WWYD

[Potato!]

I have a choice now on what to do.

I currently rent a 3 acre field and have done for about 3 years or so. I have a double field shelter that i use as a field shelter. There is no running water and electric but i collect rainwater and have a generator. For this i pay £25per week and then i have to do all maintenance and hay and bedding myself etc. I only have 1 horse and he has company over the fence. But no school etc. This is about 2 miles from home and ony 1 from my OH'S. Howevber i am completely on my own with no help at all and my lad is starting to be a little nightmare to load etc when im on my own.

I've been offered a place on a livery at the yard nextdoor to my OH. There is a flood light school, heated tackroom and storage room, kitchen, toilet adlib hay and bedding there is parking for my trailer onsite this is normally £45per week but ive been offered it for £35.00 per week as i know the person.

Now i have a rising 6yo IDXTB which at the moment i am hunting (and finding no hosepipe etc a nightmare) and wanting to start doing a little more in the spring and summer. So the facilities sound fab but im no longer used to being on a livery yard and the idea of yard politics fills me with horror. ive asked to go and have a look at the yard on sunday. But the idea of no maintenance lovely however i realise that the land i have at the moment i am very lucky to have and am a little reluctant to give it up.

 

[FfionWinnie]

25 is quite expensive for what you have I think. I'd quite like the luxury for an extra tenner a week so I would move.

 

[zaminda]

I've just moved from a field to a field attached to a yard, and finding the extra facilities lovely!!
With one horse, I would be tempted to move!

 

[Spring Feather]

What I would do if I were you is I'd take the horse to the livery yard for a month, whilst continuing to pay for the field. At the end of the month make the decision about which one works best for you. Fields are becoming increasingly more difficult for horse owners to find and my fear is that if you give the field up and then find you've done the wrong thing then someone else may have taken it over and you'll be stuck in livery. The other thing I would absolutely make cast-iron tight is that you will be paying £35 for the forseeable future. What happens if they give you livery for a few months at £35 and then once 6 months goes by they start grumbling and want you to pay the proper price?

 

[Honey08]

Could you afford to rent both for a month, go to the new place, but be able to move back if you didn't like it, giving notice at whichever you don't like...?

 

[Potato!]

Yes i did feel at the when i took it on that it was expensive but im allowed upto three horses on the field for that and i do like being on my own and not feeling like im being judged, however im finding it hard work at times being on my own.

 

[Potato!]

What I would do if I were you is I'd take the horse to the livery yard for a month, whilst continuing to pay for the field. At the end of the month make the decision about which one works best for you. Fields are becoming increasingly more difficult for horse owners to find and my fear is that if you give the field up and then find you've done the wrong thing then someone else may have taken it over and you'll be stuck in livery. The other thing I would absolutely make cast-iron tight is that you will be paying £35 for the forseeable future. What happens if they give you livery for a few months at £35 and then once 6 months goes by they start grumbling and want you to pay the proper price?

Yes thats a good idea and I would get a contract for that as ive already said that i wouldnt move for £45.00per week and she knows that.

 

[Theocat]

If you get hay and bedding thrown in, the new place should be cheaper - I'd go for it

 

[TwoStroke]

Good facilities plus ad lib hay and bedding for £35 per week? Bargain! I'd grab it, personally. I spend £35 per week just on haylage for 2 horses!

 

[Bikerchickone]

I'd definitely take the new place at that price! Including hay and bedding that will be cheaper than you doing all your own maintenance as well! Down here we'd think £35 for just stable and grazing with a school is good so I'd grab that with both hands, but agree with those who say hang onto your field for a month to be sure.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

If you can have 3 horses on your field, why don't you advertise for someone to keep thier horse with yours? Better for him and better for you. And if its only 1 mile away from the yard facilities, could you hire their school etc occasionally?

 

[JHC]

Having just moved off a livery yard to a rented field with 2 stables, I wouldn't be moving back to a livery!

Yes its lovely to have the facilities and people around you to help but its hard work! You and your horse have been used to field life, could you cope with potentially having no or little turnout in winter as many yards restrict turnout.

I know I couldn't do it again! I also couldn't stand people feeling like they can give you their opinion on everything...

 

[horseyvon]

Definitely try it before making a decision. Personally I would love a field of my own but that's impossible round here.

 

[Potato!]

If you can have 3 horses on your field, why don't you advertise for someone to keep thier horse with yours? Better for him and better for you. And if its only 1 mile away from the yard facilities, could you hire their school etc occasionally?

i am not allowed to sub let my field. Use of the school is quite expensive to hire, My horse comes in at Night so is not used to field life as such

 

[Potato!]

Ok I’m going to do a list of Pros and Cons for each.

So what Pros and Cons of each can everybody else think of.

Pros of Field

I don’t have to answer to anyone
I don’t feel I’m being watched
My horse can be out 24/7 (if I want to ) and I can turn up when I like. He is never turned out 24/7 though as have to watch weight.

Cons of field
No running water
No mains electric
No help if I need it
No facilities

Pros of Livery

Great facilities floodlight school, heated tackroom, kitchen toilet, storage room, space for trailer.

