what makes you leave a yard?

A poorly managed yard, with an irrational YO.

Define moving quickly.... I expect I'd give it a couple of months (unless something terrible happened).
 
Multiple reasons . . . but primary one is if either me or my horse are really unhappy. I stayed at one yard for four months (three months too long) where GD was absolutely miserable . . . jumpy, unrideable, stressy.

P
 
I have left two yards after just over a year at each - both were primarily because of distances to-from work that changed. Each move has just got better and better and I learnt a lot from the different people that I liveried with.

Things that would make me move would be if somebody joined the yard that I just couldn't bare, if my mare was unhappy with part of the yard routine or if T/O was drastically reduced for some reason.

Most important things to me are her happiness and then mine. I have been round some very dominant characters in the past and only realised how much it affected what I did with my horse until I moved.
 
I was on a lovely little yard was only there for 4 weeks as horse lost considerable amount of weight, stressed loads broke through fencing to get out of paddock, feeding him in summer was a sure sign, he was a cleveland bay x and a very good doer!

Went back to my old yard for my horses sake. where we stayed for 4 yrs
 
YO telling me my horse being bullied in the field was the last of her priorities when I asked if I could section a small ammout of the massive field off for him. Then the constant digs about what I was doing with him and how he wasnt capable of it. They are now spreading rumors about us as well.
 
dafthoss said:
YO telling me my horse being bullied in the field was the last of her priorities when I asked if I could section a small ammout of the massive field off for him. Then the constant digs about what I was doing with him and how he wasnt capable of it. They are now spreading rumors about us as well.
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Yo's who slate everything you do (even when it was they who taught me everything i know) and one minute advising one thing, then when you do it giving you a b********g for doing it and saying to do something else. Also other liveries who are proper cows and do things and make it look like you, all because they are either jealous or they think your horse is taking something (eg grazing) from theirs where your horse was there first and then the YO believing every damn word that comes out of their mouth. Then YO telling you your horse is bad mannered and badly behaved and taking to smacking it around with half a broom handle. Rant over but yes this did actually happen to me.
 
I've also left after 6 weeks as my horse couldn't settle at a yard. She worried herself to nothing and started jumping the fences. I was terrified for her safety.
 
I just left my yard because we moved house but a friend of mine left the same yard because she couldnt cope with the bitchiness. She also left the yard she went to for the same reason and then settled at a yard she loved. She couldnt enjoy her horse in an environment where she felt she was being singled out. Its funny because I moved onto the yard she left and absolutely loved it but I am older and I didnt really get involved in the gossip. Funny how it depends on the type of person you are.
 
Not seeing the YO (who was supposed to be looking after my horses on full livery) for a month, oh- but she sent her 14 y o and 11 y o up instead. Straw that broke the camels back. Now moved to a lovely yard with lovely people, everybody's happy :D
 
My reasons for leaving yards over the years......

Cost doesn't reflect the yard or facilities.

Lack of turnout (especially in winter).

Promising something and not delivering (closing fields at random).

YO/YM with substance misuse issues or unstable mental health issues.

Cliques.

YO/YM borrowing money from me and not paying it back.

YO/YM husband being a creepy pervert.

YM yelling all the time.

I'm so grateful for the yard I am on now (and have been on for 7 years now) where the YO are decent and intelligent human beings!
 
1. Unhappy horse
2. Poor management
3. bitchy liveries
4. bitchy staff
5. cliques
6. Kids (sorry being honest)
7. teenager yard gangs
8. interfering know it alls
9. poorly kept facilities.
10. Horse snobs

None of these things on my yard, I love it x
 
the last yard i was at i left because i was paying £165 for "assisted" diy which was supposed to include, one turnout/bring in a day, feet picking out, rug changing, feeding in the morning. all we got was a turnout if we insisted and other liveries fed them in the morning. they only got 4 hours a day turnout and getting in the school was near impossible and the membrane was showing in there. the stable i had wasnt big enough for a 17.2hh it was built for a pony at 8 x 10 and when i said i wasnt happy with the size of the stable (i was promised another before i moved) i was told that was my problem... he was kept in individual turnout at the opposite side of the yard out of sight of the other horses in about 1/8th of an acre and he repeatedly jumped out. i would have moved sooner but i couldnt find another yard to move to that i hadnt been at before that i handnt moved from before for other reasons so when i finally moved it was to my current place that has no facilities as such but the horses are happy :o
 
Have only been on 2 yards - been on current one for 6 years and dont intend to move. Last yard I was on for 2 years. YO's husband was a perve. Say no more on that one. YO was a total Be Atch, YO did go bankrupt after we left, and it was on the skids when we were there. Could tell you loads more!
 
I left a yard after two days! I knew after one day that I hated it and that it wouldn't change so wasn't worth letting my horse settle. Best desision ever! The yard owner was nuts, shouting at me and telling me what to do insisting I used a diff company to transport my horse there. Telling me to ride straight away and getting huffy when I refused. They had all the facilities I could dream of but wasn't worth the stress.

One of the other liverys collared me the morning I was leaving and said she didn't blame me and I wasn't the first person to leave immediately! I think she was too scared to escape. Never again!!
 
I had one YO who believed I could control what my horse did when it was turned out in the field, and then blame me for the behviour...

She was a absolute witch, and I mean she made me feel an inch big and made me cry. She was a horrible horrible lady and it was me that she picked on!

I left after 5 months.

