WWYD potential yard move

[RachaelJC]

Hi all

I'm usually very good at sorting my own decisions but this time I'm stumped. Perhaps it's lockdown fatigue, but I'd like your advice.

I've been on a yard now for two years, but I'm getting a little down with facilities. It has an outdoor and off road hacking and fear that lockdown may have longer consequences than 2021 so we won't be able to get out and about.

I have the opportunity to move to a yard with more facilities than I thought could fit on a yard! Both full livery. I guess I'm anxious about moving in case the grass isn't greener.

Yard 1
Full livery not including exercise
24/7 herd turnout in summer and most of winter if not torrential rain
I provide his feed
Outdoor school
Off-road hacking
35 mins from home
Established with one instructor who won't travel


Yard 2
Full livery including exercise
24/7 turnout in a small herd. In at night in winter
Outdoor school being built, gallops, pool, walker, lunge pen, off-road hacking
45/50 mins from home
Don't know any instructors over that way but could find out. It's closer to Gloucestershire so there have to be loads!

WWYD?

 

[Roxylola]

All 3 only have outdoors or hacking. Gallops are fab if you're fitness training or fir an occasional change, but imo its a nice bonus - if you have off road hacking you could manage easily without.
Both are a good way from home - an hour on your day or more there and back! Turnout is attractive, but facility wise they dont sound enough better than what you have already to me

 

[RachaelJC]

All 3 only have outdoors or hacking. Gallops are fab if you're fitness training or fir an occasional change, but imo its a nice bonus - if you have off road hacking you could manage easily without.
Both are a good way from home - an hour on your day or more there and back! Turnout is attractive, but facility wise they dont sound enough better than what you have already to me

Thanks. I should have been clearer that yard 1 is where I am now.

It's true that yard 2 is further away, and whilst I've travelled it a few times i am aware that the novelty may wear off once the honeymoon period is over. I drive a lot with work and so I don't usually think about it, but I do have reservations whenever it comes to horses!

 

[Michen]

Surely the real question is whether you want your horse exercised or not, given if you go to yard to you’ll only be riding once or twice a week or so.

I certainly wouldn’t be moving for gallops, a lunge pen and a Walker, pool. Most of those things are fairly pointless IMO unless your rehabbing a horse or competing at a high level with fitness etc.

 

[Trouper]

The quality of the pasture and the genuine commitment to as much turnout as possible would be my deciding factor.

 

[Roxylola]

50 minutes is a long way - almost double the current distance and if you hit traffic you could be over an hour. If you're prepared to travel that far I'd look for somewhere with more to offer - an indoor would be more important to me than gallops etc. If you're paying for the horse to exercised I'd think there is every likelihood theyd not be ridden unless you happen to find a staff member who really likes your horse - the facilities they have are primarily ones to make staff lives easier when working horses eg - been on the walker or lunged etc.
Personally, its not got enough to justify the journey to me

 

[Muddywellies]

An hour away would be way too far for me. Mine is on full livery 20 mins away and sometimes wish I was closer. Fancy facilities don't interest me, as long as the turnout is good and the arena and hacking is good. But over and above everything, I have to feel happy on a yard, with like minded supportive people. So you just need to decide which yard makes you happy and will allow you to enjoy your horse, and where they offer the best care for your horse.

 

[Vodkagirly]

I wouldn't move for facilities being built. I know several places that have intended to build things and they haven't materialized.
Personally I think 50 minutes is to far. I would stay put.

 

[Xmasha]

its a no from me, 50 mins to get there is too far. It would become a chore.

 

[Michen]

Aldo weird they have those facilities but no school yet. What kind of yard is/was it?

 

[Green Bean]

I agree about distance, but then I am spoilt with my yard being a mile away from home. Saying that, yard has mostly unsuitable off-road hacking (impassable throughout the wet season as it becomes boggy, and we all know how long bog lasts!) and doesn't have much in the way of facilities except a decent school.
I would travel for decent hacking though as my horse is not confident on the road (currently on a busy local road). I have marked 25 mins journey as the maximum I would travel as it will become tedious and expensive over time.

 

[RachaelJC]

Thanks all.

There is confidence that the outdoor is being built as they are doing it now (i.e. I visited with diggers, etc. working).

