At Gryffeside there are fabulous facilities for the ‘All Rounder/Have a Go’ Rider. For me and Harley Gryffeside works so well and more than meets our needs and aspirations for our ‘all rounder’ goals. We enjoy our novicey showjumping, cross country, dressage and lovely long hacks in the countryside. With the facilities we can do this all year round. In the recent icy spell we are still able to ride in the outdoor and indoor arenas, with fantastic surfaces, keeping that essential fun and consistency in our riding and generally having a great laugh with our horsey pals. More often than not it’s followed by hot drinks and cake in the Wendy House. There’s a wonderful feeling of support for each other here and that’s so appreciated when you need a helping hand, either physically or mentally with your equine partner.

Hazel Kennedy & Harley

Zara has been enjoying retirement at Gryffeside for the last 6 months, and the support, facilities, and flexibility offered by the yard made a potentially stressful transition as easy as possible. I decided to retire Zara last summer when a culmination of various minor health conditions meant that she was due an easier pace of life. However, arthritis, deteriorating suspensories, and complicated teeth meant that her usual routine of being stabled overnight in winter wouldn’t work well for her anymore. She needed to be able to move and have access to as much grass as possible. At most other yards this would have meant moving, and the upheaval that would bring my otherwise settled, happy horse. However, because we’re at Gryffeside I was able to put her on to the BOB’s livery option. This meant I could keep her out 24/7, moving around and eating grass, but still have a stable for use at our convenience. At first, I was anxious about how she might adapt to being out 24/7 over winter and whether this would suit her. Zara is a poor doer, and usually in winter, I need to top up her forage with hay/grass replacers as she struggles to chew long-stem forage. However, the grass and field management at Gryffeside is of such quality that being out on it 24/7 has got her looking the best she ever has at this time of year. This was also helped by the support of the Yard Owner Karen to give Zara additional feeds at the end of summer to build her condition ahead of winter. Being on BOB’s also means I have a routine that not only works for Zara, but which also flexes around my full time, 9-5 job. Her field is right by the yard, so even winter evening checks are easy, and the continued availability of a stable means I can still bring her in when it's useful to me - no pre-work 6am starts needed for farrier and vet visits. I honestly don’t think I could find a set up anywhere else that balances Zara’s mental and physical needs and my work requirements as well as at Gryffeside, and I’m hugely grateful to have found it!"

Georgina Charlton & Zara

Delight and I compete at British Dressage and have travelled all over Scotland and England over the last year competing for Scotland. Gryffeside Livery has been amazing for us both. It has allowed us to continue our training sessions with the use of the indoor and outdoor arena, meaning we have been able to train in all weathers and has been hugely beneficial in our progression. Being able to practice our dressage tests and dressage test movements in a 20 X 40 indoor has also been advantageous. Delight thrives on variation in her work, so we hack twice a week, where there is plenty of routes to go allowing you to be out for hours. Delight is a horse that loves her routine so having a mix of field turnout and the hard standing pens in winter has worked brilliantly for her. She is so settled here at Gryffeside! Delight has previously suffered badly from mud fever in the past, but this year it is non-existent. Well maintained fields and the pens have been a saviour for us. In summer, turnout 24/7 with the flexibility of bringing in when suits works perfectly. We are regularly out at training every Monday night, and shows most weekends. The yard is very flexible with timing so early morning/ late night access has not been an issue. We also have parking for our lorry where we know it is safe and secure with gates being locked overnight, CCTV over the whole farm and owners living on site. From a competitive point of view, this yard works for me and my horse on so many different levels. From daily routine to training to competition schedule, it just works. Highly recommend.

