Stupid question sorry – diy livery, what does this normally mean

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susysu

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Jun 25, 2007
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I’m sorry but you did say when I joined that I could ask stupid questions

looking into the if’s and but’s of owning my own and looking at costs involved

part livery around my way seems to start at about £80 a week which is too much for me so I need to look at DIY livery

please could you explain the cheapest types of livery that you have and what is involved in your daily routines, in fact I would love to know your routines, especially those of you that work full time and your timings. if I had a horse that lived out does this mean they don’t get stabled at night or just that they are out all day and stabled at night?

many many thanks, and sorry again, but in my defense I am trying to research as much as possible before venturing into something that I might not have the time or money to do properly
 
Not stupid. Very sensible actually.

DIY = Do It Yourself

Livery usualy includes use of field, stable, tack room and all/some of the facilities (if any are available).
Sometimes also includes feed, hay and bedding. Other times these prices are seperate. Varies from yard to yard.

Shoeing, worming, vaccinations, insurance etc etc are almost always not included.

Owner does ALL care of the horse.

Hope that's helpful :).

Mine are on DIY livery. They live in a field with a shelter and automatic water drinker (which I check daily and clean when needed).
In summer they live out 24/7. I take morning feeds up before uni/work. Then ride in the evening and take up evening feeds then.
Also have a friend who I share responsibilities with. She works nights so in winter does the morning feeds before going home. Then I take care of the evening feeds for hers and mine. Brill arrangement if you have a horse friend on DIY or Part livery.
Mucking out I fit around other commitments (if working in morning, I turn them out and muck out in the afternoon).
 
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I'm on DIY so I do everything for my horse myself.

In the summer (April to November ish) Bryony lives out so basic care is go once a day check on her, groom and poo pick field.

In the winter (rest of the year) at the farm at 7.00am turn her out, muck out if I have time. Then go up in the evening muck out if I haven't hay and water prepare feed bring her in.

Then sometime find time to ride.:)
 
feel free to ask stupid questions, it's what we're here for, and it reminds us the basics we might have forgotten :)

DIY = Do It Yourself, and is exactly what it says, but you get use of yard facilities, a box, tack room, turnout etc.

Well here's what my routine's going to be when my loan officially starts, he's on DIY and I'm at school full time.

Merlyn lives out 24/7 now the weather's good, but will actually be in all winter. When it gets to about September, he'll be in at night.

I'm not doing mornings, where a friend of a friend at the yard will turn Merlyn out and check him over, put on any rugs if need be. In the afternoons, I'm at the yard at 5.30, I muck out if he needs it, which takes about 20 mins, go and bring him in for a groom, check over, a little bonding time and his work, which takes about 1 - 2 hours. He then either goes back into his stable (gets fed and watered) or is turned out, I take care of any little thing that needs doing, like collecting and storing his hay etc. and then I trot along home, usually I'm back by 8.00/8.30.

That's just how I'm doing it, school starts at 8.30, which means I could drop in in the mornings anytime it's necessary, as it's so close to me.

DIY is totally feasible, and I pay £100pcm :)

oh and "living out" generally means out 24/7 :)
 
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When I was on a yard - OH and I did DIY. Our routine went like this (we had two you see)
9am ish arrive at yard and give neddies a dish of food
9.10am - rug up the beasties if required and turnout
9.20am - rush around like headless chicken and muck out - if run out of time then one of us would dash back up there later in the day and finish off!
5.15ish - bring neds in and groom
6.00pm ish - fill nets / wash feed bowls out
7pm - start queuing for the school!
9pm - leave yard knackered but happy - ready to start the whole process again.....oh, forgot to say, leave juicy nets hanging in their boxes and give them a goodnight pat each!
 
grass livery is the cheapest and easiest down here, around £30 pw. No work to do other than grooming/feeding/riding .

My boy has to come in on DIY (stabled at night) during the winter as the fields get too muddy and fitting everything in during the dark evenings is tricky but possible.

If you can then i would advise going with grass livery to start where they are out 24/7 whilst you get used to having a horse as they take up a serious amount of time even then!
 
thank you for your replies

with grass livery is that where a field shelter is provided?
 
it depends on the yard

they might not have field shelters in all their fields, or not at all, but they don't usually charge extra on a weekly basis if there is one, but maybe more in the normal rate you pay each week/month.
 
Grass livery is the cheapest option, but most yards (round here) don't offer it.
Not all horses are suited to living out all year round either, so you would need to make sure that your pony would be fine, before you bought him, if grass livery was your choice. A pony does need good shelter (either trees etc, or a proper built field shelter), to live out.
You would need to check a field kept pony once a day.

My horse is on D.I.Y.. It costs £100 a month. This includes use of stable, field and storage areas. It doesn't include any extras.
On top of this price, there are many other expenses that need to be budgeted for.

Heres a basic list:
Feed, hay and bedding
Farrier bills
Worming
Insurance
Horse dentist and vet bills, including annual vaccinations
Bits and bobs, like tack, grooming equipment, and rugs etc
and probably more I havn't thought of

I would estimate that my horse costs me about £50 per week, but I'm too scared to work it out!:p. And thats without having lessons, and going to shows.

My horse lives out all summer, and comes in at night in the winter.
Summer I go once a day, winter twice.

Hope this helps
 
Not at all stupid - I was baffled by how it all works too.

I've got my horse at a DIY yard. Basically I'm paying £12 per week for stable and grazing (with an extra stable to keep all my stuff in, however if that stable is needed by another livery I'll lose that). No facilities at the yard at all, I would pay extra for somewhere with a school but there isn't one nearby. The farmer who owns the yard just does livestock, so I buy my hay and straw from another farm in the area.

As for my routine... Mine is a TB who is out 24/7 except in winter. At the moment, I go down before work on weekdays (alarm at 5.50, up at 6, at the yard by 6.15. 30mins to bring him in, feed him, pick out his feet, brush him, fly spray, half an apple, a cuddle :eek: then back out to the field). On weeknights if I'm riding I go about 6, ride for 1-1.5 hours, come back for a feed and a brush then turn him out.

Weekends - the visits are the same, but I tend to ride in the morning instead of at night.

Winters will be much the same, with added mucking out and rugging.

Hope this helps...
 
Trio said:
grass livery is the cheapest and easiest down here, around £30 pw. No work to do other than grooming/feeding/riding.
Click to expand...

Gosh that's a lot - did you definately mean per week Trio? Round here DIY with stable/grazing/tack storage/facilities is around £20 - £25 per week (not including haylage or bedding). Grass livery only £10 per week, or £15 per week in winter when they put haylage into fields.
 
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