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RacheeRooRoo

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Currently at a yard with indoor and outdoor arenas, xc course, wh course literally a mile from home. As a diy livery customer bills have been between £200 and £250 a month. I have lessons there on top of this. In on a night from September to May each year. Grazing is poor and not allowed to feed haylage in the paddocks which also have ragwort in! Debating moving back to old yard that's about 5.6miles from home (on the nursery run route) which is very small, small woodchip school no floodlights, lots of grazing and they are already allowed 24/7 turnout. Lovely owners! Just no one to really hack with as such a small yard! It is a fraction of what I currently pay and with them being allowed out 24/7 with access to the stables as in their field would mean less bedding costs. Has lovely owners just worried about the no floodlights and the facilities where I am now being so brilliant (minus the grazing of course)
My mare is slightly arthritic so I know I'm my head it's best for her to have more turnout...
Just don't know which to do for the best..
 
Depends how much you ride and enjoy riding really - and how much value you place on those ridden facilities over the care facilities?
Personally I'd go for the quieter yard and just manage in the winter, it's never quite as bad as you think. How often were you riding in winter in the place you were in? And would you consider riding in the school in the dark?! I quite like doing that :-).
 
Tbh I only left my old yard to the one I'm at now for the indoor school in winter- which I've ended up hardly using! My mare does seem happy and healthy (however on a supplement for her joints now) at the current yard. I think I'm torn because if I was to move everything would cost quite a bit to hire. Suppose I've gotten use to luxuries at my use whenever!!
 
Morgan123 said:
Depends how much you ride and enjoy riding really - and how much value you place on those ridden facilities over the care facilities?
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^^ this. Personally if it was me I'd stay at your current yard and pull the ragwort from my own field if YO not interested. Plus give loads of hay when in the stable so horse is getting plenty of fibre.
But I use the arena about 6-8 times a week all year round (between 2 horses) so wouldn't want to just have a woodchip school - I've not heard great things about them really.

If on the other hand, you want to save money and have more turnout then you have your answer :)
 
Having been at the old yard previously the woodchip wasn't an issue and was actually really decent to ride on. It's more the size of the school that worries me as me and my mare have come on loads being able to work in a big indoor. The outdoor where I am now is shocking, floods all the time
 
RacheeRooRoo said:
Having been at the old yard previously the woodchip wasn't an issue and was actually really decent to ride on. It's more the size of the school that worries me as me and my mare have come on loads being able to work in a big indoor. The outdoor where I am now is shocking, floods all the time
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I have gone from long arena to almost square small one and although I found the long arena helpful, you just have to be more disciplined about making the most of a smaller space ;)

If it's a good surface then seems like a bit of a no brainer :) I've only ever seen slippery woodchip schools - friend had a horse that fell over etc which has put me off for life.
Do you think you might miss the company though if no one else hacks?
 
Really depends on how much you use your current facilities and whether you like hacking on your own. For me I would stay at the current yard and pull the ragwort (I keep my horses at home so am used to pulling ragwort although we don't have much).

My preference is dressage so a good school is a must and I hate riding on woodchip surfaces. I also need company to give me a kick up the backside and get riding at times.
 
I would go somewhere completely different as you have issues about the old yard too--sick of YO offering crap services and asking big money--look elsewhere you will find-drive to other liveries and ask around-good luck
 
I am not keen on schools anyway!! Ours have corrals in the winter - no grazing turnout, we have a horse walker and a wood chip school.

I sometimes lunge in the school, which is fine, yes it gets slippy in very wet times, but horses have to learn where to put their feet and not be idiots.

Lots of people to ride with which is fab, and the horses get to socialise and play in the corrals - mine is very playful and he and a friend play lots, they have hay out there, and are perfectly happy.

I would not want to keep a horse in a stable, no matter how good the school facilities were, but would want to have people to ride with and some form of socialising/turnout for them.

Pulling ragwort is no massive issue really once you get on top of it, it doesn't take long to sort it.
 
I would move. Say the new yard is only £130 a month - you then have saved £100 a month which can go on lessons at somewhere with better facilities. Assuming you have transport?
 
Would the old yard allow you to put up some lights. I know of someone who has a few lights on stands around the edge of their schooling area. They plug and unplug as needed and remain standing when not in use. Otherwise I'd be inclined to look around and see what else is available , I would be frustrated paying all that money for rubbish grazing and not much turnout. Ours go out 24/7 this weekend so not everyone is out yet .
 
You mention nursery... A lot for me would depend on working and childcare schedules... When working long hours lights are pretty useful, but if you won't be for a few years the old yard sounds much more horse friendly. I'm not bothered about hacking alone though. As a sharer I find more horsey time valuable enough I don't get bored, but then I've (mostly) shared horses who hacked alone ok.
 
I think the issue I have is the people who own the yard I used to be at are the loveliest people ever. I start a new job soon and they said they'd look after her while I do my training etc. Whereas would be paying £7 a day for full livery on top of my standard fee. The old yard have a trailer I could use however I haven't a trailer license so would be relying on my father. I think the only thing stopping me from going back is how close the current yard is to home and how convenient it is having shows there, lessons there and the facilities!
 
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