Another which yard thread (sorry)

[webble]

This is long so sorry but here goes:

In July last year I was due to move to a new yard but the YO ended up taking a friends horse as an emergency at the last minute and had to cancel me. She instead put me in touch with her neighbour who was looking to let a stable on her private yard to keep her one mare company so I moved there. Same money with use of the main yards facilities such as school and farm/cross country ride. I am generally happy where I am but a few people at the main yard have asked if I am going to move down when there is a space and I'm not sure what to do as there are pros and cons to both - WWYD?

Current Yard pros:
Lots of storage for hay shavings etc
YO turns out in the morning so I only have to go down once a day
No one to argue with
No poo picking of fields in winter as too muddy (harrowed then rested in summer)
Turn out onto concrete yard in bad weather if fields are too muddy/icey/snowy


Current Yard cons:
Fields very muddy in winter
I end up doing most of the poo picking in summer which occasionally annoys me
No one to ride with so I end up going to the main yard where there are people to ride with/ chat with etc
Field management isnt great, there are a lot of buttercups
Only one other horse who goes to comps every weekend in summer so Merry is on her own which she hates and gets stressed about
Have to hack 500m down single track road in the dark to use school at night in the winter so I tend not to bother

Main yard pros:
People to ride with/ generally socialise and help each other out
School on site so will ride more in winter (in theory!)
20ish other horses so Merry never on her own
Rota for poo picking so not just down to me

Main Yard cons:
Will I like sharing with other people again?
Less storage for hay/ shavings etc
Main area floods really badly most of year meaning some stables do too now and then
If no one to share yard work with I will have to go down twice a day
Poo picking done all year even in mud which I will struggle to do in daylight and with my back

Hot choc with marshmellows for everyone who read this far!

 

[HBM1]

I would stay at the first one if it was me. Also, does the yard owner charge you for turning out in the morning? If not, I would say the extra poo picking is a fair swap.

Also, it prevents your horse from having another move, especially if they are happy where they are.

 

[Surreydeb]

I'd stay put sounds like you have the best of both and have the choice whether to be quietly on your own or mix in with others. Perhaps it's just me having my own land but I would hate to go back to all the politics and bitching on a yard!

 

[AmyMay]

I also would stay at the the yard you're on until another yard becomes available. Yard 2 doesn't sound great tbh.

 

[webble]

I would stay at the first one if it was me. Also, does the yard owner charge you for turning out in the morning? If not, I would say the extra poo picking is a fair swap.

Also, it prevents your horse from having another move, especially if they are happy where they are.

No she doesnt but I put hers in at night

I also would stay at the the yard you're on until another yard becomes available. Yard 2 doesn't sound great tbh.

Yard 2 is good I maybe focussed on the bad bits its really friendly its one of few yards I have been on where there is no bitchiness. There arent any other yards nearby that I would look at really its the choice of these two having the farm ride is so worth it

 

[AmyMay]

Yard 2 is good I maybe focussed on the bad bits its really friendly its one of few yards I have been on where there is no bitchiness. There arent any other yards nearby that I would look at really its the choice of these two having the farm ride is so worth it

A flooding yard is no good to anyone though, surely?

 

[webble]

A flooding yard is no good to anyone though, surely?

No very true but I dont know if thats all the time I have only seen it for the last few months when we have had the very bad weather and its only certain stables so I could just make sure I didnt have one of them

 

[PandorasJar]

Yard 2 is good I maybe focussed on the bad bits

Exactly. You wouldn't focus on the bad points if you wanted to move and you'd sell the place up a little to us.

I'd stay where you are.

 

[webble]

Exactly. You wouldn't focus on the bad points if you wanted to move and you'd sell the place up a little to us.

I'd stay where you are.

Very good point, you are probably right. I think I just get a bit lonely especially with it being winter and Merry went through a stage of being nappy and not hacking on her own but YO at main yard who I have lessons from is going to help with that over summer (she is getting better already)

 

[MileAMinute]

You know what I think - stay where you are! You're getting all the facilities of Y2 with none of the bother

Plus, trust me, poopicking in the middle of winter with a headtorch on is NO fun!

 

[horsesatemymoney]

No she doesnt but I put hers in at night



Yard 2 is good I maybe focussed on the bad bits its really friendly its one of few yards I have been on where there is no bitchiness. There arent any other yards nearby that I would look at really its the choice of these two having the farm ride is so worth it

Until you get there- people can usually manage to be nice to visitors! Stay where you are, or look for anotheer yard- yard 2 doesn't sound great- how happy would you be if your stable flooded and you spent your riding time trying to salvage soggy bedding!

 

[webble]

Update: Its chucking it down here and just got a text from current YO to say she has put both girls in with haylage because they were wet and miserable. I think that sort of kindness and help is invaluable isn’t it.

Will just have to work on getting pally with people at the main yard (already arranged hacks for Sat and Sun) and Merry will have to get better at being on her own for a few hours (hoping calmer will help)