Is this crazy?!

[RidingAgain]

Yes - think it's a combination of a bad photo and a fat horse!

 

[Annagain]

She looks lovely. I'm a sucker for a blondie.

I'd go for the livery in the short term - I know it's expensive at a difficult time but I think that extra support while you get started again will be really important and she won't be alone. Even if it means you're overdrawn for a couple of months, you could clear that when the holiday let sells? It will also mean that you already have contact with them if you find keeping her at home doesn't work. Going back at short notice might be easier than trying to get in there at short notice.

It will also give you time (and motivation!) to sort your paddock out and get everything ready for her to come home - including a companion. You mentioned you'd like your daughter to ride her when she's older, would it be worth getting something your daughter could ride now as both a companion and a pony for her?

I'd also talk to your neighbours as you have limited grazing about whether you could rent some with them or come to some sort of arrangement to rotate your grazing with theirs which could solve the companionship issue too if you don't want to get another.

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

I don't think keeping her at home for a couple of busy and time pressured months is a problem, BUT if you need the space to be at that specific livery put her in straight away.
They might offer you first refusal, but if someone already there decides to get another they aren't going to hold a place for you over that. Unless you already know this yard you are basically starting your relationship with them by asking for special favours (grass livery, hold me a stable til winter and I will only pay you for it in summer if someone else comes along) so whilst I see where you are coming from, in their position if someone else came along just wanting the stable now I would not be coming back to you before accepting their offer.

This is what I was thinking. If I was the YO there I'd be peeved with the OP and thinking her flakey. I'd be worried she'd turn up for the winter then move the horse home again in the summer, leaving them with an empty space and therefore lower income all summer most likely. Because realistically, at £500pcm they're not going to be over run with people wanting to move there in the summer when horses are out 24/7. So given the choice between the OP and someone who actually needs livery because they don't have their own land, I'd take the other person just because they'd be more likely to stay. It's not realistic to expect the YO to advertise their vacancy, deal with all the enquiries, show people round, and then when someone says they'd like to move their horse to the yard, offer that space to the OP instead. That's crazy.

 

[RidingAgain]

This is what I was thinking. If I was the YO there I'd be peeved with the OP and thinking her flakey. I'd be worried she'd turn up for the winter then move the horse home again in the summer, leaving them with an empty space and therefore lower income all summer most likely. Because realistically, at £500pcm they're not going to be over run with people wanting to move there in the summer when horses are out 24/7. So given the choice between the OP and someone who actually needs livery because they don't have their own land, I'd take the other person just because they'd be more likely to stay. It's not realistic to expect the YO to advertise their vacancy, deal with all the enquiries, show people round, and then when someone says they'd like to move their horse to the yard, offer that space to the OP instead. That's crazy.

I should probably have said that this isn't a totally new yard to me. I've been schooling one of their ponies for them, have already got a relationship with them and they've been really helpful and supportive. Totally don't expect them to jump through any hoops for me, and wouldn't bowl up to a new yard and start asking for special favours, but I do know they have been very open and flexible with me and keen to help.

I've mentioned the situation to the owner - but didn't asked for anything, just kept her posted. She's already come back and offered me DIY grass livery for the summer if I want it, moving to full livery in autumn. I'm weighing it up as it is an amazing offer, and something they don't normally do, but also as it's fully DIY will mean quite a bit more time to get everything done as I'll be driving up the road and can't fit it in so easily around my work-from-home life. If I don't take that up I'm not going to ask them to hold a space for me, but I think if they need to fill it they will come to me first before actively recruiting. The YO has made it clear that she values having someone on the yard she has got to know and knows will be easy to deal with, so I'm really pleased that I took the time to make the relationship.

 

[splashgirl45]

I should probably have said that this isn't a totally new yard to me. I've been schooling one of their ponies for them, have already got a relationship with them and they've been really helpful and supportive. Totally don't expect them to jump through any hoops for me, and wouldn't bowl up to a new yard and start asking for special favours, but I do know they have been very open and flexible with me and keen to help.

I've mentioned the situation to the owner - but didn't asked for anything, just kept her posted. She's already come back and offered me DIY grass livery for the summer if I want it, moving to full livery in autumn. I'm weighing it up as it is an amazing offer, and something they don't normally do, but also as it's fully DIY will mean quite a bit more time to get everything done as I'll be driving up the road and can't fit it in so easily around my work-from-home life. If I don't take that up I'm not going to ask them to hold a space for me, but I think if they need to fill it they will come to me first before actively recruiting. The YO has made it clear that she values having someone on the yard she has got to know and knows will be easy to deal with, so I'm really pleased that I took the time to make the relationship.

that sounds like a really good offer to me. why not take them up on it and see how it goes, you will also have a bit of support if she is on a livery yard rather than at home on her own. good luck