Livery yard woes

[Nativelover]

I've posted before about my worries over winter, but the problems seem to be starting already!!!

Current yard:
Lovely stables, well kept fields, 24/7 in summer, 2x week in winter, good storage, nice school, poor hacking and difficult YO. It's also a good 30 min drive away making it difficult to 'nip' down to change rugs etc and YO won't do it.

YO has upset sharer and she no longer wants to share at that yard!

So I need more than ever to move, but where!!??? Here are my options so far;

Yard A
In my village, small yard that feels a bit cramped, next to no storage, only allowed to order hay/bedding from 1 source, grazing ok'ish in small paddocks fields shut when really wet fencing not great, YO was very much "I had to do what she thought best, not what I knew was best for my horse".
Small but nice school, hacking is excellent.

Yard B
About 10 min drive away, lovely large stables, I would have to get a container for storage, no facilities at all, no school, hacking good but busy road would limit riding to during day, all year turnout in managed fields. Right on a motorway with only 1 old post and rail fence between hard standing and road.

Yard C
Home with my mum, 2.5hrs drive away, lovely stables, school, good well managed fields open all year round, good hacking but busy road first. Would only be able to visit when I went home!!!

I've tried without success to find another yard, even typing this out I don't like any of the options above, but I know I've got to get away from current situation. I literally have stopped riding and I hate going up there. What the hell do I do??? My horse needs turnout daily, staying in really does not suit, but 99% of yards within a reasonable distance close the fields for months on end.
I've knocked on doors, I've put notes on gates, I've advertised, asked people, stopped horse riders. This episode with my sharer is the last straw now, I can't face another winter struggling like I did last time. I feel very lost...

 

[LHIS]

OP they all sound like rubbish options frankly.
What is YO's issue - why are they a pain in the bum? I'm really asking if anything can be done about issues with YO?

Have you put feelers out for private yards? Are you in a horsey area? I am on a priavte yard, just my pony and owners 4 horses. It's heavenly - peace and quiet!

 

[Fiona]

Even yard A would be better than your present arrangement IMO.... At least you could hack, and hopefully your sharer would come on board again.

Or does it have more disadvantages than you have mentioned?

Fiona

 

[Goldenstar]

Yard A , not perfect but near home good hacking ,school and turnout better than your current yard.

 

[Nativelover]

The YO has 'moods' and will pick holes in anything you do, sweeping, muck heap etc the list goes on. When she is nice, she's great but mostly she's not and is horrid. I've left the yard sobbing before now due to her having a go, it's very stressful being there actually. She's thrown 2 people off for sticking up for themselves. I witnessed one episode and it was awful, shouting,screaming, swearing!

Fiona, yard A I visited Easter 2014, she showed me what was on offer but I said the stable was too small and I'd ideally rather wait for a bigger one, I also said I'd rather have my own paddock so I could muck pick etc myself and she said she could sort something but when I asked to see exactly what I'd get the response was "I'll see your horse first and then decide where to put it" she also felt the 8 x 10 stable was suitable for a wide highland!!! So I got the impression we wouldn't see eye to eye on things.

 

[Fiona]

I think its definitely worth approaching Yard A's owner again, and discussing whether she has vacancies etc. Show her pics of your horse, explain current management and see if you get a better set of answers..

You have nothing to lose, your current yard sounds awful (I can't bear jeckyll and hyde people)

Best of luck..

Fiona

 

[MuddyTB]

If you want to keep your sharer it would have to be Yard A.

If money is not too tight could you look further away but on assisted/part/full livery so you don't have to travel a long way as often.

If not sounds like your horse would be happy at your mum's. Could you do that over winter when you might ride a bit less anyway and it would give you another 6 months or so to try find another option?

 

[Annagain]

I'd send him to mum so the pressure's off and keep looking (and it doesn't sound like you'd ride much anyway as things stand). When you find the perfect place (I'm sure it's out there.) he can come back to you. Sharer would be the only issue, but you could always give her a ring when he's back and hope she's not found something else in the meantime.

 

[CBAnglo]

Whereabouts are you? Maybe people on here might have some suggestions? None of the above sound good to be honest but having been in that situation before I would put the needs of the horse first. He has to live there 24/7 you just have to suck it up for the hour or two that you are there (and try to avoid YO). Not easy it was years at rubbish livery yards which sucked the joy out of horse ownership. Now I have them at home I wouldn't go back to a livery yard.

 

[Arzada]

I'd send him to mum so the pressure's off and keep looking (and it doesn't sound like you'd ride much anyway as things stand). When you find the perfect place (I'm sure it's out there.) he can come back to you. Sharer would be the only issue, but you could always give her a ring when he's back and hope she's not found something else in the meantime.

Me too

 

[bluedanube]

Send him home and keep looking...

 

[WelshD]

I'd see how things went at yard A while having your mum as back up if things went wrong

Dont write off the YO on the basis of an 18 month old conversation

 

[mytwofriends]

With your mum, no question. Your current YO sounds horrific and I'd be out of there at the first opportunity.

The other options all sound a bit pitiful and horses are meant to be enjoyable. I don't sense that would be the case at any of those. Take the stress way down by going to your mum, and look for somewhere closer at your leisure.