Help if I need it


Cons of Livery

Have to Share space
Yard opening and closing times 7am-7pm in winter can be flexible but no later than 9pm.
And 7am-9pm in summer.
Yard Politics
8hs per day every day of Turnout now this could be seen as a pro as most liveries limit turnout but I don’t have the option of 24/7 turnout,

Can anybody think of anything else I seem to have missed

also looked into hiring the school out but they charge £30 per hour to hire with Flood lights

 

[Amaranth99]

Moved to a livery from a field and stables/shelter with no electric/water at end of October and for the 2 horses it is great as the facilities are a real plus. Not so great for our old pony as he lives out and doesn't have the space he used to have. In summary a field was great for ponies when the children were young but not so good when you have horses that you want to ride in the winter.

 

[Antw23uk]

My initial thought was 'Is she mad, this is a no brainer!' but actually I thought about it and its a tricky one.
I could cope without the electricity if i had a generator and obviously the lights you can beam off a battery are brilliant now a days but with no running water i would struggle.

I would like the solitude and freedom of the field (although i think you are paying way too much for it to be honest) but I think my preference would be more with the livery yard and facilities and closer to home.

 

[Potato!]

At the moment im paying someone to ride my horse 2 days per week in the winter as i work full time.

 

[Potato!]

My initial thought was 'Is she mad, this is a no brainer!' but actually I thought about it and its a tricky one.
I could cope without the electricity if i had a generator and obviously the lights you can beam off a battery are brilliant now a days but with no running water i would struggle.

I would like the solitude and freedom of the field (although i think you are paying way too much for it to be honest) but I think my preference would be more with the livery yard and facilities and closer to home.

The distance is pretty much the same as its about half way between my Oh's and where i am now. RE the price of where i am now is about right for the area to be honest hacking distance from Dartmoor you pay for that

 

[Merrymoles]

I'm guessing it is the idea of yard politics that is really worrying you. The simple answer is stay out of them! I know it's not easy but if you refuse to complain/bitch etc, people will get bored with trying to involve you. Also, don't worry about criticism, implied or blatant - you've looked after your horse successfully on your own and that's all there is to it.
However, you might enjoy yard life because of the pros you have listed and there might even be some nice helpful supportive people there!
Am moving from a friend's farm to a livery yard myself in the next couple of weeks and have the same worries as you but in my case, it's the difference between half a mile to the yard or a 20-mile round trip to the farm so it's been an easier decision.

 

[AmyMay]

I'd be moving on to the yard. It's a no brainer.

 

[Potato!]

I'm guessing it is the idea of yard politics that is really worrying you. The simple answer is stay out of them! I know it's not easy but if you refuse to complain/bitch etc, people will get bored with trying to involve you. Also, don't worry about criticism, implied or blatant - you've looked after your horse successfully on your own and that's all there is to it.
However, you might enjoy yard life because of the pros you have listed and there might even be some nice helpful supportive people there!
Am moving from a friend's farm to a livery yard myself in the next couple of weeks and have the same worries as you but in my case, it's the difference between half a mile to the yard or a 20-mile round trip to the farm so it's been an easier decision.

Yes i am worried about the Yard Politics although i have made loads of friends through livery in the past but i am no longer used to livery and am worried about having to spare space etc

 

[Potato!]

Well I went to look at the Livery yard yesterday and I think I will give It a go, They were lovely 16x12 indoor stables in an open fronted barn, Close to the school which is smaller than it looks in the photos but its 27mx42m (strange dimensions I know). Hay is provided ad lib from Round bales and bedding is wood pellets and they provide a ¾ bed and 1 bag per week plus the option to purchase more. The young lady that runs the yard seems lovely and i explained my worries of yard politics etc and she said she wouldn’t stand for bitchiness and if anybody was causing trouble they would be asked to leave (this is written into the contract). I have a friend asking about my field for the rest of the winter and I suggested I keep it and if they cover the rent then they can use it. Then if either me or my boy don’t settle then I will go back to my field in the spring.

I think it’s the electric, running water, school that have swayed me as I’m wanting to do more with him.

 

[Spring Feather]

Well I went to look at the Livery yard yesterday and I think I will give It a go, They were lovely 16x12 indoor stables in an open fronted barn, Close to the school which is smaller than it looks in the photos but its 27mx42m (strange dimensions I know). Hay is provided ad lib from Round bales and bedding is wood pellets and they provide a ¾ bed and 1 bag per week plus the option to purchase more. The young lady that runs the yard seems lovely and i explained my worries of yard politics etc and she said she wouldn’t stand for bitchiness and if anybody was causing trouble they would be asked to leave (this is written into the contract). I have a friend asking about my field for the rest of the winter and I suggested I keep it and if they cover the rent then they can use it. Then if either me or my boy don’t settle then I will go back to my field in the spring.

I think it’s the electric, running water, school that have swayed me as I’m wanting to do more with him.

Sounds like a perfect solution. Best of luck

 

[limestonelil]

Good luck with the move F_b. It sounds a lovely yard but you've still your back up fields. Great result.

 

[Adopter]

Sounds as if you have found somewhere really nice, and if you have back up in case you change your mind, its a great chance.

If you do want to do more competing and training with your horse, then access to facilities do make a big difference.

 

[Potato!]

Unfortunately my friend has decided against having the winter in my field so now that ive decided that ill move i think im just going to do it as i cant really afford both places as it would cost me approx £260 per month. The field was great when i had 3 ponies but now i have1 horse who im wanting to do more with im fed up with the mud and the lack of water electric etc no school and to be honest if it wasnt for my hunting i do sometimes struggle with motivation to ride when on my own.