Help me decide on a new yard (or not!)

[Chippers1]

Hi everyone

I'm having a bit of a dilemma regarding a yard move. I recently moved house so I am deciding whether to move Buzz or not, I am very indecisive though so I just need a bit of help! It also doesn't help that i've been at the same yard for 22 years...

I went to view one yesterday and it was really nice but there were a few drawbacks I wasn't quite sure about. So i've drawn up a list of pros and cons, what do you all think? I can elaborate if needed..

Old
Pros	Cons
Cheaper	Fields far to walk and on dark country lanes
XC field and jumps (some times of the year)	Small school
Friends there (human and horse)	Spooky school
Herd turnout	Can't get in the school due to lessons
WH jump field (some times of the year) which horse enjoys	Can't get into jump fields due to horses
Able to ask others to check on horse	Rubbish hacking
Horsebox parking	30 min drive in traffic
	Not enough room in school to jump
	School surface not great
New
Pros	Cons
10 min drive	More expensive
Big school	Stabled - not sure how horse will react
non-spooky school	Paired turnout (as above)
Round pen	Extra cost of jump field
Field with jumps (optional cost?)	can't share jobs (poss can at weekend)
Jumps in school	No xc jumps (poss to buy some though)
Good school surface	have to pay for school lights
Great hacking
Fields very close walk
Fields on site so no road to walk down
Potential for grass/herd livery if/when available
Horsebox parking

Oops massive table!

It seems like there are more pros with the new yard but i do have to balance that out with some of the cons as well but I am still undecided!

 

[ycbm]

From out 24/7 to stabled at least overnight?

I vote stay where you are, especially if you don't know how he will react to that.
.

 

[Bobthecob15]

2nd one for me, no brainer! How are you meant to ride at the first one if you can't get in the school or jump field? I'd also hate to have to walk down dark lanes to get to the field..plus the cost of a 30 minute drive vs 10 min one. Unless all you do is hack? It depends what you want!

I'd go for the new one, your horse will be fine in paired turnout, they adapt! They also love routine so if everyone else is stabled they will want to be too and get used to it.

 

[Chippers1]

From out 24/7 to stabled at least overnight?

I vote stay where you are, especially if you don't know how he will react to that.
.

Yes he's been out 24/7 since I've owned him, and he will be going to stabled overnight. He was stabled overnight in his previous home but i'm not sure how he will react as the only time i've stabled him here he's not been too happy about it, but i'm not sure if that is just our current set up (stables in a long line outside) whereas the new place is a barn system where he can see them next door and across from him.

2nd one for me, no brainer! How are you meant to ride at the first one if you can't get in the school or jump field? I'd also hate to have to walk down dark lanes to get to the field..plus the cost of a 30 minute drive vs 10 min one. Unless all you do is hack? It depends what you want!

I'd go for the new one, your horse will be fine in paired turnout, they adapt! They also love routine so if everyone else is stabled they will want to be too and get used to it.

This is one of my issues, i'd say 80% of the time it's fine but sometimes when i'm there a lesson will be in the school and there will be horses turned out in the jump fields and that is a bit annoying as then I have to do a rubbish hack! I have been doing a lot more hacking with him but it is fairly limited unless you want to be out for hours.

So there are good points and bad to both. I do love my old yard, i've been there years but is it time for a change? The new one is lovely but i'm just so not sure!

 

[nagblagger]

How will your horse cope with no herd turnout, will he become clingy only having 1 friend.

 

[dottylottie]

i’d be loading up as we speak

i imagine he’ll cope fine with being stabler overnight, if he’s following the same routine as everyone else

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I would be very wary of the new yard's turnout arrangements.

 

[BallyJ]

I'm another one that would move.

We're coming into a time where a school will be really useful - is it well lit?

And they'll adapt to be in overnight, especially when their friends are coming in!

 

[Chippers1]

How will your horse cope with no herd turnout, will he become clingy only having 1 friend.

This is what i'm not sure about as he does seem to get on well with the herd. However, in his previous home it was just him and one other pony and he was ok leaving him and settled ok with me.

 

[Chippers1]

I would be very wary of the new yard's turnout arrangements.

