Leo Walker
Well-Known Member
I never do this as I can usually decide but I cant seem to make a decision this time!
Yard 1:
My old yard. I loved it there and have been back a couple of times to visit and I miss most of them so, so, so much! 5 liveries in total, 2 that are just awful though and who go out of their way to make it awkward. I can avoid them most of the time. It suited Leo and his quirks down to the ground but turnout is limited, in electric fenced paddocks that get trashed on an almost daily basis. We hayed nearly all year round and can only use small bales so not the cheapest. They are out overnight from 4pm till 9am in the summer and 9am till 2pm in the winter. There is a weird shaped school, but no lights. The driving is good! Lots of quiet lanes and the odd bit of off road driving. 3 backsteps live local and are available at this yard but not the others. I can call them YM at 3.30 to say I'm at hospital etc and they will sort my pony. Not to my standards, but they are fed and watered and a cleanish bed. I'm ok with that when things go wrong. The YO is so supportive. When I went blind and lost my mind never mind my mojo she went above and beyond, including changing her work hours so she could be there when I was to some out driving with me. Only used small bale hay. It was costing me between £280 and £400 a month for turn out and bring in with the odd day extra. I just love it there and it w\s perfect for my quirky little Leo, but not ideal or Bobbie hence me being at yard 2...
Current yard. 24/7 turnout with a stable as needed. Very secure (Yard 1 was broken into and saddles slashed) But while its very secure its driving me mad! We have to unlock and lock a gate as we arrive and leave, thats fine by me, but theres all sorts of horrible politics with the people who have storage units on the yard. To the point that one of the other occupants set me up and pretended to follow me down the drive, but once I actually left he took photos and messaged the owner and caused all sorts of hassle and bad feeling!! I am also in the bad books at this yard. A bloody pheasant came out of the hedge and being moronic I severed and managed to hit the sign at 7mph sign. The owner is trying to claim £100 from my insurance, but I am raging about this. His sign was just pushed in the mud. So when I hit it at slow speed my car went over it and its caused nearly 2k of damage. The sign wasnt damaged but did get pushed over. Its now been reinstated but he still wants me to pay way over the odds for a new one. If the sign hadnt tipped over so easily then the damage to my car would *probably* be much less.
The main issues with this yard are the fact we are over stocked now we have 8 horses out on 6 acres so they are in tiny pens, the muck heap is 500yds from the field, a LONG way with a full barrow! I was doing my poo picking into a huge barrow and then tucking it out of sight into the hedge until it was full, but after a yard meeting this is not acceptable. I was told there was a 200m x 50m paddock we could use. I've manged to use it once as horses are turned out in there most of the time. I was informed on Tuesday that all fields are now closed for riding/groundwork/driving and for some reason I am no longer allowed to long rein through the yard etc, so my part broken driving pony is now stuck in the field with no way of exercising her. The other issue is actually more of a big deal for me. There are 5 of us at this yard, but 2 horses are border line neglected. Terribly thin and if I was in charge of welfare in the UK then I would prosecute but I'm not and fair play to my YO shes taken ownership of this and we have all rallied round to make sure the horses are fed and rugged etc
Yard 3 Huge hilly field with group turn put, a huge plus, its mixed turnout which is a big negative for me. Very unusual for this part of the world t have group turnout though so maybe I need to be less fussy! Lots of quiet lanes to drive. A huge indoor school, sadly this is 1/4 mile away and used for a riding school so only available on evenings. People seem lovely. I've been down twice to grill liveries and they all seem happy and lots are long term. Mine would be in a mini block with 3 JA ponies including one whom won at HOYS so no worries about horses not being looked after. Other liveries seem nice and the sort of people I'd get along with, but its a yard I've viewed and visited so hard to tell.
Selfiishly I want to go to the first yard. I love the people and the yard and am so happy there, but the horse care is a bit ropey and I really dont want to take my lovely unspoilt 4yr old there! Current yard is tricky. I like the other liveries but the overal set up is awful and I cannot physically manage the walk to the muckheap then to the yard etc, but then the third yard is an unknown quantity!
This is it for options, I drive, I have a just backed driving pony who is aimed at affiliated driving trials. Lots of places wont take her and lots more arent suitable, so this is it. Which would you go for and why? The why is really important to me!
