Why does nobody want grass livery anymore?!

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laurafrance

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I have been advertising grazing in an 11 acre field in Fletching, East Sussex to share with my mare and 2 ponies and a friends mare, with direct access to fantastic off road riding, including to an equestrian centre which has facilities you can hire.....from £10 per week for DIY, assisted available ......but not a single phonecall!!! Does everyone just stable their horses these days?! I remember when good grazing was like hens teeth and everyone would fall over themselves to get good grass livery, especially when its so cheap!! What does everyone else think? Is a sand school the key thing or stables? Or have I just been advertising in the wrong places!!! Would love to know how other grass livery providers are fairing!:confused:
 
OMG if you were in Surrey I would bite your hand off for it! We do not have enough good grass livery in our area and it is about twice to three times the price:eek:
 
I know, I always really struggled to find decent grass livery and couldn't believe my luck when finally found this field, but can't believe that no one else is interested!!!
 
I think there are lots of people looking for GL out there, particularly if you mention ex. hacking and nearby schooling facilities.

What you are offering is at a very good price as well. I pay £12 a week for GL with the use of arena at an extra cost on top of that and we are always having to turn away people looking for GL. This is a managed yard though, whereas you are more of a private set up which may appeal more to people looking for a bit of peace and quiet!.

Maybe it's just the time of year where there is grass a plenty and you will have people begging for your grazing come november!

Do you have any field shelters/barns? this is a bonus if people want to have some undercover area to keep their horse in for vets or illnesses etc. Some people like the flexibility of having a stable to use for occasional use and over night in winter which seems the norm these days.
 
No, unfortunately no shelters/ barn/ stables just a no frills field with water trough. I think that's the problem! Oh well, I just feel sorry for my 3 fatties who are electric taped into a tiny postage stamp of a corner gazing out onto all that lush grass!!!
 
can you move to herefordshire please... im looking for it up here but everyone wants you to pay for your stable as well. I just want a nice feild with a constant water supply (as pink has decided streams are beneath her) for two horses at a reasonable price.

Sigh, MIL lives in east sussex, my favourite place in the world.
 
if you have room you could do a round pen only needs to be 20 x 20 and you could put some shaving s down to make it usable in winter you can lunge in it too or free school

we made ours tho we getting a guy to dig the track out and put a membrane down then shavings on to.
least it would be one facility
 
I know...it took me almost 2 years to find this field and I honestly thought there would be people lined up down the (very quiet) lane to share it with me, especially as the hacking is so good and you can hack to the equestrian centre! I hated having to pay for stables I didn't really want and be told when I could and couldn't turn my horses out...used to drive me INSANE! I must be in the minority thinking that heaven is a perimeter fence, water trough, great hacking and peace and quiet!!!
 
as you are offering grass livery for £10, how do you cover your liability insurance and water rates on £10/week?
people do want grass livery that is well maintained, well fenced, with a menage, water, electric, tack room. i would suspect it is the lack of facilities that are putting people off. what about late night checks?, someone on site etc?
 
I run a no frills yard - DIY, no leccy, no facilities. Just grazing & water & a little area of hardcore. Access to emergency stable if leg about to drop off, but definitely no frills!
Also in East Sussex. Have a waiting list long as my arm - people round me seem desperate for cheap grass livery. I charge a lot more than you, OP!
 
Oh well thats good news, although i'm not looking to run a livery just find a couple of like minded people to share the field with and help keep the grass down, help pay the rent and maybe keep an eye on each others horses when work/holidays/ life in general throws a spanner in the works!!
 
If it is just a field with no place to tie up horses for grooming and no place to store tack or feed and other items then that might be the issue rather than the school especially if you can hack to an equestrian center where you can hire a school

I am on grass livery and it is very popular with no space but it is not just a field we have facilities too - I would as a minimum want hard standing for farrier and a place to be able to tie my pony up to groom him and tack him up plus storage for my feed, tack, rugs, grooming kit etc.
 
