Two horses on different yards

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Dumbo

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have a TB who is kept at the livery yard where I work (Yard A). The set up is great, all his bills are included in my wage and he's very happy there. However it's limited turnout throughout the winter months so the days he's in I'll be mucking out twice and exercising once I've finished work. Last winter I had 2 horses and this was hard work, having to exercise 2 and finish their stables etc after I'd been on the yard all day, especially when it's freezing cold.
Anyway, I've been offered the type of horse I've always wanted and so now I'm in a dilemma. I've come up with one option that would be to keep this second horse on another yard (Yard B) in the same village, 1 mile away, that offers all year turnout. This horse is a native and lives out all year.
So my plan would be that my TB is likely to be in most of winter so I will continue to exercise him most days at Yard A. But the native on Yard B will be living out and in light work over winter, hacking 3/4 times a week then could move to Yard A in the spring when there's more turnout.
On the days I'm working, I have a 3hr break over lunch so would use this time to exercise both of them.
Am I under estimating the hard work of having 2 horses on separate yards? I can't decide whether this is a great idea or not.
 
This sounds like a lot of work OP, however if it is only going to be for a few months then it is probably managable. Plus, if the native is a too good opportunity to miss, then go for it.
 
Some years ago we had 2 horses on different yards, it was absolutely knackering, never again. You need two of everything & you also convince yourself that it won't be too bad because the yards are only a couple of miles apart & it's do able. After a couple of weeks of doing it you realise that all you seem to do is travel between the yards & muck out. Everything seems to take twice as long & it wears you out, I would never do it again!
 
I currently do it and have done it for the last year.

I have my ridden horse on a yard with facilities! I can ride him in the evening in the school as it has lights, he is stabled at night, so I muck out in the morning and turn away after I've ridden.

My mare and shetland are at another yard, 1.5 miles away, in the same village, they live out, but in my defence, neither of them are ridden.

I go to the mare and shettie first in the morning, feed them, check them over, do rugs etc.

Then I go to the boy, turn out, muck out etc!

Then I go to work, until 5.15, go back to the gelding, get him in (winter only) ride and put him to bed!

Then I go to mare and shettie, feed her again, do the usual with the rugs

Then I go home and eat, bath etc!

Its actually not half as bad as it could be!! and to be fair, if you have a 3 hour break and you're working on the yard where the TB lives then I think it could actually work really well!

Now to add even more to my mix, my boy has been lame, so I've started riding another horse, but she is 9 miles away! so I've been going up 2 evenings a week and at weekends but I might have to cut that down now that its getting dark!

Honestly last night, I finally stopped at 8.30, then my dad wanted help with something, so I had no time to myself! between the 6am start and the 10.10 bed time!
 
I had one horse on a livery yard and a youngster on my parents land, it was too much for me going backwards and forwards. You never really feel like you can stop and relax because when the first horse is done you know you need to travel to the next yard and start all over again. I'd advise against 2 on different yards if you can avoid it :)
 
Dumbo said:
have a TB who is kept at the livery yard where I work (Yard A). The set up is great, all his bills are included in my wage and he's very happy there. However it's limited turnout throughout the winter months so the days he's in I'll be mucking out twice and exercising once I've finished work. Last winter I had 2 horses and this was hard work, having to exercise 2 and finish their stables etc after I'd been on the yard all day, especially when it's freezing cold.
Anyway, I've been offered the type of horse I've always wanted and so now I'm in a dilemma. I've come up with one option that would be to keep this second horse on another yard (Yard B) in the same village, 1 mile away, that offers all year turnout. This horse is a native and lives out all year.
So my plan would be that my TB is likely to be in most of winter so I will continue to exercise him most days at Yard A. But the native on Yard B will be living out and in light work over winter, hacking 3/4 times a week then could move to Yard A in the spring when there's more turnout.
On the days I'm working, I have a 3hr break over lunch so would use this time to exercise both of them.
Am I under estimating the hard work of having 2 horses on separate yards? I can't decide whether this is a great idea or not.
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I had two horses each on different yards due to the old mare being bullied she had to have individual turnout.. It is do able and I just had double of everything. Once you have a routine it is not so bad.
 
I've done it and it is awful. Mine were only about 3 miles apart. Honestly a root canal or sticking pins in your eyes is actually more fun than having horses at different yards!
 
Mine are 20 miles apart on opposite sides of the city. Luckily for me both live out & I have someone at both locations to run an eye over if I cannot.
 
Kezzabell2 said:
I currently do it and have done it for the last year.

I have my ridden horse on a yard with facilities! I can ride him in the evening in the school as it has lights, he is stabled at night, so I muck out in the morning and turn away after I've ridden.

My mare and shetland are at another yard, 1.5 miles away, in the same village, they live out, but in my defence, neither of them are ridden.

I go to the mare and shettie first in the morning, feed them, check them over, do rugs etc.

Then I go to the boy, turn out, muck out etc!

Then I go to work, until 5.15, go back to the gelding, get him in (winter only) ride and put him to bed!

Then I go to mare and shettie, feed her again, do the usual with the rugs

Then I go home and eat, bath etc!

Its actually not half as bad as it could be!! and to be fair, if you have a 3 hour break and you're working on the yard where the TB lives then I think it could actually work really well!

Now to add even more to my mix, my boy has been lame, so I've started riding another horse, but she is 9 miles away! so I've been going up 2 evenings a week and at weekends but I might have to cut that down now that its getting dark!

Honestly last night, I finally stopped at 8.30, then my dad wanted help with something, so I had no time to myself! between the 6am start and the 10.10 bed time!
Click to expand...

Sounds similar to my situation. Think I need to give it a bit more thought but it sounds possible :)
 
With one living out, you might just get away with it. I would sit down and work out a proper timetable. Work out when you'll have to get up in order to do any jobs you need to before work (I imagine you start fairly early anyway working on a yard?) how long you'll need during you lunch breaks and again after work and factor in any other activities you do. You'll soon work out if you can do it - on paper at least. You'll only really know if you'll cope physically once you start.

If you move your TB, would your wages increase and therefore allow you to pay for both to be somewhere that can suit both of them, something like a good DIY yard with facilities and daily turnout?
 
Dumbo said:
Sounds similar to my situation. Think I need to give it a bit more thought but it sounds possible :)
Click to expand...

I honestly can't see why its such a bad idea, if you already work where the TB is, its no worse than having a horse on a diy yard and working in an office! you're going to be at the TB's yard every day anyway, so its just like it is for anyone else who doesn't work with horses who go to see their horses before and after work. Or in your case during your 3 hour break!

I'm coping just fine, so can't see why you won't!! :)
 
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