Whats your yards compromise?

[chaps89]

I am in the process of having to move from the perfect yard (or it is for me anyway) It has good grazing, shelter in the fields, big barn to tie up in, storage, school that never floods/freezes and the best hacking I've ever come across. Moving mostly because the yard owner is downsizing and has stopped offering any assistance but also because the atmosphere on the yard has changed and it has reached a point where I feel sick going up and often leave crying. Therefore I've handed my notice in although I don't yet have anywhere lined up to go- luckily there are lots of yards in the area- but this is where I'm struggling.
All of the yards I have looked at/got lined up to see (about 6 of them!) have a compromise- be it location (perfect but too far away), price (perfect but unaffordable), no hacking (I know wherever I go to won't have as good hacking as where I am but this place has none which is a shame as otherwise perfect) or individual only turnout (plenty of other horses around but no direct company) or loony yard managers. All I really want is herd turnout with a little bit of storage and nice hacking so I'd settle for a field with a shed in it but that seems hard to come by!
Happy to compromise but can't work out what's best so thought I'd see what others experiences have been- compromises that have worked well, or not worked so well please!

 

[Micropony]

There are two compromises where I am. One is that the hacking isn't great: mostly roadwork, very little off road riding, and the roads are pretty suburban and unforgiving, we're not talking gentle country lanes here. I can live with that, as I only hack once a week for most of the year, and it still gives the horse a bit of variety, and he enjoys it.

The second, and bigger compromise is the fields. Group turnout is available, but the winter field in particular gets totally trashed by about December so they are standing in deep clay mud with no grass to occupy them. Also it's a biggish yard with horses always coming and going, so the group is never very stable. Individual or pairs turnout is available and is the lesser of two evils, but my boy doesn't get as much as I would like.

Everything else about the yard is fab though - horse care, support, training, facilities - so we live with it, and frankly I wouldn't get much better turnout anywhere else locally. We're both happy and settled, I would just really like more and better turnout for him. Yards round here seem to be closing every month as they're sold off for housing, and everywhere has waiting lists, so the alternatives get fewer and fewer unless I was prepared to travel for an hour or so, which I really can't do.

 

[Lexi_]

No arena - just a grass paddock. But the big wins are that there's much better hacking, grazing and far nicer people than at the last place.

 

[Emilieu]

Hardly ever anyone to ride with and hacking predominately roadwork - twisty country roads at that.
But... Small herd of 7 who adore each other, set routine where we all help each other out, wonderful set of liveries, really excellent turnout almost every day of the year (very hard to find out my way), lovely big stable which is warm in winter and cool in summer and a four minute drive from my house. I feel very lucky and am happy to make the sacrifice - in any case i would have to travel miles to get any real decent hacking.

 

[nato]

Not much off-road hacking, so no real opportunity to let her go for a bit of a burn. However I don't mind it too much as I can chuck her in the trailer and drive 10mins down the road to a lovely forest.
Also no indoor arena - it's not REALLY a compromise but I had one in my last yard so when moving it felt like one.

But in return I get the best price in the area, all year round turnout on exceptionally well maintained fields (owner has 36 acres and won't take any more than 16 horses on), second to none care for my horse and the warmest most welcoming atmosphere I have ever experienced at a livery yard.

 

[DappleGreyDaydreamer]

There is very little hacking in my area, and to get to any country bridlepaths it's at least a half hour ride on very impolite roads so not a fun experience for horse or rider. However it is within walking distance to my house so very convenient, and yard manager is very nice and helpful! Our arena is big, but it freezes over quite a lot, but we have a sheltered horse walker. The horses are in an indoor barn all night by rule, but they have all day herd turnout in small groups of 5. The only criticism I have of my yard is the lack of hacking, otherwise it is the perfect place to be!

 

[Yardbird]

Where abouts are you looking? Maybe someone will know somewhere that will have the things you want.

 

[chaps89]

See my feeling is I can't compromise on hacking mare is having an enforced holiday at the moment but I'm hoping she'll eventually come back to work 3 or 4 times a week. She won't ever school more than once a week which means the other times I need some variety on where I can go. She's a saint in traffic but one of the yards I've looked at even I wouldn't chance riding on the roads around it. Which is a shame as yard otherwise ticks all boxes (school, storage, herd turnout, assistance, close to home, affordable) all the other yards have hacking but compromise is price/location/turnout or combination of all of them :s I just wish the yard I was at hadn't changed!
Keep your thoughts coming please

 

[Red-1]

I feel awful for you, no one should feel like that when going up to see their horse.