However, what you're saying is only emphasising the concerns I have over distance. Plus the fact that he's settled and established in his herd, which is also a consideration.

I do need full livery with riding occasionally as I work long, sporadic hours. For example, last week he had an unexpected week off because of work. So Michen is correct, it's more a question of others riding so perhaps finding a local freelance rider to help would be more suitable.

 

[MuddyMonster]

I'd stay where I was, if I was you.

If exercising is an issue then I'd look at either a freelance rider or a sharer.

 

[Leandy]

Not sure what you mean by lockdown having more consequences and not being able to get out and about? What can you not do at the current yard that you will be able to do at yard 2? Which of the facilities at yard 2 do you think you will use regularly to do something you are currently unable to do? 50 minute drive is a long way depending how often you go, you are adding 30 mins to the round trip. Which has the better group of other liveries to be mixing with ie which is more atuned to what interests you? I would be wary about moving to a less established yard which presumably yard 2 is if it is still under development. What assurance is there that it will be stable and stay as it currently is and as they promise? Only you really know how you feel about your current yard? Do you have it in your mind that you must move because it is hard to move back from that if that is how you feel depending on exactly what you are not happy with. Also, if you really need to move and are willing to travel 50mins are there other yards to look at in that radius? You can always buy in other services at current yard if you need more support and it can be nice to be more in control of that (and feeding) than a full livery yard offers.

 

[Xmasha]

Thanks all.

There is confidence that the outdoor is being built as they are doing it now (i.e. I visited with diggers, etc. working).

However, what you're saying is only emphasising the concerns I have over distance. Plus the fact that he's settled and established in his herd, which is also a consideration.

I do need full livery with riding occasionally as I work long, sporadic hours. For example, last week he had an unexpected week off because of work. So Michen is correct, it's more a question of others riding so perhaps finding a local freelance rider to help would be more suitable.

we use a freelance rider when we have youngsters / competition horses. It works really well and is very flexible, you only pay for the service when you need it, and not everyday.

 

[ElectricChampagne]

I wouldn't move for facilities being built. I know several places that have intended to build things and they haven't materialized.
Personally I think 50 minutes is to far. I would stay put.

I totally agree with this, plus arena surfaces will need time to bed in and settle on top of it.

I'm not saying it will happen, but I've often seen yards with extra unusual facilities starting to charge extra for their use on top of standard livery once they have you in as a captive audience.

It sounds like yard 2 is newly opened so I'd give it a year before jumping in just to see what way it's run and how others find it.

 

[Ouch05]

May I ask how do you get full livery and 24/7 turn out in summer. What are you paying for in the summer months?

I ask as I am having to move and struggling to find DIY so looked at 5 day livery. but they bring in at night all year round (change to in for a few hours in summer during the day). I have opted for anther yard as I want 24/7 turn out in the summer but assisted 5 or 7 day don't offer this or at least in the 20 odd places I called.

 

[Annagain]

The only way I'd move that far away would be if the facilities were absolutely amazing - like miles and miles of off road, all year hacking, decent XC course with lots of variety and an indoor on top of what you've mentioned.
.....Or an automatic horse wash and blow dry would do it, without anything else .

 

[McFluff]

I wouldn't move for that - the extra distance would be a no for me, particularly if you are already time-poor. A good free-lance rider will be far more adaptable for your needs, in my experience.

May I ask how do you get full livery and 24/7 turn out in summer. What are you paying for in the summer months?

I ask as I am having to move and struggling to find DIY so looked at 5 day livery. but they bring in at night all year round (change to in for a few hours in summer during the day). I have opted for anther yard as I want 24/7 turn out in the summer but assisted 5 or 7 day don't offer this or at least in the 20 odd places I called.

I have 'full' livery with 24/7 turnout. It's really part as exercise is not included. What they do is bring in, check, feed/hay, change rugs, sort for farrier, poo pick fields, groom, etc. I do have a stable and he is always brought in for when I come up to see him. Sometimes he has a night in (e.g. bad weather, competition next day etc.) and sometimes he spends a few hours in during the day (to reduce grass intake, get out of sun/heat etc.). I think that there is as much work for the yard in doing good live out livery as stabling.