The Yard & Mane Edit
Equestrian equipment buying guides
Specialist equestrian equipment can be a significant investment. Our buying guides explain what to look for, what the alternatives are and the questions worth asking before you buy.
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Guides by equipment type
Each guide links straight through to the relevant equipment, so you can move from reading to shopping.
Practical buying guideBuying advice · Drying
Horse solariums: are they worth the investment for a private yard?
What you will learn: What a solarium does, what it costs to run, the space it needs and the yards it genuinely suits.
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Practical buying guideBuying advice · Feeding
Automatic horse feeders: what should you actually look for?
What you will learn: Single-stable feeders through to whole-yard systems, and how to work out which suits your routine.
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Practical buying guideBuying advice · Drying
Horse drying systems: what is worth buying?
What you will learn: Solariums, horse dryers and rug drying rooms compared for real British winters.
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Practical buying guideBuying advice · Automation
Horse yard automation: where is it actually worth spending money?
What you will learn: Practical automation for feeding, water, lighting, turnout and security on a working yard.
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Practical buying guideBuying advice · Recovery
Equine recovery equipment: which system is right for your horse?
What you will learn: The main categories of recovery equipment and the questions worth asking before you buy.
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Practical buying guideBuying advice · Conditioning
Horse walker vs treadmill: understanding the difference
What you will learn: How each is used in a conditioning programme, plus space, surface and budget considerations.
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Practical buying guideBuying advice · Monitoring
How to choose a horse monitoring system
What you will learn: Stable cameras, movement alerts and vital-sign monitoring, and what each is realistically good for.
Read guidePractical buying guideBuying advice · Yard equipment
Best horse yard equipment for one to three horses
What you will learn: Where equipment saves the most time on a small private yard, in order of usefulness.
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Practical buying guideBuying advice · Planning
How much does it cost to build a high-end home horse yard?
What you will learn: The equipment decisions that shape the budget when building or upgrading a private yard.
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Practical buying guideBuying advice · Buying guide
The complete guide to buying high-end equestrian equipment
What you will learn: How to compare specialist equipment when the purchase runs to thousands of pounds.
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Practical buying guideBuying advice · Feeding
How to choose a slow feeder for your horse
What you will learn: Slow feeders, hay nets and hay feeders compared, and how to reduce forage waste without leaving a horse standing empty.
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Practical buying guideBuying advice · Drying
Horse dryer or horse solarium: what is the difference?
What you will learn: The two ways of drying a horse in winter, what each needs from your building, and which suits a private yard.
Read guidePractical buying guideBuying advice · Exercise
What size horse walker do I need, and what does one cost?
What you will learn: Diameter, horse numbers, groundworks, planning and the running costs that shape a horse walker budget.
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Practical buying guideBuying advice · Washing
Portable horse wash systems: are they worth it?
What you will learn: Warm water washing without building a wash bay, and how portable units compare with a fitted installation.
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Practical buying guideBuying advice · Safety
Horse yard safety: the equipment worth investing in
What you will learn: Surfaces, lighting and fittings that reduce the everyday risks on a working yard through a British winter.
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Practical buying guideBuying advice · Stable equipment
Stable equipment: a practical buying guide
What you will learn: Mangers, drinkers, fittings and storage, and the order most owners should buy them in.
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Not sure which equipment is right for you?
Tell us what you are looking to achieve, how many horses you have and how you currently manage your yard. We will narrow it down to the options worth comparing.