What comes first, the livery or the horsey?

[Imp]

I've waited so many years for this moment and I know that if I don't buy my first horse now, I probably never will as my youngest two go off to uni over the next couple of years and will eat the rest of my hard earned.

I was always around horses as a child, friends and family ones but have never had the ultimate responsibility of caring for one myself so this is quite a scary process.

Now, eventually :rolleyes: , to my point, I've seen a couple of promising 'first horses' but I'm not sure of the logistics when it comes to getting both new horse and livery together. Seems a bit daft to find a livery and then the horse falls through or visa versa. The livery vacancies in my part of Kent seem few and far between and most of the grass livery I've identified have waiting lists only at present. I'm afraid I'll not have livery ready when I find my ideal horse :eek:

How did you organise your new horse and livery to coincide?

Here's a horse I liked the look of;

http://www.horsemart.co.uk/DisplayHorseDetail.asp?AdvertRef=HM540AD85
the owner hasn't responded to my email though :(

[notpoodle]

i had to find the livery first! i dont drive and london isnt a mecca for horse owners :D i also required all year turnout which limits the choice A LOT. i only made *that* phonecall after i had a livery space reserved :)

julia
x

[Showjumper]

Ditto. I spent months driving around and looking at yards before I'd even started looking at ponies. When I bought Dolly, I just rang the chosen yard who said to bring her up whenever (was lucky in that I'd chosen plain old grass livery and then moved her onto DIY a few months later as it meant I wasn't paying for a space before I'd acquired the horse).

[Little Dolphins]

Vendors like to know where and how their horse will be kept, esp. if it's your first horse. If they know you'll be on a yard with knowledgeable people to help you etc., then they will feel that you'll be more likely to cope. That's just a thought from my limited experience so far, looking for horse, (like you, before grown kids acquire all my savings!) Good luck!

[bexj]

Yep, Livery first....we paid a nominal retainer for the empty box while we went horse shopping

[domane]

I had the ideal situation..... Cherry stayed put after I bought her! She's been at an ideal yard, closest to my home for the past 3 years with her previous owner so I didn't need to move her! Also, her previous owner only works until lunchtime so is there for her other horses in the afternoons and I can't get there until it's dark so we rarely see her and I don't feel undermined by her "watching over".... she's really lovely anyway.

Anyway, back to the subject.... had I NEEDED to, I would have found a yard first.... ditto Little Dolphins comment.... genuine owners will want to know where their beloved is going.....

[Imp]

Thanks for the quick responses :D

I had thought to myself that Livery must be first but kept doubting myself, hence the post.

Right then! I'm off Livery shopping tomorrow - I've got the added disadvantage that I'm hard of hearing and must have access to safe countryside/woodland hacking direct from the yard as I'm a liability to both myself and horse on the road. This could take some time... :rolleyes:

[coblover26]

if i were you. When looking for a livery look at serveral yards near you and then pick the easiest to get to and the cheapest and what the livery icludes. Because down at my yard it costs loads to keep your horse on grass livery but then found out why.

You have use of all facilities (great walker, and big school) You also have the use of a stable, There is always one there if you need one.

Good Luck with your research for livery
Tell us how you get on :D

[MadMumInKent]

I looked at livery yards before I started horse hunting... I looked at loads, and made myself a top 3, one of which was my fav. Then when I found the horse, I was lucky in that my fav had spaces still, but I would have had a back up of 2 more yards should that not have been the case.

Where abouts in Kent are you? :)

[ponylover88]

...

[Imp]

MadMumInKent, I'm on the Medway/Swale border (literally) and ride at Callum Park at present - not sure I can afford their prices though, Blimey :eek: :eek: !

[Bay Mare]

I got the livery first (before I'd even started seriously looking for a horse) and THANKFULLY fell in love with the first horse that I saw so it all happened at the same time :)

[MadMumInKent]

MadMumInKent, I'm on the Medway/Swale border (literally) and ride at Callum Park at present - not sure I can afford their prices though, Blimey :eek: :eek: !

