Move horses closer to work than home

Gingerwitch

Gingerwitch

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Somehow i have ended up travelling for 70 miles a day between home, work and horses - 2 and a half hours

I have to drive past home to get to horses - fab yard - horses really settled.

I have the opportunity to move to another yard which is 8 miles from work - this would cut my miles down by 20 a day - and would mean i only spend an hour and a half driving and doing a total of 50 miles.

Wwyd?

Biggest concern is that if i ever change jobs the horses are 17 miles 45 mins away from home - although i would obviously try and find a job between home and the horses.
 
I would definatly move, if you move jobs you could always then move horses again anyway? My horses are a 5 minute walk from work, infact the horses are on my direct route from home to work and although I would love a better job I'll stick with it just because it makes life so simple being so close to the horses, plus I can wear my farm stuff to work too so it's a winner lol
 
naza said:
What about your days off. Are you going to be happpy driving 45mins there & back twice a day to the yard?
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I would be on assisted livery - so only need to be there once a day - home to the current yard is half an hour each way - so as much as i do not like it - i only go up in the afternoons anyway.

I also only have one real day off a week- again an added bonus is livery for a sunday at current yard is £10 per day - new yard it is £7.50 - not much but across 3 horses it soon adds up
 
I think we need more information to comment further. Are you DIY and going twice every day? Do you need to go twice at the weekend?
Are the costs, environments, facilities, turnout, hacking, arena at both yards comparable?

How is livery availability in your area? I live in an expensive area where spaces don’t come up that often in good places, and there is a general shortage of good places. So if not easy to move in future, I might think twice.
Would you be moving two or more horses? Spaces for more than one can be hard to find.

How committed are you to your job? How likely are you to find new job in the direction of possible new yard?

Would it be easier if current yard is fab, to focus on finding a job close to home before next winter?

I am just moving two horses from assisted DIY (15 minutes drive from home, 30 minutes from work) to a 7 day part livery 35 minutes from home, and 30 minutes from work. Work is 15 minutes from home. But only planning to go to yard 5 days a week. My weekday driving time will be same.
 
Ahh so difficult. How stable is job? Are all roles at the same location and do you want to stick at it for a few years?

My work is within walking distance from my house, horses are about 30/45 mins away and uni is 20 min drive then an hour on the train!! I'm moving this year but all it means is that I'm far away from work, but a half hour walk from train station which is an improvement. GAH. I so hate driving as well. Wish I could live in the country near ponies but boyf won't have it.
 
Current yard - horses settled - outdoor stables, good indoor and out door - good handlers - but turn out is limited in the winter - and all hacking is on roads.

Potential yard - unknown quantity although seams to have a good reputation on facebook and in the area - all year round turn out - 400 acres off road riding, excellent out door, good indoor.

Job is for as long as i want it - i work 6 until 2 - in order to get lots of horse time.

I work in road transport, so have the opportunity to find a role in most locations.

I only visit current yard once a day - due to start time at work and distance.

New potential yard is in a much more rural area - so costs for grazing, hay etc are quite a bit lower
 
Gingerwitch said:
Current yard - horses settled - outdoor stables, good indoor and out door - good handlers - but turn out is limited in the winter - and all hacking is on roads.

Potential yard - unknown quantity although seams to have a good reputation on facebook and in the area - all year round turn out - 400 acres off road riding, excellent out door, good indoor.

Job is for as long as i want it - i work 6 until 2 - in order to get lots of horse time.

I work in road transport, so have the opportunity to find a role in most locations.

I only visit current yard once a day - due to start time at work and distance.

New potential yard is in a much more rural area - so costs for grazing, hay etc are quite a bit lower
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**turn out is limited in the winter - and all hacking is on roads**

Id move for the above alone. As my horses don't like limited turnout, and regular off road hacking is on my non negotiable list. But it sounded like you were happy at yard, so perhaps off road hacking and all day all year turnout not an essential for you?
 
I'd move in your shoes. An extra hour a day is not to be sniffed at. Whether you use that hour to maximise your horsey time, chill out at home, go to the gym or even have an extra hour in bed, they're all better than sitting in a car. You'll save money on fuel as well as services, food etc. and it sounds like turnout and hacking is better - both of which I value highly.
 
LeannePip said:
Sounds like a no brainer really - if you are happy to make the trip even on your day off, then definitely move!
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this.
I did the same a few years ago when I couldn't find a yard I liked closer to home. Typical that 5 months later I was offered a job that meant I could work from home... but it was great at the time, I liked getting back to the yard earlier in the winter months as I got an extra half hour of daylight.
 
I used to have horses closer to work than home (if traffic good 30 mins from home, 15 mins from work), it was ideal as could pop in on the way in/out of work.
 
Quick update after a horrific journey to the yard and home on Friday, I had a second view of the new yard on Saturday, and handed in my notice to the current yard.

It feels like a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders, but i am dreading doing the journey for the next few weeks, bizarre after doing this commute for the last 3 years !

Just hope the move goes well, but I am sure everything will work out - and i will have another few hours a day to play ponies !
 
Definitely the right decision. Time is so precious and you only appreciate how much it's worth when you get some of it back!

sure the horses will like the new yard :)
 
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