Small or big yards. What do you and your horse prefer?

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Louby

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Having done both, just wondered what people prefer.
I loved the social side to the big yard but didnt miss the bitchiness. I loved having loads of people to ride with, go to shows etc but dont miss the overcrowded turnout, injuries, things going missing etc.
 
I was on one big yard (around 60 hores) that had no bitchyness (until YO left for 6 months) and so when it was run properly and any bitchiness was stopped immediately, it was a great yard as lots of knowledge, help, people to hack out with and generally a day passed quickly with laughter.
OTOH - another big yard (around 40 horses) I was on, was very competitive and I lost sight of having fun with my pony so she started to get sour and I ended up messing up her paces and it was crap.

I'm on a small yard with no facilities, no-one to hack out with/hang about with but I have a happy pony, potter about and do my own thing.

At the moment I love my little yard (7 horses/3 owners). For me, I prefer a big yard but my pony prefers the little yard, so there's my answer :)
 
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Small yard of 13 i am on and it is heaven! Not bitching no squabbles! Lovely. all the horses get on other than the odd tiff.. always someone there and always someone to ride with and give you a hand if needs much.

None of the arguements of a big yard.

Lou x
 
Small, I'd say. I'm lucky enough now to have the horses at home, but had them in a small yard 2 years ago. It was fantastic, facilities were super, one little b***h wrecked it all, thought she owned the place, but hey, you have them everywhere. Still miss the facilities, so wish i had an indoor!!!!!
 
I have been on both types and I much prefer the smaller yards...my horse also prefered this option, I found the big yard I was on was the most bitchest place on earth and I hated it.

Smaller yards for me are the way forward, the yard I have ready for new horse has only got 12 stables..so hoping it will be just great!
I'm excited to go there so....
 
I much prefer small: with enough fellow liveries that you see people every day, have someone to talk to, and can help each other out.
I moved last year from a small very rural yard I loved with excellent hacking, ONLY for the sake of my 4YO whom I felt at the time would benefit from a large busy yard near traffic and with an enclosed school, for his education.
 
Small yard definitely. Only 5 stables, 3 are mine and 2 are my friend's. And an outdoor school all to ourselves :-) Turn out, bring in when we like every day of the year.
 
Im on a small private yard, wonderful facilities but feel like both me and my horse are stale. Problem I have is my horse is a pain in the field and wants to play all day, doesnt understand no from other horses which resulted in him fracturing his leg, so he is sectionned off in the main field, can touch other horses but not get injured but I feel really mean. All the yards nearby are big and I know he wont last 2 mins in a field full of horses.
 
id love a private yard tbh - but my horse is happy where she is (40 odd stables)

but its kinda split into 4.... not equally and its hard to explain lol!...but its nice :)

:)
 
We were on a large, busy yard. Neither Cappy or I liked it. It was too noisy and too many people around. Not to mention pony clubbers (who were okay) and PC mums(who were loud and pushy). Cappy just could not settle properly. Moved to a lovely little private yard, just our 2 and a couple with 2 horses and the YO. Great, quiet and you can get on with out any problems. Also can get into the school as and when you need.
FDC
 
I work on a small private yard now have been there 9 years and dont think i could cope with working on a big yard. But have my daughters pony on DIy at a big yard and wouldnt have it any different. I love that there lots of us to help eachother out, as i have a 6 year old and start work at 7 mornings can be hard for me so the girls help me in the mornings and i clip and teach for them at much lower than average prices!! I also think its good for my daughter to be on a bigger yard she sees lots more stuff, plus shes joing a PC that 2 of the others go to. She often rides with the teenages which has really brought her on from a nervy lead rein child to a very very brave girl bombing around jumping and doing XC. And as im usually down there with my little girl doing the pony its nice for me to always have somebody to chat too while shes grooming or plaiting or jumping on the muckheap.:D
Sometimes the school gets busy but usually the school kids seem to get in an hour before the grown ups finish work so it works quite well. I probaly wouldnt have put my previous horse in the massive herds but my daughters hardy 11.2 sec a can look after himself better than most the big horses so hes fine.:)
 
i would say that i prefer a small yard- but (and its a big but) when the mix of people on a small yard is off then they are horrid places to be- at least on a big yard you aren't stuck with the same few people all of the time.

used to be on a small yard (12 stables)- loved it and then the people changed and it was awful. my current yard has 50 horses and i really like it- there are a few people i don't like but i just avoid them- the rest of the people are lovely and there is a great atmosphere, always someone to chat to :)
 
Small yard for me.

