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!

How much land does it actually have as you do need at least 1 acre per horse and that is with extremely careful management and the horse being in everyday . If your children are interested get them to riding school and see how it goes , if you are not ‘horsey’ it would be an unmitigated disaster just getting ponies at home . Personally having owned horses now for 40+ years I would not rent it to a livery , it will be more trouble than it’s worth . Leave it whilst you renovate the house and then get a couple of alpacas and some chickens .

Quite.
Riding schools are business that make very little money these days. Insurance costs are astronomical, and have forced many into closing. Our local surviving one only manages due to offering full livery, pony shares and air bnb on their site (luckily in a tourist area). The actual school, once you've factored in said insurance, horse related costs, maintaining the facilities and hiring teachers and grooms makes virtually nothing, if anything.

As others have already said, owning horses is a lifestyle choice and an all time consuming hobby. If no-one in your family has shown any interest in horses, I would say don't do it.

They are expensive to keep - feed, hay, supplements, wormers, bedding, farrier, routine vaccinations, tack, rugs, insurance.....the list really is endless. Looking after them is a 24/7 365 days a year commitment.

Having a lie in or day off is rare, unless someone can step in to look after them for you (either as paid help or as a favour). Horses get ill at the drop of a hat. Colic, for instance, can be fatal. Would you recognise the early signs of this? Do you know what to look for in a lame horse?

Having liveries on your property would potentially bring another set of issues. Do you have enough land to accommodate x amount of horses, and enough to rotate and leave some pasture to rest for example? Would you be happy for owners to be on your property early in the morning and late at night, plus the hours in between?

You would also be liable for business rates. Your land would need to be maintained, along with fencing and water. Do you have enough room for liveries to store their feed, bedding and various other items? Is there enough space for them to park their vehicles? The inevitable 'muck heap' will also need disposing of on a regular basis. Many people say having liveries is not worth the hassle.

I don't want to put a damper on your idea, but please think long and hard about this. Horses can live a very long time, and even if they are retired from riding, the majority of expenses will remain. As many horsey people say, 'they are an expensive field ornament'.

You have been given a lot of sound advice from horsey people already, so please do take their advice very, very seriously.

However, if you are still unsure, post your question on here in The Tack Room under Pets. Or, look at the Forum on Horse and Hound. There are a lot of land owners in there, and they will offer you advice too.

Good luck with the move!

If you’re thinking of letting out as a livery yard it’s still unlikely to make you much money. Most horse owners would expect stables of a good standard with good ventilation a very secure tack room sturdy fencing somewhere dry and vermin free to store hay straw haulage shavings a ménage ideally floodlit, good off road hacking (contrary to what many think you cannot ride on any field you see horses are restricted to bridleways and some landowners will have off road riding which you pay for) possibly somewhere to park a lorry/trailer. Horse owners love water not only do horses drink it but we love hosing off legs etc if your running it as a business your water might be on a meter. What you can charge depends on what you are able to offer. If you have insufficient grazing as I said above at the very least 2 1/2 acres per horse realistically any less and you’ll have to restrict turnout if your on clay then maybe prevent turnout in the winter. Frankly unless you’ve loads of grazing and great facilities in an area with great hacking your unlikely to make much money out of it.

This. It would be foolhardy to just buy some horses because you've got some stables.

Wow thank you for all the helpful responses
I had literally no idea the work costs and time involved
I feel rather daft I thought they’d be less hassle and commitment than dogs!
im glad I asked because it has completely put me off and made me realise that our life is not suitable for a horse! I think I’ll stick with a pony day every now and then instead,
i I guess the idea was more a dream it seemed sad to see them empty and
I’m guessing by some comments donkeys are as hard work similar or more so , from pps
I don’t like the idea of noise either.
the chickens ducks and maybe goats seem cute idea as it seems a shame to be empty and not to use it it’s around 6 acres in total so do not need that much space for us as gardens.
i definitely think horses not for us after reading through people that have experience I thank them for thier honesty
the nasty people I hope your proud of yourselves theirs no need to be so nasty
im only asking for ideas and advice I’m not rushing into anything and who do nasty comments help! If they make you feel good it says more about you.

i guess like most people it’s nice to see them in fields , but the reality of every day care and costs it’s not such a good idea or so much fun.

