What to do - sickly horse West of London

tobiano1984

tobiano1984

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Just looking for hive mind brainstorming I think…so:
I moved my horse (cob gelding, horse of a lifetime, had 11 years) to be nearer me (in central london) and he’s currently at a lovely yard in Berkshire. So well looked after and very happy with the place, although just been told it’s being sold. The other problem is that since moving him he’s developed asthma or something along those lines, as they’re all on straw. Even if I changed his bedding, he’s surrounded by a barn full of it. Previously he was living out all year round up in Suffolk for a few years.
So I now have the issue that in the next few months I need to move him, whilst accommodating his apparent straw allergy, not having him even further from me, not paying what is equating to about £150 a ride at the moment 😩
I’ve recently moved myself (in Chelsea) and it now takes at least an hour to get there, sometimes more with London traffic. Trying to work out my options - do I find a field/track livery somewhere further away, which will mean it’s harder for me to get there but it’s cheaper and he’s healthier?
Or I spend even more money on another full livery yard where he will still potentially struggle with being stabled.
For context, we previously competed at a decent level of dressage, he’s impeccably schooled and very talented. Selling isn’t an option, and I wouldn’t really want to loan him out (he has a sharer at the moment).
I’m sad I don’t see him enough, and feels like the bond is suffering for it, as the first 8 or so years together I saw him all day every day, but life changed and work etc has dictated where I live. My parents are inconveniently emigrating to Spain so the previous option of sending him up to Suffolk and seeing him less but knowing he was affordably happy (and near my other horse, who is on loan to a friend) is no longer there.

I’m not even sure what I’m asking, and props to you if you read this far. I guess - any bright ideas of places West of London (the M4 is ideal) where I’m not paying 1000s a month…or other ideas.

One day in the not too distant future I’d like to move out of London again but I can’t really do that in the short term.

It’s also been miserably apparent that since I relinquished full control of him hes suffered for it, with laminitis, mud fever, these allergies, weight problems etc (not the fault of the current yard I hasten to add) which makes me feel even more guilty than I already do for hardly ever seeing him.
 
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coblets

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Fairlawn Farm (track livery), and Tacky Central and Potten Farm (equicentral) aren't too far from you. I have no personal experience with them though.
 
Bernster

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It’s tough being near London and trying to find a good arrangement. It tends to mean a min of 30 mins drive (public transport options almost non existent). I’m not so strong on West London options (there is a regional page on this forum) but there are a few more tracks liveries going up and most yards I’ve been on have all been on shavings. Have you posted on local FB pages for other Berks options?

It’s not cheap ofc.

I wouldn’t recommend PF - google the reviews (not mine) to understand why. I know of 4 others who would agree with those reviews inc me.
 
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Skib

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We are in SW London. There are yards offering livery round Richmond Park, Ham and Wimbledon, (consult the BHS list) with more further out towards Chessington or Epsom Downs and Headley. Petersham farm used to do a lot of turn out but it has just changed hands, you would need to enquire. Land prices in London are high, so obviously the further out you go, turn out becomes cheaper and easier to find.
There is public transport near to most of the yards. But the best thing to do is to make a list and drive round looking at them.
 
tobiano1984

tobiano1984

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Skib said:
We are in SW London. There are yards offering livery round Richmond Park, Ham and Wimbledon, (consult the BHS list) with more further out towards Chessington or Epsom Downs and Headley. Petersham farm used to do a lot of turn out but it has just changed hands, you would need to enquire. Land prices in London are high, so obviously the further out you go, turn out becomes cheaper and easier to find.
There is public transport near to most of the yards. But the best thing to do is to make a list and drive round looking at them.
Click to expand...
Weirdly I’ve found it easier to get out west than SW, out on the a4/M4 - I looked at a yard in Surrey and took me an hour to travel the 11 miles there 😂
 
tobiano1984

tobiano1984

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Skib said:
We are in SW London. There are yards offering livery round Richmond Park, Ham and Wimbledon, (consult the BHS list) with more further out towards Chessington or Epsom Downs and Headley. Petersham farm used to do a lot of turn out but it has just changed hands, you would need to enquire. Land prices in London are high, so obviously the further out you go, turn out becomes cheaper and easier to find.
There is public transport near to most of the yards. But the best thing to do is to make a list and drive round looking at them.
Click to expand...
I found Surrey took longer to get to than Berkshire - more miles out on the m4 but you can get deeper into proper countryside quicker
 
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Skib

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I grew up in Surrey, near Epsom so dont know M4 or A4. Just saying there is good livery close to SW London. And good areas to ride.
Chelsea isnt wonderful for Underground. But there are buses to Putney. You can get a bus from Putney to Stag Lodge or Wimbledon. Or walk from Richmond Station on the riverside path to the yards at Ham. Buses use a bus lane to cross the river so are quicker than a private car.
We need to do the same in reverse to get to central London. It is no hardship.
If you try to leave London by car in the evening rush hour it will indeed take you hours to get anywhere.
 
Palindrome

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My mare used to be on a lovely little DIY yard near Hillingdon/Hayes, the YM was lovely and someone offered ad hock services.
If you can, I would move closer to the greenbelt, there are more yards.
 
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Northern Hare

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tobiano1984 said:
I found Surrey took longer to get to than Berkshire - more miles out on the m4 but you can get deeper into proper countryside quicker
Click to expand...
Have a look around the Chorleywood, Rickmansworth, Sarratt area for livery yards. It's a very horsey area on the Herts/Bucks border, it's near to the M25/M40 and has good train/metro access - to Chorleywood and Rickmansworth anyway.
 
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I think it is very difficult to find part livery in the area that caters for a laminitic that potentially has a dust allergy.