OP do not despair. Your facility sounds absolutely fab, but its just that the "right" livery hasn't come along yet!!

I had a similar situation a year ago, was offering what I thought was a pretty good set-up for a good price, but people kept coming and looking at it and turning up their noses at it and I was getting all grumpy and discouraged and wondered what the heck I was doing wrong ..... then because I was so desperate for company for my boy, I got someone in who was totally a wrong choice and was an absolute disaster. Believe me, the "wrong" person with the wrong pony/horse, is deffo what you want to avoid like the plague.

Anyway, she took herself off, thank gawd - and I re-advertised, thinking heh hoh here we go again.

Then the right person showed up; and wow what a difference its made having a really super livery around with absolutely gorgeous ponies, and kids who really enjoy their ponies and are a pleasure to have on the yard :) :) :)

So just hang in there - don't despair, the right person will be along (but in the meantime stick out and don't compromise by having someone you've got a gut feeling isn't totally right).
 
This Could Also Be Due To Where Its The Start Of Summer And Theres Lots Of Nutrition In The Grass And Most Horse Owners Would Like To Keep There Horse On A Balanced Diet, This Is Where The Lack Of Fresh Grass Is Being Used..
At The Moment People Are Stuggling To Sell There Horses In The UK, Maybe Its Down To The Time Of Year, But Nobodys Buying, So Maybe It Could Boil Down To That, Im Sure Its Not Where You Are Or How You Advertising Or Anything Like That, There Has To Be A Lodgic Explaination!
Hoped This Has Helped A Tad (:
Clo
 
Because horsies get cold in the winter! haha but on a serious note, even though both mine live out, i like to have a stable and tackroom to keep my stuff in and to groom them, and also if you had an emergency (laminitus etc.) you would need a stable. You can buy the little mobile stables (the ones with a gate door so they can be left open and double as a field shelter) for not too much!
 
I searched for grass livery for 3 years after moving to a new area. However, I wanted more than just a field. Some fields were very exposed and had no natural/manmade shelter or hard standing.
The place I'm at now, has lots of shelter, optional stables, tack/feed room and electricity. I could manage with less, but it wouldn't be much fun. The thought of holding a horse for the EDT/farrier, in high winds or sleet, in a field sounds hard work.
We have a grass school but the ground is rock hard, and hiring one costs £10 for a session. That puts the cost of the actual livery up considerably.
So for me, grass livery is perfect, but with frills.
 
Where have you advertised? I keep my horses near Uckfield and always keep an eye open for cheaper options for keeping my horses and have not seen your advert.
I would suggest the Friday Ad as a starting point.
Sadly Fletching is just a little too far for me, I am the wrong side of Uckfield to you.
 
misst said:
OMG if you were in Surrey I would bite your hand off for it! We do not have enough good grass livery in our area and it is about twice to three times the price:eek:
Click to expand...

Ditto this, my grass livery is £240 a month including a check and feed!

I think the key is a sand school as so many people are working longer hours that a school with lights is a must if exercising during the week.

HOWEVER even more important than this is hard standing area. Even if it's just a bit of hard core. My farrier and many others I know will not shoe out of a field with no hard standing area available. It doesn't have to be huge and in the past i've been lucky enough to find hardcore for free but that area for tie up and shoeing really adds to an equestrian field.
 
Grass Livery! its virtually unheard of near me! We have summer turnout through the day and thats it. I would love to keep my two on grass livery, they would love it!
 
Would it be worth making haylage or hay from the rest of the land if you can't find someone to share it? It may make more money, and would get the grass down!
 
misst said:
OMG if you were in Surrey I would bite your hand off for it! We do not have enough good grass livery in our area and it is about twice to three times the price:eek:
Click to expand...


So when/if I advertise, instead of putting DIY, I'd be better off putting grass livery - with own stable for storage or to do with as you wish?
Have lots of hard standing, lights in stables - tho no tackroom or school.
Mind you, the hacking doesn't include roadwork unless riders choose to!

However, am still enjoying being on my own at the moment :o
 
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