Best place for the horses to go. some advice please

[mastermax]

In a bit of a dilemma at the moment as where is the best place for the horses to go. Husband and I are due to move farms quite soon and my options are:

Keep on the farm, horses in paddock next to the back garden, stables right behind the garage, always on hand. fantastic in the winter as bringing in at night will be easy especially in the snow. Biggest downside.... no hacking. there are 400 acres of fields to ride around but not what I call a good couple of hours along tracks & lanes seeing everything that is going on around.

My second option is a paddock some 5 or 6 miles away (not too far I know), again stables can go up there but it will be a nightmare in the winter for time as being a dairy farmer, I will have to go and get them in in the dark evenings, no electricity after milking. The plus side is the hacking is better, with woods and tracks and lanes etc.

I will be joining a local riding club and will be hunting so they will see other things but just not sure what to do. It would be so easy to have them at home but worried that hacing around the fields will be boring and they may get out of the habit of seeing traffic etc.

Any advice welcome

 

[bramblesmum]

Id have them at home anyday you can always go on a few pleasure rides if you wish to get out more

 

[Rose Folly]

As Bramblesmum! It's a no-brainer to me. Have them at home every time. It ticks all the boxes for expenses, time spent with horses, keeping an eye on them at all times, doing things your way.

And TBH, 400 acres of your own to ride on isn't bad! And you could always (farm policy permitting) make a little money by having a few carefully selected riders to ride the edges too, on a licence basis.

I've always had my horses at home, and if I couldn't, I wouldn't have them.

 

[BigRed]

I'd keep them close to home. If the better hacking is 5 miles away, that is no distance for a horse. Make sure that a couple of times a week, you make the effort to hack off the farm on the roads.

 

[mastermax]

Thanks for replies, I am leaning very much to having them at home. There is no possibility of hacking them off the farm as it is all main, busy roads around and no right of way access at the bottom of the farm. But I can school in the fields. thanks again

 

[Suelin]

I have to say that there is no way that I wouldn't want them at home if I had 400 acres to ride on and no road work. That would be my idea of heaven. I have mine at home but the roads do take the icing off the cake at times.

 

[starryeyed]

I'd have them at home too! If you're going to be hunting/riding clubbing then they'll still be getting out and about. Do you have your own transport? You could always box them the 5 miles to better hacking - we do this now & again to vary it a bit, and you could do fun rides etc too - that way they'd still be doing roadwork, seeing cars etc x

 

[Honey08]

I have mine at home, and love it, but if you're having to get/keep them fit for hunting, will you manage without being able to do some roadwork? I guess if you can hack round the farm mostly, and box them out to do other hacks at weekend it would work..

The lack of electricity would put me off the other yard, even with lots of hacking..

 

[Wheels]

Oh without a doubt I would have them at home, no contest. Would box them to other hacking if I needed to

 

[mastermax]

Thanks again so much. I guess I was just worried that just "going around the fields" wasnt traditional hacking out. I know I will be a lot safer both riding and being on my own in the dark miles from anywhere in the winter. I could always advertise for someone to come and ride out my husands horse so I could hve some company. Thanks again

 

[Pale Rider]

Home, no brainer, lol.

 

[9tails]

At home, buy a trailer.