Sasha Hamilton in Jordans was advertising full grass livery with "starvation paddocks" but I have seen that that yard has been proposed for development with locals opposition and whilst the planning has been withdrawn I would not be surprised if they went for development at some point but if you are thinking of moving out of London that might tide you over for a bit.

Petersham Farm in Richmond has been taken over by Operation Centaur and are advertising for livery but I expect the location and that they are offering all year turnout will make it top end prices. The video on the website show Hermes products so I expect that will be well over £1000 a month. No footage of their turnout.

Where I am beds on shavings and can steam or soak hay if dust is an issue but they have a lot of grass if you have a native or cob type and I would not say an easy yard for weight control. Great yard if you have something that needs a lot of food.

I think a lot of the part livery yards near to London are catering for the very wealthy women with dressage horse types that like their horses in show condition which is way too fat to be healthy. Finding something suitable that has turnout for a good doer is going to be challenging. There are a lot of overweight under exercised horses out there.

I think you really to keep on top of the weight issue if your horse needs to be kept slim to prevent laminitis and you need to see your horse on a regular basis to do that. I got time poor and Bert's weight got out of control what would have been an ideal weight for a sports or competition horse coming into spring was not the idea weight for a new forest pony in light work. A new forest pony coming out of winter going into spring should not be condition score 3.5. Top spec weighed him and told YO he was ideal weight at 3.5 and he should not loose any more weight going into spring which is actually quite dangerous advice as he should be condition score 3 and he is a native pony so will be more prone to laminitis. It is not the YO fault if the feed companies give poor advice.

A track livery would be best but they are in short supply throughout the country and often have waiting lists.
 
tobiano1984

tobiano1984

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SO1 said:
I think it is very difficult to find part livery in the area that caters for a laminitic that potentially has a dust allergy.

Sasha Hamilton in Jordans was advertising full grass livery with "starvation paddocks" but I have seen that that yard has been proposed for development with locals opposition and whilst the planning has been withdrawn I would not be surprised if they went for development at some point but if you are thinking of moving out of London that might tide you over for a bit.

Petersham Farm in Richmond has been taken over by Operation Centaur and are advertising for livery but I expect the location and that they are offering all year turnout will make it top end prices. The video on the website show Hermes products so I expect that will be well over £1000 a month. No footage of their turnout.

Where I am beds on shavings and can steam or soak hay if dust is an issue but they have a lot of grass if you have a native or cob type and I would not say an easy yard for weight control. Great yard if you have something that needs a lot of food.

I think a lot of the part livery yards near to London are catering for the very wealthy women with dressage horse types that like their horses in show condition which is way too fat to be healthy. Finding something suitable that has turnout for a good doer is going to be challenging. There are a lot of overweight under exercised horses out there.

I think you really to keep on top of the weight issue if your horse needs to be kept slim to prevent laminitis and you need to see your horse on a regular basis to do that. I got time poor and Bert's weight got out of control what would have been an ideal weight for a sports or competition horse coming into spring was not the idea weight for a new forest pony in light work. A new forest pony coming out of winter going into spring should not be condition score 3.5. Top spec weighed him and told YO he was ideal weight at 3.5 and he should not loose any more weight going into spring which is actually quite dangerous advice as he should be condition score 3 and he is a native pony so will be more prone to laminitis. It is not the YO fault if the feed companies give poor advice.

A track livery would be best but they are in short supply throughout the country and often have waiting lists.
Click to expand...
Yes all the problems I’m coming across! He only had the one lami bout last spring (the only one in 15 years) and that was entirely due to poor management of the yard, they could have easily caught it earlier but left him out. So usually he’s fine with reasonable grass, and correct management. Currently he’s the slimmest he’s ever been and is borderline underweight for his build, but kind of what I want coming out of winter.
I think my key issues are, in priority:
His welfare
Affordability
My enjoyment of owning a horse

So I think I would consider moving him further from London (currently near Maidenhead) if he could have a really nice set up, track livery etc, and I’d only see him once or twice a week but know he’s happy and well, and would hopefully cost less than London-adjacent prices..!
 
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SO1

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tobiano1984 said:
Yes all the problems I’m coming across! He only had the one lami bout last spring (the only one in 15 years) and that was entirely due to poor management of the yard, they could have easily caught it earlier but left him out. So usually he’s fine with reasonable grass, and correct management. Currently he’s the slimmest he’s ever been and is borderline underweight for his build, but kind of what I want coming out of winter.
I think my key issues are, in priority:
His welfare
Affordability
My enjoyment of owning a horse

So I think I would consider moving him further from London (currently near Maidenhead) if he could have a really nice set up, track livery etc, and I’d only see him once or twice a week but know he’s happy and well, and would hopefully cost less than London-adjacent prices..!
Click to expand...
Where I am is nearer to London than Maidenhead and might be ok as no straw if he is ok in a muzzle. What is your budget for affordability?
 
SEL

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tobiano1984 said:
Yes all the problems I’m coming across! He only had the one lami bout last spring (the only one in 15 years) and that was entirely due to poor management of the yard, they could have easily caught it earlier but left him out. So usually he’s fine with reasonable grass, and correct management. Currently he’s the slimmest he’s ever been and is borderline underweight for his build, but kind of what I want coming out of winter.
I think my key issues are, in priority:
His welfare
Affordability
My enjoyment of owning a horse

So I think I would consider moving him further from London (currently near Maidenhead) if he could have a really nice set up, track livery etc, and I’d only see him once or twice a week but know he’s happy and well, and would hopefully cost less than London-adjacent prices..!
Click to expand...
Chesham any good? There's an Equicentral yard there run by experienced people so he'd be out 24:7 but they can muzzle or pull off grass if needed
 
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