Working In London & Having Horses - Your Experiences

[siobhain]

Hello!
As title really, would love to hear your experiences of how you made this work.

I am just about at the end of my tether with my job but unfortunatly due to the industry I'm in to get another I would have to move to London. While I could just about commute from Oxford there would be NO time for my horse. I would be making quite a substantial amount more but I imagine this would be eaten up by more expensive rent in London.

Is full livery really the only way? Living central and travelling out to ride? Or maybe living and stabling in greater london DIY? Im on DIY at the moment and drive about 45mins to work with my yard pretty much half way between house and work. Should also add my yard is £27p/w and I guess I would be dreaming to think I would find anywhere with decent facilities and turnout for that price around London?

 

[mhorses]

I live in Bayswater in a tiny bed sit and work on brompton rd (just down from harrods). I hop home and lift my bag with my jods etc and get a train at South Kensington Tube Station to hounslow east (about 20mins or so) my stables are 2minute walk from the station or if there is a bus driving past i will get it or if it raining, which takes 30seconds literally. Changing facilities at yard and im on part livery (they do horse in morning and i tend to him at evening and ride) Its well worth it even if it cost £90 per week including haylage.

 

[amycamycamyc]

there's quite a few previous threads on here about this sort of thing if you search for them. In general there's most choice of yards in north london/edge of herts type way, but the trickiest thing is finding decent turnout.
I work in canary wharf, live in NW London so commute across london every day, jump in car when i get home and get to the yard for about 7pm (as the Archers is starting!). there's no way i could cope on anything less than full livery as i have to be at work at stupid o clock in the morning. I reckon basics cost me just over £100 a week (£38 box rent, £50 livery services, then food/hay/straw on top).
Certainly the social life takes a beating and it is expensive BUT i wouldn't be without it - gets me out of the madness of city/finance life and keeps me sane!

 

[Maiziemouse]

When I was working in London I lived in North West Kent with horses about 5 minutes drive from home. Basically did really long days in the winter - on the yard at 5.30 to get all the jobs done in the morning so in the evening I would only need to bring in, feed and rug giving me time to ride a couple in the school which was outdoor but floodlit. I tried to get organised at the weekends, eg making up feeds and haylege nets for the week ahead to save time. Life was easier in the summer with the longer days and the horses living out, I would ride either before or after work as no time spent on mucking out.

Luckily I am now living further out of London and working from home and horses living at home too, feel very privileged to have this but spent many years of hard work to achieve it.

Good luck and be orgnised and you should be able to do it!

 

[HKJ]

I work in London, but live on the isle of Wight (as do my 3 horses).
2 of them are on full livery (includes being ridden) which costs me £200 a week. The other one is at home with my mum and I pay a friend to ride him once a week, or if I am away all week, she rides him 3 times.
This cuts me back an average of £45 a week plus £50 for rent/hay/mums help

I ride when ever I can. Great riding, happy horses.
I dislike London - but that is where the money is
Work hard, and one day it will all pay off

Good luck!