happy ever after livery yard stories.

[padderpaws]

Can I have your "happy ever after" stories of moving to new livery yard please. I am going to have to move my horse to new yard in few months due to personal circomstances. I am a bit wobbly and worried even though the new yard has better facilities and qualified people on it and nice, knowlegeable yo etc.

Looking forward to reading the replies.

 

[padderpaws]

Any one??

 

[PoppyAnderson]

Ok, have changed original post to say, yard I'm currently at has far more pro's than cons though, so not all bad.

 

[Rosie Round The Hills]

Of course! Happy to oblige. I moved to my yard 3 and a bit years ago. It's very near to me, but my first apprehensions where that it is so much smarter/tidier/more dressagy/more knowlegable than me. And, of course, I was nervous about new people.

Anyway, I'm still there and I love it. My YO is cool, calm, professional, and a nice person. Everyone on the yard shows respect and consideration to each other, and I luuurve the facilities. Hot Shower!! (for the horse that is). Good fences, great grass, all livery tasks can be done for me if needed, but I'm left to do my thing when I want to.

All change is nerve-wracking - but approach it with an open mind. If you are polite, considerate, and happy; you will receive this in return.

 

[jaquelin]

Recently moved due to dissatisfaction with former yard and also distance issues and am now very happy. YO made me feel very welcome and introduced me to lots of people and I made friends quickly. Stable management is good, and there is a lot going on. If you have a legitimate reason for moving and new yard has what you need (also is it closer to your home? v important!) it will work just fine. Good luck!

 

[bexj]

I moved yards last December, not long after I'd moved house to a new area. The day after moving horse, I got taken into hospital with Asthma, and basically wasn't able to get to the stables for 2 weeks, coupled with dreadful weather, then xmas, my Yo was fab, understanding, and just got my horse nicely settled with no fuss. I feel like i struck lucky with this yard!

 

[padderpaws]

your right of course and I will be positive and open minded.

 

[unbalanced]

I had to move yard a few months ago as I was moving house for work. I really didn't want to as I was quite happy where I was - my horse is quite special needs - YO gave her 24 hour individual turnout in a starvation paddock as she is prone to laminitis, I was allowed to do liberty work and ride bridleless whenever I wanted and I had all my friends there. I was really worried that after being so happy in that admittedly rather unique yard I would find anywhere else quite restrictive. I spent ages looking and saw over a dozen different yards, none of which would give my horse turnout suitable for a laminitic (everyone just said she would have to wear a muzzle or go out for just 3/4 hours - neither of which would work for her).
Finally I found this farm. I pay less than I was paying before; I have a lovely school and round pen. The YO is very friendly and helpful but just lets me get on and do what I like. I have great turnout which I can pretty much manage myself. When my pony hurt her eye YO got her vet out for me as it was too far for my old vet to come, and waited with me in the dark and cold until he got there. When I have lessons she even drags the school specially so I have a nice surface to ride on - my instructor comments on how lovely this is.
And the old livery yard is by my parents house so when I visit them eg for Christmas I can take the pony with me and still go hacking with my old friends - I have the best of both worlds really.
Good luck with your move OP. It can work out

 

[acw295]

I moved to current yard 2.5yrs ago - don't miss old yard at all! Certainly never looked back although was very anxious about it at the time as had to leave lots of friends and there were lots of positives about old yard - I went to somewhere far more basic and was very worried about the decision.

Can't say current yard is perfect, it isn't, but it was still a very good move and pony is VERY happy (moved 'cos of winter turnout restrictions at old yard - my pony was miserable and so was I).

A future house move may force me to move again, so it may not be a forever home, but was the right move

Good luck!

 

[SO1]

moving yards transformed my life.

I bought my pony and kept him at the RS where I had been riding prior to buying him. Everything seemed nice, lovely indoor school, plenty of help but pony just did not like it, I could not stable him as he kept jumping out, and he needed to come in for worming and he just got worse and worse, he was unsettled in the fields which were large herds resulting in fighting and I thought I was going to have to sell him. The yard staff felt he was a very difficult pony.

However I had fallen in love with him and decided to look at other yard options, there was nothing really near that was any better so I took a risk and moved him about an hour and half away where he could live out all year and in a smaller group with just ponies and cobs, with the view of relocating if he settled - I commute into London so I did have flexibility to move to other areas as long as they were within reasonable commuting distance to work.

