What should i find first, horse or a yard?

[hoir14]

So in a few months i will be looking for my first horse, but im stuck on one issue... do i find a horse first then look for a yard and accept the fact that it may not be exactly what i want then move at a later date when a space becomes available at a yard i may want and risk unsettling the horse or do i find the yard first? If i find the yard first will i have to pay some sort of holding fee for the stable? Chances are i may be looking for a while as i want to buy one that i want to keep for life, But then i dont want to find the perfect horse and then be turned away because i dont have everything sorted for the horse to come right away...

 

[windand rain]

Suitable livery with plenty winter turnout first and then buy the horse and yes you will likely have to pay a fee while you are looking but at least you have somewhere you like and will suit the horse when you start out

 

[be positive]

It depends in part on the choice of yards in your area, whether most can offer what you require or if there is likely to be limited options to choose from, if the former start actively looking for the horse first, if the latter you may need to get on a list/ hold a space if they have one but if you wait until about late March/ April it may be easier for the right yard to fit you in because horses are getting turned out for the summer.

I would say probably look for the horse because it can take months to find one and if you are paying for a stable you may feel more pressured into rushing, if the seller is genuine most will hold the horse once vetted and paid for, I certainly have a few times if the buyer has not been able to move it for a couple of weeks.

 

[ihatework]

I would research the yards in the area to see what’s on offer and how popular they are.

If you have choice and can be fairly confident of finding a stable then I’d wait until you have found a horse.

If the choice is limited and competitive then I’d get in a wait list and pay to hold a stable when it comes up

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

There's no point in buying a horse without having anywhere to keep it so sort out a suitable yard. Once you've found a suitable place you will most likely have to pay a price each week to keep the stable for you while you find yourself as horse.

 

[Leo Walker]

Find the yard first. When I got Bobbie I didnt have anywhere to put her and that lead to me making a decision on going somewhere I wasnt sure about. There was no pressure from her old owner, but I wanted to get her with me and get on. Lo and behold 6 weeks later I got assaulted by the YM and had to have the police involved to get my stuff back. You literally couldnt have made it up it was that ridiculous! So I'd always find the yard first!

 

[Bellaboo18]

This is actually a really tricky question and I had the same problem last year. The problem with finding the yard first is it puts pressure on then finding the perfect horse so you're not paying to hold a stable for too long but if you find the horse first you might end up at a yard you're not 100% happy with 🤷‍♀️ The last thing you want is to have to move and unsettle your new horse again shortly after you've got them BUT the right first horse can take some finding!
Definitely start by having a good look what livery yards are around you, visit them, chat to the yard owners and ask about waiting lists etc. Have a think about what you want from a yard. I think I'd rather pay for someone to hold a horse than a stable.
Buying your second or third horse is easier 😉 by then if you've been on a yard for a while the yo is more likely to be flexible with holding a stable.

 

[Barlow]

I’d say find a decent yard first. Get to know the people on it and the yard owner. You may well find something that ticks your boxes through the word of mouth route once you’ve found a decent YO and bunch of liveries.

 

[Maesto's Girl]

I'd find the yard first....but then where I am, good yards are very hard to come by as lots have closed or are closing.

 

[newboult51]

Another one for yard first, buying a horse and having nowhere to put it could be very stressful

 

[SallyBatty]

I would start looking for a yard first as you may have to go on a waiting list depending on the sort of yard you are looking for, how many are in the area and how popular they are. Also, if you start looking during the winter you will see them at their worst as far as conditions and turnout are concerned. The amount of choice you have will depend on the facilities you want and whether that is DIY, Assisted, Part or Full Livery.

Good luck with the search for both yard and horse.

 

[Tihamandturkey]

Another vote for yard first - if you know what facilities and turn out are available to you it will really help when looking for the right horse 🙂

 

[ownedbyaconnie]

I bought my first horse last January and I had my stable sorted first. There are very few yards in my area that weren’t miles away from my work so when I found one I liked I was more than happy to pay a holding fee. Luckily I did then find my pony about a month later but I would have kept it for months if need be! I’ve been on a few yards with loan ponies and finding the perfect yard (or close to) is like gold dust!

You really don’t want to potentially ruin your first few weeks with new pony by being in a really bitchy yard or hating the turnout etc.

 

[Bermuda]

I would say choose the yard first, especially for your first horse a yard has a huge influence on how easy or hard it is to keep a horse in my humble opinion. Having knowledgeable staff and liveries around that will support you and guide you should not be underestimated, and good yards often have waiting lists. I don’t know what sort of facilities you would like but I found finding a yard with all the basics which make horse owning easier quite hard - being within a suitable distance to travel, the livery type you need, how much turnout they are allowed summer and winter, how pleasant the atmosphere is, indoor/ outdoor school, hacking, the rules of the yard etc. It is amazing how much can and will go wrong with horses so it is handy to have support on hand.

 

[Pippity]

I went for yard first, because I wanted to be on the yard where I'd shared a horse for four years. I wanted to be sure of having people and staff around that I knew I could trust, especially as I'd be having full livery.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Blimey! I'm going to go against the grain here, look for the horse first, unless yards are in very short supply where you are. You have no idea how long it will take to find the horse, you might end up spending all your budget on an empty stable!

