Livery Yards: Time/Cost vs Facilities?

atropa

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Would you move your horses closer to home if it meant sacrificing some facilities? I have the option of moving 3 miles from my house, I’ve worked out that I’d save 40 minutes a day commuting to the yard and back, and almost £100 a month from petrol money. But I’d be giving up an indoor school, masses of storage space, all weather turnouts and the fancy solarium/wash bay at my current yard. On the flip side, the hacking if I moved would be improved as it involves a huge country park and plenty of off road walks/tracks that I know quite well. The horses would still be turned out daily, just on grass/mud rather than hardcore, and I’d be trading a like for like outdoor to ride in. Worming, yard farriers/vets and the owner’s attitude all seems great at the possible new place, but equally my current YOs are also brilliant.

Feeling torn. An extra £100 in my bank account a month would make a huge difference right now, but I think from the outside I’d seem mad to move away from the current yard I’m on due to the facilities and upkeep of the place.
 

ihatework

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If DIY I would most certainly move.
If on full livery with a competition horse it’s a tougher call, but probably. Depends on how much the extra £100 means to you
 

atropa

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If DIY I would most certainly move.
If on full livery with a competition horse it’s a tougher call, but probably. Depends on how much the extra £100 means to you

Thanks IHW, should have mentioned that it is DIY livery that I'm currently on and DIY that I would be moving to.
 

milliepops

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tricky one - how much do you use the additional facilities? this winter an indoor would have been a godsend, but on the other hand it sound like you don't get a lot of "proper" turnout on grass where you are now?

I think on balance I'd opt for the reduced travel time and expense, provided the other facilities met your needs well enough. I'm on a pretty rustic yard which you get used to, about 8 mins drive away and the time I save having them so close is a godsend.
 

pixie27

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Closer to home - mine is now 2 miles from home and it makes such a difference. The great hacking would also swing it for me, and you still have a school to ride in (just might need to invest in a few good coats!)
 

xDundryx

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I'm DIY and have just gone through this we moved the 2 neds last week. I now commute 6 minutes each way instead of 30-40mins traffic dependant. That alone has sealed the deal! Unfortunately this yard hasn't got a school so that's the major issue but there are 2 within 10 mins trailer ride that we can hire. The hacking is fantastic (which is wasn't at the old yard) I finally have a bit of extra time to enjoy the horses again and have family time plus save money on fuel.
 

atropa

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tricky one - how much do you use the additional facilities? this winter an indoor would have been a godsend, but on the other hand it sound like you don't get a lot of "proper" turnout on grass where you are now?

I think on balance I'd opt for the reduced travel time and expense, provided the other facilities met your needs well enough. I'm on a pretty rustic yard which you get used to, about 8 mins drive away and the time I save having them so close is a godsend.

Hmm..I have used the wash bay once, it is lovely to have but I have survived several years without one so I could survive again. I also have used the indoor school over the winter but tbh, I prefer outdoor schools as my young horse tends to find windy conditions in the indoor very spooky. You're correct, so far I have not been at the current yard throughout summer but there is limited grazing on quite poor quality ground, so I'm not sure how it will hold up over an inevitably wet summer. Reassured to hear that your yard is 'rustic' MP, as you still manage to compete at a level higher than I could dream of.
 

atropa

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Thanks Dundry and Pixie. Current hacking involves having to turn back on yourself which isn't great. And I keep thinking of the 40 extra minutes a day I could save commuting, use it to ride or spend time with my OH.
 

Nasicus

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Those extra minutes are a god send, as are the fuel savings. I've got mine 0.5 miles from my house now, it's amazing, I can just nip up there on a whim whenever and not get stuck in traffic.
 

BethanT

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I think the best way to work out if it is worth it, is to look at how many of the fancy facilities to use, and if you use them just because they are there or because you need them.

As milliepops said an indoor arena would have been a godsend this winter, but if you really need to ride and it's only an outdoor would it really put you off? Maybe look back at how this winter and think about how many times you would have used if if you had the choice of indoor or outdoor? I would also like to think we won't have another winter like the one we have just had for some time!

But for me the saving of even just time would be enough provided that everything I needed was at the new yard. Things like lots of storage are a luxury that I doubt many would have (I know I do but when the new barn is built on the other side I don't think I will have as much!).

Added on the saving in money I think I would definitely be moving!
 

