Thoughts on potential field

[CountryCob]

Hello all, I was hoping for some comments from those who have a couple of horses - mine is a horse and pony for my young daughter. My livery yard is closing and there are limited spaces nearby. I am diy and both horses well behaved. At the moment I am doing a bit more dressage but horse is an all rounder who is in his prime who I have had since a youngster so trying to make most of these years. I school/ have lessons pretty much weekly or fortnightly. I need to move in spring and a field has come up for sale about 10 mins walk away up a hill. It’s the only affordable one in ages as it is too inaccessible to develop. My dad died leaving shares so I could try to buy it. Very pretty pair of pastures, quite wild and sloped, would be vastly improved by more fencing. The field shelter would be great for mine as he really doesn’t like a stable.

Downsides- pretty much inaccessible, would be a push to get supplies up but possible, not something you would do on weekly basis. Not sure how vet or farrier would visit. Would not be able to leave any tack etc there as too remote. No prospect of a water supply. Couldn’t have trailer up there or drive trailer up there so would need to find space near me for it which wouldn’t be very easy but probably possible. In theory I could try to build stable yard at house but would be tight. Walk is quite steep would be hard to do if not feeling great etc. But it is beautiful, hacking unbelievable and I do love to hack. Fields rarer than hens teeth and the only reason this is a viable price for me is that it is too inaccessible for development - cannot emphasise enough how much the yards and fields round here are disappearing to development. Thoughts?

Should say comments from all welcome of course was just thinking what those who do not have lots of horses but keep on own field away from home would think. I suppose my greatest worry apart from daily difficulties is missing company on yard (sometimes) but mostly that because it’s hassle to bring daughter/ tack up trailer issues and no school I stop riding/ going places. Although I could hack or lead to a school that would be 20 mins there and 20 back plus organising.

Sounds more trouble than it’s worth. I wouldn’t tbh.

No possibility of a water supply ? TBH that would be a no from me, look further away if necessary ...

Thanks ladies that is what I was thinking deep down.....

I spent a few weeks between yards at a field a friend was renting that sounds similar. It was hard work and careful planning is needed. In summer water was the hard work in winter she had a load of waterbutts to collect rain water from the shelter roof but getting hay in was a muddy slog and lighting. It is doable but you have to factor in a lot of extra time for stuff that is easy at a yard with facilities. Whether it would work for you depends on your circumstances- it might be a struggle if e.g. you work full time with a commute or have caring responsibilities. It's tough when yards are in short supply., and I can understand being tempted by great hacking.

My field is inaccessible by car and it is a pain taking hay in the barrow. There's a yard which is part of the same farm about a 5 minute walk away which I use to park and my pony is shod and vet etc in the car park there but both will reluctantly come up to the field if necessary. Also don't leave tack there but have a lockable box for grooming stuff. Is there anywhere nearby to park? There are ways around some of this stuff but lack of water would be a huge pain! I guess you could have a water butt maybe?

The lack of water supply is a complete no.

If they need hay in winter it sounds backbreaking.

A mate of mine has a similar set up in Yorkshire and is about to move back to part livery as it’s been an ordeal with wet winters

I rent fields which are very easy to access, extremely well draining and with loads of natural shelter. But do not underestimate how wet and muddy a lot of fields can get in winter. I am extremely fortunate that even during the horrendous conditions of last winter, my fields were wet but virtually no standing water and very little mud. By contrast, just 2 fields up from mine another horse field was hock deep with mud!

And then there's the issue of maintenance if the field is difficult to access - how will you get your muck heap removed and hedges cut, the field topped/rolled/harrowed/fertilised?

The no water isn't an issue if you can easily transport water there (mine comes in IBCs delivered by JCB) - but if access is poor you are reduced to lugging water daily in plastic tubs that are small enough to manhandle, and in summer you will be constantly running out of water.

Personally I'd pass!

Update - have worked out a large water but style plan - friend has similar and does not run out. Going to have a try as fed up of renting, if it was more accessible it would be a development site and out of my price range, again. So having a pop, might not get it and even if I do can’t think would regret having land. DIY livery is dying out around here sadly

Let us know how you get on OP!

Why can’t you have a water supply is it nowhere near the road?

Is there decent (i.e. legal) access at all OP? Do you need to cross someone else's land to access it?

Buy a 4x4 car for winter. Someone said it’s to be a bad one this year. If you can’t get up with food your beasts will suffer.

Buy tarps or something to cart hay up there. I ruined my boot carpet with hay. It’s a bugger to get the seeds out of hairy boot fabric!

Do you have somewhere you can buy hay piecemeal? Or can you get a tonne delivered to store in a garage at home and take up to field as and when required?

