Full livery or home?

[Horsey_Gal]

have 2 at home already, one is a companion and the other has a sharer. I have a tb that is on full livery about 15 mins from my house. At home, i have fields and stables with jumps - no menage or floodlights like the yard has. My next door neighbour has given us 1st refusal on whether we want to 'loan' their field (they rent it) and use of their stable off them (as they've just put their horse in livery) but they dont want to give the field up totally as they'll probably want to being their horse back home sometime but cant give an answer as to when as they dont know if they'll get fed up of the travelling to and from the yard even though it's 5 mins driving). I really want to bring my tb back home as i love having my horses at home but i'm worried i wont have the time that my horse deserves. I would advertise for a sharer for her (i have someone e-mailing me at the mo that is interested). I am around in the evening and friday afternoons but am away at the weekends. Hence my sharer would help me out at weekends (hopefully). I dont get home in the week until quite late, mon/tues - 5:30-6pm and wed/thurs 5:45-6:30pm and fri will be 1:30pm starting this week. What would you guys do? I don't want to be unfair on her bringing her home if i wont have the time for her but on the other hand i hardly get time to go to the yard these days, i love her to bits and am thinking of her welfare.

 

[cameronD26]

I love having my horses at home and wouldn't swap for the world BUT I am at home 24/7 and it is hard work without a doubt. If I do go out someone is always here so I am really really lucky. They were at livery and I've only had them at home 2 years and I didn't have a school at first and that is incredibly hard to live without especially during the winter so we had one put in and it has changed my life! No more borrowing schools which meant the trailer out so much and the time involved. The hacking isn't great either. During the summer I can ride in one of my fields but that is open to weather permitting too so the school is a saviour but an expensive addition to be fair. I would say this though ... I coped wihtout the school but life was harder and having them at home I wouldn't change now, they are hard work but worth it as I couldn't love them more and each night when I tuck them in at about 10pm and snuggle up to them I thank my lucky stars that I am in the position to have them with me.

 

[lizstuguinness]

most people dont get down the yard till 5.30-6.30 pm anyway so i wouldn't worry about this being too late. Try rubber matting and a thin bed of shavings, this will save time on mucking out. when you have an extra 10 mins, fill up hay nets for all week, mix feeds (without water so they dont spoil) and fit a auto waterer.

belive you me, I work 8 - 5.30pm travel 1 hour either way, and then have to do family stuff, clubs, gym etc. Its a struggle and if i could save the 15 min travel either way from the yard i'd jump at the chance.

I used to have 5 horses, 3 of them TB. they used to jump at 1.30m BSJA shows 4x p/week and lived out fully clipped. This might be another option? Leave the stable door open, and if your horse is cold he/she will go in. Chances are given the choice they wont use it tho. Just rug up well, use hoods etc and he will be fine.

Think of the money you will save, perhaps you could spend it on exta lessons, or horsey treats. This way when you can spend qulaity time together it will be special.