New Yard! Help please !

[Fana Mal]

Sorry this is long...

Hello! After being on a wonderful livery yard with my now retired horse, for nearly twenty years, I am now in a position where I need to find a yard to keep my daughters pony. I have 2 contenders. One is great for the pony. And one for the children. Please can I ask for your options? Both are part livery.
Daughter is 8, she is just off the lead rein Andover VERY quiet loan pony has returned to her owners and we now have a much more forward section A for her to progress on.
We like hacking at the weekends which involves 2 ponies, 4 children taking turns, a toddler in a back pack and a few dogs.

Yard 1: (were we are) is a professional yard. Large indoor and outdoor school. Fantastic (really fantastic) off road hacking. Large stables, all year turn out. Horses out over night in summer. BUT no other children other than my daughter (8) and her friend. It’s quite formal and lots of ‘big stressy competition horses’ and the kind of owners who have horses like that. The yard owner is really lovely but it’s not quite the right fit. No instruction on site. Lots of smart clinics and competitions there. The yard staff and liveries are friendly but it’s clear the children are viewed as nuisance. We have to do a lot of shushing of the children and always feel a bit like we are a nuisance or disturbing the peace. To be clear our children are well behaved and dont go near any other horses or in fields other then their ponies one.But never the less small children can be noisy and like to run to the field rather than walk for example.

Yard 2: professional and well run but much smaller. 1 outdoor school. Brilliant owner and instructor. Kind and calm. Kids club, summer kids camp. Happy and relaxed atmosphere. Ponies all seem relaxed, calm and happy. Children have fun and freedom but boundaries and are taught the ‘right way’. I know the yard well and we had lessons there for a long while.
BUT... hardly any grazing. Ponies only get about 3-5 hours out at grass a day. Although this is all year round. And the hacking isn’t as good, narrow country lanes and the odd bridle way and a Forrest about twenty minutes away.

I really want to go to the second yard and my daughter will benefit her hoodlum of a pony will learn some manners. But I can’t get my head round keeping a pony stabled 19 hours a day!!! It’s just not what I’m used to...

Any pearls of wisdom ?

 

[Equi]

Hmmmm it is a dilemma. Is there an option 3 lol

 

[Annagain]

I was totally for yard 2 until I read your "but". If it was winter only, I think I could live with it, but not all year round. Having said that, pony might need more limited grazing in the summer if it's as good a doer as many Sec As are? I'd still want twice that amount of turnout daily though. Is there anywhere nearby where you could have the pony out more and be close enough to hack over to the lovely yard for activities?

If not, I think I'd keep looking. Our yard is adults only except for two teenagers who ride their mums' horses. They're not loud and we love having them around but I often wonder if it's the best for them. One's a very shy boy who wouldn't want to be off with friends anyway so I don't feel so bad for him but the girl is very bubbly and friendly and I think she'd really enjoy having horsey friends to go off on long hacks with, gossiping as they go. I do feel for her having to listen to us talking about Covid vaccines and Line of Duty! We don't even really have any other kids at neighbouring yards. Her mum let her go on her own (on her very reliable 20 year old, she's not allowed to take the youngster alone yet) to meet a friend from the other side of the village the other day and she was gone hours - it's a good job she sent her mum a video of them stopping for a picnic or we'd have sent a search party out!

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Yard 2 sounds good if the pony is laminitic or needs their weight kept in check. The downside is the hacking. Is it safe enough to do your normal weekend hack as a group? If not that might be the deciding factor against it.

With a non laminitic type yard 1 sounds far better for the horse. The feeling that children are not quite welcome there isn't good though.

Does your daughter want more children around or is she happy with the family weekend hacks? Have you talked about the options with her?

 

[Clodagh]

Yard 2. At least the pony won't get fat! As long as the turnout really is 365.