Nicola Young & Delight

Having lost my old horse suddenly I found myself the hasty heartbroken owner of a young unbroken mare who had been living wild in a herd. She had limited handling and no training. I chose to move to Gryffeside Livery initially because there were so many different livery options available and I had no idea which was going to suit my new horse. This gave me the opportunity to introduce her to being stabled with the knowledge that 24/7 turnout was always available should things not work out. In addition to the various livery options available the facilities at the yard proved to be ideal for training my young horse. As she had little or no handling the round pen was invaluable for developing initial join up and lunging training and getting her used to being separated from the herd. The availability of the indoor and outdoor school enabled us to maintain a consistent training regime regardless of the weather or other external factors and remarkably after only a few months my youngster was starting her ridden career! The indoor arena provides a safe quiet environment to focus a young horses mind and remove external factors that might distract their attention. The outdoor arena provides the space to work the horse in a safe environment and whilst introducing external factors and getting them used to other things going on around them. The outdoor arena consists of a very good quality well drained surface which has withstood very wet weather and freezing temperatures. The constant availability of both arenas makes it easy to find somewhere suitable to work any time. The fact that the livery yard is part of a working farm has provided a safe environment to introduce a youngster to all manner of heavy machinery and prepare them for life outside the yard. The hacking routes round the yard are very scenic and mostly quiet. The yard is set in a country location and as such most road users are very polite and aware. Personally, I comfortably hack my youngster out on the roads myself. Unfortunately my only complaint so far is that the grass is too good! It appears I have purchased a particular ‘good doer’ and as such my only struggle has been how to keep her weight down. However, this too has proved easy to manage with the availability of your own hard standing pen and access to the ‘paddy paddock’ (a rubber surfaced area where the horses can be turned out). Furthermore the yard and other clients are so helpful and team spirited that we manage to organise appropriate strip grazing when required. In summary I find the yard suitably busy enough to expose your horse to life in today’s world without being overwhelming for a young inexperienced horse. Having been at home or in smaller yards previously I also found the ‘economies of scale’ refreshing thus making availability to farriers, vets and trainers etc far more accessible. Furthermore, the yard owners and other liveries are a nice supportive bunch and there is always a hand to be had when required.

Lyndsay Thomson & Tia

Recently, one of our horses became lame after a ligamentous injury. We were advised he needed 6 months minimum of box rest before further imaging. Understandably, he wasn’t settled being in his stable for long periods during the day and we struggled to find a yard where he would settle being the only horse in during the day. By chance, we found Gryffeside Livery yard and were sold immediately after seeing the outdoor pens. These outdoor pens mean your horse can be outside in the fresh air during the day, with their friends, and not be stuck in their stable. Our boy loves his new home. He’s never been more settled. We were worried he would be distressed not getting out in the field during the day but he’s never been happier. He’s quite happy being in his pen, watching his friends nearby in the fields, and just as happy when his friends come into their pens to have a grooming session. We would not have such a settled horse if it wasn’t for the excellent design of this yard. This yard has made our rehabilitation period so easy and comfortable for both us and our boy

Ellie Holmes, Fiona Preston, and Spirit

I keep my Irish Sports horse, Foxy, at Gryffeside Livery. She was bought 4 years ago as a ridden horse. Sadly, this was not meant to be. After numerous tests and investigations, I made the sad decision to retire her. She was only 10. Although never confirmed I suspect she has a condition called PSSM. I kept her on the Assisted DIY package at Gryffeside, but I noticed that she became stiff and tight especially in her hind quarters. She was so depressed, her eyes dull and sad. As a last resort I decided to try her on a month’s trial on grass livery. So up the hill she went to join the herd already there, fondly known as the Hillbillies. A herd of 10 horses and ponies of all types and sizes. They run free on nearly 100 acres of hillside with plenty of natural shelter in the winter and lovely shade in the summer. No need to lug water up as there are plenty of natural sources. So back to Foxy. Up the hill all sad and stiff, I felt really sorry for her. She was accepted into the herd straight away. I hoped it wouldn’t be too much for her. Well by the end of the first week she was like a new horse, bright eyed again and striding out with her pals. You can imagine my joy when one of the girls up checking her horses reported back that she saw Foxy leading the charge and jumping a natural ditch. She has been up there over 3 years now and is living her dream. I have trained her to come to a whistle so I can check on her or bring her down for the farrier or vet. Watching her galloping over the hill to me when she hears the whistle is wonderful. Foxy and I have found our dream livery.

Agnes McMulkin & Foxy