Tips on moving to a livery yard please - sorry long

Fazzie

Fazzie

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Hi

I havent posted in a long while just been lurking- but am needed some advise please :)
I am moving my 3 cobs (all 14hand ish) at the end of the month to a fairly large livery yard.
I have a gelding section d , a cob x arab gelding 2 year old and a 11 year cob mare.
I have kept them for the past year in a rented field just to ourselves but unfortunately have to move :(
So on the day the yard manager has said he has no room to put them in a field next door or anything like that so have to put them straight out (apparently thats how its always worked there) and I am nervous about this. can anyone offer reassurance??
This is the best yard around for the facilities/lovely stable/riding and budget so the turning them straight out is the only downfall.
also any good tips for moving and settling into a livery yard as i am rusty at this!! :)
many thanks, chocolate biscuits and tea for everyone :)
ETA I forgot to say they all mix well with others been out with shetlands to warmbloods but that was a year ago
 
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Fazzie - I'm really sorry but I would NOT put my horses straight out into an established herd environment. If there is a spat, and it's likely they will razz about a fair bit, it is you that has the vet bills or the alternative of no horse.

Speak to the YM, use your own tape if necessary, but make a little area in the corner of the field so yours can meet in relative safety.
 
Ok thanks for your advice I will speak to him on the weekend (not moving for a while) and see what we can do, I have electric fencing etc and would be happy to use that.
I have never just put a horse out in the field with others before but always taken a few weeks to introduce over the fence so thought there could be big fights etc :/
 
I think it will definitely help that you have three moving out into a herd all together. Bit of moral support if anything.
Would there be any chance of you being able to stable them for the first day or two while they touch noses over the doors and get to see everyone before just chucking them straight out?
 
ok I will speak to the y/m about it , the stables are inside and at the moment all the horses are out, I will offer to bring my electric fencing over etc to put them in a small area , i think thats the best option?
 
**update** have just spoke to y/m and voiced concerns over intergration /isolation etc he has a small paddock at the end of the yard (unfortunately not next to the other horses) they can be turned out into for 2 weeks to settle in to the yard etc and then he is happy for me to put up electric fencing in the horses field for my lot to go into a small section first to get used to the other horses , plus he said he'll introduce me to some of the girls up there so I can ride Boo out with some of his field mates first. feeling much much better now, thank you for all your advice x
 
How big a field are they going into and do you know anyone at the yard well for info on the horses in the field? This is basically how it works where my horses are, although most new arrivals do usually stay in a stable overnight the first night then out the next day. Very far from ideal but like yours sounds, its picking the best option overall as to which yard to be on when there aren't that many to choose from and none are what I would choose in an ideal world! However, my main worry is infection rather than injury as the fields that we have are huge (40 odd acres) and with so much space to run and the layout of the fields there is room for horses to get away from each other and they are not "forced" by the amount of grazing to be closer to each other than they are comfortable with. My old TB is also boss horse and always immediately makes friends with new arrivals, shows them around the place and runs off any others that are out to make an issue with the new horse until they've been in a few days and he thinks they are ready to branch out on their own. Its very funny to watch!

The flip side of your situation, is across the road from my yard is a very small paddock that is very badly fenced and I, very sadly, have been saying for the last couple of years since the bad fencing was put up was an accident waiting to happen. A new horse was put in with the existing 2 liveries, without telling the horses owners what was about to happen, there was nowhere to escape to and one of the existing horses was cornered by the new arrival and went through the fencing into the path of a car.

Get as much information as you can on the new yard and take any steps you need to to protect your horses.
 
Thank you Bethie , the field is a decent size so plenty of room to move and kind of turns right around a corner , so they can all stay out of each others way.
Just have to dig out my electric fencing now :)
forgot to say know a few people up the yard and they have said its the smaller horses/pony field, and there isnt really any overly dominant horses and have been told they all get on well no fighting etc
 
Hey, it looks like you have had lots of helpful advice already.

The only thing I would be worried about is quarantine period. I would usually want my horse quarantined for a few days before meeting the others.

My horse recently moved to a new yard where a herd is already established and all the horses go out goether, in a large field. He went straight out and popped himself in his slot. I am sure there were a few fights, but as all the horses already had their place in ther herd and none were particuarly aggressive, he was fine mixing in and settled very quickly.

Good Luck. x
 
BlueCakes said:
Hey, it looks like you have had lots of helpful advice already.

The only thing I would be worried about is quarantine period. I would usually want my horse quarantined for a few days before meeting the others.

My horse recently moved to a new yard where a herd is already established and all the horses go out goether, in a large field. He went straight out and popped himself in his slot. I am sure there were a few fights, but as all the horses already had their place in ther herd and none were particuarly aggressive, he was fine mixing in and settled very quickly.

Good Luck. x
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thank you blue cakes you have reassured me - I have managed to get a little paddock for them to go into for a bit before so feeling alot better :)
 
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