Splitting up my little herd, what do I do?

[Izzwall]

Hi everyone!

Needing a bit advice on what to do as I'm in a bit of a pickle. I have 3 mares that I keep on my parent's land. My herd consists of my rising 7 yr old homebred, my 25 yr old horse of a life time and my homebred's mum who is 21 yrs old. I've had my oldies for 9 years and my homebred has lived with them her whole life.
I used to live on dartmoor with my parents and my horses but 18 months ago my folks had to move (I left the nest and got my own place) and they bought somewhere with more land but away from the moors.
At first I was so excited to finally have more land, plus an american barn with actual lights (!!), had a little look at the hacking in the area but I wasn't that bothered and as I've always hacked onto the moor since I've owned horses I thought a change in scenery would be good.
Well fast forward to now and I HATE the hacking! I hardly ever ride now as it's just road work with a few short bridleways. When I lived on the moor I used to watch the sunset up tors whilst listening to some good music and come home when the stars were coming out, plus going out for hours without seeing a soul and I miss it so much! It was my therapy and mainly the reason why I loved riding. The only thing going for where I am now is a riding club has just been set up next door to my yard. I took my homebred to a flat work clinic and I got myself in such a state with nerves that it wasn't enjoyable and it quickly dawned on me I am just a happy hacker who likes to spend time by myself.

So feeling a bit down in the dumps lately (and the fact I work on dartmoor and have been walking my past hacking routes) I realise I need to move back onto the moor to get my riding mojo back. Another thing is my homebred is 7 in August and it only feels like yesterday she was being born, before I know it she'll be in her late teens and I should be going out and having fun with her now!
Anyway in a complete impulsion I looked at a yard yesterday and it is beyond perfect!!! Better hacking (if that's possible) than my last place and has a lovely indoor school. It's a beautiful place and I'm popping down a deposit tomorrow.

Now my dilemma. Homebred's mum went down with laminitis in May and is in a deep shavings pen in my yard over looking the field (she gets very stressed in the stable in the barn). She was sound for the last 3 weeks but has gone completely back to square one in the last week and is very poorly again. Homebred and my oldest mare are together in the field. Oldest mare has very bad separation anxiety and is very attached to my homebred. I almost lost her to colic last year so I'm very over protective of her and I'm so worried how she'll react when I move my homebred to livery as she'll be then be in the field by herself though she'll still be able to see but not touch homebred's mum. I was thinking about moving my homebred in September when hopefully her mum will be well enough to go back into the field but the livery can't hold the space free for that long (completely understandable).
My homebred is the cement that holds my herd together and I just don't know what to do! I need to move her as I can't cope with road hacking a second longer but will it cause my older girly to go downhill? Do I just move her and hope older mare will accept it? Do I get another horse so older mare has company but then again it's another mouth to feed, another set of hooves to trim and I'm not sure I can afford another one plus my livery. Homebred's mum isn't that bothered about her daughter and even though her and my oldest mare have lived together for 9 years they very much have a love/hate relationship. Gah! So what do I do?? Was even thinking perhaps to have a grass livery move in but my parents aren't keen on the idea, end of the day it's their land and they live there! Or maybe a owner wanting retirement livery as I've got plenty of grass and 6 stables. So there won't be someone coming everyday. Help guys, apologies if this is very long and confusing!!

 

[Redders]

I would consider a retirement livery in your case but you would have to weigh up the work of looking after the new herd at your parents and your homebred at livery. Also I have worked on a retirement livery and they really were treated like royalty, but some oldies will have special needs and require extra attention, especially around winter. It could end up being a lot of work for you, but if you are set for getting enjoyment out of your horse again, I'm sure you will find a way to make it work. Oo can you not box unto the moors to ride? Then not have to go on livery? Cause having kept horses at home, you may not enjoy a livery yard (lots of people/personalities - not all good!)

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

I was going to say the same, can you not save the livery you would spend for a few months and buy a box/trailer? If in regular use then wouldn't take two mins to load, quick drive and then unbox.
I think all the situ's you are proposing will be a hell of a lot more work than you have now, and only you can weigh up the pro's and con's as only you know what you are happy to compromise on.
Sorry I couldn't be more helpful!

 

[fankino04]

What about offering a loan to one from the blue cross or somewhere, they often have youngsters that aren't ready to be started or some that aren't up to ridden work but maybe not so fragile and special needs as a retired horse

 

[Izzwall]

Thanks so much for the replies! I think it will be a good few years until I can afford a box of my own unfortunately. I'm a 45 min horse box drive from the moor too so would have to set a side a lot of time to box up, drive there and then come home. I finish work normally at around 2pm so I don't mind the extra time to drive to the new yard. The livery is very small with only one other livery there so don't have to worry about yard politics etc. I work down the road from the livery yard too (I provide livery services to private yards and I'm also a professional dog walker). I was thinking of perhaps getting a rescue but then I think can I afford the running costs of another especially as my retired ones aren't getting any younger and have cost me rather a lot in vet fees over the last year. I think once winter sets in it will be a bit easier as homebred's mum should have the all clear to go back in the field. I don't mind the extra work as I look after horses for a living and I absolutely love it all year round.
I need to sit down and go through my finances again to maybe see if I can afford another, the joy of being self employed means my wages change monthly. When I was at the yard earlier a little idea popped into my head of setting up a track system for the laminic and have my older mare with her during the day then turned out into the middle for some grass at night. I'm so angry with myself that my poor little one got lami in the first place as I wouldn't be in such a pickle now, should have been more careful!

 

[Equi]

Defnitely get a retirement livery or possibly a rescue that needs an easy home, on the agreement that you are loaning the land to the rescue but NOT in any way looking after the horse?