 

[Not_so_brave_anymore]

I wouldn't want to put my kid on a whizzy pony that's being stabled 19 hrs a day! If you're going to have such restricted turnout then you need to have easy and inviting riding options. It doesn't take many near misses on a difficult lane before you start dreading using it (and in winter even the lovely sunny days can actually be worse than the grey days, with a low sun in drivers' eyes) And then there's the issue of the days when the outdoor school is unusable.

I personally would start off at your current yard, and keep looking for something more suitable for everyone.

 

[Not_so_brave_anymore]

In more "normal" times do you have the option of boxing up to pony club occasionally?

 

[Asha]

Could your children join the local pony club ? that way they get to have fun at the clinics with other children and you get to stay where you are ?

 

[SEL]

Unless the pony is in a fair amount of work I think it will go a bit bonkers with that amount of stabling - Sec As are quite whizzy and fun little ponies.

Can you keep looking?

 

[Fana Mal]

Thank you everyone.
We will join pony club, but it’s the little every day interactions we would like for our daughter. The chatting while grooming and casual meet ups. The playing on the muck head and running around the school over a course they have made up etc. Pony club can’t fulfill all of that. It’s not often enough.

Unfortunately these are the only two options. Believe me I’ve done a LOT of research. Yard 2 is the ONLY child friendly yard nearby. It’s 5 minutes by car and the next nearest one is 45 minutes drive and I can’t justify driving further. It’s not fair on my toddler either.

i know I would feel so sorry for our pony being stabled over the summer. He isn’t particularly fat. But I also feel sorry for the girls being restricted in their fun too, particularly after covid and no school etc.

must a tough one really.

 

[Fana Mal]

Yes I have discussed with my daughter. She loves the second yard and misses the adventures there. But also says she feels sorry for the ponies in their stables so much. (I may have installed that in her though)

 

[Clodagh]

I really would try 2. 1 sounds like no fun at all for a child tbh.

 

[wiglet]

It's a tough one.
My question to you would be, how is your pony in the stable? Is he calm and happy to be in there or does he fret and want out all the time? If he's happy enough with the restricted turnout then I don't see the issue. I know plenty of horses that go out for a few hours then come back in quite happily. I assume when in, everything is in and he'll have company and plenty of hay to keep him happy?

Yard 2 definitely would be the better yard for your daughter... providing the pony will settle for the turnout.

 

[Winters100]

For me I would have to stay put - happiness of pony having good turnout would for me be more important issue. A shame as Yard 2 sounds amazing for the children, but it seems a long time for pony to stand in the box and I am assuming that there will be limited time to mitigate this with a busy family life.

 

[SusieT]

3-5 hours a day turnout may well lead to a very fresh pony so hoodlum may not be kept in check as much as you think! Yard 1 sounds nice but maybe not suitable for you at the moment - is there a third option?
While I see yard 1 isn't perfect we do have a responsibility to our animals to do whats best for them imo and therefore I would be selecting yard 1 at the moment, and making sure we went to pony club etc. 19-21 hours a day in a stable is not really a long term solution for turnout for a kids pony

 

[twiggy2]

1 doesn't sound like the most suitable yard for kids, I couldn't however keep any horse or pony stable for that amount of time on a regular basis.
I would indeed somewhere else.
Can you have someone come in for lessons at 1 at least until you find somewhere that's suits you all

 

[sportsmansB]

Can you see how your pony is by stabling him for a similar time at the yard he is at? Over a week or two as a tester?
I know it is in us to think that the maximum turnout is the best thing, but some of them really don't care that much (my current horse for example)

 

[Meredith]

Is there a chance you could livery at yard 1 but also join the kids club etc at yard 2?
Join Pony Club and go to everything for your daughter’s age group too.

 

[Leandy]

Yard 2. It will be much better for your daughter to have friends around her and it sounds a better set up for her to be able to ride and just be with friends etc as she grows more independent. She will love it.

 

[Carrottom]

You don't say how often your daughter rides or for how long, this would also be "time out of the stable" ? although not ideal I think option 2 sound preferable.

