stuck on a decision......

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Ambypamby

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I love my yard but... my horse is 'special' and needs as much turn out as possible in order to stay sane and not get stressed. At my current yard the fields get shut in the winter. I have one of the biggest stables for my horse as he gets a bit worked up when he is in a lot so i think the big stable does him good. The biggest horriblest problem on my yard is the turnout field is barbed wire fenced!! i HATE barbed wire. I am very lucky as my horse has only ever had one cut from it after being there nearly 2 yrs. The DIYs have spoke to the YO on a number of occasions even offering to do the work to change the fencing ourselves all he needs to do is supply the equip but no joy he says none of us should turn out horses anyway. but that is his preference. I really dont want to move as the yard is lovely nice girls and facilities. I have had an offer of another stable yard where i could have all year turn out no barbed wire and off road hacking but it dosent have an indoor arena and the stables are smaller. and i wont know anyone! i really love where i am but i am dreading the winter when my horse is stuck in other than me riding him and i just dont know what to do!
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turnout is more important than an indoor school IMO

I don't have any facilities apart from a field, 2 stables (that I had to build myself!) and running water.

I get by! It's not great as riding in winter can be difficult but I'd rather my boys can be turned out and happy over winter than ridden everyday and be miserable because they're in their stables for 23 hrs a day!

One of mine in particular would not cope well at all with being in all winter. I bring in at about 9pm and they go out again at 5am which is about the max for him!
 
For his own sanity and safety I would move him. If he can be turned out all year round at the new place then he won't need to be in the stables much, so their size won't matter. Lack of an indoor school may be a bummer but you are very unlikely to find your perfect yard - compromise has to come somewhere. I don't have a school at all! And as for not knowing anyone, see it as a chance to make new friends!
 
i know he would be ok at the new yard i have been to see it a few times i will just miss the social of all the girls at my yard. Plus the new yard is a bit further to drive. im getting a headache
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I know it's sooo hard making that decision. I'm currently at a yard with a few friends and it is lovely,however it's nearly a half hour comute from my home and i'm going through sooo much diesel i just can't afford it anymore. We are also moving house and going into the countryside from a town so wanted the horses nearer home now. A yard literally fell in my lap a couple of weeks ago and it really was a once in a lifetime place to come up,the area is soooo sought after as it's 2,500 acres in total of off road hacking.

The other yard that has come up for you does sound loads better,the stables are smaller but you have more turnout,you really have to decide whats best for YOU and your horse,you will make new friends. My new yard is my own and apart from my OH helping thats it,my friend has a yard down the road so i will ride out with her now and again. Will still see friends from old yard but just not as often. A big decision to make but you know in your heart which place you'd rather be at.
 
he is the strangest horse though... when he is in he wants to be out and when he is out he walks the gate to come in and annoyes everyone. but all in all he is more chilled once he had been out. The current yard is a competition yard with lots of horses coming and going (new ones every day) and people all over and i think it gets a bit too much for him. He craves attention and i think as he was hand reared he always wants to be where the people are and when he gets ignored he panics and worrys and starts being naughty. he hates a few people at the yard and wont let them anywhere near him every now and then. everyone else he is fine with and likes the attention they give him. i also am petrified moving him will confuse him more and really upset him.
 
If you can manage the logistics def go for the move. Horses aren't designed to live in boxes.

You might find he is more settled in a field (hopefully with or over the fence from others) without all the comings and goings of a competition yard for him to feel 'left out' of.

Current YO encouraging people to keep horses in by making the turn out dangerous is pretty unreasonable if not all the animals on the yard are well-adapted to being managed his way, DIY should be more flexible.
 
MOVE

You might like your yard, but you know about a better one, why wouldn't you like that more?
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Barb wire and no winter turnout is absolutely rubbish. Your horse won't care about smaller stables unless they're so small he gets cast. Is there an outdoor school? I couldn't cope with no school at all but as long as there is an all weather, floodlit outdoor, that's fine by my standards. Off road hacking sounds great for you as well as the yard being safer and more pleasant for your horse.

Also IME, nicer yards from the horse's POV, tend to have nicer liveries, so I wouldn't worry about meeting new friends.
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