Livery yard options ...help pls!

Littlebear

Well-Known Member
Joined
27 November 2017
Messages
676
Visit site
I am currently at a yard that my horse is happy at, horse is fairly easy mind you but the main reason i am there is the flexibility of turn out, unlimited daytime hours over winter and 24/7 in the summer and the field holds up well. There is a huge amount of hacking also and its dirt cheap. I like the people there the buts are that the school is not usable over winter so i have to go out and hire every week which is fine but obviously not ideal, and its nearly an hour round trip every day which is hard with work and other commitments that i have.
I have had the option of a yard up my road becoming available, i don't know much about it, its a small place maybe 10 stables, the obvious draw is that i would cut out travel time, arena is nice, there is much less hacking but a little bit to get you out of the schools. It is much more money but this would be offset in the petrol saving. The main worry is the lack of turnout in winter, the fields are closed when weather is bad and when its good its 4 hours max a day, then all day in summer. So i am stuck in a quandary, i don't want the horse to be worse off and stuck in loads just so i dont have to travel but of course it would be a huge bonus for me to be able to walk up the road and would be able to do more as can pop in when i have spare time rather than having to plan everything around the journey to the one i am at now.
Any thoughts or advice that might help me appreciated!
 

Dyllymoo

Well-Known Member
Joined
22 November 2013
Messages
1,512
Visit site
Personally I wouldn't move to the yard that shuts fields in bad weather.

Obviously keep looking for another yard that maybe has similar turnout/ hacking as where you are, but that also has an arena.

We are coming in to spring/ summer now as well so new yard might be great for now but come winter you may regret it.
 

chocolategirl

Well-Known Member
Joined
8 June 2012
Messages
1,292
Visit site
Lack of turnout and all the potential problems that brings, would be the deciding factor for me I’m afraid? think long and hard about giving up the amount of turnout you’ve had is my advice?‍♀️ Weigh up roughly what it costs you in arena hire, against how much more bedding and hay/haylage etc you would use with horse being in A LOT! ?
 

Littlebear

Well-Known Member
Joined
27 November 2017
Messages
676
Visit site
Lack of turnout and all the potential problems that brings, would be the deciding factor for me I’m afraid? think long and hard about giving up the amount of turnout you’ve had is my advice?‍♀️ Weigh up roughly what it costs you in arena hire, against how much more bedding and hay/haylage etc you would use with horse being in A LOT! ?
Yes, plus they only allow woodchips at around a tenner a bale where i am on straw now at £2 a bale, plus when staying in it would work out a bale of hay per day at £5.50 each so those costs would spiral considerably if staying in. I would not usually consider somewhere with such limitation on winter turnout but the option of yards is so limited where i am and it would be nice to be closer and save the travel time.
There is one other yard closer to me that has more winter turnout but the waiting list is huge and i've been on it for a long time now. I think perhaps enjoying another summer where i am is probably sensible before re-evaluating again before the end of the summer.
Thanks all x
 

crazyandme

Well-Known Member
Joined
23 July 2017
Messages
498
Location
Germany
Visit site
I think you might regret moving when the novelty of the arena has worn off. You're happy where you are and that's 90% of the battle. It's so hard finding a yard where you're happy so I'd stay put.

This

And also, you may find yourself getting bored of the hacking and ending up boxing out to places anyway which would add to the costs as well
 

Leandy

Well-Known Member
Joined
4 October 2018
Messages
1,540
Visit site
I think it depends what you want to do with your horse and therefore the relative importance of arena v. hacking and turnout. Personally for a competition horse I would much prefer your new option and proximity to home is a major plus in my experience. You will be able to pop in more often to do bits and bobs if it is very close to home. On the other hand, if you are happy at your current yard, I'm guessing you are not hugely competitively minded so the advantages there may outweigh.
 

Annagain

Well-Known Member
Joined
10 December 2008
Messages
15,506
Visit site
Personally, I would never compromise on turnout. His welfare aside (which is enough in itself for me) I would rather drive a bit further to not HAVE to ride every day. On a night when you've had a long day in work, you're knackered, feeling under the weather and it's p*****g down would you prefer an hour in a nice warm car, listening to the radio or an hour grooming, tacking up, riding, untacking, cooling off, putting rugs back on all in the cold and rain (as he'll have been out anyway if it's dry so you'll only HAVE to do this in wet weather). If the answer's the latter that's great but if it's about freeing up time in the evenings you won't necessarily achieve that.

