Another Which Yard?? Sense check

[smolmaus]

I've been on current yard for about 15 months. An opportunity might have come up to move and I am struggling.

Current
Summer 24/7 turnout on grass
Winter hardstanding turnout with a haynet in the morning then come in at 4:30/5 to another net.
Haylage only, made on site, sometimes not great (mould) due in part to yard owner being injured this year and having outside people bale. They did a bad job.
Stable itself is great, tackroom shared with one person, great setup.
Yard itself is beautiful and really chilled, I like and would miss a lot of the people, and the yard cat.
Arena is 25x40 sand-only so is deep or wet quite a lot, never a problem with access though
Hacking is fine once you cross a 60mph main road, I had An Incident last Sept (on this side of the A road) where we almost got hit by a car and now I am very anxious about going out BUT I might have more confident company this summer and the last time I went out it was actually fine

Possible move
All year daytime turnout in a field, sometimes grass is lacking, nights always in. Owner said they have only been in all day for snow/flood conditions which is understandable. Maybe 10 days this winter.
Night nets only if they're out. No hay in the field. Hay only, can buy in small bale haylage if you want it. If they stay in they get breakfast/lunch/dinner
Available stable is smallest on the yard, awkward placing (door doesn't fully open???), storage might be a problem/ isn't ideal. I don't care very much but it's still maybe going to be annoying compared to what I have now and no auto drinker (I'm spoiled and I know she will tip a bucket if I don't stop her)
2 arenas so even if one is hired out there will theoretically always be somewhere to ride but will be a busier yard in general
Lunge pen and walker which I dont care about but just generally well maintained surfaces, as they host competitions
Hacking is all still on road and might be just as bad, but a change might be as good as anything else for my mental state, I don't know.
Might not get the stable even if I do want it!


Possible new place is expensive (£180 more a month) compared to where I am now. And I am really loath to leave somewhere that is good and take a risk that all the promises I'm getting now might not be fulfilled. My current yard owner has had a few people leave recently and has taken it really hard, for reasons that are not my reasons but I will still feel terrible about leaving. They have been good to me and Sadie.

We had the physio out today as well (I also viewed the new yard today) and the "diagnosis" is that she doesn't have the quadriceps muscle to support the stifle. We have a "rehab"/ strengthening regimen now but I really think the day in a field every day and in at night is going to be better for her than 24/7 turnout for 5/6 months a year (she looked amazing last summer) then 6/7 months in a small hardstanding where they don't move much at all. I think that is the most important thing here? Do I just need to be told that I need to put money where mouth is and bite the bullet? I did look at this place when I first got Sadie and immediately said "nah way too expensive" and they have since put their prices up but I just don't know now.

Even if nobody reads or responds I hope I can read this with a clearer head and decide in the morning!

 

[Flowerofthefen]

Just read through quickly and my gut feel was stay where you are. All year turn out in day sounds great until there is no grass, the field is up to its guts in mud, not great for a stifle injury, and no hay in field. That would put me off straight away .

 

[Roxylola]

I don't think either sounds fab. I'd stay but look for something better all round

 

[meleeka]

I’d wait for an option 3. You may sort the rehab at yard 2, then end up with ulcers because she’s not eating enough.

 

[vannersrus]

We have just moved our oldie mainly for a better standard of care. Don’t regret it at all - £150 per month more expensive but I don’t feel the need to go every day as the card is exceptionally good . I don’t really like hard standing turnout in winter though appreciate it’s better than nothing. Are the grass paddocks relatively dry ? Standing in mud probably worse

 

[w1bbler]

Can you talk to existing liveries & confirm the daily turnout does happen as claimed, I've seen so many people over the years go to new yards & discover the truth is a long way from what they are told on viewing.
Also with just night nets what size are they, is the hay being limited? I can understand no hay in field, but is there any grass at this time of year for them to nibble, otherwise you'll just have a horse stood by the gate waiting to come in & there will be no benefit to the additional turnout

 

[Highmileagecob]

If your horse is calm and happy. I would stay. Busy yards can be hell. Do you get the opportunity to ride in the winter, even thirty minutes in walk will keep muscle tone ticking over.

 

[Barton Bounty]

I would stay where you are, i dont see to many benefits of moving Busy yards are hell!

 

[Widgeon]

I would stay where you are. The mouldy haylage situation is very annoying but sounds like it's a temporary thing due to injury. I would try to find some good company for hacking out though, I can see why you don't like that road. I wouldn't fancy it alone either.

 

[dorsetladette]

I'd stay put for now and plan to be somewhere else by the time the 24/7 turn out ends.

Think realistically about the facilities you need. Are you mostly a hacking person? do you need a school? you maybe able to get something better for your horse if your able to compromise on the 'nice to have' bits.

