to have to worry about every penny.

 

[Auslander]

Wish I lived in your world, must be nice not to have to worry about every penny.

That's a bit rude - aimed at someone who has tried to help you

 

[sunnyone]

I'm sorry Bellally I did not mean to upset you. I can assure you that watching costs has been a way of life to me, but once I had a horse her needs came first. There were many things we did not do, or did "on the cheap" because of the horse.. Yes life did become easier as I and my OH got promoted up our pay scales within our areas of expertise but I always did a comparison of my horse's costs against the cost of 20 cigarettes even though I don't smoke. The horse was always cheaper and we still let her successors rule our lives.even though we are retired.

Perhaps it would be helpful to other posters here if you gave people an idea of the radius from Salisbury that you are prepared to travel, as nowhere is likely to be walkable; the meadows around the city flood on a regular basis so cannot be used permanently and the £7 of which you speak is the entire estimated cost of a return journey.

 

[dorsetladette]

https://annanobleequestrian.co.uk/old-home-2/

This lady has a yard in Downton. If she doesn't currently have any spaces she will probably be able to give you a few suggestions.

Anna is a lovely lady.

 

[Ali27]

We lived in Bulford around 10 years ago and I really struggled to find DIY livery for my mare. I luckily found a lady close to Allington with a small holding who had a few DIY liveries. I remember seeing a few livery yards around the west of Salisbury near Wilton but they were all full livery. Maybe put a wanted advert of NFED?

 

[planete]

I am afraid less and less places do DIY around the area. I just rent a field on a farm with access to an emergency stable, storage, water and electricity. I could not afford anything else now I am retired.

 

[Fransurrey]

Try Ratfyn Farm. There's DIY there and good access to the Plains.

 

[Alwaysmoretoknow]

Greenacres in Winterslow looks nice - has a decent looking school and good hacking in direct access woodland. Don't know what livery packages they offer but might be worth a call. Also Hilltop Equestrian in Pitton has great facilities and reasonable hacking though probably more on the expensive side of things. There are some places you might want to avoid. PM me if you want more info as I live in the area.

 

[ester]

I was at GA, lived on site too all DIY though sometimes with freelancers for get ins etc (YO wanted them in by 2pm winter)
More than reasonable hacking, bloody amazing for me , no roadwork at all unless you wanted it as you could go straight into bentley woods with a v cheap annual permit.

 

[Alwaysmoretoknow]

I often meet the person who I think manages GA on my walks thru' Bentley woods where she walks some of her horses in hand and they look fantastic. She seems like a really sound, knowlegable, sensible horse(wo)man and I wouldn't hesitate to entrust my horses to her care.

 

[neddy man]

You have probably already looked on these, but I'll put them up incase you haven't www.*******.co.uk and www.*******.co.uk

 

[Emily234]

We lived in Bulford around 10 years ago and I really struggled to find DIY livery for my mare. I luckily found a lady close to Allington with a small holding who had a few DIY liveries. I remember seeing a few livery yards around the west of Salisbury near Wilton but they were all full livery. Maybe put a wanted advert of NFED?

Wondering if you can reccommed any?