How come?

 

[Chiffy]

Second one for me.
Nearer to visit, much more compact with fields on site.
Your present yard has rubbish hacking but not a decent school either and then lessons there so no access. Even the jump fields have horses in.
Barn stabling is great and I love my horses in at night and out in the day. Your horse should adapt as long as you make sure at first he is not left stabled alone.

 

[Bobthecob15]

I would be very wary of the new yard's turnout arrangements.

why?? Have bene to lots of yards with induvidual and paired turnout and the horses have been fine?? As long as they can see others horses are incredibly adaptable and cope just fine.

I would put your needs first, dont hold back on a potentially better experience of you 'in case' your horse doesn't like it. I can see no reason it wouldn't based on what you've said. You can always go back!

I suspect this is why you've been at the same one for 22 years? No offence!

 

[Chippers1]

I don't like change, that's why i've been there so long not with the same horse either! I do have some good friends there too but the people on the new yard were really friendly when I went for a chat.

I'm another one that would move.

We're coming into a time where a school will be really useful - is it well lit?

And they'll adapt to be in overnight, especially when their friends are coming in!

It is well lit, you pay £1 for half an hour.

 

[Bobthecob15]

I don't like change, that's why i've been there so long not with the same horse either! I do have some good friends there too but the people on the new yard were really friendly when I went for a chat.


It is well lit, you pay £1 for half an hour.

100% would be loading up the horse already!!! Sounds amazing!!!

 

[rabatsa]

Did the horses on the second yard seem happy/content or were they shutdown/stressed? If the horses already there are happy the chances are yours would be too.

 

[Tarragon]

I vote for moving too. Just a couple of niggles. Can you choose who your grazing buddy would be? Do they still have turn out all year round?

 

[Red-1]

You had me at good hacking. I love hacking, and schooling, so a better school would also win it.

Wouldn't want inaccessible fields in the dark.

10 minutes' journey is ace too.

I would move on good terms, so you can move back if the horse really doesn't settle. You have just moved house so the YO should understand.

 

[Chippers1]

Did the horses on the second yard seem happy/content or were they shutdown/stressed? If the horses already there are happy the chances are yours would be too.

Yes, there was one injured on box rest and they were happily eating, and we were there at bring in time and all were fine. Saw the others in the fields and they were happily eating too.

I vote for moving too. Just a couple of niggles. Can you choose who your grazing buddy would be? Do they still have turn out all year round?

The yard owner did point out a pony that mine could go with. They do have turn out all year around but (another con) is that they do stay in in bad weather. He would be out 24/7 in summer (forgot that in my first post!)

You had me at good hacking. I love hacking, and schooling, so a better school would also win it.

Wouldn't want inaccessible fields in the dark.

10 minutes' journey is ace too.

I would move on good terms, so you can move back if the horse really doesn't settle. You have just moved house so the YO should understand.

Mine is not 100% to hack alone but has been getting better as i've been doing more. I would definitely move on good terms just in case, I do like them there!
10 minutes is good, my previous yard was a 2 min drive from my house (down an A road so not really walkable!) which was the best

 

[dorsetladette]

From out 24/7 to stabled at least overnight?

I vote stay where you are, especially if you don't know how he will react to that.
.

Agree with the above.

I'd stay put and find a similar set up with better hacking and a bigger school (that sounds like the only things current place is lacking).

If you can't share jobs what happens if you have to work late or can't get to the yard due to an emergency?

How do you know your horse will find the school at the new yard less spooky?

Does the new yard have all year round turn out or is your horse going to be going from out 24/7 to stabled most of the winter?

There seems to be a lot of extra cost's at the new place along with the higher cost of keeping him there.

 

[Greylegs]

Another vote for "move" from me. Much nearer and better facilities. Horse will get used to being stabled overnight, especially as we come into winter, and think of all those sodden turnout rugs you won't have to deal with.

Having said that, you need to make sure you're comfortable with care arrangements if/when you can't get there. When you say you can't share jobs, do you mean that the yard do them and charge you? Need to take the extra cost into account.

 

[Zoeypxo]

Yes, there was one injured on box rest and they were happily eating, and we were there at bring in time and all were fine. Saw the others in the fields and they were happily eating too.


