confusedasusual
New User
Hi all
First post here and what a subject to start on. Im trying to decide whether to move yards or not.
I have been at my current DIY yard for about 3 years and have been extremely happy, all the people are lovely and get on very well but in the last 8 months the number of horses has over doubled (and just one more is due to move in any day) to the point there isnt enough stables or winter grazing (about 12 horses to 6 acres, eeck :-O ), summer grazing is big enough but floods in the winter. We have continuously asked how many more and what will you do in October to which we receive a shrug or oh someone will leave before then.
One of my horses has had laminitis so normally stays in the winter fields during summer which has never been an issue before but this year I have been told I cant do that now. I either have to turn her out in the lush green grass or keep her stabled all summer. She is normally good at being stabled but it is starting to take its toll, shes getting fizzy, loosing her manners walking past patches of grass and is a nightmare to ride at the moment. Muzzles come off in seconds so the summer field just isnt an option for me.
The yard owners are lovely normally not horsey although the son is and his horses funnily enough are allowed to stay on the winter paddocks nice and close to the stables and away from the herd which contains a very aggressive horse, the other horses come in daily with cuts and scratches. The yard owner refuses to ask anyone to leave because they are being paid on time every week so they are happy. They wont section off the summer field nor will they allow us to do it (where I could a least mow my section!), we have been told the horses need to learn to get on.
So the turnout situation + aggressive horses + constantly changing rules are all adding up to be a big headache. There are no written contracts at all. The reason I am undecided is the owners are friends of sorts and have been a huge support to me over the last few years and I dont want to throw it all back at them plus finding a yard with vacancies for 4 horses is almost impossible. The only suitable one Ive found is great, my own 2 large paddocks to rotate between summer and winter, bigger stables, undercover school, off road hacking, automatic drinker system, cctv, no other liverys just the owners horses and owner on site with no time restrictions BUT £100 more per month which will be a stretch during winter with the usual added costs.
What would people do in my situation?
First post here and what a subject to start on. Im trying to decide whether to move yards or not.
I have been at my current DIY yard for about 3 years and have been extremely happy, all the people are lovely and get on very well but in the last 8 months the number of horses has over doubled (and just one more is due to move in any day) to the point there isnt enough stables or winter grazing (about 12 horses to 6 acres, eeck :-O ), summer grazing is big enough but floods in the winter. We have continuously asked how many more and what will you do in October to which we receive a shrug or oh someone will leave before then.
One of my horses has had laminitis so normally stays in the winter fields during summer which has never been an issue before but this year I have been told I cant do that now. I either have to turn her out in the lush green grass or keep her stabled all summer. She is normally good at being stabled but it is starting to take its toll, shes getting fizzy, loosing her manners walking past patches of grass and is a nightmare to ride at the moment. Muzzles come off in seconds so the summer field just isnt an option for me.
The yard owners are lovely normally not horsey although the son is and his horses funnily enough are allowed to stay on the winter paddocks nice and close to the stables and away from the herd which contains a very aggressive horse, the other horses come in daily with cuts and scratches. The yard owner refuses to ask anyone to leave because they are being paid on time every week so they are happy. They wont section off the summer field nor will they allow us to do it (where I could a least mow my section!), we have been told the horses need to learn to get on.
So the turnout situation + aggressive horses + constantly changing rules are all adding up to be a big headache. There are no written contracts at all. The reason I am undecided is the owners are friends of sorts and have been a huge support to me over the last few years and I dont want to throw it all back at them plus finding a yard with vacancies for 4 horses is almost impossible. The only suitable one Ive found is great, my own 2 large paddocks to rotate between summer and winter, bigger stables, undercover school, off road hacking, automatic drinker system, cctv, no other liverys just the owners horses and owner on site with no time restrictions BUT £100 more per month which will be a stretch during winter with the usual added costs.
What would people do in my situation?