Luckily he settled instantly YO said she had not seen a pony settle so quickly, it was almost as if he sighed with relief. He was a different pony no fighting or being worried he loved his new field mates who were more like him as they were all ponies or cobs and the group was only 9 instead of 20. The hacking is better, the people are nice, I can hack to shows and although he lives out he has managed a night in his stable without getting worried and jumping out.

I buy hay and bedding from the yard not that I use much and we have a local tack shop that delivers feed and anything else we need and order every wednesday which is great as I don't have a car. There are gentle experienced people who offer assisted livery if I can't get to the yard and also the liveries tend to help each other with field checks. It is much cheaper than old yard I am saving about £100 a month.

I then moved house which was quite straightforward as I rent and in this area it is much better value for money so I could have a larger flat and the shops are better and nearer. The only downside is because I have to commute into London I do not live within walking distance of the yard unlike the one I was at before. It is about an hour combination of train and walking (it would take about 30 minutes in a car) but as I only need to go once a day it is doable and worth it to have a happy pony.

We don't have an indoor school or such a large outdoor school but the other liveries are kind and I have made good friends. I am lucky to have such a great yard where my pony can be so happy. I can use the same vets as they cover quite a large area and when my vet visits he noted the changes in my pony (I had the vet out a lot at the old yard to try and find ways of sedating him so he could be stabled for worming, which did not work and to check him over after he jumped out of his stable so many times to make sure he had not hurt himself jumping on to concrete) and he commented on how nice the yard is and how happy the horses seem.

Also my instructor can still come to the yard as she lives about 30 minutes away.

If I had not found this yard I am not sure what I would have done as I think I might have had to sell my pony as I did not know at the time that the problems he was having were a result of him not being happy with his living conditions and that he was not like that all the time.

 

[Liath]

I moved yards three years ago with MASSIVE reservations and was TERRIFIED.... and it was the absolute best thing I ever did.

It was nerve wracking going from a friend's 'tin pot' yard where I could do what I liked when I liked (and put up with mud up to my knees and no school and no decent hacking!) to a 'proper' yard with staff and a school and people who *gasp* competed and fabulous hacking....

Since I moved I've achieved massive amounts, improved my riding and stable management and 'horsemanship' no end, sadly had to have my old faithful mare PTS, and recieved UNBELIEVABLE support through that, along with all the help and encouragement I needed to go and buy myself a wonderful new young horse.... one that I would NEVER have had the confidence to have taken on before I moved to this yard.

I've had 'The New Boy' three months now, and it hasn't been plain sailing by any stretch of the imagination, and I continue to get fabulous supportive caring help from my new friends and the yard staff.... AND I've stayed friends with the folk from the 'old' place.

There you go, that's my 'happy ever after' story

 

[padderpaws]

Thanks everyone. It is good to hear your stories. My horse has very little, mostly no turnout at mo, so have to ride every day. My horse is being very good but I do not like it for him. New yard will definitely have more turnout so looking forward to that for my horses sake.

Keep the stories coming.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

Wellllllll .......... as a YO can I contribute???

After having always had lovely people here at the yard and never having any problems with people or horses (we just do DIY not anything high-powered, and only have one person not lots!); the last one we had was a real nightmare. Long story, but basically without going into details she just left suddenly without giving notice, and this was after a series of disasters like going away for the weekend without telling me she'd be away (pony was without food, bed change or water); pony also tried to climb over the stable door - etc etc.

So after this episode we were a bit fearful of having anyone else; and wondered what on earth we'd done TBH to get someone like this!!!

Anyway, along came our current livery: and she's been such a lovely person with her little family and three lovely ponies! We get along fine, her ponies are kept in wonderful condition and are superbly and diligently cared - and she's got a whole wealth of experience of dealing with all sorts of horses (some difficult) and yet she never boasts or brags about it.

She's more like a friend than a livery; and we have a very special relationship - and I know that even if our paths lie in different directions in the future that we'll always share a friendship.

So - that's my "happy ever after" story really. Long may she stay!

