Another Essex yard closing

[TheChestnutThing]

With my current yard closing, am on the hunt again…

I have a space at a local yard, but was considering another as a 2nd option/wait list option due to the facilities and what it offers in terms of me being a competitive (or not depending on how you look at it) rider.

1. Would you travel a 46 mile round trip for a yard?

2. The yard is Crockleford Stud (reviews on it would also be appreciated)

 

[olop]

Oh which yard is closing?
I’m not far from Crockleford, it looks nice but I don’t know much about it I’m afraid!
I don’t think I’d travel 46 miles round trip for it though!

 

[TheChestnutThing]

Oh which yard is closing?
I’m not far from Crockleford, it looks nice but I don’t know much about it I’m afraid!
I don’t think I’d travel 46 miles round trip for it though!

I’m not sure it’s public knowledge yet so will DM you.

Thanks. Just so few yards in a lesser radius.

 

[m1stify]

yes I currently do that round trip mostly motorway which means it is 35 mins each way. I don't know if I would do the same distance on back roads tbh. I can just put car on cruise control and my audio book/or make phone calls. It is worth it for the turnout & facilities in my yard. Also full livery so I am there 5 days a week. Don't worry about horse when I am not there as I trust the yard.

 

[MereChristmas]

I do almost 20 miles one way trip for full livery on nearly empty B roads in the countryside. It takes 30-35 minutes each way. I doubt I would go much further.
The hardest part is to-ing and fro-ing with the horsebox from home adding to the journey to any ‘event’.

 

[Barklands]

I travel 11 miles (takes about 20 mins) and am sick of the backwards and forwards. Currently looking at houses which will result in me being 9 mins away from horses - absolutely cannot wait. Cannot fathom how I would feel if i had to travel 46 miles and would hate to think of the effect on my fuel bill/the miles racking up on the car!

 

[Widgeon]

46 miles is quite a haul - similar to @Barklands I live fifteen minutes from my yard and even that can be a bit miserable in winter, on country roads that aren't great in winter.

The main hassle though, is what @Meredith says about to-ing and fro-ing with your lorry or trailer. It may only be fifteen minutes extra but boy do I resent it! (I'm stupendously lazy and hate getting up early)

 

[SussexbytheXmasTree]

I used to keep my horse on full livery 18 miles away which was at least 30 minutes each way and I found it a bind. It was especially bad in the winter driving up after work in the dark in rain and ice. For me the last straw was a fortunately mild colic and a useless YO and living so far away I really needed to trust them completely. I lasted a year.

Also the YO did not live on site and usually they and other liveries had left by the time I got there as didn’t work full time. It’s worth exploring what the yard is like at times you’re likely to ride. It’s not encouraging to be riding on your own in the dark in the middle of winter!

 

[CanteringCarrot]

I travel 52 miles round trip. It is what it is. There is not anything closer. I've also considered some yards a bit further as well. I don't like it, but I am not investing in my own place here/bringing him home.

If something existed closer, I'd be quite pleased, but that's not the case. If you can do the further drive and the yard is better for you and the horse, it may be worth it to you.

 

[MereChristmas]

The main hassle though, is what @Meredith says about to-ing and fro-ing with your lorry or trailer. It may only be fifteen minutes extra but boy do I resent it! (I'm stupendously lazy and hate getting up early)

If I go to a fun ride my timetable is
30 mins at home… 40mins in horsebox to stables..30 mins at stables… journey to the ride which is at least 45 mins
30 mins at ride… ride length, say nearly 2 hours.. 30 mins after ride… journey back to stables.. 30 mins at stable… 40 mins in horsebox home…
This is about 7 hours minimum. One ride was 50 miles from the stables so I drove about 140 miles, rode for about 10 and did the ‘ work’.
I can only do this because F is on full livery and I go 3 may be 4 times a week.

 

[Aperchristmas]

That would be much too far for me, but I can't imagine keeping them further away than 10 miles or so, and even then I'd want that to be a smooth 10 miles and not back lanes. I'd hate being so far away if they got ill and I wanted to visit lots. I appreciate that many can't keep them that close though, and if the local facilities aren't there what are you supposed to do except travel further?

 

[TheChestnutThing]

I do almost 20 miles one way trip for full livery on nearly empty B roads in the countryside. It takes 30-35 minutes each way. I doubt I would go much further.
The hardest part is to-ing and fro-ing with the horsebox from home adding to the journey to any ‘event’.

I would leave my trailer at the yard, but I don’t disagree that it would be sh1t driving to the yard then essentially past my house down the A12 as I head out to a show.

 

[TheChestnutThing]

If I go to a fun ride my timetable is
30 mins at home… 40mins in horsebox to stables..30 mins at stables… journey to the ride which is at least 45 mins
30 mins at ride… ride length, say nearly 2 hours.. 30 mins after ride… journey back to stables.. 30 mins at stable… 40 mins in horsebox home…
This is about 7 hours minimum. One ride was 50 miles from the stables so I drove about 140 miles, rode for about 10 and did the ‘ work’.
I can only do this because F is on full livery and I go 3 may be 4 times a week.

When you put it this way….

 

[MereChristmas]

I would leave my trailer at the yard, but I don’t disagree that it would be sh1t driving to the yard then essentially past my house down the A12 as I head out to a show.

I can’t leave my ‘box at the yard and I have to drive there in either my car or the ‘box.

 

[TheChestnutThing]

I can’t leave my ‘box at the yard and I have to drive there in either my car or the ‘box.

I have to be honest, I think I would need to take hubby’s car most days if I went there as his is much lighter on fuel and milage.

 

[Lucky Snowball]

I would not travel that far.

 

[Annagain]

I realise I'm very lucky but my yard commute has recently gone from 2 to 4 miles but mile 2.5-3.5 is on a road that can be very congested and has roadworks on it at the moment so my previous 7 minute journey is now a minimum 15 and more like 25 in rush hour (luckily I don't go in rush hour that often). That's bad enough, even though it's given me an opportunity to get into audiobooks! I am on DIY though so am there at least once a day (we have a turnout rota) it might be less of an issue if you're on full livery.

 

[MagicMelon]

Personally I couldnt imagine being that far from my horses. If there was an emergency Id want to get there ASAP. Thats a lot of time spent just travelling to and from. Are there really no others closer that would work?

 

[GSD Woman]

Here in central Virginia, USA we've lost so much farm land to building new houses that most people drive 20-30 minutes at least to get to their yards. Most people here have their horses on full livery though. One friend keeps her horse at her significate other's parents place. If she didn't she couldn't afford to keep her horse. She does help with farm chores though.

Most of our back roads around here are better than what I drove on all of those years ago when I visited England.

 

[BallyJ]

I'm 16 miles - 22 mins! and thats long enough after a full day at work.

 

[Widgeon]

Here in central Virginia, USA we've lost so much farm land to building new houses that most people drive 20-30 minutes at least to get to their yards.

How sad. I've always thought of Virginia as being an amazing place to have horses, but I'll have to revise my mental opinion of it!

 

[Widgeon]

Most of our back roads around here are better than what I drove on all of those years ago when I visited England.

Now that I can believe. I can tell you that they haven't improved. They might even be worse, actually.