Moving yards.....again.....sorry!

[Clare85]

I know these get posted all the time, but I wondered if anyone who's not totally fed up with these yard move threads, would mind giving me their opinion please?

My sister and I currently have our gypsy cob at a lovely little place, private, only 3 horses on the land (although could take another), great fencing (high hedges and post and rail), stable if needed (but only one between 3), lovely lovely YO. However, we have no facilities - no running water, no school, hacking not great (lots of roadwork to get to bridle paths), no where to park trailer. Also, the two geldings Esme is living out with are not ridden (one retired, one yearling) so we don't have anyone to go out with when we start backing Esme in the spring. Cost for this place is £40 pcm (plus we pay £10 pcm to park our trailer at a friend's yard).

Yesterday I looked at a beautiful yard a couple of miles up the road - lovely big stables, well managed fields, running water, electricity, a toilet, a beautiful 20x60 sand school, trailer parking, great hacking, only 5 horses at the yard. They offer assisted DIY at £40 per week.

On the face of it, it's a no brainer. However, something is making me hesitate. Obviously it would be a significant increase in cost, but we know we are paying ridiculously low livery atm. The lack of facilities here doesn't make things that easy but Esme is happy here. We got her washed for shows etc. over the summer and it was easy to get out and about. The atmosphere is lovely and the YO is just such a nice lady. I feel we would be letting her down if we leave as the other livery is hardly ever here and doesn't pull her weight with poo picking, water runs, etc. If we stay here we could possibly get another horse to be able to ride out together and it would still be cheaper than the yard up the road. If we move, my sister shares a horse at the yard next door so we could go out together, plus there would be others to ride out with too.

I don't know what to do. I keep thinking that sometimes it's better the devil you know but also I want a school and running water! Thanks for any advice/opinions - sorry this has turned into such a long post! Chocolate orange anyone?

 

[pepsimaxrock]

How can they do assisted DIY for only £40? Go for it.

 

[madlady]

You obviously love it where you are - why don't you do a temporary move while you get through the backing process as the sand school is ideal for that. Either that or ask the 'posh' yard if you can hire the school and then you have the best of both worlds.

I would always choose a smaller yard (even without facilities) over a big yard anyday but that's personal preference.

 

[Orca]

I'm continuing the breaking of my newbie and for breaking purposes, a school was a prerequisite for livery. An indoor school in fact, because I'm breaking through winter!

I would stay at the more affordable yard through winter and move to the one with better facilities for backing in spring. I'm sure if your YO is lovely, she will understand the need for you to avail of the safest option open to you and might facilitate your return afterwards, if you decide to.

 

[stormox]

would the yard up the road hire the school out? That might be an option- stay where you are but hack the couple of miles and hire the school once or twice a week?

 

[Clare85]

Thanks all I think I'm leaning towards just taking the plunge and moving her. The new yard is small also with only 5 horses and she would be out with one other quiet mare. I think you're right, a school for the backing process is the ideal scenario. I just hate the thought of leaving somewhere that we've been happy, but I think we do need more than we've currently got.

 

[Nicnac]

If where you are currently are the pictures on your blog I wouldn't move! With all that you have done with Esme to date and what she has seen in her previous life she appears to be very chilled and I wouldn't envisage any issues with getting her under saddle. She may have been ridden bareback before you got her!
The place I took my old mare to for breaking didn't have a school and the lady who owned it was UK driving champion so it can be done. As you have transport you can take Esme out maybe with your sister's share horse to start hacking in quiet areas and build on that.

 

[stormox]

I dont have a school and have broken plenty of horses in the field and then riding out with another horse. But its how you feel, you wouldnt really want to school more than 2-3 times a week, so it comes down to how good the hacking is too.

 

[PorkChop]

I dont have a school and have broken plenty of horses in the field and then riding out with another horse. But its how you feel, you wouldnt really want to school more than 2-3 times a week, so it comes down to how good the hacking is too.

This I have never had a school and backed plenty of horses.

I can totally understand how the lack of running water could be quick wearing.

 

[Orca]

This I have never had a school and backed plenty of horses.

I can totally understand how the lack of running water could be quick wearing.

We always used to back in the yard or open fields and break while hacking. Nowadays I'm just not inclined to. One awful, unfortunate experience put paid to it for me and I haven't done it without a school since.

 

[Kezzabell2]

Just one thing to consider, you will need to factor in the cost of bedding and hay as well!

