Another yard dilemma thread...

Stay. Never underestimate how much the atmosphere at a yard contributes to your own happiness! And dogs in the car would mean more work for you as well or leaving them at home. I agree I would have another attempt at sorting out the school and would out the money towards a box.
 
I would stay! It's not so much fun without your friends. I would either get transport and travel to a school or find a good local school and ask to use it. I have a horse box but I also use three local schools. I just went and talked to the owners and they were all pleased to hire the school, I pay of course but I'd expect to anyhow. It's a pain your school is not kept appropriately but it's how things go. Having friends and a overall good atmosphere would be more important to me then a school.
 
Will you be able to afford to compete if you move yards and it is going to be twice as much money especially if you find your horse does not like being out till 6pm and you have to pay for catch in.

The turnout does also sound better at yard two as well as the school. However if the dogs have to stay in the car is there a shady parking spot so if it is very hot the dogs will remain comfortable or could you leave the dogs at home rather than in the car?

Is it really the school that is stopping you progress in training {there are people who compete who do not have a school and therefore school in fields or out hacking or by hiring arenas or going to their trainers yard} or is that you do not have the finances or perhaps not that bothered about competing but your instructor is pushing you as you have a good horse.

When you say you would not be competing that often how often is that often it is only going to be 2/3 times a year then not sure it would be worth moving from somewhere you are happy at to a new place just so it is easier to do something you are going to do not very often.

I was on a yard once where the YO could not afford to resurface the school but all the liveries wanted it done, so the liveries clubbed together and paid for the school to be resurfaced. YO agreed if anyone who had paid towards the school resurfacing left then they would be reinbursed for the money that had been put into the school resurfacing and that they could have some money off their livery bill every month until what they have contributed had been paid off. This meant that YO did not need to find £5,000 up front to cover the costs of the resurfacing and that the liveries could have a decent all weather surface.
 
Thanks all, it's been so helpful getting other people's viewpoints, it really has.

Decision made - we're staying put. For now anyway. Your comments about the importance of friends and support and reliable help with the horse, also about the stretched budget, are all very true. I can transport her, so lessons at better arenas will definitely happen, and we'll keep pushing the YO for more regular maintenance of the school. I think, as someone said, the grass may appear greener but isn't always, and I suspect I'd regret the move, at the moment anyway.

Another livery who is also looking to move, with her primary motive also being the condition of the school, has reached the same conclusion as me - that the friends and support where we are currently are priceless.

Roll on spring. 😊

Thanks guys!
 
OP glad u made the decision to stay. I've also been having a yard dilemma as have had a particularly hard winter but as others have said you can't beat a good yard atmosphere which is the conclusion I came to too!
 
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