I keep mine at home, but still, there are compromises.

I have no hacking partner, the fields are on clay so out of use Oct-April, the arena is quite small, and the hacking is a nice plod round the village, but not very exciting.

Up sides are: use of arena whenever I like, including winter turnout, quiet road work, a show centre a few hundred yards away with arena hire, and a relaxed atmosphere.

If we ever move I would prioritise hacking more, although I have a box and box out to lovely hacking once a week, which has the advantage of making lorry travel routine and pleasant.

 

[pansymouse]

My compromise is a charming but rather eccentric YO with some funny ideas but we now understand her, the horses are very happy there and the hacking is perfect (we can get onto Salisbury Plain without touch the public highway). It's the furthest I've ever travelled to a yard (8 miles) but totally worth it.

 

[applecart14]

Having to share feeding and turning out one of the days at the weekend which is an incredible bind as I would rather free up my weekend morning, have a lie in and pay someone to turn out/bring in for me. I would happily pay a fiver so that I could do this, I work hard enough in the week without having to work at the weekends, and I am up at 5.50am every morning to get to work for 7.15am so its not as if I am lazy, just very tired, especially with all the pain killers I am on for my back; sometimes I feel like I am floating around on a cloud and its a nasty feeling. Its not a deal breaker as somone else who moved to the yard is now helping out with this so we share it but its a bind especially as there is no rota so I never know what I am doing until pratically the day before. I don't know if I am meant to be doing this sunday, I am working saturday at work so I am hoping I can have a lie in on the Sunday morning, but a little worried about asking


I think that is really the only problem I have encountered. I like the yard otherwise because the hacking is great round the area and I can lose myself for an hour and a half and only encounter half a dozen cars during this time. Also the menage is brilliant especially when it is maintained every week and harrowed. Its a big size, and a good surface, although I could do without the sheep hiding under the trees!

 

[Michen]

I think I am pretty lucky with My yard as there are very few round here that allow all year turnout. Compromises include a school that rides deep in the summer and no arena lights (yet). However you can turn out every day if you want in the winter, but the fields are not maintained and if you trash it then it's your problem. They do recover well though. It has a lovely atmosphere and fab stables with good hacking though you do have a bit of a trek to do any decent canter work.

 

[milliepops]

every yard has a compromise IME

Current place has pretty dull hacking over the winter - mainly just lanes though they are at least quiet. The school is not ideal for me - funny size and usually full of jumps. My stables are inside a big barn that has no view for the horses. But on the plus side, and it's an enormous plus, it's a yard of lovely lovely people and the YO is a saint. I never feel like I have to worry.

Having previously been on yard where I was worried either about the safety of the environment or the sanity of my horse due to odd set up, this place is probably as good as it gets :lol:

 

[Merlod]

My yard is a small 8 horse yard, they all go out as a herd with two large turnout fields, it's friendly, everyone has large individual storage which I think goes a long way in having no arguements, it's well fenced, the hacking is fantastic and the yard is off the beaten track but not to far away from my house.

My compromise is that is doesn't have a school - I would like a school but my reasoning is that the turnout is the most important from my own welfare point of view as that's where my horse will be spending 23hours a day (and the majority of his life!) so he needs space and company compared to 4 hours a week using a school..

 

[miss_c]

I've literally just moved yards (Sunday) and for me the biggest compromise is the time restrictions, although they are workable. Due to planning constraints (daft local council worried about extra cars in rush hour when it's used as a rat run anyway) no liveries are allowed on the yard before 9am on weekdays, so the horses are on assisted with yard staff doing the morning from 7.30am. I know both staff really well already and trust them implicitly, but so far I've been wide awake at 6.30 every morning clock watching until I can go to the yard! In winter the yard closes at 8.30pm and I work until 8pm, but as I work from home and am 5 minutes away that's absolutely fine so long as I don't hang about.

 

[Crackerz]

No arena - just a grass paddock. But the big wins are that there's much better hacking, grazing and far nicer people than at the last place.

Snap!

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

My compromise is distance, my yard is 35 mins drive (or 17 miles) away from my house, although 20-25 mins in rush hour away from work. Also the school is only 20x40.

However we have all year, all day turnout. The people and YM are amazing, he is on part livery but I can put him on full whenever I like for a day or two, the hacking is amazing, and all in all I am really happy. So what is a deal breaker to some, is not for others.

 

[Jingleballs]

Lack of proper arena although hopefully not for long and distance - it's 10 miles from home.

It does however offer all year grass livery, good hacking, a super yard manager and good bunch of liveries.

