A livery yard is like a hotel complex for horses – there’s a room to sleep in, a place to relax, three meals a day and an all-you-can-eat field buffet, a place for exercise, and possibly even a solarium – and the price you pay depends on the number of stars hanging over the door. And just like hotels, livery yards can vary a lot in the facilities they offer … and their approach to customer service.

Choosing the right livery yard for both you and your horse is incredibly important because it will impact on everything you do, or want to do, and if you get it wrong it can be a harrowing and miserable experience.

Of course, not everyone will have the benefit of options, so it might be a case of going with whatever is closest and whatever you can afford. But if you do have options, it’s worth exploring all avenues because it could save you the time and expense of having to move to another yard later.