Will you ever hack alone? The other pony will be by himself while you are out. Will he be ok or go mental with no others around?

Is the field big enough for all year use?

Lots to consider. I know you want to go for it though.

I would view this a bit more positively. You will need some initial prep, such as a field shelter transported, & some hardcore delivered to make a dry spot. Find/befriend a local farmer who can use tractors & similar farm equipment to get hay, water tanks, etc to field. You will need to use the services of others (unless you want to buy your own tractor -there’s a thought, useful for harrowing & topping fields) I can see the attraction of your own fields, so I think it can work. Just need the right equipment & assistance

Thanks all, there is a field shelter and a byway, road is about 4 mins walk away, have a 4x4 but don’t want to ruin it, agree re hay! Just got a pet rug thing for back seats for tack. Might not even happen but having a go, horse hacks well and get a few local offers for company and he is usually sane, fingers crossed 🤞

I would check with a solicitor about any restrictions on the byway and how it can be used. Are you permitted to have a vehicle on it (to deliver hay or access field with tractor), would a farrier be permitted to use it to access your field (he would be using it for commercial purposes), etc.

It might be a great opportunity but make sure you can't inadvertently be prevented from accessing by a grumpy neighbour.

Thanks @CrunchyNutNC I will look into that

Am on third patch of ground now in 16 years. I gradually develop them out to suit and keep ponies and sheep so there is an agricultural element that keeps the planners happy. Never under estimate the maintenance of fences, gates and drains that you are taking on. If you can’t get water from a mains source then Get a company to drill your own bore pipe. I’ve just installed off grid electrics at my latest ground. I think the main thing is to have a strategy and don’t expect everything like your livery yard overnight. Work with your solicitor when you buy and avoid ground with third party easements, opaque restrictive covenants, or overage/clawback. Good luck.

Ooh I’d like to know more about your off grid electricity.i have solar arena lights but that’s all.

We have three bowsers and collect rainwater. We only ever have maybe a fortnight here and there where we drive water over in q huge plastic dustbin in the back of the truck!

We drive all hay, bedding and feed over during the summer when its dry.

Could you build a field shelter by the road so you can keep horses in for vet and farrier?

Still waiting to hear whether offer is acceptable! My mum has a well at her house I did think of that. Very good advice on hedges and fencing I think that is going to be expensive and somewhere shelter like ideally with a surface to avoid too much mud around it. Agree that is not going to happen overnight!!!! @MrsMiaWallis yes that was what my friend said - with enough collectors you are usually ok, think that will certainly be the first step. Hard waiting but trying to be patient as I think the lines of communication between agent and seller are not too fast....

@christmascantcome the quote for power from the grid wasnt worth the effort plus then they wanted to charge a commercial tariff for the service, so I thought sod that and started researching off grid. There was lots of help from various FB groups. A colleagues husband had just gone self employed as an electrician and so I asked him to research and quote which he did. Now have a 900w system with 3xsolar pv panels in ground buckets (no planning required) and a battery bank with an inverter and switch for a petrol generator to back up. We’re still getting used to the panel and how to operate (electrician writing us instructions!) It is nice to see what I’m doing at night!

@hedgehoginthebag that sounds interesting, what can you power with it, is it the lights only or any chance of sockets/ yard CCTV?

Hi - sorry delayed response, we have been playing with the inverter settings and the positioning of the solar buckets in the winter sun. We have LED lighting in 3 stables and tackroom and one on the yard. There are sockets set in the tack room and i have trace clipped a pony with the battery power no probs. In the summer there is lots of power but in the winter we are finding that by the end of the week then the batteries need topped up with generator, as it is not so sunny. The inverter itself uses power so there is a constant battery drain to consider. We could of had an auto start on the generator so it would fire up when the batteries get low- so if you were using the power for fencing or CCTV then you could use this facility, but it would have cost a bit more. We had the system built so we can add that on at a later date, maybe linked to a mobile app.

@hedgehoginthebag that is very interesting thanks so much. In a general update I am buying the field. Grazing to own so close to home was too good to miss. Everyone I have spoken to has enough water with big buts for a the amount of horses I have so less worried about that. Going to buddy up with nearby yard for trailer/ farrier etc. Have rented far too long and almost the last two years have been taken up worrying where to put the horses, would expect to have 3 in the next few years. Am very happy to have it and this field like all the others was massively fought over. Values are up nearly 30% on 4 years ago. If I had let that carry on much longer all hope of owning would disappear and after 20 years of increasingly tenuous renting I am over it. If I just had one and on child element to consider I would see it differently I am sure. Really looking forward to being able to bring the dogs to the field and having family picnics. Even with the limitations of the field am feeling lucky