Changing yards

[I don’t like mondays]

If you had changed yards already this year but your horse wasn’t settled at the new yard, would you move again? Do horses look back and think “I’ve moved yards a few times already I feel unsettled” or do they live in the here and now and think “I don’t like it here, I don’t feel safe?” I think it’s easy to put a human spin on things (like how we’d feel moving) but do they think like us?

is it better to stick it out and hope they’ll settle (but be miserable and borderline dangerous for a bit) or find somewhere you’ll know they’ll be happy? We’ve not had much luck with yards but I’m starting to know what he doesn’t like

It’s a lovely yard but I have a very sensitive horse who is reactive on the ground and getting worse (we’ve been here a few months). The winter field we’ve moved to is away from the other horses (I wasn’t aware of this until everyone had moved a week ago), so if my daughter takes her pony to the yard, my horse is alone and calls out :-( Also, to get him to the school he has to walk past the other horses and so plants and doesn’t want to move because he’s leaving other horses (the school is away from the fields so he can’t see anyone). It’s also a farm and extremely noisy next to the school (vehicles and banging day and night, different times). Im getting help with him and his behaviour but long term, I’m not sure if this environment is ever going to be right for a horse with issues (my daughters pony is fine). It’s so hard when you look at yards to know what they are like and how your horse will feel until you’re there :-( I just want to do right by my horse
Thanks

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I would move again it does down like the yard set up is never going to suit your horse and it that situation it will only get worse.

Are there any other yards you can consider?

 

[Sleipnir]

I was in a very similar situation when my normally chill gelding turned into a nervous mess at a new yard. We ultimately moved after less than a year and he was back to his normal self in a few days after the move.

 

[I don’t like mondays]

I would move again it does down like the yard set up is never going to suit your horse and it that situation it will only get worse.

Are there any other yards you can consider?

Yes, there is one down the road (where a friend is). It’s small and quiet, you can always see other horses. Another issue with the current place is that nobody seems to hack out so I have a horse who is amazing in company but nappy alone :-(

 

[I don’t like mondays]

I was in a very similar situation when my normally chill gelding turned into a nervous mess at a new yard. We ultimately moved after less than a year and he was back to his normal self in a few days after the move.

Thank you. Did you go back to your original yard? I bet you were so pleased your horse returned to normal. At our first yard my horse was a dream (my kids could lead him). Since then, every time we’ve moved he’s been unhappy (due to certain triggers- I now have a list of things he doesn’t like lol). :-( I’m at the point where I’m struggling to handle him and he’s dangerous. There are definitely training issues that can be helped but I don’t think this yard will ever suit him

 

[I don’t like mondays]

Changing yards until you find one to suit doesn’t seem to be the done thing. Friends seem to find a yard and stay permanently. Not sure why I keep getting it so wrong

 

[Sleipnir]

Thank you. Did you go back to your original yard? I bet you were so pleased your horse returned to normal. At our first yard my horse was a dream (my kids could lead him). Since then, every time we’ve moved he’s been unhappy (due to certain triggers- I now have a list of things he doesn’t like lol). :-( I’m at the point where I’m struggling to handle him and he’s dangerous. There are definitely training issues that can be helped but I don’t think this yard will ever suit him

No, I moved to a completely new yard, but a much quieter one. Where we moved away from was very loud day and night as it was near a busy highway with a dirtbike racetrack on one side and a cargo railway on the other. My normally sensible gelding started becoming panicky and dangerous because of all of the noise and vibration, and that was the last straw that convinced me to move.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Yes, there is one down the road (where a friend is). It’s small and quiet, you can always see other horses. Another issue with the current place is that nobody seems to hack out so I have a horse who is amazing in company but nappy alone :-(

I would definitely think about moving there it sounds much better for him, one of mine doesn't like big busy yards his a completely different horse in the wrong environment he doesn't hack well on his own either ?

 

[sunnyone]

I don't like Mondays, if you find a yard you think the horse will like could you pay for your horse to go there for a couple of weeks on trial? You'd have to pay to keep your current place available should you need to go back of course but people do take their horses away for weeks at a time so it shouldn't be too much of an issue.
I used to think "horse isn't happy" was all nonsense, then one of mine showed me otherwise with a complete and utter character change. When we moved her from that yard she started to revert to her normal self within hours and has never looked back.