I have never been on a big yard, but I know it would not suit me. I have trusted all the people I have shared small yards with, no-one ever stole from me or anything like that. I could not tollerate over crowded, horse sick grazing and I don't think my horses would have been as happy and relaxed on big, busy yards.
 
Have been on a very small yard of two horses in the past, was nice but I did get quite lonely at times as well as when I was on a private yard :( I keep Red on a yard of 18 horses there is a big barn for 12 horses and two separate bits which house 3 horses each- Red is in one of the threes. It's nice because I can escape all the people in the barn and just spend time with my horse- I really don't get on with 3 of the owners so it's nice not to have to be near them :p But I can also have company if I like which is nice :)
 
I'm on a small yard with 3 liveries and myself and the YO horses it's very peaceful and relaxing with no bitchiness, things going missing etc! But I do get lonely at times and wish I had more people around and to go to shows with, to hack out with etc :(.
 
Small definitely - preferably with nobody else! Hated being on a big yard temporarily, the bitchiness was unbelievable. My current yard was great, it was just me for 4 years although there are 4 others now. They're nice although we don't mix much.

I'm hoping when the new house is ready to move horsey to a field next door, although we don't know the area yet and I'm not even sure if there's any land available to rent. But fingers crossed. Though I have to say YO is invaluable and hopefully he might agree to some holiday livery from time to time once we've moved!
 
Small for both me and my horse.

I'm now on a yard with 12 stables but 7 horses at the moment and it's a nice group but plenty big enough for me!

It's a nice size for having a variety of people to hack with and I also sometimes nanny a younger horse out who lives down the road. There's usually at least one person around so it's not lonely :)

I'm the youngest on the yard and like it that way and there's no bitching
 
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I used to loan a horse from a riding school before I got my own and I think that's the thing that gave me the stickiest seat I have now! The YO daughter used to buy all sorts of things from Beeston and if under 13.2hh I used to have to try them to see if they were broken! I had the most amazing fun, we used to do some really crazy things, but I think it helped with my riding. Sure you had to dodge in the indoor arena and yell that you were about to jump, and then swerve at the last minutes. But there was always someone to talk to and much laughter. However if you were seriously competetive it wasn't really the place to be as shows were just a lark for us, many sharing jackets and horses saddles. People would also 'borrow' your brushes and stuff, but not out of spite. I just used to buy new brushes and put it in a big basket for the whole yard.

Now I'm on a smaller yard with 9 horses and 5 owners. There's 2 girls my age, one who's my neighbour and who I get on very well with, the other in private school and seems to look down on us and has very weird ideas about horse care. Other owner is a showjumper attempting to break into the SJing world on a rather backwards horse! Overall it's quite nice, but I miss the fun and games of a bigger yard and often can't find a hacking partner.
 
I'm another vote for small yards - the smaller the better in my opinion! I was happiest when we had our horses at home, but I can tolerate a small number of liveries. As long as there there are no bi**hing or power hungry liveries, I think on a small yard you can really make good friends :)

My step dad ran a yard for a number of years and he says that from a YO's perspective he was happier when there were 17 separate liveries as they all had respect for each other and looked after the yard, but when it went down to only a few liveries that was when problems arose.
 
I'm the only livery on my yard! It's good, although I just fit in with what YO (also a friend) wants to do. I sometimes think a larger yard would be good - only for more flexibility with hacking partners. YO likes to be out first thing, I would rather ride later in the day. However, this I can live with - the flexibility I have in my horse's care is worth it!!
 
i've only ever been on 2 yards properly. the first was a small livery yard, the YO was a winging old man and had a go at you for using too much water/electric or too much turnout(which was crap and badly managed). the people were alright but changed quite a bit (i was on the yard for around 4 years) but occasionally you got the stupid people. never really had anyone to hack out with cos they could never be bothered.
i then got my own yard which i'm really happy with no bitchiness or people telling me what to do but i do miss company and someone to talk to and go riding with.
i temporarily kept my horse at another small yard before i brought her to mine, and it was awful the YO thought she was everything and tried making me do all the work in exchange for lessons which lasted 20 minutes. wasn't too impressed.
i would like to try a bigger yard but i don't think i would like it as i'm now so used to doing my own thing and i don't think i'd like it if people started bitching i have a turn of mouth when that starts i don't stand for it. a lot of people don't like me from high school with horses and have said stuff behind my back but for the reason their a bit jealous of me :o my yearling amira and meg would probably benefit from a bigger yard but jet my pony would more than likely get stressed and hate it.
i'm sticking with the small yard!
 
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