New yard travel time

[Bee3]

Has anyone ever moved to a yard and realised that actually the travel time just eats into your day?

I moved to a yard a couple of weeks ago and after years of being able to get to a yard within 10 mins and a maximum of 4 miles away, I’m now at a place which is 11 miles away and takes about 25 minutes to get to when no traffic.

It was a concern when I was contemplating moving, but I just wanted to get away from yard politics at the other place!

Has anyone had a similar experience? Did you just get used to the travel or was it too much?

 

[humblepie]

I have a similar journey and is fine. Perhaps once you’ve been there a while you can share the odd afternoon getting in or similar with someone

 

[Barton Bounty]

Soon the yard politics will be a distant memory and the drive will just become normal

 

[Emilieu]

I did. The travel was too much, I started to get an ‘oh god’ feeling every time I set off and it was ruining my pony buzz. There were a few other things that meant the new place wasn’t quite what I hoped it would be and I only managed a couple of months before moving again

 

[SDMabel]

My yard is about 15 min drive from home, so not too awful but it's on my route to work so that ties in well.

I think it depends if you are going 25 mins in the opposite direction to where you need to be going .

I would pick travel time over yard politics any day !!

I'm quite sad and use the time as it's when im without my child to listen to podcasts

 

[Anna Clara]

I think I'd struggle if it was diy and I had to go twice a day but have done that on full livery and would usually take a coffee in the car and see it as nice quiet time with coffee and music that I like

 

[Afon_34]

I did very similar & moved from a yard 5 mins to 25 mins from me but I am SO much happier at new place (well been there 2 years years now) Although like others have said I couldn't manage it if I had to do it 2x a day I don't think but mine are on assisted livery so I only go once a day which I definitely recommend if this is an option for you.

 

[sportsmansB]

I travel 25 mins each way, mostly only have to go once but sometimes twice. The more you do the journey the easier it gets. I just look forward to listening to a pod cast and plan my phone calls around it (not for the 07.15 trip but on the way home at 9.00 or in the evening). To me it is 100% worth it to be in the right place for me and my horse. I have 2 at home to do as well but they live a fairly natural life and don't need much minding

 

[Barton Bounty]

Im kind of a weird one i used to livery on the way to work, ideal yard on the beach large yard , perfect 24/7 turnout, but full of c@nts… so I moved to a beautiful yard on the opposite way to work so I divert 4 miles the opposite way then drive 11 miles to work i dont care, its amazing. No asshats to worry about, great yard, great hacking…

 

[Identityincrisis]

I live 18 minutes away from the yard, it’s a ball ache as i do go twice a day, it wouldn’t be an issue once a day, but twice does eat into my day. Unfortunately, it is worth the compromise as while it’s not an amazing yard, it’s ok with an ok arena but amazing hacking. I haven’t found a suitable alternative closer to home

 

[Bernster]

You do get used to longer journeys and the journey becomes so familiar the time passes more quickly. Depends if there are common traffic issues or if it’s pretty consistent. It does eat into your day and might impact dep what else you have on, and if you’re on DIY etc, but I’ve done it for years. I’ve never been that close to a yard really. If I ever do move closer to home, I suspect I’ll roll my eyes that I never did it earlier but for now it works fine.

 

[expanding_horizon]

I travel 25 mins each way, mostly only have to go once but sometimes twice. The more you do the journey the easier it gets. I just look forward to listening to a pod cast and plan my phone calls around it (not for the 07.15 trip but on the way home at 9.00 or in the evening). To me it is 100% worth it to be in the right place for me and my horse. I have 2 at home to do as well but they live a fairly natural life and don't need much minding

Echo this. Mine is DIY 25 minutes each way. I try to use the time in the car with podcasts / audio boots, mug of coffee. Try not to go twice but sometimes unavoidable. He lives out and we have a shared checking and feeding rota. I am used to it and just get up earlier.

The fact my horse lives out in a back field and the arenas are a 25 minute walk away does now compound the time taken.

It does sometimes depress me though how long everything takes in the morning - 15 minutes to go from bed to car, 25 minutes to get to the yard, 15 minutes to get horse in and feed, 20 minutes to put hoof boots on (are fiddly) if hacking (or 25 minutes to walk to school if schooling), ten minutes to tack up. Bed to riding seems to typically take me 90 minutes! Before you get to chores, reversing everything and driving home!

I chose to be 25 minutes away for the well draining chalk soil and the amazing safe off road old turf hacking. I could have him closer on clay / with limited hacking.

As to whether 25 minutes is too far, it depends IMO on - your life set up, how much you trust yard he is on and how good it is, and whether you can find better closer or not. No good moving closer and realising winter turnout is a deep bog or similar.

 

[millitiger]

I've had a journey up to 35mins each way before - I never minded as it gave me time to decompress on the way from work, before I got to the yard.

The yard making my horse and me happy was always priority number one, travelling time always a distant 'want' down the list-
however, I caveat that with the fact I don't have children and my partner at the time was a bodybuilder so he was always out of the house in the evenings too!

Horses are now in the garden, however if I ever went back to livery, the right yard would be priority over commute.

 

[santas_spotty_pony]

I was a yard of a similar distance for years. It was close to where I worked though. I got used to the drive and actually enjoyed it sometimes as I enjoyed the peace and quiet. It was a lovely private yard and the horses were happy so I didn’t mind. I used to do it twice a day sometimes if I was off work too.

 

[Melody Grey]

I’ve just moved mine 5 mins from home after a 25/30 min commute on DIY with three, it was killing me. Time taken and cost of fuel were deciding factors.

 

[Annagain]

Not quite the same but my yard commute has gone from 5 minutes to 15 with potential for getting stuck in heavy traffic which can add another 20 minutes. I've decided to embrace it and have started listening to and audio books on the way. It feels less like wasted time. I had no choice as old yard is on the market and I was worried about it eating into my day but I'm quite enjoying my books!

 

[MidChristmasCrisis]

When I did a 25 minute drive it wasn’t DIY it was part livery so I only went once a day…which was OK but I find it difficult to relinquish control over my charges and when I discovered the YO had missed feeding them a couple of nights because she d had friends round drinking and forgot …I moved.

 

[Deltofe2493]

My journey can be up to 25 mins, will be a nightmare when we switch to winter routine as getting in before work will be a struggle... I work in the West End.

I live on the East London border and yard is more towards Essex. There are a few yards 10-15 minutes from me, but this yard suits her better. Only place around with 24/7 grazing in summer and services are reasonable.

I was spoilt once upon a time with an 8 minute drive but like others say, it does get easier and is a good time to decompress. Horse's happiness first and foremost.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

When we told YO that we would be moving into our own smallholding in about 3 months, he turned very odd. We had been there 10 yrs and had 4 horses but he refused to let them move off the winter field in May, so we were having to feed hay, which no-one else had to do.
So we moved the horses to a friend's farm, which meant a 30 minute journey instead of a 10 mins one. It also meant that none of the family went past on their way to work. Fortunately friend was happy to do the morning check and we went once per day but I couldn't have continued doing that over the winter.

 

[Bee3]

Thanks for your thoughts everyone. I decided I would just get on with it as thankfully I don't have to go every day. Unfortunately though, it might not be the yard for us as my horse has decided to be impossible for me to catch if I go when the other horses are still out - usually would get a lovely greeting and a cuddle. Two hours driving over the weekend and for me not to even be able to get close to my horse was a bit disappointing. Also other things regarding the care when I'm not there means I will be keeping an eye open for another yard.