Year round grass livery

[bonnysmum]

Hi everyone. I'm currently in the Highlands where this is not too hard to come by, but looking at moving almost literally anywhere so my nearly grown up kids can be closer to jobs and opportunities while still being able to have a base at home.

There's another recent thread on this but that was excluding some areas I'd be keenest on, ie northern England and coastal parts of Wales.

I know I can ask around in FB groups and I've started to, but what I'm learning is that something which is common where I am now seems to be vanishingly rare in parts of England and Wales. Is this really true? Why? Is it the price of land, or just the horse keeping culture in those areas?

I would be looking for a place with year round turnout in a herd (preferably 24/7 all year but could live with overnight winter stabling if turnout was with a herd, not small paddocks), basic facilities like a tack room and toilet, and an arena would be a bonus. Am I asking the earth? If I can't find this I can't see how we can move!

 

[Highmileagecob]

They do exist, but you have to ask around! Might be worth considering the soil type of the areas you are looking at - here in the Pennines, the clay soil holds water like a sponge, and we have to restrict turn out to a few hours a day.

 

[pistolpete]

I’m lucky enough to have grass livery in the south of England on chalk downland. Drains really well. Minimal mud. However it’s herd turnout and you do have to go with the flow. Works for my retired highland for now. In fact he’s super happy!

 

[bonnysmum]

They do exist, but you have to ask around! Might be worth considering the soil type of the areas you are looking at - here in the Pennines, the clay soil holds water like a sponge, and we have to restrict turn out to a few hours a day.

Thanks. Out come the geological maps!

 

[bonnysmum]

I’m lucky enough to have grass livery in the south of England on chalk downland. Drains really well. Minimal mud. However it’s herd turnout and you do have to go with the flow. Works for my retired highland for now. In fact he’s super happy!

Herd turnout is exactly what I would be looking for. Also seems hard to find and I can't really understand why!

 

[Petmurf]

Thanks. Out come the geological maps!

I’m in the Pennines and have 24/7 from April to November then around 10 hours during the day in Winter, in over night. In a big mixed herd.

 

[Abacus]

They aren't common here in the southeast - limited land so I guess people with low acreage need to save it. They do exist (I have such a yard) and manage with a combination of not too many horses, and accepting that there will be mud but the fields do recover - although the wet weather all year round isn't helping. I advertised for liveries in summer and didn't get much interest, now I have a waiting list, so I would think that demand is rather higher than supply, especially through winter.

 

[Highmileagecob]

Also, the east coast is supposed to be dryer than the west, as weather systems move from America across to Europe. Not sure people in East Anglia would agree this year though....

 

[bonnysmum]

Also, the east coast is supposed to be dryer than the west, as weather systems move from America across to Europe. Not sure people in East Anglia would agree this year though....

Yes, I've lived east and west and that's certainly been my normal experience!!

 

[Surbie]

I'm in the southeast & may be lucky but I have only ever had small herd (or once, paired) turnout on decent acreage, despite the fields being on clay. That said, I prefered overnight stabling on one yard as the fields were so wet they were foul to turn out into. A few yards near me (as well as mine) offer herd grass livery.

 

[dottylottie]

i’m north west and it’s not common in my area, i do know of a couple but that’s not to say it’s actually suitable to have horses on 24/7

 

[bonnysmum]

i’m north west and it’s not common in my area, i do know of a couple but that’s not to say it’s actually suitable to have horses on 24/7

Yes, and to be clear I have no plans to maroon my mare in the middle of a quagmire all winter. Sadly I've experienced that and she got the hoof abscess to show for it

 

[ihatework]

It is very area dependent- look for areas of the country that are predominantly on chalk

 

[Jambarissa]

I'm just outside Manchester. Most places are moving towards individual paddocks but there are still plenty of places that do herd turnout in large fields, usually in at night in winter.

There's a fair amount of grass livery but it tends to not have any facilities and is awful mid winter.

The issue I find round here is a lack of hacking. If you're close enough for easy commuting it's roads in every direction. Once you're about an hour away from a city it's better.

I get your reason for moving. I'd love to move to the middle of nowhere and my teens seem to live online these days but I would worry about lack of opportunities.

 

[easteregg]

I'm in Staffordshire and I know of at least two yards that provide year round herd turnout as friends have recently moved to them. Both have arenas and one has good on-site hacking. I don't think either yard ever advertise.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

They do exist, but you have to ask around! Might be worth considering the soil type of the areas you are looking at - here in the Pennines, the clay soil holds water like a sponge, and we have to restrict turn out to a few hours a day.

But there are other soil types in the Pennines too. We are on sandy soil there are several disused and current quarries in the area.
Our horses live out at home and there are livery yards that allow that but there are also yards with restrictions. It mostly seems to be dependent on how .much land the yard has. Here the land is mostly moorland, suitable for sheep farming.

 

[bonnysmum]

I get your reason for moving. I'd love to move to the middle of nowhere and my teens seem to live online these days but I would worry about lack of opportunities.

Yes, if anything it's getting worse as online means more and more services retreat to the cities (and even away from "remote" cities). For the career my son aspires to, even in the whole of Scotland opportunities will be very hard to come by. He'll have to move south and I don't want to live hundreds of miles away, especially if he's in a low paid career and needing support.

There's a fair amount of grass livery but it tends to not have any facilities and is awful mid winter.

And yes, much as I want her to live out in a herd, this I want to avoid! Been there done that, got the mental scars!!