For horse owners in Bedford, livery plays an important role in providing consistent, high-quality care for horses. Especially for busy professionals, managing the daily workload and providing committed care for the horses can be difficult.
Are you welcoming the first horse in your family? Choosing the right livery in Bedford can have a lasting impact on the horse’s health and happiness.
What is a livery?
It is a professional arrangement in which horses are kept in exchange for a regular fee. By choosing a good quality livery, you can ensure basic grazing to full, along with daily management of your horses. More liveries offer services such as secure stables, high-quality grazing options, and access to horse training and riding. When you put the horse in a livery, the livery ensures that the horses receive consistent care within a safe and managed environment within the livery.
What are the common types of livery?
Grass livery
It is one of the most affordable options, in which the horses live in a well-maintained paddock with year-round access to safe shelter and water. These are suitable for horse breeds that do not require special care and prefer a natural lifestyle. Moreover, these horses do not require daily check-ups and can survive on their own.
Full livery
These liveries offer complete care to the horses, including feeding, mucking out, turnout and often exercise. This is a popular choice among horse owners who have limited time to care for their horses and want a safe, reassuring option. Here, the horses are managed by professionals around the clock.
Part livery
In these liveries, there’s a balance between owner involvement and professional care. The professional yard staff handle the core daily care taking staff of the horses, and the owners ride and groom the horses according to their requirements. This option is suitable for busy owners who want quality time with their horses.
Competition or training livery
These are designed for horse owners looking for structured exercise, grooming, training, and customised care plans for their horses. These liveries are ideal for owners planning to improve the horses’ performance and prepare them for upcoming events.
DIY assisted livery
DIY liveries offer complete access to the owners for daily care activities. Along with the paddock, the owner will receive DIY assistance from staff, who will help with tasks such as turnout or feeding. This is an ideal option for owners looking for flexibility without committing to full-time liveries.
How to choose the right type of livery in Bedford?
To choose the right livery, here are a few things that you need to consider:
- Match the livery with your horse’s needs
- Select a livery that fits your lifestyle and budget
- Assess your horse’s individual requirements
- Check the experience and expertise of the livery
- Look for safe, stable, well-drained turnout, quality arenas and other facilities
Get in touch with Ouse Valley Liveries. We are a well-established livery with professional managers and proprietors to take care of your horses.