Has your horse ever changed in personality with a yard move?

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Ali27

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I kept my slightly crazy, ginger pony on a DIY yard for the last two and a half years with my retired mare. Ginger pony was always very spooky in arena, filthy in the stable and generally quite a stress head! I moved them both just before Christmas. My retired mare is now on 24/7 grazing in farmer's field next to my house. My Ginger pony has moved to a lovely, very professional yard and she is now on full livery. I was worried about how she would cope being separated from my retired mare and how she would cope with individual grazing. However, I now have the calmest, most chilled pony who is being so well behaved. We have two floodlit arenas and she is working beautifully in both and is spook free. She is also much cleaner in the stable too! I'm wondering whether it is because there is no clover in fields at new yard as I have always had a theory that she reacted to clover! I love my new pony!
 
Yes, I had a very similar experience with my old horse. Moved from small quiet yard with plenty of mixed sex turnout to a larger, busier yard with less turnout and separate fields for mares and geldings.
My skinny, slightly neurotic and at times downright scary (on the ground) horse turned into a chilled out dope on a rope. As he put on condition and got fitter he became more of a handful to ride, but on the ground he was one of the best behaved, easiest horses on the yard.
New yard had a much stricter routine, and a much happier atmosphere, and was just generally better run.
He literally walked off the lorry, looked around his new stable, sighed, rolled, got up and looked at me as if to say "this is a bit more like it!", tucked into his haynet and that was that! No settling in period, it was instant.
 
Yes. I bought a mare that was calm, well behaved and obedient, took her home and she spent more time on two than four legs. Just couldn't get on with her. Made me realise how important the personality match is. Persisted, but returned her in the end.
 
I bought mine knowing he was moody, borderline aggressive at times, had multiple ridden vices and was a frequent windsucker (stress, not ulcers). He continued being dangerous and stressed at our first yard despite it being a laidback place. I thought it was just his bad past that made him like this; it didn't cross my mind that it might be the yard itself.
A year later we moved down the road to another place. His ridden behaviours (full up rearing, bolting etc) became nonexistant and he hasn't windsucked since. He's still a bit moody but isn't aggressive anymore and, as much as he hates to admit it, likes being around people much more than before.

Such an immediate change could only have been the yard. I still don't know what it was that he didn't like but as long as he's happy :)
 
A horse we bought as a youngster, went from a friendly, happy horse to a bit of a nightmare on one yard. We were paying for him and my pony mare, to be fed and turned out in the morning. Our sweet natured baby, was nipping and turning his backend on us, we couldn't understand the change in him. Then it all became clear, thanks to a few words from one of the other liveries. Instead of turning the horses out in the morning they were not going out until about half an hour before we got to the yard, sometimes not at all. They were both being left all day with no hay or water. The change in temperament was due to the head girls aggressive attitude, she hit him with his bucket. I had a day off work and went when they didn't expect us, needless to say both horses were still in (afternoon by that time!) with no hay or fresh water. We moved them that same weekend, after telling the yard owner and the head girl exactly what we thought of them and their yard!!
 
Totally! Sam was pure evil at times at my other yard! It was a small yard, just him and my other two, he was obsessed with other horses when they rode past or if we went out in company he'd try and play with the other horse!

He would stalk me around the field whilst I was mucking out, he'd bite the wheel barrow handles, then start rearing up, he was getting really dangerous at one point!

He was the most dominate horse in the field, would push the others off their feed and hay

I had to move when he was injured and I was so scared about turning him out with other horses and where other people had to go! straight away he went to the bottom of the pecking order, which was a massive help! he stopped the wheel barrow thing! I can now ride out in company without it being a game for him!