I moved my boy to a yard that was £40 more a month but he has to be in at night! last winter I was paying an extra £17 a week in bedding, plus going through a small bale of hay every 2 days, as there is no where to store large bales! at my previous yard a large bale would have lasted him and my mare 2 weeks, and that was sticking half a bale in the shelter every week, so they had adlib!

but it still sounds like a good place to go, if you can afford the extras!!

 

[conniegirl]

How can they do assisted DIY for only £40? Go for it.

Depends what is included in the assisted DIY.
My assisted DIY is £38 a week and includes Stable, 2 outdoor schools, fab off road hacking, mud free paddocks with all year turnout, Turnout, bring in, and hay/haylege.

Bedding is extra, the yard owner does not change rugs or pick out feet unless it is an emergency. If you want your horse mucked out it is £4 a day.

 

[epeters91]

I have just moved my newly backed youngster from private land with a shetland companion to a big yard with hacking and a menage. I think moving to a bigger yard has shaken my little one up a bit but thats just because it's so different. She's getting used to seeing lots of other horses, new people, tractors she's been near horses being clipped and shod. Overall it's really been good for her and helped her to get used to distractions and still listen to me. I'd go for it if I were you and give your horse to be a part of a bigger herd and get lots of new experiences

 

[epeters91]

I will add that I backed my girl on private land riding in the field where she was comfortable and confident then moved yards a few months later. I think it helps to back them somewhere they know and get them comfortable with you on them before uprooting them compeltely and asking for lots of new things x

 

[dianchi]

Silly question possibly, why move now? Why not wait till spring, personally youngsters out 24/7 is better the longer you can!

 

[joolie]

Again - depends what is included. I pay £60 p/w for assisted DIY.....lovely yard, 20x60 floodlit school, turnouts and brings ins included (with rug changes and picking out feet/hosing legs if required) and unlimited good quality hay - they also put hay out in winter daily. On top of this I still pay another £50 pcm on bedding! £40 sounds like good value though if it's similar to what I have. Unfortunately I'm the sort of person that needs a school so to me that would be really important. Don't stay though because you feel bad/guilty, do what would suit you and your horse best

 

[Clare85]

If where you are currently are the pictures on your blog I wouldn't move! With all that you have done with Esme to date and what she has seen in her previous life she appears to be very chilled and I wouldn't envisage any issues with getting her under saddle. She may have been ridden bareback before you got her!
The place I took my old mare to for breaking didn't have a school and the lady who owned it was UK driving champion so it can be done. As you have transport you can take Esme out maybe with your sister's share horse to start hacking in quiet areas and build on that.

Yes, we're at the place in our pics. It's lovely and the fields are very well managed. In fact, we have so much grass we don't know what to do with half of it! If we stay, we'll hopefully get another 'nanny' horse to ride out on.

I dont have a school and have broken plenty of horses in the field and then riding out with another horse. But its how you feel, you wouldnt really want to school more than 2-3 times a week, so it comes down to how good the hacking is too.

That's the thing, hacking is a bit rubbish, we have one bridle path close by but the route only takes about half an hour, so would be fine for next year, but once we get her going a bit more the only other routes take a good 2 hours and lots of roadwork to reach bridle paths.

This I have never had a school and backed plenty of horses.

I can totally understand how the lack of running water could be quick wearing.

Yes, the water runs are a bit of a pain. Although we have a good system going where we fill all the butts once a week and just take one up each time we go. There are two trough which are filled by the rain gutters on the stable building, which is good.

 

[Clare85]

We always used to back in the yard or open fields and break while hacking. Nowadays I'm just not inclined to. One awful, unfortunate experience put paid to it for me and I haven't done it without a school since.

We do have a small 'school sized' enclosed paddock we could use for backing so not the end of the world that we don't have an actual school. It would just be nice to have an area where there wasn't any grass as she tends to think with her stomach! Lol

Just one thing to consider, you will need to factor in the cost of bedding and hay as well!

I moved my boy to a yard that was £40 more a month but he has to be in at night! last winter I was paying an extra £17 a week in bedding, plus going through a small bale of hay every 2 days, as there is no where to store large bales! at my previous yard a large bale would have lasted him and my mare 2 weeks, and that was sticking half a bale in the shelter every week, so they had adlib!

but it still sounds like a good place to go, if you can afford the extras!!

The cost of the new yard would be a lot more expensive. We would be paying £173.33 pcm, plus hay and bedding. Sue us very very clean so a bale of shavings a week would be plenty to keep her bed clean,. The cost would be the hay as she would have to come in at 3pm every day in the winter, so standing in quite a long time.

