What would you do? Yard dilemma.....

J

jumpthemoon

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Ok...the yard I am at now is lovely - the people are really lovely (went camping with YO this weekend), the hacking is lovely (although I have to go out in company to hack). The problem is that the discipline I want to compete in is SJ, and the school is not good enough to jump on. I have some jumps in one of the paddocks, but the ground is too hard for most of the summer and I'm not allowed to jump in there in winter.

Also, the lights in the school consist of one floodlight that's used for the gateway and just happens to light half of the school (15x30m arena). There is a horse walker and everything else is fine, it's just the jumping really. I can't practise and I really need to - I can't afford to keep hiring schools out etc. I'm also a bit worried about the school surface being quite hard and the effect it's having on my horses joints.

I've found another yard, it's 2 miles further away (6 instead of 4) and £6 more expensive per week, but I could keep my mare on grass livery so it might even work out cheaper. They have miles of off road hacking, a huge brand new school with jumps, 2 xc course's and miles of bridleways straight off the yard.

I don't know what to do cos I love the yard I'm at now, but I really want to get out competing and it just isn't happening because I can't practise
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Also, I'm allowed to take my dog to current yard and not sure what the policy is on the new yard.

What would you do????
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Move. There's no point in owning a horse and not being able to do what you want with it - you pay a lot of money for doing that! Unless there is any way the school might be re-surfaced in the near future, you aren't going to be happy and therefore nor will your horse be.
 
OK, what's more important to you riding your horse the way you want to or being somewhere that you love? Who's not to say that you won't like new yard more?

Do you have to use public transport to get to yard? Otherwise I'm not sure why an extra 2 miles is a huge problem. Ditto the dog - how important is it that dog comes too?

Ultimately only you can make the decision and only you can decide whether you and your horse will be better off moving.

Good luck
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It's pretty important that the dog comes with me. She doens't have to be let off the lead, but she does need to be able to come to the yard. The two miles will add up over a week, but I'm thinking if I have one on grass livery that would probably help make up the difference.

I'm going to enquire about the new place I think and see how much more it would cost me.
 
I would find out about the policy on the new yard for bringing dogs and anything else that is very important to you. If they allow your dog to go to the yard and you are able to afford the new place and extra travel then I would strongly consider moving.
You are going to end up disliking your current yard if you cannot do what you want to do.
So I would consider it now whilst there is a spot open on a yard just as close to home.
 
The thing that makes it the most difficult is that the YO is quite a good friend and I'll feel as though I'm chucking back in her face all the help she's given me. I've asked her about doing the school and she says she thinks it's fine as it is (it isn't!) and everything else is perfect. It's just the jumping, but as I can't hack on my own, I'm a bit restricted if the school is cr@p
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I've emailed the other yard and I'll wait and see what happens - it is a really nice yard. OH is not keen on me moving either!
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Move - you dont keep horses to make friends and at the end of the day they may be great friends now but once you cut all business ties with the current yard owner THEN you can really call them a good friend - if you get my drift? If they are good nice people, they will always be there no matter what and will fully understand why you have to leave. If you were a happy hacker then yes stay but you arent - you have a horse for a purpose and a job and you will be compramising your sucess and goals if you dont move.

Only other thing is if you like it that much and they are such good friends ask them about improving yard facilities ? But for 6 quid more - the facilities you are going to sound fab! I said it on a post last night - you dont have a horse to make friends and if you leave the current yard Im sure you will be able to see YO down the pub!! xx
 
Thanks browbrow - that makes sense
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I have asked them about improving the school and she said she'd like to but isn't sure about spending money on it and it serves it's purpose for her (she doesn't really use it except for lunging)so she probably won't.

The facilities at the other yard are amazing and with the possibility of keeping one on grass livery it shouldn't even work out more expensive.
 
HIya JTM,
I see that your problem is more complex than it first appears.
However, if jumping is what you bought your horse for, and that is where your heart lies, you should follow your heart and not your head (IMHO)

I do endurance and hack out nearly all the time. I once moved to a yard that was cheap, near my home and had good facilities, but the hacking was nightmareish and in a short space of time I was miserable.

I can see that you feel some loyalty towards your friend, but if you are not getting out to jump and can only hack if you have company...I can see that your current yard will soon start to feel restrictive.
I can sympathise with the yo who does not want to lay out a lot of expense to upgrade an arena that only one client will get the real benefit of.

Trust your gut feelings on this one hunny.
 
As a yard owner I accept that the liveries must do what suits them. Ilike to think we always remain friends (ex liveries are always popping in and come to yard bbqs and know Im at the end of a phone if they need help) It good business and lifes too short not to remain friends and it leaves the door open if circumstances change and they want to move back.

PS. Rambling again hope that all makes sense!
 
Well I suppose if its adequate for her then she wont really improve it bless her

she sounds really sweet - but I think you need the facilities more than keeping a friend happy

Best of luck xx
 
Thanks Maestro and mintaka04. Horses are so difficult! It's not so bad during the summer as I quite like hacking out with YO and doing some flatwork in the week, but I do feel as if I'm not getting any closer to achieveing my goals and all my efforts in the school are wasted. I take him out and jump at other yards but then it's all forgotten because we don't jump for two weeks.
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It's a lovely yard where you are - but it is such a shame that you can't jump and it must be a bit frustrating for you. Would Mrs T be ok on grass livery all year round? I think it might be really good for you to be somewhere where you can do more jumping
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Hi Bex! It is a lovely yard, but the surface is a nightmare and I'm worried about his joints - I've stopped cantering in the school now cos it's so hard
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I'll pm you the link to the place I'm thinking of moving to....I rang them earlier and they would let me take my dog too...
 
Hey
youre current yard is lovely but if u want to do more jumping and want to get out competing you and Mr Canto would benefit from having somewhere to practise youre jumping. Also if Miss Tango doesnt mind living out all year round that would save you money
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xxx
 
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