Would you move yards for you or your horse?

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Bedford Joy

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Can I ask what has motivated people to move yards? If your horse were very happy and settled, but the hacking was very limited and you only had restricted use of the school, would you stay for the sake of your happy, settled content horse, or move to get more facilities for yourself and risk your horse not liking the new place ?
 
Both!

My horses were very happy at our last yard but there was no arena so I struggled to keep them fit and schooled in the winter when it was dark or in the summer when the ground was too hard.

It doesn't mean I would keep them somewhere they are unhappy just so my needs are met but I do believe we have horses for our enjoyment so if I am not enjoying them for whatever reason I will do something to change that :)

I wouldn't keep them somewhere they were unhappy, nor would I keep them somewhere I was unhappy.

Current yard the horses are very happy and so am I, best of both :)
 
Bedford Joy said:
Can I ask what has motivated people to move yards? If your horse were very happy and settled, but the hacking was very limited and you only had restricted use of the school, would you stay for the sake of your happy, settled content horse, or move to get more facilities for yourself and risk your horse not liking the new place ?
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I'd move - and have done. We all want happy, content horses - but we have to be happy and content too. Our hobby is an expensive one, I want to enjoy it too.

As millitiger so perfectly puts it
I wouldn't keep them somewhere they were unhappy, nor would I keep them somewhere I was unhappy.
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as long as the new yard has the facilities to keep your horse in the routine that suits him, i.e turnout, stabling, whatever suits your horse,, I can't see a problem with moving.
Nothing to say that he won't be equallly as happy at new yard.
Nothing gained if you don't try.
I would try to leave on really good terms with YO so that if you find he doesn't settle then you can move back.
If you moved location due to job he would have to move and chances are he will be fine :)
Don't feel guilty about it, look at it as an exciting new start.
 
I moved for my horse, I was on a yard which allowed daytime grazing in the winter and 24/7 grazing during the summer and I did enjoy the yard. My horse was very "itchy" and got hot in the stables during winter / spring and used to rub himself raw - so I moved him to 24/7 365 days a year grazing about 3 miles away and he has never been happier.

A few friends on my old livery yard took it personally that I wanted to leave but I did it purely for my horse and his wellbeing.

:D
 
I would risk it. At the end of the day you buy your horse to ride and if that is being restricted then it is affecting your enjoyment. As long as there is adequate facilities for your horse, they have a bit of company and looked after, I don't see why he/she wouldn't be happy.

It is an expensive hobby - you need to make the most of it!
 
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I moved for my horse. We had excellent facilities, flood lit school, horse walker etc. The hacking wasn’t brilliant but the turnout got more and more restricted as time went on so consequently he got more and more fed up and unhappy as time went on. I moved to what was meant to be temporary home (as it didn’t have a school or a horse walker) until I found somewhere with those facilities and have been there ever since. I now have great hacking and excellent turnout and one happy horse :D

It would be nice to have the luxuries again but his happiness is more important to me.
 
Both :)
I've only moved once with my old pony, he was unhappy as he was on his own in the field far away from the yard so was panicking a lot and getting stressed and I didn't have a stable for him there as it was too expensive. Plus I wasn't comfortable there, it was a riding school so constantly busy and I hated it!
Moved to the other extreme .. Totally DIY yard, quite small with only a few other liveries. My pony then had a couple of friends who all got on very well, a much bigger field, a stable and good hacking :)
 
I am thinking of moving as i am unhappy and horses are semi unhappy i would say, didnt know when i moved they would be on bare fields all winter with haylage which has now been drastically cut back amongst other issues.
Shame as i quite like the yard and its 2 mins from my house.
 
I moved for my horse :)

shes happy out on her own but now has a massive field to herself and i know she has lots of grass

Im happy as i see more people, but the move was mainly for her as tbh i loved my old yard and it took a lot to get me to go lol

I dont mind change in any aspect of life except yards!! i hate moving yards!!! luckily the new yard is FAB :D
 
Ive just moved my horse from free land to livery because he wasnt happy.

We have just moved to a new county because of my husbands job and his manager offered us free use of a field he has for a shetland - i thought it would be ideal.