He clearly needed more stimulation, he's so settled, he gets on with every horse that he goes out with! he never shoes another horse off its hay or food!

and he doesn't get the devils look in his eye (as often) haha
 
Yes. I've had my 5yo since he was 1. For the first 2.5 years he was kept either out in a field or in a tiny yard with outdoor stables. He was lovely to handle and very calm. When he was 3 we moved to three different yards due to moving house and moving back, they all had indoor barns and despite 12 hours turnout a day he was always wired and stressy. He'd chew things when tied up and would play up to lead out sometimes. He's now 5 and we recently moved to a small DIY yard near me, with outdoor stables. He's back to how he was as a youngster and lovely and calm. Nothing else has changed so I've figured that he cannot abide indoor stables, he seems really settled and happy to be in at night now that he has an outdoor stable.
 
yep everyone of mine has a relaxed easy going attitude at our place (very quite yard and in a lovely settled herd out 24/7) they go out on loan and turn crazy and give versa, I've bought/loaned horses I knew had a bad rep and for them to mine and they're angels! there's just something magic about our place obviously lol
 
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Yes, had a TB mare on loan, she was stressy, mareish, not nice. Moved her to a more lively yard with stuff to look at, totally changed her and she was calm, lovely. So bizarre!
 
I moved Her Gingerness home from a lovely yard but where she had been bottom of the heap, I bought her back, put her in a paddock beside my other horses and she went in all guns blazing and promptly attacked the others over the fence, and I mean attacked, ears pinned, teeth bared, front feet over a post and rail fence. That really screwed up my paddock groupings, I had to leave an entire paddock between them, which on my piddly 5 acres didn't work at all. I only put her out with the two least dominant mares after that, which was fine, I sold the two Quarter horses that she hated as herd logistics and space available just didn't mesh.

Now she just has my other Paso who has a serious girl crush on her, but Estrella is definitely boss horse. Ella will scream her head off when she is left, everyone knows 10 minutes before I come home because Ella starts yelling again, Estrella couldn't give a toot about Ella and never looks back when we go out.
 
Oh yes!

Our first Appaloosa mare arrived in a trailer at the livery yard we had chosen for her over an hour late, she appeared reluctant to enter the barn where she was to be stabled indoors, overnight. The next day she led lie an angel though the village to the grazing, where she was introduced to her new field companions and the mare and foal which were in the next field.
Thereafter she was a nightmare to lead, in either direction between field and stable, rushing, barging. We took to walking miles around the lanes with her, finding alternative routes back to the field. After 6 weeks, we decided to move her to a differetn yard about 5 miles away. We led her, with 2 handlers and a bridle, along lanes which she was familiar with and she was AWFUL. At one point we were half-seriously considering leaving her in a field until we could regroup and get reinforcements, as she was being so difficult to lead.
*Then* we turned off the road onto a trackwhich led round the side of a farmyard and back onto the road. While on the track, a miraculous transformation occurred! she calmed down and became relatively easy to lead, so that we were able to lead her without incident down a steep hill, along a busy road, and through an industrial park before reaching the quiet lanes which led to the new livery yard. She then walked into her new stable which had very similar proportions to her previous box but was outside.
We kept her for more than 20 yrs until she was pts, moved her after 10 yrs to a friend's farm for a few months until we were able to move her and her companions onto our own land. She was always a tricky mare to ride but was never again difficult on the ground, unless the hunt was about.
We never did work out whay she had been so difficult. We wondered if it was the presence of the
Arab stallion, at the first yard but there was an Anglo-Arab stallion at the 2nd yard, so it seems unlikely.
 
Yes, my Tb thrived in full livery and was a stress head who was even difficult to lead on DIY. She settled with the predictability of the regime . The yard was a dressage yard and very professional and everything ran like clockwork, within a minute or two every day. There were no comings and goings at all times, if one was fed, all were fed at a specific time, if one out, all were out at a specific time, if one was in, all were in at a specific time,if one had a net haynet, all did etc and no weather conditions stopped this routine. Individual stables, individual turnout, set exercise times. Treat balls weren't allowed as they unsettled the other horses. Even rug changes were scheduled. No heavy machinery or unpredictable dogs, no screaming kids, no groups of people standing around smoking and having a loud social. All neds looked after by a tremendously skilled and kind dressage instructor called Tara who lived on site, and who I swear, was so brilliant that my husband used to refer to her as "the woman who is half horse"! Lol
 
