Natural Barefoot Livery.
We provide a personal service that offers total peace of mind to the caring owner.
Your horse will be cared for as if our own, so that when you are away at work rest or play you can you can feel comfortable and assured knowing that your horse is cared for, comfortable, loved and happy.

“Natural”
Well as natural as possible because lets be honest just putting a fence up is un-natural if you think about it.

Herd Keep
Our horses and ponies are kept on approximately 30 acres divided into one large and one smaller (4 acre ish ) paddock. Both with good natural shelter with evergreen and deciduous parkland trees.
They are kept as 2 herds each a mixture of mares and geldings.

Herd 1
“good doers” whose weight needs to be monitored for all the usual reasons.
Herd 2
The more lean variety of equine
We mix graze with sheep to keep down the grass that the horses leave and to help reduce the worm burden.

Pasture and Hay
Although not yet registered Organic with the soil association we do not use chemicals or fertilisers on the pasture. Hay that we outsource and any other grain (if fed) herbs, fruit or vegetables are all grown without chemical input.

Wormers
We use herbal or homeopathic products along with regular worm counts.

Feed
Feed is Simple Systems plus Linseed, Mag Ox and Un-mollased, unbleached Sugar Beet. We can also supply organic bruised Oats or Barley.
Home grown or local seasonal fruit, herbs and veg (they eat better than us….!)

In winter hay is fed ad lib on hard standing areas ensuring a constant supply of fibre – central heating for horses. The good doers have a more restricted supply until it gets very cold.

Rugs etc
Now although we prefer not to rug our horses in order that they can control their own temperature and not be restrained by the rug – each horse is an individual and some of the oldies or perhaps the more fragile are rugged in the cold and wet during the winter and coldest months.

In summer some are more bothered by bugs and flies and so may require a mask, fringe or fly rug.
We would prefer our horses to be comfortable and do the best for the individual welfare rather than being over zealous about the natural livery.

Barefoot Trimming – Performance trim
We believe in the “do no harm “ school of trimming and the trimmers we use are Equine Podiatrists of K C La Pierre. Our regular trimmer is Helen Thompson but you are welcome to choose your own.
All prescribed hoof conditioning is done as part of the livery fee. We have approximately 1 mile of smooth tarmac, and a gravel area on which to condition the feet.

Vet
Our primary vet is Chris Day www.alternativevet.org the pioneer homeopathic and alternative vet in the UK. In an emergency we use the local vet.

Other health practitioners such as Equine dentists, Physios, Chiros, Equine Touch and Bowen therapists etc please see our horse health page

Handling:
All handling is of a calm, assured naturalistic style.

Twice daily handling.

Am – close quarters check in the field, rugs, fly masks, fly repellent attended to as required. Any first aid is attended to.
We use homeopathic remedies and other natural tinctures in association with advice from our vet Chris Day – see www.alternativevet.org

Pm- horses brought in onto dry standing, brushed off, and checked again, feet picked, washed and disinfected with our own product made with natural ingredients. This has been a great success in helping with thrush and other such infections. Horses then have their hoof conditioning on smooth tarmac or gravel or in boots and pads according to individual requirements. Up to 15mins (sun, rain, sleet, snow or dark)

This daily handling has two main functions
1.Hoof conditioning
2.The offshoot is that the horse calms down with the routine and becomes settled and easy to handle and catch. It also gives the opportunity for a little groundwork training if required.

Rates
Included in the cost is:
Assisted livery
All
Feed
Hay,
Horses are check at close quarters twice daily. Caught, brushed off, feet picked, cleaned and disinfected. Fly spray applied (seasonal)
Hoof conditioning on the tarmac of up to 15mins as required.
Any rugs/fly masks etc on or off as required.
Handling for the vet or trimmer etc
£80 pw

Full Livery,
Add to the above exercise 4 days per week,
Tack cleaning,
Thorough grooming
Rug cleaning and small repairs
£160 pw
Extras:
Wormers, supplements, vets fees and hoof trimming, dentist, classical schooling etc,