My horse moved down from leeds into this field last tuesday - i moved him into a local livery yard yesterday. He just wasnt happy, rubbish grazing and he missed his bigger friends.

I feel so much happier knowing he is on a well run livery yard with good grazing and management :)

Husband is a bit sore after forking out for the field shelter to be raised and all the fencing raised ready for my boy - cost him a fair bit and he only stayed there 5 days but if my horse isnt happy then im not happy either
 
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im in the same situation atm

my horse isn't 100% settled as she is in a field on her own and prefers company and when we ride were straight on to a main road

the yard i 'could' move to has all the facilities we need plus one fruit loop who threatens people drinks & smokes on the yard and i used to dread going incase she was there...

still cant decide what to do :(
 
I recently moved yards; 30% for me, 70% for my horse.

The hacking was rubbish at the old place which meant we were going round in circles in the sandschool most of the time. I could see in his eyes that he was fed up and bored stupid.

So, we have now moved to 6000 acres of open forest. He is abslutely full of himself! :D

I'm sure he'll calm down......(eventually) :eek:
 
I moved for the horse, if she is happy I'm happy - if she is stressed then I can't be happy.

I sacrificed facilities to get her herd t/out with no restrictions, the difference in her is remarkable. I do like where I am a lot but would love a better school - but there is nowhere that offers this locally that she would be happy at. So we stay where we are!
 
Bedford Joy said:
Can I ask what has motivated people to move yards? If your horse were very happy and settled, but the hacking was very limited and you only had restricted use of the school, would you stay for the sake of your happy, settled content horse, or move to get more facilities for yourself and risk your horse not liking the new place ?
Click to expand...

I had the most amazing hacking and two very close friends at my last yard.

My girl hated the place (and I think someone played with her over night as suddenly became very headshy). She jumped a 5 bar gate from a standstill and that was the moment I knew that we were moving. I couldn't have her damage herself and know I should've done more for her.

I took her out as fast as possible and moved her home (3 weeks to calm down to loading point :( )

She is now the happiest little thing and we've bonded incredibly. You could see the change as soon as she unloaded at home, instant relaxing.

I think it's got to be for both of you as if you aren't happy you won't spend as much time with/riding the horse. But ultimately you have bought an animal you have a responsibility for.

Pan
 
this is why my list of questions to ask new yards runs onto two pages LOL

I would move! the right yard is out there waiting ;-)
 
Well I look at it like this. If I am happy, he is going to be happy. If you look at it logically, I would not be happy unless he had 24/7 turnout, other nice horses for company and a clean and tidy yard. I am not overly fussy with things like nice arenas, but as long as there is decent hacking we are fine.

If I hated the yard and was unhappy, it would be bound to rub off onto him, wouldnt it? What's in the brain, goes down the reins, isnt that the old saying? At my last yard I was unhappy, long story, YO was vile, so we moved. Result, much happier me, much happier horse, have been here nearly 6 years.

Its far too expensive a hobby to be on a yard where you are not happy personally.
 
I've just moved for my sake. The yard I was on was perfect for my horse but I was miserable as I was lonely. I had no one to hack with and like company since my accident.

The yard I have moved to is perhaps not so "ideal" for my horse but guess what, she got there happy as larry and cool as a cucumber. She is out in the field, settled and with her ears forward as part of a herd. I would judge her as very happy.

It was certainly a move for the better for me, we are now on a busy riding school/livery yard (we were here previously) and love the hustle and bustle. I came to the conclusion that I was spending so much to keep my horse that I needed to be happy, and because I wasn't happy I was putting off going to see her as well.

With hindsight and experience I would move and risk your horse, you can always move again!
 
I've just moved for both mine and my horses sakes. My horses couldn't go out, they jumped out of the turnout (which was unsuitable, full of tractors and a ditch) I hated the atmosphere, i didnt really click with anyone on there and i could never get in the school to work my horses. Both horses were a nightmare as they couldnt get out, it was dangerous. I couldnt get off there fast enough.

My new yard is everything i could ever want and more, lovely large airy stables in a barn, turnout all year, only 4 other friendly liveries and i can work my horses whenever i like. They're happy, im happy :D
 
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