House move has stables!!

[time2changeCharlieBrown]

We’re due to move location and house in February
we have found a property on the edge of new city my husband will be working and commute is great
the house is an ex farm house and a bit of renovation project but it also comes with a couple of fields and a stable block that will house up to five horses plus a tack room and a storage barn
they are in need of a bit of Ttc but otherwise solid buildings

so ideas!! We are not a family that has ever had anything to do with animals other than pet fish , dogs and cats! We have these pets we are bringing

are horses very difficult to care for? We have two teenagers and then two younger kids so I feel be nice to learn
or would something else be a better idea?

we’ve never had land either
were moving from down south to a lot more space! But wondering if we should have gone for a new build
but my husband and the kids loved this house and we do like a project to get nice how we want it!

Horses are very expensive and hard work. They are a lifestyle not a hobby
Early morning, feed, stuff hay net, muck out, change rugs, turn out. Repeat later on when you bring in also need exercising daily

They are big powerful animals that can be dangerous of you don't know how to handle them. Before you contemplate be very very sure.
Go for riding lessons and make sure your children are skilled enough before you even think about it and of course if they enjoy it

I have a perfect pony to sell you.
Bombproof, a good doer, good in traffic, not mareish.
Easy to shoe and catch, no sarcoids.{Grey}
Goes first or last, open to any vetting.

I'd be looking to find a local person who would like to rent the stables and maybe set up a riding school - go into joint business.

Then you can learn about horses and your kids can learn to ride.

Plus you earn money too.

Having had a couple of acres and stables which had a friends 2 racehorses over wintering on I can confirm it is very hard work, even with their owner visiting each day. Much better when we turned them into a barbecue barn/play area/extra seating area etc. Horses are very nice but incredibly tying and can be feisty buggers.

Use the stables for wood storage for your log burner.

I'd be looking at converting the stables - maybe for your own use as, say, a games room, swimming pool, home office, or similar, or maybe as a holiday cottage from which you can make an income.

That really isn't practical.
It's only a tiny yard by the sounds of it , plus this:

www.abrs-info.org/article/the-uk-budget-2024-and-the-impact-on-riding-schools/

God no, don’t get horses unless you have the money to pay someone to do all the work for you. I have had horses most of my life (only have 1 now) and it nearly broke me psychologically. It’s a huge amount of work (at least 2 hours a day every day, even on Christmas or when you are on holiday) and you need to know a good bit about equine veterinary and hoof care if you aren’t paying someone to make sure they don’t die. They are often fine, then bam, £5000 vet bill, then back to totally fine.

Depending on the land, you might be able to rent it out. If not being kept on restricted grazing for health reasons, horses need a lot of land to roam and graze. If you don’t have, say, 5 acres, it’s probably not enough for horses. Depending on fencing, you could rent it out for sheep.

Best use of that space is simply to enjoy it. Use it for storage and hobbies. Make a summer house. Big sports or playing field for the dc (or a dog). Keep in mind all grass will need to be cut if not grazed, so give some thought before you commit to how you will manage the land, with a ride on mower, will you need a tractor, will you need to pay someone for hedge cutting, etc?

I think adding animals to your situation - regardless of who owns the animals - is a terrible idea.

We bought a house with a large garden (1/3 acre, so not "land" but still substantial) and a chicken in situ. Just getting settled into the house whilst also learning how to care for a chicken (and I ended up getting a few more because she was lonely and they are flock animals...) was a lot of stress and work.

In your situation I would focus on the house, getting settled into the new area, making friends with neighbours, and letting a few years go by before deciding what to do next. There's probably a reason why the stables have been left and need some renovation work. I'd find out why....

If you have never had your own horses, or looked after them 24/7 365 days plus a leap year, in all seasons, then don't do it. Use the land for something else, or as a PP poster suggested rent it out and enjoy the income.

Horses are hard work. They need routine care including new shoes every 5 to 8 weeks at nearly £100 a pop. More if they need special shoes. They need worming. You need to muck out at least once a day, clear the paddocks of poo, remove and manage your muck heap, repair fencing constantly, ensure a constant supply of grazing or hay, skip out beds if they are kept in during bad weather on top of your muck out, they need exercise, they need their weight managing, they need monitoring for injury/colic/general health twice a day ideally.

And that is before you start to factor in the costs of lessons to learn to ride them, competitions, tack, rugs, clothes appropriate for riding, developing an unhealthy obsession for finding the perfect set of wellies and winter coat to suit the changeable seasons. There is also more mud and grooming required than you could ever think possible.

And all this on a good day. Factor in things like injury, box rest, the day the little monkeys don't want to be caught and brought in but there is a storm brewing and you need to get to your child's nativity etc etc etc etc... and it is a whole lot worse.

