All in One Place or Split

[Keimanp]

Afternoon All

Currently my two are at home on the spare land that we have available so costs are low (plus it means we save time as we don't have to cut the grass in the fields). I am however considering getting a third. This potential new one would be kept elsewhere (local yard round the corner max 1.5 miles (option of two)) that has all the facilities you could want (one of them has a solarium?!?)

I work full time and I am doing a Masters Degree on top through work. Am I mad for considering another horse? Is it feasable? Do you keep your horses together at the same place or apart on different yards offering differing facilities?

I have had comments of it would be silly to have them spread around and I should buy more land at home to keep the new one and then build the facilities I want (I am however not a Bank and I have finite resources)

Interested in your views/comments

Robert

 

[Tickles]

Why do you need a third horse? What is it that the new can do that your existing ones can't?

 

[PorkChop]

Only you know if you have the time and resources, however I think you are mad to have them in two different places, even though they are close.

Is there no way round it?

 

[Keimanp]

One of the two that I have is a minature shetland who is purely a companion and was bought for that purpose.

The other is my first horse (Prince, Welsh Sec D) who I have had for a number of years now and he is getting older although is still capable of much of what I want to do I am concious that I am now much taller than when I first got him.

The potential new horse would be to share/take over the competeing that I do on Prince in the short term and eventually go on to more advanced competitions and taking over from Prince when the time comes for him not to be as active.

 

[Keimanp]

Is there no way round it?

The option would be to move Prince to the yard along with the new one and sell/find a home for Sparky the companion, I couldn't afford the livery costs for all 3 of them to be on the yard and would maybe have to consider a yard further away to ensure I can afford the two of them on livery, possibly with less facilities.

The other option is to get a mortgage/loan and negotiate with the farmer for some more land and then spend some more money on planning for a couple of stables and maybe a school.

 

[FleabittenT]

If the shetty is purely a companion, could you find him a new home and keep Prince & the new horse at home?

Would you be able to hack to & use the facilities at the local yards?

Sorry if I'm missing something, just a thought!

 

[Spring Feather]

Basically the third horse will have more need for facilities than the two you have so it makes sense to keep that horse at the equestrian centre and your other two at home. Although it's easier to have all horses kept together in this situation I can see why you'd split them.

 

[scatty_mare]

I have two horses at two separate yards. One is a loan who has to stay on current yard, and the other is my lovely mare who isn't allowed on that yard because she cribs!
Luckily i have managed to find her some grazing just 5 mins away from the other yard.

It's not ideal, but I manage.

I can see why you'd do it.

Another thought is if you could keep all 3 at home the livery money you'd save could be saved up to build your own facilities on your land.
If the local yards are only 1.5 miles away could you not (in theory) hack up there to use the facilities? Perhaps not a very practical solution if time is tight and new horse requires stabling.

 

[Keimanp]

If the shetty is purely a companion, could you find him a new home and keep Prince & the new horse at home?

Would you be able to hack to & use the facilities at the local yards?

If I found a new home for Sparky I could possibly keep the new one at home with Prince. It is possible to hack to the local yards and use the facilities as I do it from time to time on Prince. The cost is £10 for 30mins in the school (with or without jumps) or £20 for the cross country per hour. These are free to all liveries and it would be quick to hire the facilities up to the cost of being able to afford to keep your horse there each week.

Basically the third horse will have more need for facilities than the two you have so it makes sense to keep that horse at the equestrian centre and your other two at home. Although it's easier to have all horses kept together in this situation I can see why you'd split them.

This is what I am thinking,

Another thought is if you could keep all 3 at home the livery money you'd save could be saved up to build your own facilities on your land.
If the local yards are only 1.5 miles away could you not (in theory) hack up there to use the facilities?

The money saved on livery could fund the building of more facilities and possibly buying more land.

As it is something I am looking into and considering the options of I have left myself a reasonable time period to decide on the best course of action and putting in place a means to get there without rushing into anything to soon (I'm avoiding classifieds!)