Choosing the Right Livery Yard for Your Horse

Keeping a horse at home involves considerable time, effort, and expense, including grazing, fencing, and stabling. Most horses thrive in environments where they have equine companionship, as they are naturally herd animals, and this social aspect helps prevent behavioural problems.

For many owners, keeping a horse at home is not practical, so livery yards are a common solution. These yards offer several advantages:

• Help with basic horse care, including holiday cover
• Access to shared facilities such as outdoor manèges or indoor arenas
• Equine companionship for horses
• Security and quick response to emergencies, including medical care
• Support for owners and social interaction for riders

Choosing the right level of livery depends on available time, budget, travel options, and location. Key types include:

DIY Livery

This involves renting stable and grazing, with all responsibility for daily care remaining with you—feeding, turnout, mucking out, and field maintenance. It is cost-effective and suits owners who enjoy hands-on care and social interaction with other horse owners. Some yards offer additional services for a fee, but these may increase costs significantly.

Grass Livery

Similar to DIY, but focused on grazing only, with owners responsible for care tasks.

Assisted DIY

This option provides a daily package of services such as morning feeding, rug changes, and turnout assistance, ideal for owners who cannot commit to twice daily stable visits due to work or family duties.

Part Livery

The yard assists with feeding, mucking out, rug changes, and turnout, while the owner handles grooming, riding, and other activities. This suits busy owners who want to spend quality time with their horse rather than doing stable chores.

Working Livery

Situated at riding schools where your horse is cared for by staff and used for lessons. This is a budget-friendly option but may limit your use of the horse and is not suitable for all animals, especially those needing a calm, consistent rider.

Full Livery

The yard staff take care of all daily needs and riding, including competition preparation if required. It is the most expensive option and limits time for bonding but suits owners with busy schedules or those away during the week.

When selecting a livery yard, prioritise your horse's welfare over convenience. The yard must offer safe, well-maintained stabling and adequate grazing that meets your horse's needs. Facilities vary widely—from basic to luxury—and prices reflect this.

Visit potential yards, observe the horses’ condition and demeanour, check stable cleanliness and ventilation, and ask about care routines and support services. Transparent contracts, clear rules, worming programmes, security measures, and night-time staff on site are signs of a professionally run yard.

Though there is no mandatory licensing, the British Horse Society offers a useful approval scheme that can guide your decision.

Finding a livery yard that matches your horse’s needs and your lifestyle ensures both owner and horse enjoy a happy and healthy relationship.