Those of us who've moved from livery yard to own place...

[LankyDoodle]

I was on a DIY yard for 6 years, until last September when we moved to a different yard (because of a problem with our builder who kept his horse at original yard). Because of the neglect this new YO was showing towards a foal she took in, and because of the pants way the place was being run, we moved (temporarily) back to a yard we were at over 6 years ago with just our mare; with it being 10 miles/20 minute drive from home, we had to go on assisted DIY (so paid for extra services) and knew in our minds that it wouldn't be forever. Things didn't go right at all and the YO was just wired wrong (in hindsight always was); my bog horse ended up with a major wound on his head, and rather than phone me/the vet, she treated it herself with sudocrem, which led to infection.

In March this year (4 months after going to the last yard), we got a call from a lady who has a yard attached to her house, a mile from my home. The people who rented the yard were moving up-country, and as we'd looked at the yard back in November (when we moved to last yard), she wondered if we were still interested. We ummed and ahhed, but because of the dangerous turnout set-up at last yard, and other things going on, and because of the pull of having our own place so close to home (all be it rented), we went for it and moved at the end of March. We have now been there 2 months and we love being able to do as we please with no interference. I could go up there in my PJs and no one would know or care; it is the closest I think we will ever get to having them at home.

However, I think I miss the hussle and bussle of a summer on a livery yard. You know, when everyone is there after work til about 8 at night, and if you're on a nice yard like my original yard, most people get on, gossip, go for rides together. I loved being up there and never being far away from company, but then I remember that part of the reason we did leave was all the gossip going on about our situation and seeing how malicious people could be.

Has anyone else gone from livery to own place, and missed the livery? I do love my current arrangement, and the good thing is my husband is horsey too and we have 2 horses which we share so I am never alone; but I would love there to be just one other person at the yard (there is another stable/small paddock attached to it which could be rented out) to banter with and to chat to when things are going wrong, share ideas with etc.

 

[MrsElle]

I have done similar to you, moved from DIY livery to my own (rented) place.

I love it! I love the solitude, just me and the horses and would never go back to livery or even share with anyone.

It does help that I am an antisocial person with no friends though

 

[LankyDoodle]

LOL. To be honest, I think I'd probably hate it if someone else came along, because we really can do whatever we like (within reason). Turnout is as we want it, stabling as we want it, storage as we want it. I can go up there wearing what I like and I can play my radio without worrying about offending people who don't like my music!

I guess I have just felt a bit lonely this last couple of weeks because my husband is stuck doing our house and hasn't been coming up to the yard much. I do love just sitting in their field in the sun, on my own, though.

 

[ForeverBroke_]

I'm in the same situation! I have a post and rail paddock behind my house as we speak just growing :/ But im not sure i can tear myself away from the livery yard. Purely because it has the facilities i need, but then again - i hate the yard. eep :/

 

[4leggedfurries]

Ditto MrsElle, though it is my own (not rented) and wouldnt go back to livery. I love just being able to do what i want when i want without people interfering. Plus i too prefer the company of animals to humas, much less complicated and dont answer back!

 

[Lollii]

We moved into our house with a yard and land 6 years ago, I still miss my old diy place, I have taken in liveries just so I have some company, this brings headaches sometimes (people can be so strange!) but I am still on my own all day during the week which can be lonely.
I don't want to moan about it as it a lovely place that people would die for but...sometimes I wish for my old life back!

 

[LankyDoodle]

I have a grass school and jumps in my field as it's flat. There's a school in hacking distance to use in winter. The only thing we are really missing is a toilet, but so close to home it's not a problem!

 

[Hippona]

We had the option of our own yard a few months ago- turned it down for several reasons- security and crap fencing being the main ones.

However - all the fencing has been done, and the place looks very smart now. Its still empty- part of me wants to chase it up, but a big part of me would miss the other liveries and my daughter would miss her friends. If OH and kids didnt come down, then I would be totally on my own.....so I see where you are coming from.

 

[myhorsefred]

I have been in exactly the same situation - been on livery yards for years then 18 months ago bought my current smallholding.

I missed the company of other liveries terribly, so much so that I was so lonely, had no-one to ride out with (hubby not horsey), completely overwhelmed by all the ragworting and work etc that I really considered selling up. Even selling the horses too and giving up - everything seemed to be such a chore.

Previously to this I loved my horsey time at the livery yard, so it just goes to show how being lonely can change your view.

Anyway, I found a sharer who comes a few times a week and we ride out together when we can and it has made the world of difference.

I'm also having a sand school put in the corner of my field (am about 2 weeks away from getting planning granted, fingers crossed) which means that if I'm having a not so brave day and don't feel like hacking on my own in the howling wind, I can still ride in the safety of the school. The school has cost me more than I wanted to spend on my 'hobby', but it will add value to my property so I don't mind really.

