LankyDoodle
Well-Known Member
Well, we are on a small yard where there are about 8 or 9 owners, we all tend to do our own thing but the owner is a farmer and not that knowledgeable and a lot of the other owners aren't that knowledgeable. That can sometimes be great as you are left to get on with your own thing but sometimes it's a pain because people are busybodies and start whispering campaigns etc. It's fine - I've been on enough yards to know it can happen everywhere. We have year round turnout plus stable and field drainage is excellent. We get a paddock of our own (usually for our 2 horses, but obviously one was just pts) and we are free to section this off how we want to. The stables are OK - spacious enough but a bit gloomy as they are in a barn and of block construction. The school is very poor - wonky to say the least and a very thin layer of building sand in there, where the liner comes up every now and then as well! Hacking is OK... lots of lane riding to a couple of bridleways and up into some woods which extend for a mile or so onto more lanes. We have a secure tack space, a feed space and a hay store with space for around 100 bales of our own. The yard is 10 minutes away by car. Other people have caused a bit of grief over the last week or so but we have been thinking of moving for a while.
In about 12-18 months, we may be in a position to move them to the in-law's place and have our own private yard, but it all depends on the traffic situation outside the house and also how much money is left over for stables etc!
However, until then, a stable has come available at a yard closer to home. It has direct access onto a local moor (of 600 acres) and a natural gallop, fantastic 20x40 school with proper jumps!! The owner is a qualified BSHAI and there is a small tack shop on site. There is year round turn out and we can have a separate paddock if required (we may do). The stables already have rubber matting (so we would have to store ours until maybe having our own stables). They have an equissage machine and there is talk of maybe a new horse walker. People go there and tend to stay. There is one stable available from August but we would ideally need 2 as we eventually want to replace our mare (I suppose that could be got round). There is no doubting that the facilities at this yard are fantastic but I have reservations.
Firstly, I've never been anything but DIY before and I please myself with my horses, right down to the farrier and vet. The indication is that this yard uses one farrier and one vet and expects liveries to do the same. I have mentioned this to her and she hasn't made clear whether she would budge, but she wants to 'discuss the issues' so I am still not sure whether I'd be able to stick with my current vet and farrier (if we couldn't then we wouldn't move... simple as!). The other thing is that we grow our own hay and as they only offer part livery, hay would probably be in with the price, as would hard feed which George DOESN'T HAVE! Bedding would be in and there's a choice of shavings or straw I think, but G is on aquamax because he is about the wettest horse I have ever known and it's the only bedding that will do him any good! We have 100 bags of the stuff stored at the in-law's farm, and clearly, at £5 a bag, we're not about to let it gather dust! We've been at our current yard 6 years and there's a certain amount of comfort factor - we're established, long-term customers, G is happy and secure there... problem is, our nasty horrible builder's wife keeps her horse there (although they never visit it) and this is the main reason I want to move. I am scared what they are going to do to my horse or to us and I am worried to go up there in case I bump into them. I suppose the bargain is we would end up with amazing hacking at the new place.
I just wonder whether it's worth it. She wants to discuss our 'issues' which means the fact we grow our own hay and already have a large amount of bedding, and we would eventually want another stable. She indicated a small discount because I don't feed hard feed and buy in formula4 feet for G. Maybe we'd get a discount for having our own hay/bedding or maybe she would buy it from us... who knows.
My husband isn't keen at the moment because he feels the nasty builder is pushing us out and as we have never been part livery he is worried about the expense.
I suppose I just wanted to get this written down to clarify my thoughts, but your experiences would be great!
In about 12-18 months, we may be in a position to move them to the in-law's place and have our own private yard, but it all depends on the traffic situation outside the house and also how much money is left over for stables etc!
However, until then, a stable has come available at a yard closer to home. It has direct access onto a local moor (of 600 acres) and a natural gallop, fantastic 20x40 school with proper jumps!! The owner is a qualified BSHAI and there is a small tack shop on site. There is year round turn out and we can have a separate paddock if required (we may do). The stables already have rubber matting (so we would have to store ours until maybe having our own stables). They have an equissage machine and there is talk of maybe a new horse walker. People go there and tend to stay. There is one stable available from August but we would ideally need 2 as we eventually want to replace our mare (I suppose that could be got round). There is no doubting that the facilities at this yard are fantastic but I have reservations.
Firstly, I've never been anything but DIY before and I please myself with my horses, right down to the farrier and vet. The indication is that this yard uses one farrier and one vet and expects liveries to do the same. I have mentioned this to her and she hasn't made clear whether she would budge, but she wants to 'discuss the issues' so I am still not sure whether I'd be able to stick with my current vet and farrier (if we couldn't then we wouldn't move... simple as!). The other thing is that we grow our own hay and as they only offer part livery, hay would probably be in with the price, as would hard feed which George DOESN'T HAVE! Bedding would be in and there's a choice of shavings or straw I think, but G is on aquamax because he is about the wettest horse I have ever known and it's the only bedding that will do him any good! We have 100 bags of the stuff stored at the in-law's farm, and clearly, at £5 a bag, we're not about to let it gather dust! We've been at our current yard 6 years and there's a certain amount of comfort factor - we're established, long-term customers, G is happy and secure there... problem is, our nasty horrible builder's wife keeps her horse there (although they never visit it) and this is the main reason I want to move. I am scared what they are going to do to my horse or to us and I am worried to go up there in case I bump into them. I suppose the bargain is we would end up with amazing hacking at the new place.
I just wonder whether it's worth it. She wants to discuss our 'issues' which means the fact we grow our own hay and already have a large amount of bedding, and we would eventually want another stable. She indicated a small discount because I don't feed hard feed and buy in formula4 feet for G. Maybe we'd get a discount for having our own hay/bedding or maybe she would buy it from us... who knows.
My husband isn't keen at the moment because he feels the nasty builder is pushing us out and as we have never been part livery he is worried about the expense.
I suppose I just wanted to get this written down to clarify my thoughts, but your experiences would be great!
