Which yard would you choose?

[HorseMad20]

Which would you choose if you had the choice between these two?


Yard 1
-20 horse barn
-large fields with horses turned out in herds
-hay and shavings to be bought from yard, both £8 per bale
-lovely yard owner, real family feel to yard
-good hacking but costs £100 a year to get a permit
-last horse out is never brought in so generally runs around untill owner is up there as everyone is too worried to go and get it
-big school but no lights and floods in winter
-not very competitive


Yard 2
-much bigger yard with about 40 liverys split over 2 yards
-horses out in herds bigger than yard 1
-haylage available at £45 for a large bale buy own shavings
-big yard so more of "just another livery feel"
-small amount of hacking around the farm for free
-last horse always gets brought it
-large outdoor school with lights
-qualified instructors on sight
-competitions and shows on sight


opinions would be great

 

[rudigem]

Does yard 2 have individual turn out? Personally that would be more important for me than the yard atmosphere and vibe. If you're competing often as well that would be my prefernce.

 

[monkeybum13]

Not sure about which yard (probably go for number 2 out of the 2 options) but £8 for a bale of hay?

 

[HorseMad20]

Not sure about which yard (probably go for number 2 out of the 2 options) but £8 for a bale of hay?

I know its ridiculous!!!!

But thats how much it is in hampshire atm =(

 

[BobbyMondeo]

I would choose yard 2 and i feel your pain with the hay prices =( =(

 

[VioletStripe]

Probably yard 2 - although I do prefer smaller turnout to turnout in massive herds. But I'm a competition junkie (never do well at them though ) and love having people around in case I need advice xx

 

[AndiK]

Personally neither because I like little private yards as I dont like the politics involved in the larger yards.

However, yard 2 sounds the better deal to me but I would like to have a turnout option that did not involve turn out with lots of other horses.... Three of four others is max for me.

 

[HorseMad20]

unfortunately all of the yard rounds here in my price range have her turn out basically with all the mares in one fields and the geldings in another

 

[AndiK]

unfortunately all of the yard rounds here in my price range have her turn out basically with all the mares in one fields and the geldings in another

Sad times....

Sometimes you can be lucky and find a little yard - I only found where I am because of a friend, you would not know there was a yard where I am unless someone told you....

 

[tigerlily12345]

yard 2 sounds better to me. and our yard has about 20 mares in one and same geldings in another.. it works pretty well..

 

[BobbyMondeo]

where is yard 2 sounds a lot like my yard....

 

[HorseMad20]

where is yard 2 sounds a lot like my yard....

Dont think it is wise to say on a forum but i will PM you

 

[otter2]

yard 2 definitely. i'd be really put off that they leave a horse to go mental in the field on its own at yard 1!

 

[JoJo_]

Yard 2 for sure. Im on a yard similar except I dont feel like 'just another livery'. I've been there since January and become friends with pretty much everyone. I compete in most of the competitions on site so everyone asks how im doing etc. I really feel like part of the yard now. The yard owner is so nice and the YM is great too as well as the staff.

I moved from a much smaller yard with an outdoor that was horribly deep in parts and flooded. Now I have the pick of two indoors and two outdoors to use! Good facilities are very important to me.

 

[noodle_]

since moving from a 40 box yard - to a competition yard and now to a private yard - for you yard 1!!

i hated big yards and my horse got stressy... and tbh being on a comp yard takes away some of the fun of preparing for a show etc (well it does for me!)

only issue that i can see is the lights and bring in - btu once you get to know people you could ask them to bring your horse in or pay someone to do it?!

 

[HorseMad20]

Yard 2 for sure. Im on a yard similar except I dont feel like 'just another livery'. I've been there since January and become friends with pretty much everyone. I compete in most of the competitions on site so everyone asks how im doing etc. I really feel like part of the yard now. The yard owner is so nice and the YM is great too as well as the staff.

I moved from a much smaller yard with an outdoor that was horribly deep in parts and flooded. Now I have the pick of two indoors and two outdoors to use! Good facilities are very important to me.

Thank you.. the only reason im really looking to move is that the school where i am is very deep AND floods plus i have no lights and i have no way of going to comps without it costing me fortune!!

I was just worried about moving someone bigger and just feeling like a number if that makes sence... i have always been on lovely family run yards and felt like i was really part of the yard from day 1

 

[Horses24-7]

I know its ridiculous!!!!

But thats how much it is in hampshire atm =(

Blimey, mines £3 a bale! I think it would be cheaper to feed mine dengie hi fi instead if it cost £8!

After experience I think the yard atmosphere is a massive factor! Yard 1 sounds nicer in this case but I wouldn't if I knew it would usually be mine that was left on it's own in the field! I thought it went without saying on yards that you bring the last one in? Obviously not

Are they both mixed herds with mares and geldings?

 

[HorseMad20]

Blimey, mines £3 a bale! I think it would be cheaper to feed mine dengie hi fi instead if it cost £8!

After experience I think the yard atmosphere is a massive factor! Yard 1 sounds nicer in this case but I wouldn't if I knew it would usually be mine that was left on it's own in the field! I thought it went without saying on yards that you bring the last one in? Obviously not

Are they both mixed herds with mares and geldings?

no its both geldings in one herd and mares in the other

and yes i think it would be cheaper to feed hifi and the hay cost is really swaying me i would only need 1 bale of haylage a month even in winter for my horse after talking to other liverys but he will eat a bale of hay in 2/3 days

 

[Horses24-7]

The thing that I wouldn't like is when there's an instructor on site u usually can't use your own. It doesn't pose a problem if they are good trainers, but I have been on a yard where my instructor was competing at a lower level and was almost holding me back but she wouldn't let me take my own on site which made it a faf to trailer up every week. Just a thought?

What reasons are u leaving ur current yard? Might help make the decision on what's most important? X

 

[HorseMad20]

The thing that I wouldn't like is when there's an instructor on site u usually can't use your own. It doesn't pose a problem if they are good trainers, but I have been on a yard where my instructor was competing at a lower level and was almost holding me back but she wouldn't let me take my own on site which made it a faf to trailer up every week. Just a thought?

What reasons are u leaving ur current yard? Might help make the decision on what's most important? X

Dont have a RI atm so its a bonus for me, plus she is very good from what i have heard

I want to leave current yard because its very difficult to compete without it costing me a bomb, i cant have any RI come to the yard plus its difficult to ride because the school is always too deep and wet