Follow on from 'would you sacrifice good hacking for an arena?'.

[LankyDoodle]

Would you sacrifice very good hacking, with a couple of farm tracks for darker nights, nice sized stables and storage, 7 miles from home, YOs who seem a bit incompetent, lacking in common sense (but it's DIY so doesn't affect you) and worst, reluctant to build the school they promised was underway when you agreed to move there...

FOR stables built however you want them and wherever you want them, land divided how you want it (not a huge amount of land though as some of it was sold), a school with as many lights as you want, whatever surface you want and to the size spec you want, no other liveries, as much storage that is as secure as you want it with no irresponsible idiots to leave it open while they go off to work for the day, with OK hacking if you are happy to cross a busy road where there is a bend about 100 yards from the yard entrance?

I've done this thread before. Both horses are quite safe and steady (as they can be for horses), but the road is very busy and in the fields next door to the farm, they are building business units as my MIL just had compulsory purchase on some of her land. It would save so much in livery as it is my MIL's land/house, we make our own straw and would rent another field to make our own hay (we use this field for our hay). The only thing that concerns me is having to cross a busy road to get to my hacks. Would you do it?

 

[HelsB]

I would, as I have lovely safe neddy in traffic (need to get halt to trot transition v sharp

)

 

[amandathepanda]

If your horses are very good in traffic I guess there is nothing to stop you from riding further down the road away from the bend to a safer area to cross the road? Busy roads aren't ideal but it is getting harder & harder to find a yard without a busy road that you have to ride on. Sometimes country lanes are more dangerous than busy roads as drivers don't pay as much attention to where they are going until they belt around a corner & nearly hit your horse.

 

[LankyDoodle]

Thank you both

Yes I agree. I tend to feel more vulnerable on country roads because they are so narrow and cars seem to think it is safer to hit the floor, than on busy roads.

They are currently putting in a r-a-b so this will slow down the traffic some more, and lowering the speed limit. Most of the road is safe, and there is a grass verge (I would also push for horse signs) about a metre wide, to walk up the road on. My one horse is also quite big so I can see up the road over the hedge, to check if it is safe to cross! We'd only need to go up the road for about 30 seconds and then cross to a T road/lane. At the end of that, we get to another bit of main road but it is straight and there's an island in the middle to stop if anything comes the other way. Then it's all lanes. I'd say about 1 mile away from the yard would be all country lanes, and soon to be a herepath as well.

 

[oofadoofa]

I cross the A358 on mine

- but I do make sure I only do it at certain times of day when it is less busy. I would say if you are able to do it and afford to put in your own arena etc then go for it!

 

[CBAnglo]

I would move. Nothing beats having them at home.

Then you wont have anyone telling you when/where to put them out. Just make sure you have enough cash to build the stables/school and can get pp. And check positioning of next door's activities - you wouldnt want to put your stables up next to a car park or something.

 

[LankyDoodle]

This would be the West Buckland Road near the Chelston r-a-b! A38!

 

[LankyDoodle]

Thanks CBAnglo. The land adjoining ued to belong to my in-laws and the council have made them put in a doormouse bridge (read, huge mound running along the side of our property!) to protect the mice, and line that with trees; there is also thick hedgerows around our land and they are being made to put in more trees beyond that and to shelter the house from their lights etc. They also have a maintenance plan in place for the trees and hedges. So we won't be able to see much of next door to be honest; would prefer it not to be there. It was compulsory purchase as the council wanted to build the livestock market on there, but now that's Junction 24 and Summerfield are building on the land.

My in-laws would use the money from the sale of their land, to buy timber stables and build an outdoor school. Not sure how much that costs?

 

[oofadoofa]

Yes, I know where you mean! (think we may have done some work for your MIL). I think it's OK as long as you have plenty of room to stay back from the road whilst waiting to see if it's clear in case something big or spooky does come past.

 

[LankyDoodle]

The other thing is, of course: this is a 15 minute cycle ride rather than a 20 minute drive each way

Wouldn't want to live there - it's my inlaws and it's too busy a road for us to live by

 

[LankyDoodle]

Oooh, what work? Digging out land or something? She's recently had a little bit of building work done, but your OH is a farmer, isn't he? She did recently have to have some of the field levelled out because of our idiot builder... Was it that?

 

[oofadoofa]

No sorry, meant work work, i.e. involved with the compulsory purchase!!!

 

[LankyDoodle]

Ahhhhhhhhh! Oohh now I am intrigued hehe.

 

[CBAnglo]

Still, if you need to stay overnight as an emergency it beats having to sleep in the car/stable.

Check out the pp first - it would be awful if you moved there and were denied pp for a school with lights. I was thinking more fumes than anything else. I know someone who kept their horses at a yard next to a lorry bay - the lorries would start up at 5am and leave the engine running to warm up in winter, leaving her horses to breathe in 30 mins worth of exhaust. Not nice and actually one of them developed breathing problems as a result.

I would consider building brick stables - more sturdy than wooden. Or in fact, have moveable field shelters (no pp required) and if you have enough land for them to be out 24/7 would save you loads in bedding and time.

The school will be the pricey bit. Depends on the size and surface and how much you can do yourself (i.e. digging and drainage etc) but I would try to get the best school possible - there is no point saving a few thousand and finding out the drainage hasnt been done correctly and the school floods at one end. Probably why current YO havent actually got round to doing the expensive bit of the school. But I would think at least £10-£15k for 20x40 if you can get someone local with a digger and ring round for the cheapest supplier of sand etc and then of course depends on the surface. And then you need to put in the lights.

Loads of people on here have built their own schools so am sure that they will be able to advise.

 

[LankyDoodle]

Thank you for the advice. We are definitely going to do it. The buildings are going to be quite a way away from the yard area, but I would have to think about traffic fumes.

First we are going to test the horses out hacking from there. G is fine as we have done it before, but never tried Lanky who, being a WB is a bit more nervy sometimes. We will do this several times (box them there). Then we will plan it all out how we want it and how wea re going to do it, and cost it. Then I'll look into the planning and apply for outline. If it's a goer then we will move them into temporary shelters while we build the yard. No money to do it til about March, but will take a while to sort everything out.

How exciting!