Nativelover
Well-Known Member
Just my musings, but as per title what do people do when they can't find a good yard to keep their horse??? Stick with what you have but be unhappy ? Move the search area wider and see the horse less?? Or sell??
What do you do when you can't find a good yard???
- Thread starter Nativelover
- Start date
concorde
Well-Known Member
I used to keep my horses at home.
We sold up and moved and I now just have one horse on assisted DIY
I love my current yard but I have learnt
Mind my own business
Accept I have to compromise
Be more chilled
We sold up and moved and I now just have one horse on assisted DIY
I love my current yard but I have learnt
Mind my own business
Accept I have to compromise
Be more chilled
stormox
Well-Known Member
You just have to accept whats available, and make the most of it. No point being miserable about it, We cant have everything perfect and just as we want it in any part of life. Too far? get a good talking book and enjoy the journey. No school? Make the most of your hacks. People not keeping their horses the way you like? ignore them.......
Greylegs
Well-Known Member
I truly believe that the perfect livery yard is not out there. There are some good ones and some bad ones, but any livery yard is going to be a compromise. It may have the best facilities and care, but you don't like the people: maybe there's tons of turnout but it gets very muddy: great people but poor facilities: or it's pretty near perfect but miles away, or very expensive. .... there's always something ...
I think you have to try your best to find somewhere where the "compromise" issue is acceptable to you and your horse and find ways to work with the issues as they arise. It's a tough one. Good luck with your search.
I think you have to try your best to find somewhere where the "compromise" issue is acceptable to you and your horse and find ways to work with the issues as they arise. It's a tough one. Good luck with your search.
gina2201
Well-Known Member
Buy your own yard!
In all seriousness if that isn't an option, you'll either have to compromise on the yards within your current area or widen that search area and hope there's something there that also suits.
In all seriousness if that isn't an option, you'll either have to compromise on the yards within your current area or widen that search area and hope there's something there that also suits.
SO1
Well-Known Member
Is it you that is unhappy with the situation or your horse.
If you can't find a yard where your horse is happy then you have a problem. The yard is your horse's home and they have to feel relaxed there. If your horse is happy think of everything else as an added bonus this may change your mind-set.
In some respects I am lucky as I am a single person with no other commitments outside work except my pony, I don't mind long journeys and I could move to another area if I really needed to and was able to find work. Being not so lucky in love does give me more flexibility. If you focus a lot on what you don't have without believing you can change this then this is an easy way to make yourself unhappy.
Sometimes new yards open up or management on existing yards change, your situation at work may change enabling you perhaps to have either more time or money or opening up your options.
If you can't find a yard where your horse is happy then you have a problem. The yard is your horse's home and they have to feel relaxed there. If your horse is happy think of everything else as an added bonus this may change your mind-set.
In some respects I am lucky as I am a single person with no other commitments outside work except my pony, I don't mind long journeys and I could move to another area if I really needed to and was able to find work. Being not so lucky in love does give me more flexibility. If you focus a lot on what you don't have without believing you can change this then this is an easy way to make yourself unhappy.
Sometimes new yards open up or management on existing yards change, your situation at work may change enabling you perhaps to have either more time or money or opening up your options.
Nativelover
Well-Known Member
My musings were about me really, but initiated because I began to think of the other couple of people on my yard who are in the same position as me.
Tbh I hate my yard, I hate the journey there, the YO is quite frankly a psycho and can be mean to the horses, the only reason I moved is because the yards ive been on closer to home reduced the grazing to a ridiculous 3 hrs a day in the summer only.
As for my horse, he is reasonably happy, he gets out 2 x a week in winter and over night in summer. It's not ideal, but the best I can get him at the moment.
I just wondered what other people do in my situation, I know I can't be alone!! I know some peoples horses cope well with no turnout, but mine doesn't.
Tbh I hate my yard, I hate the journey there, the YO is quite frankly a psycho and can be mean to the horses, the only reason I moved is because the yards ive been on closer to home reduced the grazing to a ridiculous 3 hrs a day in the summer only.
As for my horse, he is reasonably happy, he gets out 2 x a week in winter and over night in summer. It's not ideal, but the best I can get him at the moment.
I just wondered what other people do in my situation, I know I can't be alone!! I know some peoples horses cope well with no turnout, but mine doesn't.
asmp
Well-Known Member
I've been at numerous yards around the country as husband was in the forces and I've never had restricted turnout (apart from being stabled at nights in the winter). In Germany the fields were closed off during the winter but each horse had a turnout yard attached to its stable so was able to go in and out when it liked.