Depends what is included in the assisted DIY.
My assisted DIY is £38 a week and includes Stable, 2 outdoor schools, fab off road hacking, mud free paddocks with all year turnout, Turnout, bring in, and hay/haylege.

Bedding is extra, the yard owner does not change rugs or pick out feet unless it is an emergency. If you want your horse mucked out it is £4 a day.

They include stable, ayto, 20x60 sand school, trailer parking, either turn out or bring in, rug change, feed, pick feet out, very good off road hacking. Bedding and hay is extra. An extra turn out/bring in is £2.50 and muck out is £4.

 

[Clare85]

I have just moved my newly backed youngster from private land with a shetland companion to a big yard with hacking and a menage. I think moving to a bigger yard has shaken my little one up a bit but thats just because it's so different. She's getting used to seeing lots of other horses, new people, tractors she's been near horses being clipped and shod. Overall it's really been good for her and helped her to get used to distractions and still listen to me. I'd go for it if I were you and give your horse to be a part of a bigger herd and get lots of new experiences

I will add that I backed my girl on private land riding in the field where she was comfortable and confident then moved yards a few months later. I think it helps to back them somewhere they know and get them comfortable with you on them before uprooting them compeltely and asking for lots of new things x

Thank you. She's totally happy where we are now, but tbh I think she would be happy where ever. She's such a chilled out girl. I think I either have to move her now so she's got time to settle before backing or wait until she's being securely ridden away.

 

[Clare85]

Silly question possibly, why move now? Why not wait till spring, personally youngsters out 24/7 is better the longer you can!

I feel if we're going to move her it should be now so she's got time to settle before backing. I do like her out all the time and if we moved her she'd be in every day by 3pm, which isn't ideal as you say.

 

[Clare85]

Again - depends what is included. I pay £60 p/w for assisted DIY.....lovely yard, 20x60 floodlit school, turnouts and brings ins included (with rug changes and picking out feet/hosing legs if required) and unlimited good quality hay - they also put hay out in winter daily. On top of this I still pay another £50 pcm on bedding! £40 sounds like good value though if it's similar to what I have. Unfortunately I'm the sort of person that needs a school so to me that would be really important. Don't stay though because you feel bad/guilty, do what would suit you and your horse best

Thank you, they offer similar to your setup but without the hay. Some creature comforts would be lovely but maybe it's just because it's winter and it's always harder this time of year. We coped fine over the summer

 

[Annagain]

I think I'd leave her for the winter and consider moving her early in the spring. You could still give her time to settle before backing her and then have all the right facilities.

I'd explain to your current YO though, why you're doing it and that you're not unhappy where you are, so that the door is open for you to go back if you don't like the new yard, or find that once she's up and running you don't use the facilities much.

 

[zaminda]

I wouldn't move. I wouldn't be bringing in at 3 if I could be down the road living out. Once she is going, you can always box up to hack out further afield, and go to riding club etc. It also sounds quite expensive if it doesn't cover hay, and bedding cost will be high as well.

 

[Doublethyme]

The off road hacking at new yard would swing it for me over anything else.

 

[bouncing_ball]

Have you checked the hacking? I've been at many yards with hacking described as excellent and found the reality to vary.

 

[Clare85]

Have you checked the hacking? I've been at many yards with hacking described as excellent and found the reality to vary.

Yes, hacking is very good

 

[saffytessa]

Think I would stay put tbh. I backed my youngster on a yard with a school but never really used it! We longlined down the lanes, lunged about twice and first sat on her on the concrete yard (probably need my head testing lol). She was a poppet. I'd save the extra money for saddles/fitting and another horse so you can hack out together. If you have a trailer, towing car and driver you can box up to better hacking easily.

ETA Meant to say bringing in by 3pm would do my head in!

 

[Clare85]

Thank you. Interestingly, I've found a different advert this evening for the assisted diy yard, which says £25 per week for the same services they quoted £40 for yesterday. Not sure I'm too keen now tbh.

 

[Jazzy B]

I would stay put your yard sounds lovely. You have transport and that's a lot of school hires and diesel to get your youngster out and about for the difference you would pay in price.

 

[bouncing_ball]

Thank you. Interestingly, I've found a different advert this evening for the assisted diy yard, which says £25 per week for the same services they quoted £40 for yesterday. Not sure I'm too keen now tbh.

Hmmm. Maybe it's a mix up between rent and services costs. And rent is £25. I though £40 per week cheap for assisted DIY with the facilities and set up you described, for Surrey.