You say it's all day in summer - do you mean 24/7 or just daytime and he'll still have to come in overnight? That's a huge consideration. The break I get from mucking out over the summer saves my sanity!

I'd stay put for now but keep looking for somewhere closer to home that offers guaranteed daily turnout even if it's a bit more restricted e.g. 5 or 6 hours a day.
 
Last edited:

Littlebear

Well-Known Member
Joined
27 November 2017
Messages
676
Visit site
Personally, I would never compromise on turnout and would rather drive a bit further to not HAVE to ride every day. Don't get me wrong I ride as much as I can but on a night when you've had a long day in work, you're knackered, feeling under the weather and it's p*****g down, it's nice to know you don't have to. If he's not had any turnout you'll have to even when you really don't want to. It's a hobby, not a chore. It probably takes more time overall too even if it's a 5 minute drive - by the time you've groomed, tacked up, ridden, untacked, cooled off, put rugs back on you could have driven there, done his stable quickly, got him in and driven home. Of course, if you want to ride every night and would rather that to the drive that's great but if it's about freeing up time in the evenings you won't necessarily achieve that.

You say it's all day in summer - do you mean 24/7 or just daytime and he'll still have to come in overnight? That's a huge consideration. The break I get from mucking out over the summer saves my sanity!

I'd stay put for now but keep looking for somewhere closer to home that offers guaranteed daily turnout even if it's a bit more restricted e.g. 5 or 6 hours a day.

Yes its 24/7 between clock changes in summer, the poo picking takes up some time obv but not as much as doing full chores! I dont feel that i can do this another winter with the travel but i certainly could enjoy the summer this year and sort something else for next winter.
 

Winters100

Well-Known Member
Joined
18 April 2015
Messages
2,519
Visit site
In your situation I would not move. However close you are having a horse in the box is a major time commitment in terms of giving them enough movement, plus it is not good for the horse. Sorry to say that I would put up with the drive.
 

Littlebear

Well-Known Member
Joined
27 November 2017
Messages
676
Visit site
Could you get a sharer a couple of times in the week to give you a break?

To be honest it’s more aggro than it’s worth! I had a ‘friend’ helping which worked well for a while but just became a bit too much, I would rather be knackered and do it myself tbh :(
 

monkeymad

Well-Known Member
Joined
24 February 2008
Messages
691
Visit site
As you say your current yard is very cheap, could you look at getting a freelance groom to help out once or twice a week over winter to give you a bit of a break?
 

Littlebear

Well-Known Member
Joined
27 November 2017
Messages
676
Visit site
As you say your current yard is very cheap, could you look at getting a freelance groom to help out once or twice a week over winter to give you a bit of a break?

yes definitely can, I split the day with the person I share the field with so i do am and she does pm so it would just mean me paying for hers aswell to be done am (which is no problem)
 

AandK

Well-Known Member
Joined
24 July 2007
Messages
3,905
Location
West Sussex
Visit site
Very limited winter turnout and poor hacking would be a big no for me, decent arena or not. Closed fields in bad weather generally means no turnout all winter and there is no way I would want that for my horses. Winter is a slog either way, but I'd rather the faff of arena hire than all the extra cost (hay/bedding) and stress (horse and me!) of having to have a horse in full time. It's bad enough if on box rest, but doing it to a sound horse is not fair IMO.
 

9tails

Well-Known Member
Joined
20 January 2009
Messages
4,763
Visit site
Your idea of staying over summer and looking for somewhere closer with turnout next winter is a good one. Mine is in due to wrecked fields and it's a slog of twice or three times daily muck outs, hand walking, hand grazing, riding and feeding copious amounts of hay. I have to factor in at least an hour and a half each end of the day, I can't just muckout and put a new net in as it's unfair to the horse.
 

AUB

Well-Known Member
Joined
8 April 2019
Messages
466
Visit site
I would never choose a yard without daily turnout all year.

But I would also never choose a yard without a school.
 

Littlebear

Well-Known Member
Joined
27 November 2017
Messages
676
Visit site
I would never choose a yard without daily turnout all year.

But I would also never choose a yard without a school.

Unfortunately for me, where i live places with both are absolute gold dust. The ones that had both are all being sold for housing.
 
Top