Ah, I don't know that area, I live in Thanet, so I can't offer any suggestions as to livery yards. Good luck searching though, and when you're looking, if you get a chance have a chat with some of the other liveries on the yard, try to find out the pros and cons from someone other than the yard owner :)

[mayS]

I'd go price out a few livery stables and also see if they have lots of openings. You don't want to buy a horse and then find all the stables in your area are full.

You could also ask the seller as part of the deal to hold the horse for a few days (or weeks) for you to arrange transport and to set up livery.

But I don't know firsthand, since my horses live at home with me. In my case it was a matter of scrambling to buy fencing and set up a shelter while the former owner gave me a little time before I had to pick the horse up.

[cazrider]

I echo everything that has been said. I found the livery yard that had everything I was looking for (off road hacking, winter turnout, lots of help for novice first timer, flexible services) first, then rechecked they had a place before I signed on the dotted line for my first boy (8 yrs ago).

Best of luck:)

[Imp]

As all seem to have the same view I'm taking it as gospel :D

I've arranged two viewings on next Saturday morning - both along the same road around 15 minutes drive from home and between home and work. One is full livery which will provide me with a valuable knowledge base but I'm not sure if I should use such a comfort zone. The other is DIY/part (girl to help out) livery and has off road private woodland hacking and a new rubber floodlit menege being built and best of all it's only £20 per week!

If they don't come to anything I'll look elsewhere. There are several grass liveries within spitting distance of my house but you have to hack on the road to get anywhere decent and as previously mentioned, this won't suit me at all :rolleyes:

I don't know what sort of contract a livery is on? I'm presuming it's a licence so I'll not be stuck for a long period somewhere if it doesn't work out.

What questions are the standard ones to ask, apart from the obvious about grazing, hacking and stabling?

[cazrider]

Hi Imp

So, questions. Yes, grazing/hacking/stabling are the obvious ones.
Any restrictions on times when you can go up? Believe it or not I know of a local livery yard that won't allow owners on the yard after 7 in the evening, which would be completely useless for me.
Do you have to buy their feed/hay/bedding etc? It can be a big help to have all this delivered and pay them at the end of the month. Equally it can mean you're tied to poorer quality hay/more expensive feed.
How flexible can they be if you need help at the last minute? My yard has a cut of of 4pm, so if I ring before then, then they will bring him in and finish him off if I find I'm stuck with work miles away. This is a huge help for me, but you may not need that.
Where do you keep your tack? I have heard numerous bad reports of shared tack rooms (although it can work well if everyone's willing). We have our own individual lockable tack and feed rooms.
How much notice do you have to give before leaving?
Do they have any competitions on the yard? This can be a lovely gentle introduction into competitions, and can be a great way of getting to know people. We have obstacle courses, mini dressage, jumping, farm hacks, quiz nights etc
What restrictions do they have on school use?

I can understand your dilemma regarding full livery. I know it works for some people, but when I bought my first horse, what I got was DIY, but with flexible services, so for the first month they did everything, and I watched and asked questions. After that they gradually did less until we worked out what was best for me and my horse. What we ended up with was me doing everything at weekends and in the week evenings, and them turning out, giving hay, mucking out and bringing in (if its dark) during the week. This does vary with my work commitments. What i liked was their willingness to be flexible and put up with my endless questions!

Again I know it works for a lot of people, but as a first horse owner I'd beware of grass livery if there isn't somewhere you can bring the horse in, or someone resident who you can ask if you are concerned. (i'm sure a few people will shoot me down in flames for this one;) )

Costwise BTW, I pay £90 a month for field, stable, use of schools(inc floodlights), off road hacking, parking of trailer, with services and any hay/chips I buy on top.

Hope all this helps.

Cazx

[Imp]

Caz, thanks for some really good points; I've made a long list with space for comments at each yard I visit. Will keep all updated, I'm actually getting excited now :D