TheRedMare
Well-Known Member
I have a bit of a pickle. I've had my first horse this year and I love him to bits, but we have some teething rider issues (confidence, bad exp coming off) so I want to take him away to a livery yard so that I can have intensive lessons with him for a time. I am so very much looking forward to this! The yard where we are is private, quiet, peaceful, spacious and I am very happy there. It has no arena, but access to hacking/bridleways and I should have permission to ride on some gated off road hacking soon too down the road.
The "problem" is that there are only two horses there, including ours. Ideally, I'd like the yard manager (who has her lovely horse there and is so kind) to get another person in so that ours don't get super attached to one another. Our boy seems fine when his buddy goes away, but if I even take ours for a walk in the other field, the other horse NEIGHS like crazy like we're leaving forever! Of course, as I'm taking him to a livery/lesson yard for my bootcamp, I'll be leaving this poor other horse alone for a period of time (2 weeks? 1 month?).
I'm feeling rather unduly guilty about this, but is it my responsibility to think of someone else's horse when I want to get a little bit of help for us to boost us up? I check the other horse every morning and evening too when I sort mine and I think he's a darling, but I am trying to ultimately think of what's best for mine. Admittedly, if there was another person on the yard, the problem would quietly solve itself and she is hesitant to bring anyone else onto the yard as the previous person was unkind to her horses (and the yard manager ended up paying for feed, hay etc for them out of her own pocket). After an experience like that, I can certainly understand her hesitation.
Side note - if her horse was unwell or had to go somewhere else for a time, I'd honestly just pop my boy in on full livery nearby to ensure he was happy and comfortable with company. This is, however, unlikely to happen.
So... Two horses is not an ideal situation on its own. Should I feel bad about sending mine away for schooling (when needed), livery when I'm on holiday or taking him to another yard for a time to get my lesson bootcamp in? Do I also have a responsibility to this other horse to this level? Would it be a better idea to not do it at all?
Unfortunately my horse trailer is out of commission while I wait for parts to be delivered, but, in future, I will simply be taking him in the trailer to lessons and to hire arenas.
Thoughts?
The "problem" is that there are only two horses there, including ours. Ideally, I'd like the yard manager (who has her lovely horse there and is so kind) to get another person in so that ours don't get super attached to one another. Our boy seems fine when his buddy goes away, but if I even take ours for a walk in the other field, the other horse NEIGHS like crazy like we're leaving forever! Of course, as I'm taking him to a livery/lesson yard for my bootcamp, I'll be leaving this poor other horse alone for a period of time (2 weeks? 1 month?).
I'm feeling rather unduly guilty about this, but is it my responsibility to think of someone else's horse when I want to get a little bit of help for us to boost us up? I check the other horse every morning and evening too when I sort mine and I think he's a darling, but I am trying to ultimately think of what's best for mine. Admittedly, if there was another person on the yard, the problem would quietly solve itself and she is hesitant to bring anyone else onto the yard as the previous person was unkind to her horses (and the yard manager ended up paying for feed, hay etc for them out of her own pocket). After an experience like that, I can certainly understand her hesitation.
Side note - if her horse was unwell or had to go somewhere else for a time, I'd honestly just pop my boy in on full livery nearby to ensure he was happy and comfortable with company. This is, however, unlikely to happen.
So... Two horses is not an ideal situation on its own. Should I feel bad about sending mine away for schooling (when needed), livery when I'm on holiday or taking him to another yard for a time to get my lesson bootcamp in? Do I also have a responsibility to this other horse to this level? Would it be a better idea to not do it at all?
Unfortunately my horse trailer is out of commission while I wait for parts to be delivered, but, in future, I will simply be taking him in the trailer to lessons and to hire arenas.
Thoughts?