I will leave a yard if it is
A) B*tchy. Yes it does effect me and whether I want to go to the yard or not that night and lets face it, we spend so much time at our horses yard that we might aswell enjoy it! Not have some b*tchy overbearing individuals trying to control you ;) But then they soon learn to leave me alone! :D

B) My horse's care is in any way impinged. I will not tolerate my horses care to be below par. After all I am paying for the privilage!

Thankfully my yard is small, lovely, with nice people and a good atmosphere. My horse always has food and water, that is the main thing.
 
I've only moved yards twice but for me the main reasons were -

Incompetent staff/lack of proper duty of care
Lack of access to facilities
Poor grazing/turnout
General nasty atmosphere of the yard.
 
I left a yard after 4 weeks. Yeah, 4 colics, 4 vet visits, 1 ending in horsepital - I was ready for leaving. YO was lovely, yard was fine - my horse just wasn't happy there. Most odd.

Next yard we stayed at for 6 weeks. Was promised turnout in the field everyday... that didn't happen. It was 6 weeks of confinement - still, at least she didn't colic.

Moved to another private hunting yard. Fantastic. Stayed for 5 years. Only moved because the owner sold up :(
 
Anything that makes me or the horse unhappy would make me move. Horse is the priority though:

Once moved as I got balled out for not watering the school when we had arranged that a livery that was up in the day would water and we would harrow instead of both of us doing both (We use to drag a harrow between 2 of us instead of raking in the 'potholes', hard work). YO knew this and basically had an unreasonable screaming session at me on Christmas Eve in front of my family who were waiting in the car after having come up to see my pony. I moved within a week to a different yard but my horse was incredibly unhappy there, after 2 months of seeing if he would settle I ended up moving back to the original yard with an apology form YO.

I love the yard I am on now, one or two people that I prefer not to spend time with but no-one that offends me or I can't stand.
 
I've been on a few yards - first we were full livery as it was so far away but then moved them closer to home and diy. Only lasted 2 weeks before we moved back as my pony got terribly beat up and they wouldnt let me move fields.

Eventually found another place so moved there but after a year went to a smaller set up as it was a big big yard and was sold. But was only with one other who became very jealous and bitchy so moved to a friends who suddenly limited turnout for my pony only so moved back to big yard after 6 months after sale went through.
Got a new horse who couldnt cope with the hacking so moved to another yard for 2 or 3 years. Then moved them to work with me for ease for a year and then moved back!
 
hmm, I have only been on 3 yards, and am currently spread across two of them, one being a farm, the other a mid sized DIY livery yard.

We have moved due to lack of appropriate facilities for my daughter's young mare at the time, and then moved again due to lack of grazing and yard atmosphere.
 
I've been on 3 yards with my boy...

First I left after 6 days... completely incompetent yard owners! My horse was badly injured and I was told they didn't have time to look after his basic needs (he was on full livery) so I upped and left. He needed lots of care and attention when I couldn't be there and I couldn't take the risk.

In a panic I moved to the 2nd yard which seemed like a good idea at the time but the 24/7 turnout I was promised in the summer materialised as 4 hours per day if I was lucky. The YO's were utterly bonkers telling me my rising 5 year old would go feral if he was turned out for longer than 4 hours and that I should ride him for at least 2 hours per day to get the excess energy out of him... just one of many suggestions about my horse's care they had! They also closed their top doors for the 20 hours that they were in their stables... which I hated! They were also incredibly bitchy behind your back if your face didn't fit, the staff were unprofessional and a few regularly full on hit the horses in front of other liveries, and they made you feel like even though you paid an utter fortune, they were always doing YOU a favour... I managed to stick it out for 3 months...

Have finally moved to the most amazing yard and I love it. I'm happy, my horse is happy and relaxed, all the liveries are lovely, nothing is too much trouble for the yard manager who is the most fabulous instructor as well. Best decision I ever made. I think I will be at this one forever and ever!!
 
24/7 all year access being promised and not delivered.

Requested hose not to be handled by anyone on site (plenty of people I trusted to do so without being a free for all).
Turned up to find horse stabled and limited turn out.

Stable leaked (as in flooded) with light rain. YO's response was that I wasn't using anyway. I wasn't using as I didn't want horse getting soaked in stable! Was fixed after a moan.

Both annoyance but could be cleared up, if not sorted I'd look at moving for first one and second soon as a decent yard I was happy with came up, third before winter.

Then horse was attacked in field after my things being stolen (and stupidly saying I was going to file a theft report).
The trailer and new home were available within the hour. The horse unfortunately took 3weeks to move.
 
My last yard - i left after four months because (i may get shot down for this) the yard was rough as houses. The liveries weren't the kind of people i wanted near my horses and the yard itself was a state. No winter turnout and no turnout paddock in winter. I have two babies so i had to get gone. All that on top of someone helping themself to my haylage and straw!

Yard before - i was there 18 months. YO was a money grabbing fruitloop. I was paying twice what i should've and being made to feel like my horses were poor quality and i was incompetent. I had a week to move my boys after a row with YO. There was only 2 stables available anywhere in the area, which is how i ended up on the yard above.

Current yard - I've been there 9 months.. and im not saying anything til i've left.
 
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After I sold my last horse before uni 10 years ago I said I'd never have another horse at livery. Overbearing yard owners and cliquey/bitchy liveries were my bug bear and it was always the ones who had the most to say that actually did the least with their own horses! However I must say that I love my new yard; small and well run without any ordering about, things are always discussed properly (field changes etc) and really lovely YM and liveries who are friendly but not gossipy so we are quite happy there!
 
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