True costs of DIY-ing in South East

[PenttiTepponen]

Hi Everyone

This is my first post in H&H forum since I have at the grand age of 39 finally have my own neddy. Been riding since I was 6 (with a break in between, hence only getting my own now) and now going to have a chilled out life with a retired racer doing low level comps and hacking and general mooching around.

He is at part livery now and it is costly plus I feel other people look after him, not me. I miss just doing the proper horsey things, mucking out and feeding and in general being in his life. I do of course love riding too, but I am much happier when doing the other bits!! Plus the place I am considering allows dogs and this would mean combining my animal time.

Outside of the obvious cost of the livery yard stable and field space could someone help me with the other DIY costs in SE England, please?

Hay/haylage, bedding, supplements.... Particularly in the winter, I know summer is a bit different with grass etc. What are the unexpected I have not necessarily though about? ie the things that you do not ever consider their costs of when you are on part livery. I do not know yet if he is a good or bad doer with his feed since only had him for short time and the part livery of course is mainly in charge on the feed side.

I also need to consider the initial set up costs.... like wheelbarrows and forks etc...

How do people manage when they are on hols / ill / etc? Do most people go every am and pm or do you share duties?

Does anyone use any freelance grooms or do you just share with the other owners at the yard?

Anything else perhaps?

Thank you very much in advance everyone - it is great to have such a resource of people who are willing to help.

 

[ihatework]

How DIY yards are managed vary considerably, so it really is about asking the right questions.
Supply of hay and bedding can get very pricy if you have little storage and have to purchase in small quantities from commercial source, versus big bale home grown supplies. The former could cost you double the latter.

Equally your horse will need attending to twice a day, the thing that can be tricky with DIY is each livery having slightly different schedules. So you may well need help and it will vary on if you can exchange favours or need to pay for assistance.

If truth be told, if you are paying commercial rates on hay/bedding, have any significant amount of petrol/travel cost and are reliant on paying for assistance then in a lot of cases there isn't much saving to be had on part livery.

 

[chestnut cob]

You don't have to go onto pure DIY; there are compromises.
Personally full livery mon-fri suits my lifestyle and work commitments better but in the past I've been on an assisted DIY. The yard would TO and BI daily, which avoids having to go up twice a day (I can never commit to that) and also gets your horse onto the yard routine. You can then do your MO yourself. If your yard is very flexible, you can TO or BI yourself one end of the day, or at weekends. I've always looked for a yard which will cover you when you're on holiday or ill so can't get there, which would the be charged at a daily full livery rate (more expensive than full time FL).

At some places you have to buy bedding, feed and forage from the yard. In others, you sort it out yourself which means you need to ensure you have access to sufficient storage.

I'm not in the SE, I'm in the Midlands, but TBH I found there isn't that much difference in costs if you start adding on services, needing to buy own bedding etc, and going part or full livery.

 

[JennBags]

We have services at our yard, so if we go away or are ill, we can get the yard to do ours. To be honest by the time you factor in your time and the costs of driving to and from the yard every day, mostly twice a day, financially there's not much in it, I much prefer to be in charge of my horse's welfare though.

I pay £100-£120/month in the winter for hay and haylage but we put out a lot in the field and I have a big horse who has ad-lib forage.
Bedding costs are also high, in the winter, I put 2-3 bales in a week at about £6/bale but I'm just moving to straw which should reduce this cost.
Hard feed costs me about £10/week plus supplements.
Don't underestimate how expensive the equipment is. Wheelbarrows are upwards of £50 for a decent one, a fork is around £30 and brooms about £10. You'll also need water buckets and feed buckets, possibly bucket covers, hay nets, feed storage bins, scoops etc. It's never ending :lol:

 

[9tails]

I'm in the SE, on one of the more expensive yards in the area but I think you get what you pay for. Mine is £160 per month for stable and space in field, use of school, lunge pen and farm ride with good hacking all round and a little roadwork. The rest is my responsibility of course, though the yard sell nice hay which is delivered weekly to your storage spot, £4.50 per small bale and I use 3 a week. My bedding is wood pellets that I buy as a ton pallet per year, £245. Horse lives out 24/7 over four months in summer. Hard feed is your preference, but I buy a balancer, chaff, treats etc for around £30 per month. I go twice a day every day, I don't use services but others do and they're supplied by other liveries. Full day care is about £8-10 and turn out/in is £2-3.

My tools probably cost me about £250 with haynets (10), feed trugs (6), water bucket, wheelbarrow, mucking out fork, broom etc etc. My feed is kept in a large metal feed bin and that cost £150.

Rubber matting cost me £180 9 years ago.

 

[Sparemare]

I agree with 9tails' post. Would add that straw is £2.50 for a small bale at the moment and I expect to use 3 a week.

 

[PenttiTepponen]

Hi all

Thank you all so much for your answers. Lots of forage (see what I did there!) for thought. I am going to check out a potential DIY yard tomorrow and now have a clearer picture of what to ask. I am going to make a list I think so I don't forget anything.

It does appear that ££ wise there isnt THAT much in it... However this would not just be about the cost - as people have said I would like to a.) learn everything that it takes to be in charge of m own horses welfare b.) be able to bond with him more (ha, the idealist! Bet it'll be lovely when I cant catch him in the pissing rain on winter evening when I am in a hurry somewhere) c.) I'd be able to bring the dogs and this particular place is at the end of a road so much safer for my no-idea-that-cars-kill trrier.

Lots to consider - please keep the ideas coming if anyone has something to add!

 

[Shay]

DIY costs vary very much across the South East. I was surprised to read 9tails feels her £160 a month is one of the more expensive yards. We are up close to London which obviously makes things more expensive but we pay £200 a month. Stable, turn out, 2 schools one lit, wash bay etc.

All in - insurance, vaccinations, shoeing, feed, livery etc etc I know my good do-er pony cob costs £25 per day. I had to work it out to decide what to charge for a sharer. And I know the thinner skinned competition ones cost more because the eat more! (I can't bring myself to work that out!)

 

[JennBags]

DIY costs vary very much across the South East. I was surprised to read 9tails feels her £160 a month is one of the more expensive yards. We are up close to London which obviously makes things more expensive but we pay £200 a month. Stable, turn out, 2 schools one lit, wash bay etc.

We're on the south coast and pay about £200 a month for DIY, no feed or bedding included. We do have a lovely school, a walker, solarium and amazing hacking though as well as a very well-run and tidy yard with AYTO.