Caol Ila
Well-Known Member
Today I looked at a yard that has a lot of potential. Now I have to make decisions. Being the process queen, writing a list of pros and cons on the forum is helpful for working out what I need/want/should do.
Pros of old yard:
* Horse is settled and I've worked how to manage her winter fencewalking. Although if my friend/sharer who helps me out with her on weekends became unable to do it, or I got a 9-5 sort of job (right now, I'm freelance), I'd be screwed and have to move the horse for her own welfare. The fencewalking was out of control when I did my journalism masters because I didn't get out of class until 3 or 4pm, and she looked like hell at the end of that winter.
* Horse is 26 and I'd feel bad moving her somewhere if she hated it.
* Summer field with cross-country course is fantastic
* My best friend is there, and I don't think she'd move.
* My sharer would be reluctant to ride at a different yard.
* The turnout, even in winter, is fantastic. Horses are out from 7:45am to 3:45pm.
Pros of new yard:
* Closer to my flat. Would reduce the yearly miles I'm putting on my car by around 4000.
* Big indoor arena of international showjumping size (as well as an outdoor).
* Yard manager seems sensible and easy to chat with, and agreed that an older horse should be kept in work so long as she is sound.
* Seems to know about fencewalkers and is willing to cater to their neurotic whims.
Cons of old yard:
* 27 miles away from where I live.
* YOs and I aren't seeing eye to eye in terms of how to manage a mid-twenties horse. Nor do we communicate well. I get anxious when I have to talk to them about stuff, even feed changes, and I'm still pretty pissed that they went to my friend to tell her about my horse not finishing her hay at night, not me. And their words to her were, 'Caol Ila doesn't listen to us anyway.' Right now, whenever I school her, I feel like I'm dealing drugs -- looking around furtively, wondering if they're watching me, and trying to time my schooling sessions when they're not around.
* Arena must be 20x30 on a good day (but the footing is great).
Cons of new yard
* More expensive, but slightly offset by less driving.
* Less turnout. They have fewer individual paddocks than horses on individual turnout, so the horses have to rotate. Wouldn't be out for as long as she is now.
* The devil you don't know. Sometimes, there is a lot to be said for the devil you know. Change and moving is stressful.
* Not knowing if my horse will like the yard. She is very judgy of yards. But it's set up like other ones she's been on and liked, so that's all I can go by.
So there we are.
Pros of old yard:
* Horse is settled and I've worked how to manage her winter fencewalking. Although if my friend/sharer who helps me out with her on weekends became unable to do it, or I got a 9-5 sort of job (right now, I'm freelance), I'd be screwed and have to move the horse for her own welfare. The fencewalking was out of control when I did my journalism masters because I didn't get out of class until 3 or 4pm, and she looked like hell at the end of that winter.
* Horse is 26 and I'd feel bad moving her somewhere if she hated it.
* Summer field with cross-country course is fantastic
* My best friend is there, and I don't think she'd move.
* My sharer would be reluctant to ride at a different yard.
* The turnout, even in winter, is fantastic. Horses are out from 7:45am to 3:45pm.
Pros of new yard:
* Closer to my flat. Would reduce the yearly miles I'm putting on my car by around 4000.
* Big indoor arena of international showjumping size (as well as an outdoor).
* Yard manager seems sensible and easy to chat with, and agreed that an older horse should be kept in work so long as she is sound.
* Seems to know about fencewalkers and is willing to cater to their neurotic whims.
Cons of old yard:
* 27 miles away from where I live.
* YOs and I aren't seeing eye to eye in terms of how to manage a mid-twenties horse. Nor do we communicate well. I get anxious when I have to talk to them about stuff, even feed changes, and I'm still pretty pissed that they went to my friend to tell her about my horse not finishing her hay at night, not me. And their words to her were, 'Caol Ila doesn't listen to us anyway.' Right now, whenever I school her, I feel like I'm dealing drugs -- looking around furtively, wondering if they're watching me, and trying to time my schooling sessions when they're not around.
* Arena must be 20x30 on a good day (but the footing is great).
Cons of new yard
* More expensive, but slightly offset by less driving.
* Less turnout. They have fewer individual paddocks than horses on individual turnout, so the horses have to rotate. Wouldn't be out for as long as she is now.
* The devil you don't know. Sometimes, there is a lot to be said for the devil you know. Change and moving is stressful.
* Not knowing if my horse will like the yard. She is very judgy of yards. But it's set up like other ones she's been on and liked, so that's all I can go by.
So there we are.