Seeking advice on moving yards

DappleGreyDaydreamer

DappleGreyDaydreamer

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I'm thinking about moving my gelding to another yard, mainly for my benefit. The one we're currently at is a fantastic place, with very secure stabling, an enormous arena, horse walker, acres of grazing and a fully alarmed tack room. But because of all these fantastic facilities, it's costing me an awfully large amount of money per month, and on top of insurance and the recent vet and dental bills I've unfortunately had to pay, I genuinely don't have any money to spare on anything else (for example, I don't own a pair of jeans or jodhpurs without enormous holes in them) and I'm rapidly running out :/ my wonderful grandfather has been supporting me with a little extra money to pay for this place, but his cancer is making him very ill now and I'm becoming afraid that - devastating as it will be - one day his money will stop coming, and I'll be stuck with a horse I can't afford to keep.

Luckily there is another yard half a mile down the road from this one (both are 5 minutes from my home so equally convenient) and it is about a third of the price I'm paying monthly now, but I'm very worried about moving my horse. He's still a baby of 5 and a half, and I only bought him myself 6 months ago, so he has recently undergone a move. The first week at my current yard was very stressful, he was spooky, hard to handle, and there was one terrifying moment when he broke down his stable door and bolted after a horse the YO had just turned out. If there hadn't been a locked gate on the driveway, he'd probably have got onto the road at some point which just doesn't bear thinking about, and my qualm is that the yard I'm considering moving to doesn't have any gates on it, and the stables are open front. I know he'll settle down eventually in the new place, like he did here, but with the definite lapse in security from yard to yard makes me worry he'll kill himself if something frightens him.

Does anyone have any tips for keeping him calm and helping him to settle in quicker? I'm planning on moving in about 3 weeks, when I have a 2 week holiday over Christmas and time on my hands to be with him. Thank you, much appreciated :)
 
I hope that I have misunderstood, but are there really no gates between the stables or fields and the exit onto the road at the new yard?

If so, I'd be having a conversation with the YO and asking to see her insurance cover (because it is reasonably foreseeable that at some point there will be a loose horse) and also asking that a gate is installed ASAP.

Also, check your own insurance cover. As the owners you are ultimately liable if your horse escapes and causes damage or an accident. Think millions here.

Sorry if I sound such a doom monger, and hope the move goes well.
 
No gates I presume means if he gets loose on the yard he could get on to the road and also that anyone can get on to the yard as there is no security as there is no gates?

I think a lot would depend on how close the stables are to the road and do you need to cross the road to get to any of the fields. In most scenarios a horse that gets loose tends to go towards the nearest food source or their friends. So along as there is no road between the field and the stables and the stables do not open up directly onto the road or very near to the road whilst not ideal you might be ok. Though there is the concern that without gates members of the public can easily get on to yard and have access to your horse as well.
 
I'm going to look round and make sure I'm not mis-remembering from last time, but as far as I know the main entrance leads straight off the road and onto the yard, which is worrying, mainly because random people have access to my horse when I'm not there.
 
The new yard doesn't sound great.

Would you consider a sharer/loaner at your current yard to help with your finances, at least for a while?
 
I wouldn't consider a yard that didn't have gates between the yard and road. I understand your difficulties but what about seeing if there is anything you can do at your current yard in helping out in return for a reduction of your livery costs if possible? That would allow you stay put which sounds like the better option. I certainly wouldn't be happy with what seems like lack of security also to stop people coming onto the yard.
 
If this is your only option then you must move . They do adapt . Im assuming they have electric fencing instead of gates ? My stresshead has just gone into winter mode and is back on Tranquil E at moment. Its the only calmer that works . My mare jumped 5 bar gates on to the road which scared the life out of me. Her field was over the road so that was her incentive ! I did move her to a place not nr a main road in the end . Can you put a door on the stable yourself ? Bit weird . If there is hay in the field i.e not hungry she doesnt want to get out.
 
I called the new yard owner today to make a few inquiries, and turns out a lot of people have asked for main yard gates before moving their horses, so they've got people coming in to install some (phew!). At the moment I'm just trying to see if I'll be able to fit in DIY livery around my work schedule, as currently we'e on part livery as this yard doesn't offer DIY. There isn't a space for my boy to move in until nearer Christmas anyway so I've got plenty of time to think about the decision. Thanks for all the advice!
 
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