So, I really like the yard I went to see.

poiuytrewq

poiuytrewq

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It looks lovely. 35 horses but split into little indoor yards of about 5/6 each. Each yard has a tack room. There’s space for stuff outside stables (but it’s not a mess!) a fair size bit of storage for bedding hay and feed. Nice covered Walker, lovely school, far better than I’d been expecting. Turn out all year except shoot days and if it’s really awful, they didn’t have a day in last winter though as an example.
Each horse has a few paddocks which are up to the owner to manage and look after.
Turn out/bring in is totally up to the owners but she said each little yard works together and ensures nothing is ever left in or out.
There is a lady who does anything for a bit of money! So if I can’t make it for any reason it’s covered.
It’s cheap, cheaper than I’d expect for the facilities provided.
The few liveries I spoke to seemed nice.

The downsides, I have to buy small bale hay from them.
I have absolutely no idea how to budget for this or if I can stretch to it. I realise that may sound silly but money is going to be tight if I move.
The hay did look nice though and was £5.50 per bale.
The other thing I was hesitant at was my stable. It’s fine size wise, although my horse is bigger than the current occupant and has a massive stable here at home, but I’d say it’s fine. It does however have bars either side into his neighbours. I don’t like that. I’m happy for the front to be open but we had open sides at work and some horses hated it and got quite stressed at feed times etc.
Definitely something to think about though.
 
EnduroRider

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I too (and my horses) dislike stables with bars between neighbours but all yards I have been on have been happy to have temporary boarding put up. Easy enough to do with just one large board on each side, a few holes drilled, and cable tied on to the bars to hold in place. Is it worth asking if they'd allow this?

ETA: Even just doing three quarters of the length can be enough to settle the horse as it has somewhere to hide and may be preferred by your neighbouring humans that are less keen as their horse can still see yours next door!
 
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Bars you can safely cable tie chip board over them without damaging anything and being reasonable robust and cheap (with YO consent of course).

Small bale hay does depend on how much they eat in field and hence weather. For an average riding horse in an average year mine have consistently done c.150 small bales a year with good grazing. the in / out is almost irrelevant as in winter if mine are out they still have as much hay outside in the field as in.

A tonne of snow and really cold - so no grass growth for months could easily be 200 bales
A mild winter (the field rested at xmas looked nice and green by end of feb) as few as 100

If you budgeted for 200 then you could be pleasantly surprised some years
 
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Some horses hate bars, some love them. Monty hates them but can tolerate them for a day or two at camp. We always put him in an end stable and his best mate (who is exceptionally clingy) right next to him. We hang a hay net for his friend on the bars so he can stand as close to M as possible (keeping him happy) but his head is hidden by the net (keeping M happy). If it was long term, we'd cover the bars. Archie on the other had loves them - all he wants to do is talk to his neighbours and make new friends.
 
poiuytrewq

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I *think I can about do it cost wise. I was managing a lesson a week pre-covid for a while which with him being out of work so long has stopped.
I also waste a LOT of hay so can manage that better.
I can probably keep the ones at home out saving bedding costs as one of them can’t have straw.
I did wonder about covering the bars but I think it would block a lot of light from the back corner. Mine is middle of 3. He may of course be totally fine about it all!
 
poiuytrewq

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Amymay said:
I’m assuming you’d get your hay weekly at the new yard? So easy enough to get more if needed. But how many you’ll need will depend on the size of horse and how long it’s in for. But the YO would be able to guide you.

With the bars, just sling a rug over each side.
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Yes weekly. What heaven. They have a white board. You mark up what you’d like and it’s there on Monday morning… if only OH was that swift ?
 
poiuytrewq

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Cinnamontoast said:
As a guide, my cob goes through a small bale every 3 days if turned out from 7-5. He gets 3 slices overnight, which is probably too much.
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Thank you! It’s hard, he’s not a huge guts but I’ve been using hestons between 2/3 horses and a few ponies so judging what one eats is hard!
 
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atropa

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Mmm sorry to go against the grain, the new yard sounds fantastic, but if you're having to adjust things at home e.g. less bedding, more turnout, to make ends meet I think that would be stretching the budget a little too much to be comfortable for me.
Small bale hay is prohibitively expensive when you have more than one equine mouth to feed, although at least you would only have one on it.
That would really put me off a place unfortunately.
As for stable bars, we have those here and one of mine gets quite stressed - we put up stable wall matting across three quarters of the bars and it has reduced her anxiety over it.
 
poiuytrewq

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atropa said:
Mmm sorry to go against the grain, the new yard sounds fantastic, but if you're having to adjust things at home e.g. less bedding, more turnout, to make ends meet I think that would be stretching the budget a little too much to be comfortable for me.
Small bale hay is prohibitively expensive when you have more than one equine mouth to feed, although at least you would only have one on it.
That would really put me off a place unfortunately.
As for stable bars, we have those here and one of mine gets quite stressed - we put up stable wall matting across three quarters of the bars and it has reduced her anxiety over it.
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The adjustment at home is a good thing though, isn’t it?! I’ve always wanted the ponies and retired horse to live out more but couldn’t as I needed to preserve grazing for the bigger one really.
I didn’t mean less bedding as in I’m going to give rubbish beds just that it won’t be required if they are out.
The retired is arthritic and now asthmatic so living out with no bedding would be the ideal really. I can leave access to stables with just the 3 of them, I can’t with the 4th as he doesn’t tolerate them all piling in to share his hay!
 
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Ossy2 said:
Sorry if I missed it on another thread but what is your objective for moving one to DIY livery?
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I’m incredibly bored doing horses home alone all the time. My horse used to be my hobby abs a social thing but now it’s just a bit rubbish.
He’s coming back into work after some vet treatment and I just have no motivation to do it.
Also the riding here isnt perfect, we used to be able to ride on the farm but that’s pretty difficult now.
A TB isn’t the ideal companion management wise for the other 3 fat boys, although that said they are very settled together.
Mainly I think I just want to see if I enjoy having a horse again.
 
Clodagh

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I think 4 bales a week (ish?). Are they a good size? Some are rammed and very heavy, some can be a bit profit making.
£5.50 seems ok price wise.
I totally understand your reasons for wanting to move and say go for it, assuming you aren’t signing a life time contract you can always leave again off it doesn’t work.
I’d definitely do it just so the others can live out!
 
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I'd be biting the hand off anyone selling small bales at £5.50 each at the moment...

Is hay included in your current livery costs?
 
splashgirl45

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you lose nothing if you try it. sounds like a good solution to me, the 3 at home living out will be easier and you can spend some quality time with the one who needs bringing back into work. if it doesnt help you to get motivated you can move him ack home and do what you are doing at the moment. its a no-brainer to me :)
 
poiuytrewq

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teapot said:
I'd be biting the hand off anyone selling small bales at £5.50 each at the moment...

Is hay included in your current livery costs?
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I don’t have a current livery contract, this is partly the issue. I keep the horses at home, we live on a farm with OH job so I pay a minimal grazing license amount and hay and straw is free.
 
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