Convert the stables into something useful, like craft workshops or dens for the kids. See if a local farmer would like to rent the fields out for sheep. Having said that, make sure the stables can easily go back to that use when you sell up. Equestrian properties sell at premium prices, so doing away with stables etc would devalue your home.

A couple of 'little ponies' are likely to be at risk of laminitis. Meaning that they would need a life of restricted access to grass, plenty of movement and weight control.

Do look into alpacas @time2changeCharlieBrown ! They're supposed to be on par with dogs to care for and certainly the easiest livestock to have!

They just need an open shelter and not much vet intervention either. I went down a rabbit hole once as it's my dream to have some. I was shocked to see my dog cost more than you can pick them up for too 😂

You’ll have to do something with the land otherwise it’ll be an absolute nightmare in no time. You could see if you could rent the land for sheep or get a local farmer to cut it for hay a couple of times a year in lieu of paying him

Don't get a log burner if you live on the edge of a city. The locals don't need your extra pollution. In London 17% of small particulate pollution is caused by residents' log burners.
We regularly get smoke coming into our house from our neighbour's log burner. Plus it makes my washing stink.

You could create a huge pollinator meadow and keep bees!

Rent them out. You aren’t serious about getting horses just because you’ll be able to house them?! The cost and commitment is insane. My yard charges £50 a week per box, get it rented out, preferably to one person.

Sensible decision OP. Thank you for taking on board the experience of many of us equestrians. Owning horses CAN be rewarding at times, but it’s a lot of work and money for very little reward in reality. And the constant stress is insane. Unless horses are your absolute passion, keeping them would be utter hell. They are my whole life and even I find it hell 😂 I haven’t had a holiday for over 20 years. I don’t get even one day off from it. I have stood and mucked out with sickness bugs, covid, kidney infections… even multiple broken bones.

And financially, mine cost me around 12k a year…

How to announce you know nothing about horses without actually saying it. OP the above is completely ridiculous advice.

Horses require a lot of knowledge and care.
Either rent out the facilities or sell them separately.

Cutting the meadows twice a year isn't a huge commitment if you have the equipment, if not you can pay someone to do it for you.

Letting others use your field kind of defeats the object of having them - you get strangers coming and going from your property all the time.

And the insects could really do with some more meadows.

6 acres is only enough for 1 horse, maybe 2 ponies. I would use the stables for something else and plant fruit trees and vegetable and fruit beds, and wild flower meadows and have a beautiful outdoor space.
I would actually rescue a couple of donkeys

Yes, create a wild meadow!

Horses are as expensive and difficult as people choose to make them.

Hollow laugh.

Glad you've rethought Op.

I imagine that's something they don't have the budget for if they're renovating the house.

Donkeys aren't easy than horses - they cost the same. The works the same, they just can't be ridden. So false economy suggesting that.

Well they can be ridden theoretically but you catch my drift.

Good decision OP. Don't listen to the "little ponies" comment either....as a previous owner of shetlands, I can confirm the satanic little shits are cleverer, naughtier and more devious than any horse. Great fun, but the sass is on another level, particularly by the mares and not the stallion.
6 acres is a lovely size and you'll find loads of ways to enjoy it I'm sure.

Give the horse away 🤣

A friend offered me a pony she'd paid £15k for because she couldn't manage her last year but I got on well with her. I still said no, because I knew I couldn't buy and then sell her and didn't want the commitment of another pony. I have kids and don't have the time. The fact she was a valuable pony was irrelevant. It's not as easy as it sounds.

Agree re shitlands - won't help with loans management if you have the acreage because they'll be in all summer on a starvation paddock.