 

[be positive]

Blimey! I'm going to go against the grain here, look for the horse first, unless yards are in very short supply where you are. You have no idea how long it will take to find the horse, you might end up spending all your budget on an empty stable!

Also judging by the numerous threads on here about livery yards not living up to expectations I don't know how the would be livery can really judge a yard until they are there with the horse, most places promise a lot but in reality may not provide what is expected so I would not pick a yard, unless as I said earlier there is a shortage to choose from, until you know you are at least making progress with a purchase.
If you buy, move the horse to the yard of choice and it or you are not happy don't be afraid to move, most horses settle quickly enough in the right yard and they are often equally quick to let you know when they are not happy somewhere.

 

[JennBags]

Agree with PAS and be positive, it can take months to find the right horse, and you don't want to be paying for an empty box. Find the yard you want to go to, and have a couple as short-term backup, you can always find livery and what might not seem the perfect yard on paper might turn out to be.

 

[Red-1]

I would scope out the yards first. If they are full you need to get on a wait list first. If they are not full then IME many will either not charge, or only charge a nominal fee, while they have empty stables.

That way you have an idea of what your position is.

If you come to the top of the wait list then you have to decide weather to let the stable go or not. It has increased your options.

If the empty yard fills up then you have to decide weather to start paying for the stable, but you have increased your options.

If your research shows that there are no free places, you will know that paying for a stable from as soon as it is available is worthwhile.

 

[FestiveFuzz]

I would always find the yard first and then the horse, as a bad yard really can ruin the enjoyment of having a horse.

 

[oldie48]

I'm another who would look at yards and assess availability etc but look for the horse first. If you can't get on your first choice yard then moving later on shouldn't be a problem. I know some people say their horse is very unsettled on changing yards but tbh I've never experienced it, they might be a little more lit up or maybe a lttle withdrawn but generally the sort of horses which are suitable for first time buyers should be able to take things in their stride. Basically I think if you are paying to hold a stable then it might put pressure on you to buy.

 

[Muddywellies]

I would find a yard first as nice yards with space are like hens teeth round here. You couldn't expect the yard owner to be out of pocket so you will have to pay the going rate for the empty stable whilst you're looking. But I would be happy with that, knowing that I had a nice stable ready for my new horse.

 

[Tihamandturkey]

Blimey! I'm going to go against the grain here, look for the horse first, unless yards are in very short supply where you are. You have no idea how long it will take to find the horse, you might end up spending all your budget on an empty stable!

Unfortunately it appears that in most areas of the UK (& also in Ireland where I live) good yards really are in very short supply - a sign of the times it seems 😕

 

[whiteflower]

Unfortunately it appears that in most areas of the UK (& also in Ireland where I live) good yards really are in very short supply - a sign of the times it seems 😕

This, I think it depends where you are location wise as to which way round would be better to do things. My friend has just brought a horse after a break of 10 years and it's currently on holiday in the field with me, 2 hours away from her as the area she lives has had numerous yards close and trying to get space for a new horse into the area is proving almost impossible as there are large numbers of people from closing/closed yards looking for somewhere to put there horses. She says its barely a case of 'choosing' a yard. If there is a space, you take it !
Clearly from above posts other areas have much more availability so you may be able to have your pick once you have the horse. Not a clear answer but only you will know how the livery situation is in your area

 

[spookypony]

Depends where you are. Up here, there are quite a few yards to choose from, catering for various needs, so here, I'd find the horse first, and then worry about where to put it.

 

[9tails]

Yard here. There are so few yards or fields to rent around my area that a horse could end up in my back garden for a month or two.

 

[Birker2020]

So in a few months i will be looking for my first horse, but im stuck on one issue... do i find a horse first then look for a yard and accept the fact that it may not be exactly what i want then move at a later date when a space becomes available at a yard i may want and risk unsettling the horse or do i find the yard first? If i find the yard first will i have to pay some sort of holding fee for the stable? Chances are i may be looking for a while as i want to buy one that i want to keep for life, But then i dont want to find the perfect horse and then be turned away because i dont have everything sorted for the horse to come right away...

I'd be inclined to find a suitable yard nearer the time of looking for a horse and holding it for a few weeks. This way you can gradually introduce your belongings to the yard prior to the arrival of the horse and pay a nominal fee. Then it won't be a massive rush when you have found a suitable horse to buy as all your equipment, rugs, feed bins and bed will all be there waiting and organised. This is also an excellent way of getting to meet prospective liveries ahead of getting your horse and checking out the facilities and local area for hacking etc.

Our yard usually lets you hold a stable for a few weeks for £20 per week which I think is fair but I think this is for people who have previously been there and lost a horse and are looking to get another one. So i should imagine in other circumstances most yards would ask more. I shall certainly ask if I can hold my stable if anything (God forbid) happened to my horse before I bought another. What you don't want in any situation is to feel like you are rushing into buying the first horse that comes along because you are worried about losing your stable or the yard that you have found that you really like.

 

[pansymouse]

In my area it would be complete stupidity to go horse shopping without a yard space lined up. I paid two months livery whilst I was looking so I could be confident that I had a the right place to take her to. There is no joy trying to form a bond with a new horse when you are not comfortable with your livery arrangements.