ILuvCowparsely

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Would you move your horses closer to home if it meant sacrificing some facilities? I have the option of moving 3 miles from my house, I’ve worked out that I’d save 40 minutes a day commuting to the yard and back, and almost £100 a month from petrol money. But I’d be giving up an indoor school, masses of storage space, all weather turnouts and the fancy solarium/wash bay at my current yard. On the flip side, the hacking if I moved would be improved as it involves a huge country park and plenty of off road walks/tracks that I know quite well. The horses would still be turned out daily, just on grass/mud rather than hardcore, and I’d be trading a like for like outdoor to ride in. Worming, yard farriers/vets and the owner’s attitude all seems great at the possible new place, but equally my current YOs are also brilliant.

Feeling torn. An extra £100 in my bank account a month would make a huge difference right now, but I think from the outside I’d seem mad to move away from the current yard I’m on due to the facilities and upkeep of the place.

I have always been of the thinking, that I would rather travel further and have good grazing and good hack and good facilities. Than having them on my door step and have poor facilities, as I would have done 2 journeys a day 1/2 hr each way as I lived in Barnes and kept my horse at Wexham that is 1/2 hr journey each way twice, but luckily my friend did morning stint I did hers in evening so just had just over 1 hr journey per day.

To me facilities are more important than travel time.
 
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9tails

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Do you use the indoor school, masses of storage space, all weather turnouts and the fancy solarium/wash bay extensively? Would lack of these make it impossible to enjoy your horse? I love hacking, so a huge country park would be my idea of heaven.
 

flying_high

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My priorities are

good all year turnout (getting rarer and rarer)
access to at least a 20x40 school with good surface
good, safe, hacking on good ground

rest is pretty flexible.
 

Rowreach

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If it was me I would want to save on travel time, diesel costs, wear and tear on the car (never to be underestimated), better hacking, better turnout ...

I've had two yards with indoor schools, and I personally prefer to be outside, either in an arena or better still hacking.

It honestly has to come down to what your own priorities are.
 

atropa

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I have always been of the thinking, that I would rather travel further and have good grazing and good hack and good facilities. Than having them on my door step and have poor facilities, as I would have done 2 journeys a day 1/2 hr each way as I lived in Barnes and kept my horse at Wexham that is 1/2 hr journey each way twice, but luckily my friend did morning stint I did hers in evening so just had just over 1 hr journey per day.

To me facilities are more important than travel time.

I also would rather have good facilities and travel further, my issue here is that both facilities I would consider good, just that my current, further away yard has 'fancier' facilities. If it was a muddy field with no school just 3 miles down the road I wouldn't be considering it as I personally need facilities to ride in all weathers.
 

atropa

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Do you use the indoor school, masses of storage space, all weather turnouts and the fancy solarium/wash bay extensively? Would lack of these make it impossible to enjoy your horse? I love hacking, so a huge country park would be my idea of heaven.

The all weather turnouts have been used extensively yes as they are the only option for winter turnout, so no choice in the matter..I for sure use all of the storage space available to me..the indoor and the wash bay I can take or leave.
 

atropa

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Thank you all so much for the replies.. it's reassuring to see how many would choose the closer option. Great hacking and a school are equally important to me as I hack a lot for fitness but also have a young horse who needs to work in the school.
I think from posting here it's become clear that the riding aspect wouldn't be negatively affected by moving - still have access to large all weather school and better hacking, and may even ride more due to time saved. What will need considered more closely is the turnout and possible storage solutions.
 

Honey08

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While my hardstanding turnout is the best part of my yard, I'd choose good hacking over an indoor school, especially if you still have an outdoor school to use. All the extra money you will save and the extra time are a bonus. Sometimes limited storage makes us go through what we have and decide whether we really need it or not!
 

mytwofriends

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What about fellow liveries? (Sorry, haven’t read all the replies if already covered.) I wouldn’t sacrifice a friendly, easy-going yard for the sake of being closer to home but with unknown liveries.

Likewise, and probably more important, the same would apply to the YO/YM obviously.

If all is equal, or there are people on your current yard who are problematic, I’d move.
 

atropa

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What about fellow liveries? (Sorry, haven’t read all the replies if already covered.) I wouldn’t sacrifice a friendly, easy-going yard for the sake of being closer to home but with unknown liveries.

Likewise, and probably more important, the same would apply to the YO/YM obviously.

If all is equal, or there are people on your current yard who are problematic, I’d move.