 

[Penny Less]

Its always very stressful moving yards. I quite like where I am because I can come and go as I please, the hacking is good, but its very basic and a bit too far from home. But on reading so many stories on here about the yards from hell Im too scared to move! WHat I did in the past was took my horse "on holiday to a friends yard" for a month,still paying at the old yard and gave myself chance to suss new yard out without burning my bridges!
It has worked fairly well so far.

 

[padderpaws]

Great stories. Yes YO please do contribute. I am feeling more positive about it all now.

 

[leflynn]

I moved last October and it's been the best thing for my Boy He's a more relaxed, healthy happy horse and I'm much more relaxed as he's happy and safe.

I was nervous *leaving the nest* as someone commented as I left as I was moving away from the people who'd helped get my horse and had supported me as friends. Turns out I'm braver than I thought I was and we're doing ace Also a friend from the old yard is now moving to my new yard so it's even better

 

[AmyMay]

I was very nervous about moving a horse of mine - as he'd taken so long to settle initially.

However, it couldn't have gone better. He settled straight away, and was very, very happy there.

 

[skint1]

We have 2 horses at 2 very different yards and I can honestly say I hope to be happily ever after at, but of course you can never tell or take things for granted in this world.

Yard 1 is an old run down farm. To look at it your first reaction would be "what a dump" but it isn't, it's peaceful, it's just us there. Without this place I would have been scuppered when the TB mare came back from loan! We have to do the small repairs to the stable and fencing ourselves and the water troughs in the fields haven't worked for ages but it is well worth the extra work. It has acres of good (too good!) grazing, large stables, plenty of storage, quiet lanes to hack on, access to some great hacking. It's reasonable, but it is about to be built on, but the farmer has another yard we can go to when it's time to move.

Yard 2 is a proper livery yard (DIY) with about 35 horses on it. Has beautiful hacking, an outdoor all weather school, xc field, jump field (in summer) For the size of the yard the grazing isn't too bad, the majority of the liveries are nice, of course there is some bitching, but not serious. They'll tell you what they think but don't throw their toys out if you don't follow their advice and everyone keeps an eye out on each others' horses so if yours is acting off you'll know about it almost instantly. The YM is a good guy, they supply haylage/straw (of a good quality) in winter months as part of the rent, you can park your trailer for no charge and you have a great deal of autonomy in the decisions you make regarding your horse. They do all repairs to fencing and stables in a fairly timely manner and are approachable.

Before we found that yard we looked at quite a few, let me tell you, I know how lucky we were to find that one!

 

[Chestersmummy]

Even though I'm about to move yards I love the yard I'm at now. If I wasn't moving 120 miles away I wouldn't dream of moving my boy.
I was there years ago with a horse that was difficult to handle on the ground and very bolshy, bitey and would generally pull faces and try and bite anyone who went near him. The YO's and the groom were fantastic with him. They'd turn him out in the morning and not be afraid of him so he started to get better. I was devistated when I had to leave as he needed an outdoor stable and unfortuatly all of theres are in an american barn.
When I moved back to the area, I immediatly rang the YO and asked if I could come back with the boy I have now. She said yes straight away! Everyone is so friendly and the groom even went around telling all the liveries that were there before that I was coming back.
They have fantastic off road hacking, a not brilliant indoor school and good grazing but I love it!
I'm gutted to be moving but I can't justify the 4 hour round trip and the tank of fuel to see my boy everyday, so I'm moving to an equally good yard.

 

[Horseantics]

I moved from a very nice yard with excellent hacking, good friends etc but due to issues at the yard i felt i couldn't go up and see my horse. I made the decision to move and felt sick at the thought, i found a new livery yard that was just opening 10 mins from me and went 3 times to look, i was their first livery. I left my yard with a friend 6 months ago and i can honestly say it was the best thing i ever did. I am enjoying my horse like never before, i have made good friends and my horse is so happy because the yard owner treats him like her own.

 

[Gorgeous George]

I got my horse (my first) in 2007 and thought I'd found the perfect yard, it turned out not to be and within 5 months I was on the move and as a new owner I was very scared. The new yard was nice, but George took a while to settle as there wasn't much routine, but the people were lovely / helpful, but then only 6mths later the yard was on the market and I had to move. I was in such a state, but it turned out to be the best thing I've ever done. Been there 4 years now and would hate to ever move.

Good luck, i'm sure it will be fine