Sorry for the long reply, but yes, I know exactly how you feel going from lots of company to absolutely none. I love it here now, and think that my sharer has made the world of difference to my situation.

Good luck.

 

[Lollii]

I want to get a sharer as I have two horses but I only want someone during the week and who is nice and not a weirdo numpty!

 

[Faro]

I moved from DIY to my own rented place 3 years ago now and don't for one minute regret it. I could repeat most of the positives that others have mentioned above.

One thing I don't get though is lonely (admittedly, I do like to have a lot of time alone, which my day to day life rarely lets me achieve). I have genuinely found that when I was at a fairly large livery yard, I knew the people less well than I know the people who keep horses locally to where I am now.

At my current place, people pop by, say hello, ride past etc. and always stop for a chat round here. I have more local horsey friends since renting my own place, and I get to hear far, far more of the local goings on, than I ever did at my previous livery yard.

I love it here and I hope not to ever have to return to a livery yard again.

 

[eggs]

I went from being DIY livery (with my two sisters) to having the ponies at home when I was a kid. It didn't make much difference to us as we put an advert in the local shop looking for help and had three girls our age who helped us so we were good for company and when we went away we didn't have to worry about finding someone to look after the ponies.

Now that I am an adult I have again gone from having the horses on full/part livery to having them at home. We are very fortunate as we have enough land/stables that I have three friends who keep their horses with me on DIY so I have got company and no bitching. However there is an enormous amount of work in just maintaining the school, fields, fencing, etc.

 

[Bosworth]

I have my own yard now at home, and I have liveries here and yes some people a really weird. I love having the majority of my liveries around and am not bothered what time they come up, what they do, they are easy to have around. However I have one couple who drive me to distraction and make me feel really uncomfortable being near them so I I found myself staying inside to avoid them. SO if you do decide to have a livery - check them out thoroughly because on a large yard you can avoid them - but on a small yard they can take over.

 

[josiesmithuk]

I'm kind of in the same boat don't know if I qualify completely. I moved recently to a private yard, the owner winters overseas (7months of the year) and comes back to event in the summer. I keep my two there with her event horses. We have indoor barn stables with loads of grazing, XC course, flat paddock (arena) and miles of off road hacking. We see each other for 10 mins in the morning and ride out 2 nights a week together. Other than that I am on my own.

I have really found it has focused my mind with regards to want I want to acheive in competitions and my horses are looking better. I do get a bit lonely sometimes but I chat to the radio now (very odd behaviour!!)

Before moving I was on a bit of a make-shift DIY yard, had most of what you needed and was cheap enough so i could compete and save up for the wagon. Would hate to go back though love where I am now.

x x

 

[BBH]

I haven't read other posts but I was always on livery until I bought my own land and built a yard and I can honestly say I have never looked back. Yes I sometimes miss the general chit chat but that is all. The freedom to do what I want when I want is wonderful. No more being told when my horses can go out, no more being told when they must be brought in etc.

As long as you have horsey friends everything is fine.

 

[LankyDoodle]

[ QUOTE ]
I haven't read other posts but I was always on livery until I bought my own land and built a yard and I can honestly say I have never looked back. Yes I sometimes miss the general chit chat but that is all. The freedom to do what I want when I want is wonderful. No more being told when my horses can go out, no more being told when they must be brought in etc.

As long as you have horsey friends everything is fine.

[/ QUOTE ]

The freedom to do what I want when I want is wonderful. No more being told when my horses can go out, no more being told when they must be brought in etc.

This is what I love about having my own (rented) place. To be fair, I would never, ever wish to go back to DIY again, and agree with what most people here have said. Maybe I WILL start chatting to the radio. I do love sitting in the sun in their field, though, and not being bothered by anyone or anything (except Lanky licking my arm maybe). I am very happy that we were given this opportunity, as like I said, it is the closest we will ever be to having them at home. I love it really.

 

[josiesmithuk]

Chatting to the radio is the next best thing, we have a really dull Local radio station near us, and it becomes great when you chat to him. lol!

I was mucking out last weekend singing at the top of my voice girls aloud when the next door child (aged 4) appeared at the gate pointed and laughed. Their tree house looks into the open side of the stabling barn. I nearly cried!!

x x

 

[BBH]

Also think about all the weirdo's and horrible people we can avoid having our own place. I met some lovely people on previous livery yards but also some dreadful ones, and they were often the yard owners / managers.

No, weighing it all up I have absolutely no regrets. The only think I have to be careful of is not ' collecting ' horses.

 

[JS65]

We moved to our own place nearly 2 yrs ago, it has always been my dream.
Sadly i do miss the livery yard banter, although when i was there i hated it.
I don't ride much anymore, sold one of my riding horses and have gone into showing M&M's.

