Moving an older horse and other dilemmas...

ChiffChaff

ChiffChaff

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Hello!
I’m looking for some impartial advice if you would be so kind! I have a 19 year old mare on full loan, and I would like to move yards, but there are some things stopping me...WWYD?

Current yard:

Mare has been here since she was 8. She is a little stressy but not *really*, and keeps to herself in the field rather than getting into scrapes, and doesn’t have any particular friends. But she is very happy there. Would you move an older, settled horse?
Rubbish turn out. Around 7am-6pm in summer, but not much grass ever because of loads of horses on land. 9am-1pm on good days in winter, no turnout otherwise. (To be fair, pretty standard around here)
GREAT facilities. Very neat and tidy, a rug washing service on site, hot horse shower, nice school, nice show jumps, automatic waterers, big stables that are well built etc.
Only hacking is on busy roads. Mare is sensible but not 100% bombproof on the roads.
Kind of bitchy. Doesn’t bother me too much because I’m there late so miss out on all the fun, but I would quite like some yard friends!

Possible other yard:

My friend is there, she loves it and has loads of friends to ride and go to shows etc with. She says it’s the friendliest yard she has even been on.
24/7 turnout in summer, out in day in at night autumn and spring, really rubbish trash paddock with no grazing (just mud) they can go out in for a couple of hours in winter. Mare is a v good doer so would have to watch the grass!
Stables and yard are kind of shabby. Nice school and jumps.
GREAT hacking. Off road rides around hay fields and access to acres of forest after a 10 minutes ride on a quieter road. Mare is getting older and doesn’t really like schooling (a sj-er) so would like to hack more.

Sounds like a no brainer right? The thing I’m worried about is moving an older mare who is so settled, plus where I am now my mare’s owner’s aunt helps me out a lot. Don’t get me wrong - I love the help, it saves me a fortune in paying for jobs. However, she loves my mare and has been looking after her since mare was 8. Her nephew has recently moved away and she is retired. I told her I might consider moving, and she looked a bit deflated.

ARGH! I know it’s hardly a life or death situation but it’s weighing on my mind...I want to move but I think I’m being selfish. I can’t believe I’ve written SO MUCH about it either!!!!

Any advice appreciated. Including telling me to bog off and find a real problem :D
 
If it were me I'd move.

I moved my 25 year old gelding from a yard he'd been in for 11 yrs. it took him about 8 weeks to settle down and I was worried but he didn't lose weight or go downhill, just seemed a bit quieter in himself. I moved him again when he was 30 but had a mare by then too, so he coped much better with that move as he knew her.

If your horse is familiar with your friends horse it may help make the move less stressful for her.

Could the aunt still be involved with your mares care at the new yard? It would be a Shame to lose her help & for her to lose contact with your horse after so long.
 
Turnout: the potential (second) yard has very limited t/o in winter; 1 hr in a ' trash' paddock? If this is correct, I'd be tempted to stay put as, personally, put a very high premium on t/o. Especially important as you horse ages. However, if you want to hack more and I've got t/o details wrong, or underestimated amount of time you can devote to exercise, then second yard sounds like a viable option.
 
Our old mare moved a couple of times in her twenties, having lived at home with us for 10 years, before she came back here to retire. She was prone to jump out if she did not like her companion, but was settled otherwise.

I agree about the Aunt who helps you, do try and include her and discuss options with her, ask her opinion so she understands why you are considering the move.
 
Sorry, just re-read and t/o at current yard also not great on winter. Reckon I would go with moving to yard 2. Enjoy the good hacking :-)
 
I'd move too if it were me.
More turnout out in winter just to stretch legs and great hacking would sway it for me.
 
I think yard 2 is better option but best handle the situation re your aunt v. carefully as she sounds like she's helped a lot and could find it difficult - tough one to keep everyone happy. I would poss consider moving in spring as the stress could cause your mare to lose condition and harder to keep on in winter (probably be fine though).
 
Turnout around here (south east) is pretty lacking wherever you go. I think she would be OK with just an hour or two in the winter. It's better than the 3ish hours two/three times a week she gets at the current yard when it gets really wet.

She would love the hacking! It's the main thing that is pushing me away tbh.

It's great to hear about you moving your oldie Chunkie, and yes, of course auntie would be welcome whenever she wants to come up. She's so lovely, I'd worry about her being on her own all the time! She sees the yard as her social time I think. She turns out for me in the mornings (they can't go out mega early in winter, and I'd have to be there at 6.30ish before work), but she comes down every day for a coffee and chat with her mates.

I think in the new year I'll have to start making some serious enquiries :D exciting!
 
Turks said:
I think yard 2 is better option but best handle the situation re your aunt v. carefully as she sounds like she's helped a lot and could find it difficult - tough one to keep everyone happy. I would poss consider moving in spring as the stress could cause your mare to lose condition and harder to keep on in winter (probably be fine though).
Click to expand...

Yes I think that would be best. There is a nice little tea room and things up there, and a lot of liveries of varying ages, she might even find that she likes it there...I would like her to keep seeing Jessie, would be nice for Jessie as well to see a friendly face!
 
Thanks for the advice. She is of course, more than welcome to help out, it's a great help to me and I would miss it! I mentioned the other yard to her today, and how nice it was. She knows I am thinking about moving, and did agree that it sounded lovely. I am going to wait a few months until spring, then make some more serious enquiries.

An 'incident' with another livery I am friendly with (who is lovely), in which the owner's daughter had a go at her on facebook over some trivial matter, has kind of made up my mind...
 
You need to be happy, then hopefully, your horse will be too. As she's getting older, she will appreciate being allowed out for longer. Being restricted to a stable for long hours is the curse of arthritis! I would explain your reasons for wanting to move, saying you hope she can continue to help etc, then look forward to enjoying some great hacking!
 
Dont worry too much. We picked up a 21 year old three days ago. He doesnt know us , travelled 3 hours in a strange trailer , met 4 new friends over the fence and has settled well. He is a stressy pants and very sharp but seems happy enough.
 
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