 

[Quigleyandme]

I think I would stay on the current yard and rely on ridden and in hand exercise for muscle maintenance and stimulation.

 

[Peglo]

I was waiting for you to say the new yard had miles of off road hacking but since hacking is much the same I think I would also stay. I like mine to be out 24/7 in summer. The hard standing is maybe not ideal but you can loose school in the sand school for a run around for them can’t you? There’s a fair chance the fields won’t be dry enough for a run around in the winter anyway so at least the hard standing they aren’t in mud.

 

[TPO]

I'd stay put too. I think current hardstanding turnout is better than all day out in a bare, and probably for a horse on a rehab plan.

 

[KittenInTheTree]

Daytime turnout and in at night year round means that they are stood in for sixteen hours a day year round. That won't do the stifle issue any favours.

 

[smolmaus]

Interesting. The in-person advice has been "go immediately" but thats why you post!

Can you talk to existing liveries & confirm the daily turnout does happen as claimed, I've seen so many people over the years go to new yards & discover the truth is a long way from what they are told on viewing.
Also with just night nets what size are they, is the hay being limited? I can understand no hay in field, but is there any grass at this time of year for them to nibble, otherwise you'll just have a horse stood by the gate waiting to come in & there will be no benefit to the additional turnout

It was an ex-livery recommended it to me. She was briefly at my current yard and then left again. Will have to have a proper chat with her as well of course.

There does look to be SOME grass, the fields I saw weren't mudpits or anything but a lot of the turnout is down a lane which I didn't see. Standing at the gate looking to come in is the current situation anyway really, they get haylage nets on the hard standing paddocks (which aren't mud free either) in the morning which is gone in 2-3 hours then they stand for... 6-7 hours without. No lunch nets. So I know she gets "enough" right now but the timing of it is poor.

Also when I say "busy yard" its still only 15-ish liveries, just most of them actually ride rather than half being semi-retired! Current yard is just particularly quiet.

 

[Gloi]

I'd stay put too.

 

[Green Bean]

Stay put and look for option 3, preferably with off road hacking, proper turnout and consistent quality hay / haylage. Having recently moved yards for the second time in 4 months, it is so important to get it right first time as you upset your horse and yourself in the process

 

[The Xmas Furry]

I'd stay put at present, put extra cash towards better fodder and getting a foot or mounted person with you, rather than spending it on yard 2.
Look around further to see what else is available x

 

[TheHairyOne]

Another for the stay put camp!

You cant be far off 24/7 turn out and you now know the issue so can spend the summer building up which means if you are there next winter its maintining, which imo is a lot easier than building in the first place.

You also dont say how long 'day time turn out' at the new place is. Ive known some yards who have promised this and in reality its about 11 till 2. The better the used winter paddocks are at this time of year the higher my suspision its not often much time.

Id use the 'extra' £180 a month to buy in decent forage (if you are allowed?) and can cover a fair bit of extra physio etc!

Maybe the ideal will come up at later date.

 

[MuddyMonster]

I think I'd stay put too.

Could you use the money you save not moving for lessons to help improve your confidence out hacking? My instructor (and lots I know) will come out on foot hacking to help horse/rider combinations if needed.

 

[TheOldTrout]

I thought you made your current yard sound much better.

 

[Fjord]

To be honest, yard 2 doesn't sound like much of an improvement. I'd stay put, but keep looking for option 3.

 

[Season’s Bleatings]

Roughly what location are you in? I think you’re local-ish to me, I can have a think to see if I have any ideas for somewhere more suitable!

 

[littleshetland]

I think I'd stay put if I were you....and anyway, you'll miss the yard cat.

 

[Annagain]

Your reasons for moving won't apply in a few weeks and that will then give you all summer to look for something better. I'd hang on for now and look for something in time for next winter.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

Stay. Hold out for something else.

 

[Surbie]

I'd also stay put and spend the summer looking for something better, it doesn't sound like you'd be swapping for an improvement.

 

[Chianti]

I'd stay where you are and look for something better. 10 days in over winter is really quite a lot. Once every other week?

 

[Fieldlife]

Bit more details on the hard standing turnout you currently have. How big a space. Is it comfy to walk on. Do the horses move around in it? Some hard standing turnout is barely bigger than 2-3 stables.

That would make a big difference on my thinking.

We have had lots of rain / sleet where I am in last fortnight. How well are possible new yard fields holding up? That would also influence my decision. A turnout in deep bog can be worse than small hard standing pens.

 

[WelshD]

The problem is if keeping in is done for maybe 10 days what happens if the weather is worse? is that a best case or worst case?

I was only on a livery yard one winter and pony stayed in about 10 days which is average but this year I can see on the same yard they've been in more already this year. Its no consolation to a horse that its 10 days some years and all winter another year

I'd go and have a good look at the fields at the potential new yard personally but I cant see how its a great option - I would be looking for yard 3