Has anyone every moved to a yard with lesser facilities?

[Jingleballs]

If so what were you giving up? Why did you do it? Did you gain something more important in return?

I am soon moving from a yard with an indoor and outdoor school to one with no current school on site but plenty of field space to school in, an indoor 5 minutes away which we are allowed to use for free and fantastic hacking!

I think some people think I've gone mad but wondered if others had done a similar thing and how they got on!

 

[merlinsquest]

I gave up indoor school (but crap grazing) for no school and good grazing..... 24/7 turnout summer and winter is a must for merlin

3 hours a day was just not enough

 

[scotsmare]

I moved back 'home' last year, after 5 yrs on a livery yard, and the horses are on a local farm nearby. Until the episode with my new foal yesterday I didn't miss things like a school / very separate turnout but today I do........

 

[dressager]

Three weeks ago I gave up a yard with fab facilities (20x60 indoor school, and 3 outdoor schools etc) but very little grazing, for one with just an outdoor school but excellent turnout, better hacking and much nicer people too!

Good facilities alone just aren't enough, you and your horse have got to be happy in the environment too. Very glad I took the plunge, horse is going the best he's ever gone and the variety to his routine is obvioiusly doing him good.

 

[pottamus]

I rent a field from a farmer so have no facilities at all...not even elec or water! I have managed my lad like this for 5 years now with no ill effects. I hack out 100% but he has the luxury of 24/7 turnout all year round and a field shelter to come and go in as he pleases. I would rather my lad out 24/7 (even if that is on a piggy paddock) than facilities and cooped up in a stable for hours! Everyone is different I guess but most horses would choose turnout over a school any day!!!

 

[Spot_the_Risk]

Mine was always at a DIY livery yard, quite a few over the years, ranging from no school to outdoor ones, never had an indoor school. We bought our own field and stables three years ago, we have no posh facilities, no electric, no water (All collected off barn roof when it rains) and our horses live out 24/7. But, we can ride out of our gate and not touch tarmac for an hours hack if we wish, and if we do go on the roads, you meet about one car every two hours - I'm not lying! If I want to school (very rare) I do it whilst hacking. If we back our yearling ourselves, she will be backed in our fields/barns etc, and will go hacking for education, schooling will happen on hacks and occasional lessons I guess!

 

[saddlesore]

I left a big yard with two schools, fab grazing and lots of company for one with one school and pretty cr*p grazing tbh! Moved because new yard is much closer and much more relaxed. Also a tiny yard so always get the school to myself anyway, had to give up a loo though........

 

[LadyRascasse]

i'm doing both, with my gelding he's moving from a yard with transport, outdoor school, jumping paddock, hacking straight on to the beach and near the downs, stable and field to an ex dairy farm with a big stable and at least a 5 arce field of gorgeous fetlock deep grass, on the other hand i'm moving my mare to a yard with indoor and outdoor school, good hacking and propsed lunging ring and x country course.

the reasons for moving my gelding was because he is lame and needed good mud-free turnout

 

[RLF]

i did move to a lesser yard with stable and turnout only - because it was half the price, soon moved back to my old yard with 3 schools / gallops / walker etc

 

[_April_]

Will be moving Tara very soon from a huge yard that is a training centre for the Olympics! We are all relocating from London to Scotland.

It has:
2 x outdoor manege's - one currently waterlogged
1 x indoor school - always mobbed and you also need to pay extra to use it on weekdays (when it would be most needed for those that work

)
X-country course and full range of jumps
own instructors, vet and farrier on site (very useful!)
Full livery
It has NO grass - literally none! They only get 4 hours a day turnout and don't get out 24/7 in the summer.
good hacking

Going to a small yard run by old family friend with:
one outdoor manege - built so high that even in Scotland it's dry right now!
some jumps and PC often leave their jumps there
No livery but so close to my house I can do her myself and save a fortune.
Acres and acres of lovely grazing. She'll be out 24/7 in the summer and gets a nice long day out even in winter.
Good hacking
No instructors on site but one of my favourites is hacking distance.


There are pros and cons of everywhere but all in all I am happy to be 'downsizing'

 

[Janette]

I recently moved from a smart yard with 2 schools, one indoors, but no winter turnout at all.
Now based on a farm with loads of off road hacking, but no school facilities. It does have wionter turnout which is what I was looking for.