 

[SO1]

How many ponies or horses do you have. You mention with regard to Yard A that you wanted your own paddock so presume you want individual turnout for one highland. Agree 8 x 10 stable a bit small esp if they are going to spend a lot of time in the stable. I think sometimes people hear the word pony and presume that a "pony" sized stable will be suitable but a lot of the large breeds are quite long and wide ponies with bodies of similar size to a horse just with shorter legs! Individual turnout is not always easy to provide so could you be more flexible on that requirement if YO has a bigger stable available.

Do you and sharer ride in the evenings after work and therefore need a school? Would yard B be prepared to improve fencing eg put up electric as well as the post and rail or repair post and rail so more secure.

If you and sharer do not ride in the evenings and you don't mind not having a school and they agree to improve fencing then I consider yard B because of the improved turnout.

I don't know if you can afford it or not but if you can could you like others have suggested consider part livery a bit further away but nearer than your family so you do not have to go every day but are still able to go at weekends or days off if you have more time. If that does not work for current sharer then perhaps you might find someone else who would like a week day share with no jobs to do but who was able to contribute financially.

 

[Nativelover]

Thank you all, it's comforting to know that I'm right that the behaviour of current YO is unacceptable.
I know that my pony will be safe and happy at home, but at the moment I'm thinking of that as a last resort.
When I spoke to yard A back in 2014 I had 2 hence asking for a paddock of my own. I work long and varied shifts so can't keep to a poo picking rota, sweeping rota, feeding rota or whatever. I did explain to her how big they were, and not to think of them as ponies by their height but that they are a wide as they are tall. But she knew best and said a 15hh was perfectly happy in there! There also seems to be a high turnover of people so regularly advertises stables. I didn't leave with a good vibe, put it that way!

I have searched and searched, there's nothing yet that makes me want to give it a try. I'm very wary as I've been lied to by 2 yards both promised I could have the turnout I needed, everyday unless weather was really bad. These 2 yards shut fields for 9 months!!
There aren't any professional yards near me that offer a client based service.

 

[SusieT]

I'd go for the third yard and keep looking- at least your horse is happy, close and you can monitor it in the meantime.

 

[Lizzie66]

Go for yard A with Mum's being a back up if that turns out to be too awful.

Storage - not such an issue as it is on your doorstep
Hacking - good
Menage - small but good
Grazing - not the best but acceptable
Fencing - speak to the YO but as appears to be individual you could invest in electric tape and posts
YO appears to be forthright and might be inflexible - well forthright is good as she sounds like she will be upfront with you, not tell you one thing to get you there and then change the rules when you are in situ. Inflexible - well you just need to outline what you need and make sure that this can be accommodated and if not what are you prepared to compromise on.

 

[wkiwi]

I may have missed it, but did you put what area you were in? Not all yards advertise but a private yard may just consider a spot every now and again e.g. my landlady stopped taking liveries through frustration, but then (just by chance) we took one lovely lady who is the most non-hassle livery client you could ever have. One of the neighbours wasn't doing liveries but now might.
I once found grazing for a horse by stopping when i saw a farrier shoeing a horse. The people weren't taking horses other than their own, but made an exception because I could keep an eye on thier horses when they were away
Etc.
so, recommend not giving up hope and keeping asking everyone you can think of, and either option A or your mum in the meantime.

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

I'd pick Yard B. The fence next to motorway wouldn't bother me. Most yards I've been on the fence isn't great and most horses don't escape. At least on this yard the fence is there and not falling down. Do you really need a storage container? If you're only planning on using the yard as a stop gap until somewhere better comes up could you not just store things at home, keeping only a minimum at the yard? Give the sharer a discount if she can only ride weekends or let her have both weekend days. You're not riding at the moment so if you carry on not riding until a better yard comes up you haven't actually lost anything and you get to keep a decent sharer, which I assume you're keen to do. If you take all your annual leave in half days you'll be able to ride once a week anyway, if you've got any annual leave left that is. At least with Yard B you'd feel relaxed and could spend a little time brushing him each day, better than nothing.

Yard A would give you a similar outcome to the situation you have now in that you'll end up hating it, you've met the YO once and it's clear you already don't like her/her ways. Unless you could suck it up with the different management ideas? Because you would only be a few mins away so could ride more often and feed small amounts of hay more often if there wasn't enough turnout. The highland is probably a sensible type of horse and will decide for himself if his stable is too tight to turn round in with ease. If you put hay, water and hard feed at the front and get him turned round before you leave, it won't hurt him to stay as he is all night. Horses used to be kept in stalls, some riding schools still do, they can't turn round at night and are fine.

Yard C you'd lose the sharer and barely see your horse. So unless you really can't cope doing 5 days a week in winter on Yard B and working, letting sharer do weekends so she can ride, I wouldn't do it.

 

[Nativelover]

Hi, thanks everyone. A quick tot up and most people are saying try yard A.
I think I'll have another convo with the YO and see what I can come up with, whilst continuing searching!! I live near ramsbottom, bury. Close to the rossendale border. I've advertised everywhere and this is how I've found the options I mentioned. Yard B hasno help, I work different shifts week by week, and these past few months Ive been working 60-70hr weeks.
So you can see my dilemma!! If only there was a nice part livery space with turnout and hacking!!!!

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

It might open your options up more if you consider DIY yards where you'd be allowed to employ a freelance groom, if you can't find part livery to suit you/your horse. Or consider full livery with an extra sharer to help pay for it, with you all having 2 days a week each and the horse getting 1 day off.

 

[abb123]

I'd move closer to my mums if I was you

If that is not an option then agree with others to try yard A.