 

[Cinnamontoast]

Neither. No way could I countenance a pony being in 19 hours a day. I have to say, tho, my absolute bugbear is kids running wild round the yard.

 

[Wishfilly]

I think 19 hours a day (minimum) in the stable could leave you with a difficult to ride pony? Putting it bluntly, it won't be fun for your daughter if she is scared to ride. As someone else suggested, try the pony on that amount of turnout for a couple of weeks, and see what happens before committing to the move.

 

[Fana Mal]

Thank you everyone. Unfortunately there are no other options. I really have done my research and know the area really well and tapped into all my horsey contacts.

it’s such a shame yard 2 hasn’t got more grazing. I just know my daughter would have the time of her life their and the best pony childhood. But at the cost of her ponies fun and freedom.

We definitely do annoy liveries at yard 1. not all by any means. But There are a few who are clearly scared of their massive warmbloods and any undue noise sends them into spasms of ‘oooh my horse is so sensitive this will upset him’. Which roughly translates to ‘I’m scared of my horse and I can’t manage him when he’s fresh or might spook’.
they dont ever hack and just do loads of dressage in the school.
our children aren’t feral. But they do want the freedom to laugh and chat and giggle, and sometimes trot across the yard (it’s massive) or have a picnic on a sunny day without being huffed and pufffed at.
I do sympathise though as I specifically chose a child free yard before I had children.

 

[Michen]

Neither. No way could I countenance a pony being in 19 hours a day. I have to say, tho, my absolute bugbear is kids running wild round the yard.

The ops children don’t sound remotely like they are “running wild” around the yard.

Op I’d go for yard two, I’m sure pony will be fine but if not you can always move again?

 

[black and brown]

Yard 1 although not ideal seems the better option based upon your wish to hack at the weekends. 2 ponies, dogs and young children on narrow lanes doesn't seem safe to me. You really do have a dilemma, as both yards have their valid positives and negatives.

 

[[139672]]

Only yard 2 if you can let other children exercise him as well maybe?

 

[Fana Mal]

He would be ridden by my daughter 4 times a week (twice hacking and twice in the school) and once a week my friend uses him for her daughter who is in lead rein but they’d go for a hack probably. I might lunge him if daughter couldn’t ride.

He could be used by the owner of yard 2, to give lessons on I suppose on his days off. But then I think he deserves a day off to relax. Being ridden by a random learner Child isn’t much compensation for having a day off chilling with your buddies in a field.
Plus he does have a rolling habit in the school and I would worry if he had a beginner on him.

 

[Honey08]

Neither. No way could I countenance a pony being in 19 hours a day. I have to say, tho, my absolute bugbear is kids running wild round the yard.

Sorry OP, yes I agree. Your choice seems to be between the pony being miserable or the child. The pony should take precedence in my opinion. Where you live clearly isn’t a suitable place for your child to have a pony. Could you let your child have the pony at your yard, do lots of lovely hacks and box up for lessons? Do lots of pony club. Let her play with the others at pc camp etc?

 

[WelshD]

We’ve recently made the move to practically 24/7 turnout on my own private rented yard to being at a livery yard with restricted turnout.

in our case the YO bends over backwards to allow as much turnout as possible, they gave us the worst case scenario so that we would be prepared but in reality the pony actually gets more turnout.

My little jockey is absolutely thriving on the company of other children and the pony has been ridden so much he doesn’t seem to have reacted adversely to less turnout. In fact he is calmer for the extra riding and attention

 

[Fana Mal]

Thank you WelshD. That’s interesting. And what I thought would happen.

honey08, I appreciate what you are saying. But we live in rural Devon and it’s a REALLY horsey area. Just not much tailored to children unfortunately. Apparently this is because most children keep them at home or rent grazing in a farm. So not much call for a part or full livery yard for children. These are apparently more common in more urban areas. But I don’t own any land and I want company for my children.
For what it’s worth neither the pony or the children are miserable. I’m just trying to make a difficult decision. I’d love to go back to my old yard, but again it’s adults only.