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Achinghips said:
Yes, my Tb thrived in full livery and was a stress head who was even difficult to lead on DIY. She settled with the predictability of the regime . The yard was a dressage yard and very professional and everything ran like clockwork, within a minute or two every day. There were no comings and goings at all times, if one was fed, all were fed at a specific time, if one out, all were out at a specific time, if one was in, all were in at a specific time,if one had a net haynet, all did etc and no weather conditions stopped this routine. Individual stables, individual turnout, set exercise times. Treat balls weren't allowed as they unsettled the other horses. Even rug changes were scheduled. No heavy machinery or unpredictable dogs, no screaming kids, no groups of people standing around smoking and having a loud social. All neds looked after by a tremendously skilled and kind dressage instructor called Tara who lived on site, and who I swear, was so brilliant that my husband used to refer to her as "the woman who is half horse"! Lol
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Sounds very similar to my new yard where there is strict routine too. Also no kids, dogs or anything spooky or noisy when riding in either arena.
 
Great to hear other people's experiences too! Amazing how a yard move can change a horse's behaviour! I really do seem to have the perfect pony now!
 
I had my horses on a very busy yard 40+ horses where people and horses were walking past all day every day and they just never had peace. It didn't help that there was no winter turnout there. We then moved to a smaller yard 20 horses but split into stable blocks of 3-5 horses. The horses are turned out every day (unless it is dangerous to do so) and out 24/7 in summer in paddocks of 4-5 horses each but all within nose touching distance of each other. Both horses are more relaxed, they are turned out with two other mares. We still have 'moments' but on the whole they are both much happier and relaxed. It seemed like someone just flicked a switch and suddenly all the stress and anxiety dissolved.
 
One of my TBs was an utter nightmare on a DIY livery yard. Never settled in the field, difficult to catch & lead, when it got to the point where no one would deal with him because of him rearing up & 'boxing' I picked him up for £5
Here he is a doddle for me to handle, walks in on a loose lead rein, settled & happy. But then I have my little herd, I have my routine, there is no coming/going horses being fed/turned out/brought in at all times.

I am aware though he does have the potential to play up & if anyone else deals with him I suggest a stallion chain or chifney to lead him in.
 
When I bought my horse, he went temporarily to a friend's farm to live out as there was no space at any yard near our then new location. I was his fifth owner in a year and he was quite stressy, twice jumping out of the stable I used to tack up in and rearing in hand at the least provocation.

After six weeks, a place near us came up and I moved him. He was unsettled and whinnied the whole journey. When we arrived at the new yard, he behaved well enough and I turned him out for a leg stretch. When I went back to bring it in, it was almost as if he had a light bulb moment and said "oh, it's you, it's still you, I know who you are". The next day we had heavy snow and the poor lad went from being out 24/7 to being in 24/7 but he handled it really well.

The next time we moved was to another friend's yard after he was injured and, again, he was on box rest so in 24/7 for the first few weeks before going into a tiny paddock during the day. He now shares a field with another friend's horse at the same yard and seems pretty settled, although he does need a fairly structured routine to be at his best.

He is still a stresshead about all sorts of things but what I have learnt more from him than any other horse is that having the same people to deal with all the time is his "comfort blanket". I now don't think it would matter where we went as long as his fieldmate came along too and my friend and I were the ones to deal with his daily routine.
 
moleskinsmum said:
When I bought my horse, he went temporarily to a friend's farm to live out as there was no space at any yard near our then new location. I was his fifth owner in a year and he was quite stressy, twice jumping out of the stable I used to tack up in and rearing in hand at the least provocation.

After six weeks, a place near us came up and I moved him. He was unsettled and whinnied the whole journey. When we arrived at the new yard, he behaved well enough and I turned him out for a leg stretch. When I went back to bring it in, it was almost as if he had a light bulb moment and said "oh, it's you, it's still you, I know who you are". The next day we had heavy snow and the poor lad went from being out 24/7 to being in 24/7 but he handled it really well.

The next time we moved was to another friend's yard after he was injured and, again, he was on box rest so in 24/7 for the first few weeks before going into a tiny paddock during the day. He now shares a field with another friend's horse at the same yard and seems pretty settled, although he does need a fairly structured routine to be at his best.