People (apart from YOs) aren't really a consideration. I moved across country last year and haven't really made any horse friends since :\
 

honetpot

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I have been on both, the all facilities yard had terrible hacking but an enormous school, the basic yard had lots of farmers land so you could ride straight out off road. I moved to the smart yard because I was persuaded by my daughter and friends and in retrospect I regret it, I stopped hacking and basically I was bored so I gave up riding.
I can not understand what is the fascination with a wash box, I never wash legs off, and a bucket of water is just as effective. The was box we had just ended up full of mud that no one seemed to want to clear up and blocked the drain.
 

be positive

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People (apart from YOs) aren't really a consideration. I moved across country last year and haven't really made any horse friends since :\

Maybe the nearer yard will be more friendly, you will have an extra 41/2 hours every week as well as the money saved, the only real loss may be some storage, to me the gains far outweigh that one minor issue.
 

criso

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It just depends on your priorities. I would travel further to get the right facilities but in the scenario you mention I would put decent hacking above an indoor school as I don't really like them and actually with a slightly spooky horse I prefer to work outside to get him used to things happening around him.
Turnout would be important but well managed not overstocked fields would be preferable to hard standing though I can see how this winter the latter would have been a real bonus.
Storage could depend on if there is an option to keep stuff at home when not in use e.g. winter rugs in the summer.
 

SOS

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I can sympathise OP as local to me there are plenty of yards with no facilities so I keep my horse further away which costs considerably more in fuel and time. However if you compete also consider this, with my yards location I almost half my competition travel time as there are so many local venues. Which in turn saves on fuel and time when towing. As I go out atleast once a week this almost counteracts the costs for getting there. :)
 

milliepops

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I can not understand what is the fascination with a wash box, I never wash legs off, and a bucket of water is just as effective. The was box we had just ended up full of mud that no one seemed to want to clear up and blocked the drain.

Urgh I have no hardstanding to wash horses off, I'd give my eye teeth for a washbox. Trying to wash white socks off for competitions when you are standing on mud is no fun at all, it's the thing I'd like to change the most about the yard I'm on.

We had a nice washbox in a yard i was on before, it was useful for shoeing and clipping too because it was spacious and well lit and we all cleaned the drain out after use.
 

be positive

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Urgh I have no hardstanding to wash horses off, I'd give my eye teeth for a washbox. Trying to wash white socks off for competitions when you are standing on mud is no fun at all, it's the thing I'd like to change the most about the yard I'm on.

We had a nice washbox in a yard i was on before, it was useful for shoeing and clipping too because it was spacious and well lit and we all cleaned the drain out after use.

I don't have a wash box but could not imagine having a yard with no concrete to use for washing/ grooming outside or clipping, the farrier also needs somewhere to work, mine hates doing them in the stable and will sometimes come here on a rainy day because he can work under cover in the front of my barn/ stables.
I am moving soon and one job on my long list is hard standing for easy access to the yard area so there is somewhere safe and dry.
 

Greylegs

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I made a similar move a year ago and have not regretted it. My lad in now just a few hundred yards from home (farm in home village) as opposed to 7 miles away. Ok, no indoor and fancy wash box with solarium, but adequate facilities to ensure my horse is well looked after, plenty of turn out, decent off road riding and a nice outdoor which is all I need for what I do. The fact that it's so close to home makes a huge difference. The time I used to be driving back and forth I now get to spend with my horse, I can walk there if necessary and often do (which was a godsend when it snowed), the saving in fuel costs has been noticable and I don't really miss the fancier facilities. I'd say move to the nearer place every time.
 

JACQSZOO

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Urgh I have no hardstanding to wash horses off, I'd give my eye teeth for a washbox. Trying to wash white socks off for competitions when you are standing on mud is no fun at all, it's the thing I'd like to change the most about the yard I'm on.

We had a nice washbox in a yard i was on before, it was useful for shoeing and clipping too because it was spacious and well lit and we all cleaned the drain out after use.

I dont have any hard standing where my stable is either so I put down some rubber stables mats in front of the stable. They have withstood this horrid wet weather.
 

Cecile

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Thanks Dundry and Pixie. Current hacking involves having to turn back on yourself which isn't great. And I keep thinking of the 40 extra minutes a day I could save commuting, use it to ride or spend time with my OH.

As an extremely rough estimate you would save 240 hours per year of your life just sitting down driving to and fro
Not even taking into account wear and tear on your vehicle you will save approx £1200 a year on just fuel

So if you can manage the facilities and they suit your needs, you could either go on a 240 hour holiday with your husband at a cost of £1200 once a year and not even miss the time or money or take your horse and husband on a 240 hour holiday once a year at a cost of £1200 (No idea how much 240 hours of driving per year would cost in wear and tear on a car)

Its really is all down to what facilities you are happy with and can you return to your own yard if you should not like the new one. I collect things because I have storage, half the stuff I probably don't need and I should sell, bedding and feed takes up storage so as long as there is enough room for that and you won't have to pay more due to having to buy smaller amounts its all quite doable
 
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