I have taken on a livery who is a lovely lady but i'm just too territorial and find myself getting grumpy when she is down.

I just can't find a happy medium

 

[Rouletterose]

I'm on DIY but I keep very much to myself, luckily the others are all quite a bit younger than me and they work full or part time so not at the yard that much, mostly they are there in the evenings.

I love the solitude and quiet for me and my horse, the others respect that I always have a smile and a very quick chat but that's all. The minute someone starts talking about someone else I leave and go back to my tack room/stable. I school my horse most days and hack once a week, we always go alone cos she's nappy so I keep the one to one with her.

Maybe it's an age thing as you get older you learn to not get involved in the rubbish.

 

[ihatework]

I moved from big livery to a small private yard. The private yard was lovely but I wasn't happy there. I really missed the hussle and bussle of a big yard, I missed the social interaction, gossip, riding partners etc. So I am now back on a big yard and much happier.

 

[mrdarcy]

Did just over 18 months on livery after having my own place for two years. At first I couldn't wait to get onto a livery yard - I thought it'd be much less hassle, especially when needing to go away for weekends/holidays as I always struggled to find cover. But it didn't take long once on the livery yard I moved to, to realise how good I had it at my own place. The biggest bugbear of livery yards is turnout, or rather lack of it. Finally in Feb I found a private yard to rent again. Yes I now have to worry about looking after my fields, fencing, removing muck heaps, getting haylage delivered etc BUT I can do what I want, when I want it. I can turn out even when it's tipping down with rain, I don't have to queue to use the school or worry about people taking my things.

The only danger of having your own place is the temptation to keeping adding more horses to your collection!

 

[myhorsefred]

gedenskis_girl - yes, I agree completely. I am always trying to find an excuse that I need another horse. I have a spare stable and I could so easily buy another horsey!

 

[Lollii]

I did that! moved to our house/yard with 3 horses, we have 8 stables - guess how many horses we have now - 8!

 

[Pep12]

Hi, I moved from a very sociable yet smallish yard to a private yard where I was the only livery and really missed the social for the first month. I now have moved horses to my own place and couldn't be happier. It si the best thing I ever did. My boy is so much more chilled as he knows where he is just having me, my OH and a couple of friends (when required) to look after him. I think he missed the small herd company to start with but is now quite happy with just one friend. We don't miss the company as we are out at RC training and comps and my lot are really friendly and will organise to go for hacks out together at beach, woods etc.

If you miss the social side, get involved with your local friendly RC and you will be crying out for "me" time!!!

 

[rubyrumba]

We bought a smallholding a few months back and i much prefer it to a livery yard. You can do what you want, when you want and how you want to do it! Can have my dogs with me all the time ( couldn't take them to the livery yard). If i wake up in the middle of the night and can't sleep i can go and speak to the horses. The list goes on.... My friend has her farm about a mile away so i can ride with her etc.

 

[YorksG]

My sister and I pooled resources 14 years ago and bought a small holding, we do the horses together and ususally ride together, but we are also active members of our local RC and that works out well, lots of social rides (we are a very Sociable club

) and you can choose who you spend time with and who you don't. We are lucky as well as in 12 houses on the land 4 of them have horses! This means if you have an emergency there is always someone to call on. The best of all possible worlds, including putting horses out while you are wearing your dressing gown and PJ's

 

[MrsMozart]

Can't wait to get our own place - we're in the process of tidying up house and deciding on area, which I think is just about agreed upon by all

.

Daughter rides. Hubby and other daughter don't, but they like to ride bikes so we'll all be outing and abouting together anyway

.

I will miss people

. Daughter has some excellent lessons, the best she's ever had, so will have to work something out on that one. And will miss the chats, but people will come visit and spend all weekend chatting

 

[Janah]

I have gone from livery to having pony at home. I love the freedom of no one to intefere how I look after my two. i love being able to do horses at really odd hours in PJ's. I don't even miss riding out with anyone else as I rarely did, for various reasons.

I do however feel lonely at times and to a certain extent feel I've lost drive and motivation to get out there and do things.

I wouldn't go back to livery however.

jane

 

[custard]

[ QUOTE ]
I have done similar to you, moved from DIY livery to my own (rented) place. I love it! I love the solitude, just me and the horses and would never go back to livery or even share with anyone. It does help that I am an antisocial person with no friends though

[/ QUOTE ]

Me too, been on my own yard a year now and love it, love it, love it. My job involves talking a lot of the time so only too glad to have the peace and quiet plus it's an escape from my husband, his off spring and friends (I don't 'do' kids). Don't get me wrong I love friends to drop in but prefer to be my own boss. Lived on my own for 7 years so very at home with my own company, humbug!