Yard 1:
My old yard. I loved it there and have been back a couple of times to visit and I miss most of them so, so, so much! 5 liveries in total, 2 that are just awful though and who go out of their way to make it awkward. I can avoid them most of the time. It suited Leo and his quirks down to the ground but turnout is limited, in electric fenced paddocks that get trashed on an almost daily basis. We hayed nearly all year round and can only use small bales so not the cheapest. They are out overnight from 4pm till 9am in the summer and 9am till 2pm in the winter. There is a weird shaped school, but no lights. The driving is good! Lots of quiet lanes and the odd bit of off road driving. 3 backsteps live local and are available at this yard but not the others. I can call them YM at 3.30 to say I'm at hospital etc and they will sort my pony. Not to my standards, but they are fed and watered and a cleanish bed. I'm ok with that when things go wrong. The YO is so supportive. When I went blind and lost my mind never mind my mojo she went above and beyond, including changing her work hours so she could be there when I was to some out driving with me. Only used small bale hay. It was costing me between £280 and £400 a month for turn out and bring in with the odd day extra. I just love it there and it w\s perfect for my quirky little Leo, but not ideal or Bobbie hence me being at yard 2...
Current yard. 24/7 turnout with a stable as needed. Very secure (Yard 1 was broken into and saddles slashed) But while its very secure its driving me mad! We have to unlock and lock a gate as we arrive and leave, thats fine by me, but theres all sorts of horrible politics with the people who have storage units on the yard. To the point that one of the other occupants set me up and pretended to follow me down the drive, but once I actually left he took photos and messaged the owner and caused all sorts of hassle and bad feeling!! I am also in the bad books at this yard. A bloody pheasant came out of the hedge and being moronic I severed and managed to hit the sign at 7mph sign. The owner is trying to claim £100 from my insurance, but I am raging about this. His sign was just pushed in the mud. So when I hit it at slow speed my car went over it and its caused nearly 2k of damage. The sign wasnt damaged but did get pushed over. Its now been reinstated but he still wants me to pay way over the odds for a new one. If the sign hadnt tipped over so easily then the damage to my car would *probably* be much less.
The main issues with this yard are the fact we are over stocked now we have 8 horses out on 6 acres so they are in tiny pens, the muck heap is 500yds from the field, a LONG way with a full barrow! I was doing my poo picking into a huge barrow and then tucking it out of sight into the hedge until it was full, but after a yard meeting this is not acceptable. I was told there was a 200m x 50m paddock we could use. I've manged to use it once as horses are turned out in there most of the time. I was informed on Tuesday that all fields are now closed for riding/groundwork/driving and for some reason I am no longer allowed to long rein through the yard etc, so my part broken driving pony is now stuck in the field with no way of exercising her. The other issue is actually more of a big deal for me. There are 5 of us at this yard, but 2 horses are border line neglected. Terribly thin and if I was in charge of welfare in the UK then I would prosecute but I'm not and fair play to my YO shes taken ownership of this and we have all rallied round to make sure the horses are fed and rugged etc
Yard 3 Huge hilly field with group turn put, a huge plus, its mixed turnout which is a big negative for me. Very unusual for this part of the world t have group turnout though so maybe I need to be less fussy! Lots of quiet lanes to drive. A huge indoor school, sadly this is 1/4 mile away and used for a riding school so only available on evenings. People seem lovely. I've been down twice to grill liveries and they all seem happy and lots are long term. Mine would be in a mini block with 3 JA ponies including one whom won at HOYS so no worries about horses not being looked after. Other liveries seem nice and the sort of people I'd get along with, but its a yard I've viewed and visited so hard to tell.
Selfiishly I want to go to the first yard. I love the people and the yard and am so happy there, but the horse care is a bit ropey and I really dont want to take my lovely unspoilt 4yr old there! Current yard is tricky. I like the other liveries but the overal set up is awful and I cannot physically manage the walk to the muckheap then to the yard etc, but then the third yard is an unknown quantity!
This is it for options, I drive, I have a just backed driving pony who is aimed at affiliated driving trials. Lots of places wont take her and lots more arent suitable, so this is it. Which would you go for and why? The why is really important to me!