Another first horse post!

[Howdidthathappen1]

Hi all.
Owner of very horsey daughter potentially maybe considering taking the plunge!
16yr dd is currently doing equine apprenticeship and a lovely part share has ended after 18 months. I rode loads as a kid and had a few hacks and couple lessons over the last year.
Sooo we've been researching and beginning to think it's time to look for our own (well dds that I will have a go on occasionally!)
My question is about sourcing livery. So I've no intention of rushing into the first pretty face but neither do I want to be paying for an empty stable and field for months!
There's a wait list for the livery we want eventually- but we know that won't come up for a while.
Can someone explain how this whole thing starts for a novice!?
Thanks

Everyone I have known doing an apprenticeship has had accomodation and livery for one horse included...

Nope not this one. It's a fairly new business doing rda. In hindsight it's not the best place for her but she's doing level 2 so will find another established yard for level 3 hopefully

The RDA yards I know allow the volunteers to ride the horses out of term time so why don't you volunteer at her yard and then both of you can ride out together safely, at no cost or hassle?

There's not the facilities for her to do what she would like and need ie no jumps and currently no school or menage. It's a new business and the owner is gradually getting there. Tho some students hack out on lead rein the main focus is therapy rather than rda actual riding.
Keeping and riding there would be the most obvious and convenient but just not possible

I would put your name down on the waiting list of the yard(s) you really want and if you find the right horse before there's a space then just stable the horse somewhere else in the meantime.

Thanks. My confusion arises from obviously we need to have a home for the horse before buying it. So potentially if we secured a spot at a livery then started looking for the horse I will be paying for an empty stable - which then results in a pressure (subconscious) to fill when I don't want to rush buying a horse and make a wrong decision.
I'm probably over complicating things in my head. Just wondered if I've got things in the right order so will need to suck up cost of stable whilst looking

Not even sure I'm making sense!

Is there only one yard you would want to use? If so then yes get your name down on the list.

There will always be spaces somewhere, might be a drive or might not be 100% what you're after. But it's a metaphorical roof until you get to top of the list.

I bought a new horse fairly recently (impulse purchase) and didn't sort livery until after I'd put the deposit down! The place I wanted most required a 3" thick file of paperwork and references and I knew I couldn't sort that out in a week.

I visited a few other places and wasn't getting a great vibe... Ended up phoning a number I'd seen tacked up in the mobile post office van and now I'm on a private family yard closer to home.

Something will come up!

I agree with VintageFur - there will be a yard with spaces at the right time, even if it's not really what you want/too far long term etc, but gets that roof over their head! Equally, once you have paid a deposit on your new horse you may be able to get the old owner to hang on for a week or 2 while you sort livery as they'll have had to give notice at their yard anyway.

Thanks both. That was the bit I was panicing about. I need to chill a bit and be confident that something will turn up when needed!
Back to horse shopping!!

It'll work out, it always does

I agree with others, if that yard is really the only one you could have a horse at even short term, then you'll need to get yourself on the waiting list and be prepared to pay to 'hold' the stable when one comes up (some yards will give you a discount if you're just paying to hold an empty stable but I guess really popular ones don't have to!). Or otherwise just go with the flow and find somewhere temporary while you wait for a spot at the perfect yard if need be - yes this could be expensive and stressful either way - welcome to the world of horse ownership, prepare to be skint and stressed at all times!

I have to say though that if I was in your position I might be tempted to wait until spring and the clocks going back as I personally find it 100 x easier managing with less than ideal facilities (no floodlit school, boggy turnout, small stables, limited off road hacking, limited access to help etc etc) when it is lighter in the evenings and drier. In summer most horses can live out full time and you can ride in the field or hack. Whereas in winter you probably need a stable, bedding, hard feed, someone to muck out/turn out on days you can't make it to the yard and to ride consistently in the week most people want a artificial surface and ideally lights (even if you can ride in the daytime, hacking everyday in the rain is not much fun!). And there will be more horses on the market in spring time too. But obviously it depends on your circumstances, best of luck to you and your DD!

Thanks. I'm in absolutely no rush to buy as such and after last winter doing share horse 3 x per week I confess I'll possibly stretch til spring! Also considering dd can learn to drive in spring when 17 - with lots of pressure to pass!
I'm likely to be back with horse buying questions soon!!