I've found the smaller yards are best and I've found them in the past by asking around at shows (the secretary), riding clubs, local RDA group, etc.
I've found the smaller yards are best and I've found them in the past by asking around at shows (the secretary), riding clubs, local RDA group, etc.
Red-1
I used to be decisive, now I'm not so sure...
I am another who got my own yard. We only had a 60's 3 bed semi and not much extra cash, so had to move 45 miles away to where property was cheaper, and had an 80 mile a day commute.
Worth it for the horses though. Plus, it has gone up in value. At the time we could not even afford soup spoons, and for years had a 14" tv, no Sky, had to chop logs as it was cheaper than heating etc. etc etc.
Worth it for the horses though. Plus, it has gone up in value. At the time we could not even afford soup spoons, and for years had a 14" tv, no Sky, had to chop logs as it was cheaper than heating etc. etc etc.
Sugar_and_Spice
Well-Known Member
In my case the answer has always been to find the best of a bad bunch and make the most of it. Crazy YO? Make sure she has no need to be handling your horse. find out what time she's around and go at different times. Someone on the yard who you don't like, but can't avoid? Become quick at mucking out etc, take up hacking. I always found it helpful to have horse caught up, groomed and tacked up before I started the stable jobs so I was ready to leave for my hack the second they arrived. I prefer big yards, it's easier to lose yourself in a crowd.
Lack of turnout is harder to deal with. I accommodate it with ridden work. For a start that means as much as possible. Horses need exercise more than they need tons of grooming or perfectly tidy beds. I make the rides about giving the horse some down time and a chance to let off steam, when they're cooped up the rest of the time. Regular blasts, lots of walking on a long rein, turning a blind eye to excitable bucking, hacking in company. Even a quick 10mins lead out in hand squeezed into the day makes a difference. I also try, if possible, to tie up outside a horsey friends stable. So the 2 of them can groom each other over the door if they want, it's better than nothing. Days where there's more time I'll curry comb all the itchy spots they can't easily reach themselves. It's not the same as having a roll in the field but again, better than nothing. Ad lib hay if possible so at least they're not bored and hungry. Or for a fatty on restricted rations, the hay and feed split up as much as possible to avoid huge gaps with nothing to do.
I'm happy to travel further for the right yard, as long as I can physically fit the journey into my day. I'm always surprised on here when people post threads asking for other's travel distance/time to their yards. I,ve always been happy with upto 20 miles or 45min driving time for DIY livery. When people limit themselves to 20min absolute max I think well is it any wonder you can't find somewhere suitable.
Lack of turnout is harder to deal with. I accommodate it with ridden work. For a start that means as much as possible. Horses need exercise more than they need tons of grooming or perfectly tidy beds. I make the rides about giving the horse some down time and a chance to let off steam, when they're cooped up the rest of the time. Regular blasts, lots of walking on a long rein, turning a blind eye to excitable bucking, hacking in company. Even a quick 10mins lead out in hand squeezed into the day makes a difference. I also try, if possible, to tie up outside a horsey friends stable. So the 2 of them can groom each other over the door if they want, it's better than nothing. Days where there's more time I'll curry comb all the itchy spots they can't easily reach themselves. It's not the same as having a roll in the field but again, better than nothing. Ad lib hay if possible so at least they're not bored and hungry. Or for a fatty on restricted rations, the hay and feed split up as much as possible to avoid huge gaps with nothing to do.
I'm happy to travel further for the right yard, as long as I can physically fit the journey into my day. I'm always surprised on here when people post threads asking for other's travel distance/time to their yards. I,ve always been happy with upto 20 miles or 45min driving time for DIY livery. When people limit themselves to 20min absolute max I think well is it any wonder you can't find somewhere suitable.
Bernster
Well-Known Member
I agree that it depends what I didn't like about the yard. If its little things that bug me but the horse is happy and well looked after, then I'd put up with it. If it's more serious and horse welfare is concerned, then I'd widen the search.
It is a bit of compromise where yards are concerned so it's a case of working out what your and your horses priorities are. It's a real shame if you can't find one that you are both reasonably happy with, do you think you could widen your search either location, travel time, cost, to get a better yard?
It is a bit of compromise where yards are concerned so it's a case of working out what your and your horses priorities are. It's a real shame if you can't find one that you are both reasonably happy with, do you think you could widen your search either location, travel time, cost, to get a better yard?
shadowboy
Well-Known Member
It was the main reason why I sold my boy. I needed 5 day part livery for under £400. I could only find one yard that offered this and they looked after him very poorly. I sent him away for sales livery and he's now in a lovely home on DIY where they have the time that I didn't.