 

[alison_oliver]

I moved from a yard with an indoor school (tiny, sand very very dusty) & 24/7 summer grazing, as it had no outdoor school or good winter grazing, they were literally out 4 hours (when YO didn't decide the rain would wash them away and bring them in anyway!) with hay all winter, stabled rest of the time. We have moved them to a yard we rent on our own, all year grazing with field shelter and stable, and as of today ( i ache lots ) we have an outdoor school that is useable!! miles of offroad hacking and i dont miss the bitching!!! x

 

[Jingleballs]

Wow good to know others have"downgraded" and survived!!

My lad will be going for 5 - 6 hours winter turn in bare, boggy fields out to 10 - 12 hours in well maintained fields.

The hacking is amazing and although it means I can only really ride at the weekends I can still lunge him (by head torch) during the week which for me is more than enough for winter!

 

[lauraanddolly]

I gave up decent Hacking to have Dolly closer to home as the travel costs where getting way too high.
I still have hacking although a lot more of it means busy roads but I can still go for a long hack back to the old yard and the surrounding hacks. Plus side to the move is that I am now within 20 mins hacking of the beach - however the busy roads mean we haven't been yet!
Had to give up an instructor too, however I have now found a better cheaper one!
Still have a school and all year round turnout so I didn't lose much really!

 

[SO1]

I moved from a yard with large indoor, 2 outdoors and clinics with famous sj's on site and farrier coming every week to yard and competitions on site to yard with just small outdoor school because my pony was not happy and needed 24/7 turnout all year in a small quiet herd established herd.

New yard is also much further away but will move next year.

However hacking is much better and most importantly pony is much happier and calmer and the grazing is better as well. Though when it is pouring with rain I do miss the indoor school.

 

[ickelshadow]

i moved Shadow from a large full livery yard ( i worked there and had Shadow DIY), i took a full time job in an office and about 10 months later i moved out of parents and into rented and i need Shadow about 20 miles closer!

it was the hardest decision i ever had to make as both of us were so happy there, but i was desperate to move out of home. Shadow was crippled lame at the time and i never thought i'd ride her again, i had been long reining throughout the summer when she came sound.

i was looking for a nice yard with good daily turnout. she was never built to be out 24/7 and mid 20's so happy to keep her stabled over night. i went from a yard with a lovely outdoor school, horsewalker, 20'x16' stables, best friend and YM and old dairy farm fields. the new yard had an uneven sand school 200m away from the yard and any site of horses, 2 large dry fields and 2 minutes from my rented house. it was immaculately kept but had a crazy YO!! i wanted to leave after about 4 weeks but i stayed there until Shadow was PTS earlier this year.

it was ultimately the best decision i ever made. she lost a ton of weight, came sound and found a whole new lease of life, don't regret it for a second. also made some wonderful friends and was never once bitchy.

 

[lindsayH]

I rent a couple of muddy fields with a stable block and have broken in 5 horses here! I also have a cremello show/dressage horse I compete from here. I'm sure they managed before the invention of shredded rubber! The horses live out so are never overly excitable.I lay a track of straw/shavings/muck/sand if it gets really bad. It is doable and cheaper!

 

[twobearsarthur]

I gave up an indoor and 2 outdoor schools, horse walker, horse shower and solarium, stocks, show jumping and cross country courses, farrier every Thursday, vet, physio, chiropractor and dentist every month. Cafe and shower facilities for the humans
My motives
My horses didnt care about the cafe, the horse walker or the solarium, believe it or not green green grass under their hooves and in their bellies made them happier.
As well as having 94 less horses on the new yard theres 94 less liveries for me to fall out with lol.
Lots of lovely grazing and a basic outdoor school.
Best thing I ever did

 

[ha903070]

Hi, I'm new on here, so hello everyone.

We moved about 14 months ago from a very well rung, immaculate yard, with arena etc and on part livery to a very basic yard, stables and fields and an area of field to ride in and it was a big decision but by far the best one.

I have 2 horses a 13 yr old tb mare and a 5 yr old hunter, 2 hours a day turnout in winter was not good for either mare and I can say they are completely different horses now. They are so relaxed and settled and I find they are happier on the quiet yard compared to the busy livery yard.

We do everything now, and they trust us and are better for the routine and same person handling them on a daily basis.

Winter can be hard for riding, field turns to mud but we can use the trailer and take them elsewhere to school and for lessons, great hacking in daylight too.

Would never go back to a yard with limited grazing no matter what the facilites!!