The yard owner did point out a pony that mine could go with. They do have turn out all year around but (another con) is that they do stay in in bad weather. He would be out 24/7 in summer (forgot that in my first post!)


Mine is not 100% to hack alone but has been getting better as i've been doing more. I would definitely move on good terms just in case, I do like them there!
10 minutes is good, my previous yard was a 2 min drive from my house (down an A road so not really walkable!) which was the best

Stay in in bad weather in my experience is the majority of the winter . Did they specify how often this may be or what they class as bad weather?
The staying in would be the only thing holding me back, some horses cope ok mine goes absolutely feral when she doesnt have regular turnout

 

[Chippers1]

Agree with the above.

I'd stay put and find a similar set up with better hacking and a bigger school (that sounds like the only things current place is lacking).

If you can't share jobs what happens if you have to work late or can't get to the yard due to an emergency?

How do you know your horse will find the school at the new yard less spooky?

Does the new yard have all year round turn out or is your horse going to be going from out 24/7 to stabled most of the winter?

There seems to be a lot of extra cost's at the new place along with the higher cost of keeping him there.

There's not many yards in the area that do grass/herd livery (only mine and this yard!) which is the ultimate goal. They are currently full for grass livery but I would want to move to that eventually.

I work flexi time so I normally finish around 3/3:30 but if I do have to work late they do offer services - he will be turned out in the morning by them.

My old yard school is surrounded by tall bushes which he finds very spooky, with birds flying out. There's no bushes around the new school!

Yes all year around apart from bad weather, which i'm not too happy about, but they do have a round pen for leg stretches. He will be out 24/7 in summer.

Yes I am worried about the higher costs. I can afford it but I also have to balance out the higher petrol costs of getting to and from the other yard!

 

[Chippers1]

Another vote for "move" from me. Much nearer and better facilities. Horse will get used to being stabled overnight, especially as we come into winter, and think of all those sodden turnout rugs you won't have to deal with.

Having said that, you need to make sure you're comfortable with care arrangements if/when you can't get there. When you say you can't share jobs, do you mean that the yard do them and charge you? Need to take the extra cost into account.

Yes I would be paying for turnout daily (already budgeted for) and if needed I can pay for extras. This is during the week, weekends may be different as they don't do services then. My OH is also able to go and sort him if I can't - once I teach him to muck out!

Stay in in bad weather in my experience is the majority of the winter . Did they specify how often this may be or what they class as bad weather?
The staying in would be the only thing holding me back, some horses cope ok mine goes absolutely feral when she doesnt have regular turnout

Yes it's the main worry I have. They didn't specify how often. They do have grass livery too (full at the moment) which I am hoping to hop over to one day!

 

[SantaVera]

2nd year definately. no where is perfect even when you have your own land theres always pros and cons .The pros of the second yard outweigh the cons and much of it sounds far better then where you are now also yard one is cheaper but possibly wont be when you take into account the extra fuel youll be paying for.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

2nd yard the 1st one sounds almost impossible to ride.

 

[Chippers1]

I wouldn't say it's impossible, I do ride 5/6 days a week however I don't always manage to do what I plan.

 

[Katieg123]

Do you know anyone on the new yard that you can ask how it really is there? 2nd one sounds fab but always good to get an insiders perspective!

 

[Chippers1]

No I don't know anyone but the the other liveries did seem nice and the owner did say there's not a huge amount of turnover and that they don't tolerate bad behaviour. My yard now everyone is so nice so I am worried about being in a more, umm 'hostile' environment (potentially!) but it didn't seem that way at all.

 

[AandK]

Current yard not ideal, but I would be wary of the stabling overnight and staying in during bad weather of yard 2. This would be a deal breaker for me, knowing my horse. Have heard of yards that mention this and it often means days on end of horses stuck in during winter. Other pros of yard 2 sound good, but non restricted turnout is at the very top of the non-negotiable list for me personally.

 

[Muddywellies]

Yard 2. No real cons there tbh. Gosh your current yard doesn't sound good at all. Mind you, you really just have to consider where you'll be happiest.