What would you do?

[JJ2]

I have a 20yr old mare who is semi retired. I will never sell her as she is my world and has given me so much so she will stay with me forever.
I am wanting a horse i can do more with and compete again as i am missing it a lot but i keep my horse on DIY livery and cant afford to have two horses on DIY.
I did put my mare out on loan for nearly a year but it all ended horribly and after that bad experience i would never do it again. I have advertised for a sharer but as yet no takers!

I have been offered to rent a field from a friend which isnt the nest grazing land but would be ok for two horses.

So...if i rent the field i would be able to afford to keep two horses as the rent is so much cheaper. Would you move from a very nice DIY to just a field?
I have never had any of my horses living out full time and am not sure i would cope very well with the lack of school and mud everywhere!!

What are peoples thoughts on my situation?

 

[JenHunt]

how about trying to keep your mare out this year, in livery so you have the option of bringing her in if it doesnt work, and then looking for one over the summer and moving when you've found one?

mine cope well out all year, and one's in medium/hard work and the other one is in light work. keep her warm and well fed and i'm sure she'll be fine.

 

[JJ2]

Sadly fields dont come up very often around me...so i jumped at the chance to have this field. I guess i am more worried about how i will cope with the lack of extras you get on a yard!

 

[Blizzard]

If you want to stay at livery how about getting a sharer for the mare to pay her livery?

 

[AmyMay]

[ QUOTE ]
Would you move from a very nice DIY to just a field?

[/ QUOTE ]
No I wouldn't. Your in a situation that many of us find our selves in ultimately, and it can be a little tough.

Obviously selling your lovely horse is not an option - at 20 who knows where she'd end up.....

But finding yourself another horse to ride could be the way forward. Do you have friends on your yard who would be happy for you to ride their horse and compete ocassionaly??

 

[JJ2]

I have advertised for a sharer but had no one enquire as yet!

 

[Blizzard]

[ QUOTE ]
I have advertised for a sharer but had no one enquire as yet!

[/ QUOTE ]

wherehave you advertised?

New Rider, ad trader, horsemart etc are good, local feed and tack shops.

 

[JJ2]

Sadly there isnt any that i would be able to ride as we are all on DIY so they are riding at every opportunity.
I would never sell my mare under any circumstances but i do want something else to do some more on.
I could keep one at the livery yard and one in the rented field as that would still be cheaper than having two liveries but that would mean the one in the field was on its own...grr its so difficult!!

 

[JJ2]

I have advertised locally as i dont see the point advertising nationally on horsemart etc when i need someone in the same town as me.
I have put another ad in the local paper to come out this weekend, fingers crossed.
She would be such a good horse to share though as she is a complete schoolmistress, as she is responsive but 100% safe in all situations.

 

[Blizzard]

I think quite a few people on here have found shares on New Rider, its free to advertise and of course people local to you may enquire.

 

[YorkshireLass]

Fields aren't always cheaper.

You will have to look after the field, topping, rolling, harrowing, weed killing, Maintaing fences etc.

You will spend more money on rugs and cleaning them.

You will also give up the security of the yard. Both in terms of the security of your horses and the fact that no one will keep an eye on them. There will be no one to discover injuries, colic, escape etc.

You will have no where to keep your kit so your house will look like a tack room!

You will have to box up to ride. So there is fuel money and school hire.

You will have no one to ride with.

Many owners of fields have it written in to the laese that you can only set foot on the land for the purposes of 'grazing horses' so no riding in the field. In the winter you wouldn't wantto because you would wreck it.

In the winter you will have no light.

If you don'thave hard standing and somewhere to wash the legs, your farrier could refuse to come.

If your horse was ill, you would have no where to stable it.

I would say that it depends upon the field. I woudn't have a field anywhere near a town because people feed and interfere with the horses. If it was an 'out of the way' field with great hacking, that would be different.

I have broken in lots of horses with no access to a school or a stable, but the winter is a nightmare.

 

[AmyMay]

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Sadly there isnt any that i would be able to ride as we are all on DIY

[/ QUOTE ]
Dont' see what that has to do with it - my previous yard was more or less exclusively DIY and there always one or two horses in need of more exercise than they got - and people who would be happy for a competent rider to have some 'extra' fun.

Have you actually spoken to anyone on your yard about it?? Or have any friends elsewhere that would be happy to allow you to ride their horses?

I have been in a similar situation to you - and it's amazing how many horses you get offered to ride when yours is either out of action or not up to the job - once people know that you are interested that is.

I would definately not keep one horse on it's own in a field. And you have to way up the pro's and cons very carefully of keeping your horses in a field enviornment only, with no access to stabling of any sort.

The other thing you could try is to find a nice retirement home for your mare, with a trusted friend - and then purchase another horse.

 

[Cop-Pop]

Rather than sharing your mare why don't you see of anyone near you wants to share their horse?

 

[catnumber5]

Think you might miss the facilities - and if you have a really bad winter might run into problems.

I would keep trying for a sharer, I think.