Help...should i move yards! I need help to make a decision!

[BlackK]

So here is the story...My horse is extremely herd bound. He spent the first 8 years of his life in a 40 strong herd . Over the years, i have tried all sorts of livery. I tried him on livery in his own paddock, which was hell on earth. I ended up with a highly stressed bolshy horse. Paired him up and he then clung to his paddock mate. Every time they we separated to ride etc, it was manic fence pacing, screaming and sweating up.

So, for the last 2 years we have been on a yard with around 20 horses and he has been extremely happy. The yard is rough, no denying that. Its untidy and generally not managed and the fields are rubbish in the winter with mud and flooding. However, my horse has always been happy and settled so i have stayed.

I will throw in here at this point that i am currently 6 months pregnant...

Had no plans on moving but now, we have the horse from hell which has moved onto the yard. Its very stallion like and has been attacking the horses waiting at the gate to come in. Its gone for my horse whilst i was holding him which has completely frightened me. We now have 20 horses stood at the gate all scared of this horse and we have had a few people hurt already as they are all barging to get out away from the new horse. YO will not do anything about it as frankly, she's not that bothered.

I really dont want to move but feel i am backed into a corner now.

I have been offered a space on a yard which is again, pairing my horse up in an average sized paddock. Nice quite yard with the facilities i would like but i am filled with dread about moving preggo and the stress of trying to get him settled in. Pair it up with the worry about people bringing the neighbouring horses in when i am at work and her stressing in ther paddock - i really do not know what to do for the best. Stay...go...or try to find a yard more suitable than what i have been offered? The last option will be the hardest as there isnt many places local to me.

Thanks for reading my essay lol!

 

[be positive]

As the owner of a small livery yard stories such as yours make me really cross, the YO should step in and deal with the problem horse before there is an accident, I hope she has plenty of money as due to it being an ongoing problem her insurance may not pay out if anyone was badly injured so the YO would potentially be personally liable.

20 horses in one field needs to be carefully managed, my first thought would be for all the liveries to get together and take the complaint to the YO and horse owner, there must be a solution that does not mean you having to move, why can it not go in a different field where it is not able to cause trouble, otherwise I would move asap before everyone else starts to and you find all the nearby yards are full.

 

[webble]

If I were you I would move, your yard sounds awful

 

[BlackK]

Thank you! be positive, the YO honestly isn't bothered by it. The yard is not her job as she works full time elsewhere - its a case of bare minimum to keep the yard going and if people are paying, they can stay no matter what. A lot of people have complained but nothing has been done and i imagine nothing will be done either. There isnt really another field for it to go in as we have no other grazing other than what the horses are using currently. Eugh...

I think the move is the best option - its just stress that I'd rather avoid but it might be unavoidable!

 

[fatpiggy]

We had one like that on my yard. I'm perfectly ok with new horses being given the cold shoulder and the run-around for the first hour or so but this b***rd would attack, and I really mean attack, anything that was new for hours, including trying to run them through the fence. To see him going flat out at a 13hh 10 month old was horrendous. He would mount the mares regularly and if he took a dislike to a horse on that particular day, would bully them badly. He even attacked my mare on her last day when I put her out while we waited for the vet to come. Her only crime was to go over and talk to the mare that this gelding had latched onto. I had to go in with a lunge whip to rescue her, and he nearly flattened me in the process and I'm well used to handling bolshy horses. YO knew what he was like but the she and the owner were a bit cliquey. Your current YO is setting herself up to be sued if people are getting hurt (I'm not a pro-compensation person, but there are certain situations where its absolutely the right thing to do). Perhaps if you spoke to the other yard, people might be ok adding their horse to your paddock and making a bigger group which then rotates around to their paddock and so on?

 

[be positive]

You will be far more stressed if you or your horse gets injured, if that is the only field then I would definitely move so your horse can settle in before you get bigger/ the baby comes so you can get into routine and have help when required, this place will be unsafe for you heavily pregnant and if you have to take a baby later it could be a disaster.
Find somewhere that can be flexible to the needs of the horse for now even if he does end up being too attached to his field mates you can wait until you have had baby and want to start riding properly then if need be look elsewhere then, things change, he may have grown up and be less stressed by the move than you expect, good luck.

 

[Nativelover]

Has anyone approached the owner?? And explained the difficulties???

 

[madlady]

To be honest OP the yard that you have been offered doesn't sound ideal for your horse either. You will be back to paired turn out which hasn't suited in the past. It does however sound better than where you currently are.

If nothing else is available then I would move - you can't risk any injury because of a dangerous horse. Ideally though I think you need a different solution.

Is there anywhere in your area that offers retirement livery? I understand that yours isn't retired but it may be something you could do for 6 months or so until baby is born and then you could look for somewhere more suitable.

 

[peaceandquiet1]

I agree with madlady, neither yard sounds right, but your current yard is a serious accident waiting to happen. I do hope you find a solution, and please keep safe yourself.

 

[ester]

Is there anywhere in your area that offers retirement livery? I understand that yours isn't retired but it may be something you could do for 6 months or so until baby is born and then you could look for somewhere more suitable.

I was having the same thought.

 

[BlackK]

Thank you for your replies - its helped me make a decision. I am going to move, but not to the place I have been offered. I don't think that is right either and i will end up regretting it. My horse is not small and 16h of anxiety from being separated and galloping around a relatively small paddock is just as dangerous as being in with wack job horse. I will start a new hunt this weekend...thank you again.

 

[crabbymare]

I would not be waiting and would start posting on facebook (open an account under a different name if you are worried about people knowing its you) and emailing around today so that you can possibly move at the weekend. you need to be out of there asap before either you or the horse gets hurt

 

[Annagain]

Thank you for your replies - its helped me make a decision. I am going to move, but not to the place I have been offered. I don't think that is right either and i will end up regretting it. My horse is not small and 16h of anxiety from being separated and galloping around a relatively small paddock is just as dangerous as being in with wack job horse. I will start a new hunt this weekend...thank you again.

Where are you based? Maybe someone her could point you in the direction of somewhere suitable.

 

[Arzada]

Thank you for your replies - its helped me make a decision. I am going to move, but not to the place I have been offered. I don't think that is right either and i will end up regretting it. My horse is not small and 16h of anxiety from being separated and galloping around a relatively small paddock is just as dangerous as being in with wack job horse. I will start a new hunt this weekend...thank you again.

Just following madlady's suggestion of a retirement livery for the interim. From experience there are retirement yards which will take non-retired horses. The benefit for your horse is that retirement herds are usually settled and stable. And mature!