In essence they are a lifestyle choice and then some. They always come first. They eat up your income as if they are a black hole.

I wouldn't be without them but they are very definitely not something to play with. And my advice would be to spend a long time (good couple of years) of try before you buy at a well run riding school or livery yard. Most people start with horses when they are young. Older riders tend to have children that have flown the nest or had them as kids and return to riding and horse ownership at a later stage. Few start from scratch, on their own land, as adults.

I'd be applying for planning to covert them into small lodges and rent them out.

You have to really really love horses to keep them.

OP, in your situation I would do nothing with them for at least a year. If you are interested in horses, learn how to ride at a local riding school. Do some research, because not all riding schools are good ones, unfortunately, and badly kept and badly treated horses can really suffer for callousness and ineptitude of their owners. So, I am really glad you are asking before jumping in head-first.

Personally, I would emerge myself in horse culture and the local horse community and decide then if you want to keep horses in your stables, whether your own or others. Horse people aren't always the nicest people and I have seen a lot of drama over the years that I still rode.

Getting ponies/horses because you've now got a house with stables is one of the daftest things I've read on MN.

They're expensive to keep - vets bills, farriers bills, feed, tack, insurance.
They need time every day am & pm 365 days a year to feed, muck out & exercise.
Fields & stables will need to be maintained & secure

Plenty of keen riders & very Horsey people never own a horse because of the cost & commitment needed.

Get alpacas! Still lots of work but nothing compared to horses.

Very good points.
Stabled horses were much more common when I was young, with all the issues that brought {weaving, box walking, crib biting, wind sucking} - never mind colic from not being able to graze freely all day.

If one watches horses, they are usually head down, grazing, or standing head to tail with a companion.

Horses are not designed to be standing still in stables, especially stalls, that some riding stables had in older premises.

Good pasture with a clean and constant water supply is essential for their emotional and physical wellbeing.

I love my horses and keep them at home. I would echo the other posters doing similar. It's a form of madness. Don't do it!

Go to the bank. Withdraw a lot of money. Put in a pile and set light to it. Honestly, that's how I feel about horse ownership and we managed to do it somewhat cheaper not having to rent or buy hay/straw.

When you are driving up the motorway to your new property open the car window and every half mile chuck twenty pound notes out. Perfect preparation for horse ownership!
I had horses in my youth. We lived on a farm so animal husbandry was built into our lives. Now many years later I have a house with fields. I planted an orchard. Way less stress.

I have a livery yard and have been around horses/owned all my life. I was fortunate to have ponies as a child too. We currently have a full yard, three are mine and the rest are liveries.
People think dogs are a big commitment. Horses are a whole different ball game.

You also have to think about land management. Managing land is hard work and horses are great at trashing fields. We have decent grazing land all year, but it’s hard work in winter managing it to stop the land getting poached but to ensure the horses are out everyday (I won’t keep horses in unless it’s dangerous to turn out). I spend a ridiculous amount of time out in all weathers sorting fencing.

Then there’s summer and the stress of laminitis. It’s a never ending circle of stress!

Rescue a couple of donkeys!

I know nothing about donkeys BTW other than that they are meant to be very hardy. But I love them.

As others have said if you have no experience of horses it’s not the best idea to get a couple, they’re money pits. We have our own land and stables, we have 3 of the buggars and they’re still expensive between shavings for stables, feed etc. Ours don’t live out in winter as they’re ex racers and it’s a LOT of work.

Personally, I wouldn’t be renting the stables and land either, unless it’s to someone who knows what they’re doing. Grazing land needs to be rotated or strip grazed or you’ll end up with trashed fields, a lot of farmers won’t lease fields to equine owners as the fields get terribly churned up especially in winter. You also need to ask yourself if you’d be happy with people rocking up at all hours so close to your house, I had a livery yard for a number of years and closed it last year as I couldn’t be bothered with the coming and going. If you do decide to rent it have a water tight rental agreement and be crystal clear what they’re responsible for.

Horses cost a lot of money to keep - vet bills, farriers, food, etc; they are also very time-consuming. You'd need 2 so they have company. Unless you are very passionate about horses and want to focus your time on them, I wouldn't get any. I'm talking from bitter experience here...

Not to suggest just buying horses without a few stable management lessons but a couple of little ponies could be nice! Goats, chickens, sheep etc to keep the grass down. Sounds lovely OP! Horses are as expensive and difficult as people choose to make them. We have a little cob pony and a draft horse that both live out 24/7 with access to shelter. They haven't been ridden in two years as I've had babies but their needs and care are simple enough that my very non horsey husband has been able to look after them when I haven't. Hope the move goes well!!