He is still a stresshead about all sorts of things but what I have learnt more from him than any other horse is that having the same people to deal with all the time is his "comfort blanket". I now don't think it would matter where we went as long as his fieldmate came along too and my friend and I were the ones to deal with his daily routine.
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I've found this with mine too.
He has been on a quiet DIY yard where all other horses stayed in field and only he was bought in to be ridden etc, a field with no facilities and now a big competition yard that has DIY, part and full...So he's been many varying places and has acted pretty much the same in all. He was an absolute ****** to catch when I first got him, but now he seems to know who I am he relents and sometimes even comes over to me!! Haha. It's when I have to get other people to look after him he seems to become abit insecure in himself. I suppose it's because it's literally only me who deals with him on a daily basis, everyday, all year around :')
 
I think they can get used to anything in the end, but how long it takes to settle depends on the yard. I've moved mine around quite a bit and she's great an adapting to new places, as well as going on short breaks, being ridden and left overnight at a friends yard/field etc then ridden back. However one yard I moved to, she went ape-**** for a month. Hated it there, she had to get used to it in the end as at the time that was the only option for me, but I recently moved back to an old yard I was at and she has instantly settled. I moved back there for her really, as I knew she always liked it best and she is the one that has to live there 24/7. Seems I made the right choice!
 
On DIY my mare was stressy a lot of the time. Always people and horses coming and going at different times, kids running round, dogs running riot (the YO bred German Shepherds). The yard was on a working farm so lots of tractors and farm machinery - often working late into the night.

She eventually settled, providing I could be there to turn her out first, keep the dogs and kids away from her and bring her in when other horses were on the yard (otherwise she stressed because she was alone). I was very worried about moving yards but I did in the end - to a Full Livery yard.

The minute she got there, it was like someone had flicked a switch. She loves the routine, the individual grazing, the no kids rule, the absence of dogs. She will now lead onto the yard and stand there, totally alone, no fussing or stressing. Best move I ever made. We both love it.
 
Dusty85 said:
Yes. I bought a mare that was calm, well behaved and obedient, took her home and she spent more time on two than four legs. Just couldn't get on with her. Made me realise how important the personality match is. Persisted, but returned her in the end.
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This!!!
However the owners refused to speak to me forget about consider taking the poor thing back and now, 5 months later he has really chilled out. I was absolutely convinced he'd been Mis-sold but now think he just couldn't handle the move.
 
Yes totally. I just moved my two. My PRE who previously stressy in his stable is now tons more chilled out immediately. I can even leave rugs in his stable whereas I couldn't before. Previous yard really busy and he had an indoor stable which meant he could hear lots but not see much. My mare walked straight onto new yard like she's been there for years. If she could have said thank-you she would have - I could just tell immediately she was happy. She was depressed at old yard - totally different horses now. I don't have the same facilities as my old yard but my horses are totally different and much happier - worth more than any facility.
 
My very laid-back cob had become a little anxious in his stable this winter. Clock watching all the time, anxious for his feed bucket to arrive.. fussing and bunny hopping at the door when his neighbours were coming in etc and we has some nights where he shavings bed was a little trashed, so he'd obviously box-walked. Really odd as he's 14 this year and has never been a problem.

We moved yards on Sunday - first night he was 'edgy' but since then we have had four evenings/nights of total bliss. He's returned to being completely chilled and relaxed :)
 
I have had my girl for 4 and a half years and we have just moved to our third yard. She was quite happy at the original yard but I moved as it was a long way from home and also the prices kept sneaking up.

The second yard she hated, and to be honest it was only after moving again that I realised just how unhappy we had both been there. She became a stressy nightmare who forgot how much she loved to hack and spooked at everything.

She is absolutley thriving on our new yard. I think because it is a small quiet yard - there are two blocks of 7 stables, one at the top of the drive, and one at the bottom. We do see the gang from the top block as the school and tea room are down by us, but overall it makes for lots of peace and quiet - no kids and only well behaved dogs. Also because it is assisted DIY she has a very structured routine - turned out and brought in by the YO at the same time each day. It's like having a different horse :-)

Unfortunatley, it was only when we moved after 12 months at the previous place that I realised just how unhappy she had been there.
 
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