My previous yard was closer, well priced, fab hacking and arena but a weird almost soulless atmosphere.

Much happier now!

 

[Annagain]

Mine is hacking, but that would be the same for every yard in my area. It's ok, but a lot of roads that are too narrow to be as busy as they are. That's why being good in traffic is my number priority when looking for a horse. I'd have to move a good 20 minutes in the wrong direction from work to get decent hacking and as I'm on DIY and have to go twice a day before and after a demanding job with long hours it's not something that's viable. I'd rather box up at a weekend to hack somewhere nicer.

If I was being really picky I'd also say no 24hr turnout in winter. I'd much rather have mine out all year round but I know the 12 hrs a day they do get in winter is far more than most places, especially places with the facilities I have so I won't complain about it!

The best bits about mine are lovely YOs and fellow liveries and it's precisely 1.8 miles (1.5 if I walk) from home.

 

[9tails]

Restricted winter turnout. We have some, as long as it's not rained for at least a week or the ground is frozen. So this winter has seen us keeping the horses in a lot which is far less than ideal. But, there are very few livery yards in this area (with a number of large yards having closed down in the last two years) and most are even stricter than this one.

 

[PStarfish]

I feel very lucky with my yard. Stabling in barns with large tie up areas, good outdoor school and small indoor. Good hacking with minimal roadwork on quiet country lanes needed. Lovely people - barely any bitching (and with 20 odd owners thats good going!) All year t/o in small groups or individual depending on preference and split mares/geldings.
I guess for me the compromise was the distance - my previous yard was 2 mins round the corner from home but no facilities. Current yard is 20mins drive in opposite direction from home and work. So does add on some mileage and time, but worth it in my eyes.

 

[Damnation]

We have no arena, just a grassy patch that can be used for schooling in summer provided that no horse is turned out on it and its dry. (Rarely both at the same time).

 

[xgemmax]

Our school gets really deep in the summer and our field is quite waterlogged at the moment and further than most peoples fields

 

[Enfys]

Compromises :- No facilities whatsoever, only field shelter and an overgrown arena.

on the other hand, those things can be fixed, worth putting up for because of several factors, fabulous riding. Horsey area. Loads of horse friends. Well drained land. On the doorstep.

 

[soulfull]

I'm really lucky, hacking is off road but can be limited depending on where the cattle are put.
sometimes arenas are all being used for competitions, but other times I'm competing so it doesn't matter.

 

[wiglet]

I moved to my yard a few months ago because I wanted a floodlit arena to work in. The compromise has been full livery - that's all the yard does and I'm a DIY girl at heart. I do trust the staff totally and my horse settled the moment she got there but, last week as the YO walked down the yard with a wheelbarrow containing bags of Alfa A, my girl whickered to her... my heart broke in two at that moment.

 

[muckypony]

I've compromised no company, which means no help ever. But I have a wonderful yard to myself, 4 big fields with lots of grass that I can do what I like with, a great school that never floods and has a nice surface, and the hacking isn't too bad (apart from a-hole drivers!)

The two things I wouldn't compromise is anything grazing related, and horrible liveries. No-one should be made to feel like you are and I feel really awful for you!

 

[NealaTorin]

No company, electric or a tap (I do have a self filling trough)

My own field though and the owner let's me do what I want. Have laid gravel areas and he is getting me 30tonne of road planings to make a dry standing area in the bottom part that I use for winter turnout. Large old cow stone built hemmel approx 16m x 4m inside with another 4m x 16m gravelled area in front of it.i use this for my stable for my cob and shetland.situated in a private estate with masses of off road hacking rright down to the beach.

Not having a running tap I miss so we are going to turn the trough off and have a tap connected instead. Having to clean the trough out is just a pita as we have lots of trees and buckets are just far easier to do. So that I'd been sorted this year.

The electric hasn't proved an issue this winter for light as got a portable electric one that lights up the whole hemmel and then some. But for clipping I've invested in battery operated as just easier. Bought a generator for this summer to do lots of maintenence and general fixings I'd like around the place and need power tools.

I dont mind no company or help I just miss the extra eyes you have around on a yard to keep an eye on the horses etc.

 

[dibbin]

Ours are at home, but the main compromise is that I now don't have access to an arena. At our old place nobody else used it much so we pretty much had the run of it (until half the surface washed away, but that's another story), and I am missing being able to ride during the week.

I'm happy to put up with it for (a) not paying livery, (b) a field that actually has grass in it, and (c) being able to hack out without going along a 60mph road!

 

[ladyaga]

Are you in Sykehouse ?