2 horses, 2 yards

skint1

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 February 2010
Messages
5,306
Visit site
Yes I have and the honest answer is that I couldn't do it without the good will of one of my best friends who cares for my mare who is basically her horse's companion. The first year I had them separate I tried to do as much as I would do if they were in the same place but I couldn't do it in the end, without my friend I would be stuffed. I make sure she knows how much I appreciate her and I do whatever I can to help.

I work full time though and have a non horsey OH, and the yards are 12 miles apart through some rough traffic.
 

skint1

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 February 2010
Messages
5,306
Visit site
Whichever yard you are at you'll be aware of all the stuff needs doing at the other yard, I feel very guilty a lot of the time.
 

landyandy

Well-Known Member
Joined
24 February 2008
Messages
716
Location
south yorkshire
Visit site
I go to the yard where my 17hh is first, and when I go to my 16hh, I think she's a pony, it's very weird, also feel guilty if i'm at one yard more than the other,
 

Archangel

Well-Known Member
Joined
14 January 2008
Messages
10,367
Location
Wales
Visit site
I had mine at 2 yards only about 4 miles apart. Absolute nightmare - never again. You spend your whole time going to and fro. In the winter it is more hideous that a thing that is hideous. Can you tell I didn't like it?
 

TheresaW

Well-Known Member
Joined
18 January 2006
Messages
8,808
Location
Nottinghamshire
www.justgiving.com
I did it for almost 2 years. Was bloody hard work, and couldn't have coped without friends who helped me out no end. Mine were only a couple of miles apart, but some nights felt like they were opposite ends of the country. Wouldn't do it again unless there was absolutely no choice.
 

muckypony

Well-Known Member
Joined
24 August 2012
Messages
1,563
Visit site
I did it once, less than a mile apart. I couldn't do it, far too stressful and I think I lasted about 2 months!
 

Kezzabell2

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 April 2014
Messages
2,975
Location
Basingstoke
Visit site
I have 3 horses, 2 yards

my 30yr old mare and mini Shetland are at one yard, with my friends pony, so I often have 3 to sort out! I do all the feeds in the winter etc! we share the poo picking! I tend to do a day in the week and both weekend days! I go to them first in the morning, give my mare her cushings meds and whiz off to the other yard

where my ridden gelding is, muck out his stable, turn him out etc. then off to work

in the evening I go straight back to the gelding and ride and put him to bed, if hes not out 24/7. the first person at this yard feeds all of the horses in the morning, in the evening we all do our own thing! I don't have to poo pick at this yard, usually! but I do at the moment coz he's in a small section of someone elses field as his friend is injured, so he has moved fields so hes not alone!

the 2 yards are only 1.5 miles apart, so its not too bad really!

I've been doing this since November, when the ridden horses was on box rest and needed a horse walker!

probably wouldn't cope if I had to ride the others as well! but the vet and farrier follow me between yards haha
 

PonyIAmNotFood

Well-Known Member
Joined
7 October 2010
Messages
1,311
Location
Norf West
Visit site
Mine are on 2 yards, about a mile apart. Youngster is on a friends yard and she helps me loads. I do holiday relief for her 4 and in winter if I'm down first (work permitting), she quite often comes out to her 4 horses turned out, mucked out and hayed - to try and show my appreciation for the help she gives with my boy!

My ridden mare is on a livery yard, much more work than the youngster usually and has special requirements - is a head shaker who gets blocked sinuses which makes it worse, so has inhalation buckets and nasal sniffy things twice a day to help her out (anything to stop her head shaking!). Also gets a bit stiff so needs riding at least 5 times a week.

I poo pick both yards single handedly for the majority (friends yard sometimes gets a bit done by her kids but not often). It's the poo picking that's a killer!

I work shifts, and 10 hours at a time, so break my back on work days but more days off make up for that!
 

Dubsie

Well-Known Member
Joined
26 January 2009
Messages
4,756
Location
The Edge of Suburbia, Berkshire.
Visit site
We've 2 at home - which is fab, they can be done in PJs, they live out so just feed/hay and poo pick. However we also have 1 on a yard - went there when we needed box rest and has stayed, they're out every day and the amount of turnout really suits, in the summer are out 24/7, and I'm very grateful to one of the ladies from the yard because she often texts to say she's done (and I reciprocate if I'm there first). I thought it wasn't too bad as the yard is 12 mins drive away, however as daughter has taken the horse to camp this week, so just the 2 ponies at home to do, I'm finding I do have a LOT more time!
 

McFluff

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 April 2014
Messages
1,775
Visit site
I do, but cheat as one is on working livery (so I only see him a couple of times a week) and the other is on full livery (I ride/see her 6 days/ week).
There is no way I could do this if they were on DIY.

This arrangement is the right thing for each horse - not what I set out to do, but it works.
 

JenJ

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 January 2010
Messages
2,169
Location
Surrey
Visit site
As of today, mine are both at the same yard, and I'm so, so happy, and hugely relieved.

I had 2 at 2 since March, and though I had it 'easy' with one on part livery (though needed riding 5-6 days a week) and one on grass livery, I constantly felt guilty for 'neglecting' one, for not spending enough time with one, for not pampering one enough, etc etc etc. Anything I did that wasn't work or horses I felt guilty for doing as I could have used the time to spend with one of the horses. Mine were 3 miles apart but I don't drive, so rely on cycling/running/walking to get around, which didn't help at all.

Having both togetehr is going to be harder in a way, as I've had to switch back to DIY, so twice daily visits without a car will be time-consuming, but I'm looking forward to not feeling guilty all the time. Bother will be treated the same, and logistically it'll be a lot easier too, instead of having to maintain two sets of stuff etc.

Would I have 2 at 2 again? Never. Unless one was retirement/full grass livery where I don't need any involvement.
 

Cinnamontoast

Fais pas chier!
Joined
6 July 2010
Messages
35,361
Visit site
I did it by getting up at 5.30, the yards were about three miles apart. It was a killer. I basically had a mate who had three horses on my mare's yard do mornings for me-she half loaned the mare and I did my gelding at the other yard round the corner from work. Even that killed me.

I'm extremely fortunate to have a good friend who does mornings for me now, although she's moving soon. Don't know what to do.
 
Top