Yard advice!!

[RacheeRooRoo]

I need serious help. I'm a mother of a one year old little boy and currently keep my mare on a quiet little yard with an outdoor woodchip school about 6miles from home. There is only 8horses and its so quiet. However I'm worrying about the winter and wanting to jump my mare. I work shifts so riding after 5pm is likely but due to no floodlights this won't be happening where I am currently. Also I don't really have anyone to hack out with on my days off. A space has come up at the local (Mile from my house) yard that has an indoor and a floodlit outdoor school along with a xc course. Due to fuel costs to where I am at present it's only working out £10 a month more at this yard with facilities. I am really in two minds about what to do. Heart says to stay where I am and where I'm confident and my horse seems happy and my head says to move to ayard where in winter I'll be able to ride more than once/twice a week! It's really stressing me out as the owners where I am are lovely and I'm scared to go onto a large 20+ liveries and then riding school on top. I have lost my confidence on a big yard before and has took me a good year to be back at where I am now.

 

[FfionWinnie]

I would move if the facilities would make me happy. But no livery yard would stress me really as long at the horse had the right set up to suit it's needs.

 

[Theocat]

Visit the yard again and get a feel for it. I'd move, in your shoes, but just plan on being polite and friendly and not getting too involved- IMO that's when stresses can creep in. I'm sure if you explain honestly to your current YO she will understand and possibly even let you come back if it doesn't work out. You never know; she might even put lights in for you!

 

[skint1]

I think a bigger yard is like anywhere else, has advantages and disadvantages, sometimes all on the same day I agree completely with Theocat, go and have another look and if you go for it, be friendly and pleasant of course but don't get too involved. Whenever I have had an uncomfortable moment at my yard it has been because I have gotten too involved.

 

[Gloi]

Could you all chip in and buy some sort of lights for the school where you are?

 

[RacheeRooRoo]

If only it was that easy to put lights in gloi. I'm the only one who's serious about schooling an also there would be planning needed for floodlights with it being in a village.

 

[FfionWinnie]

You could use temp lights. Seen a few threads on here about solar lights. Depends on the horse I suppose.

 

[Equi]

I'd stay but I can't stand big liveries - I would not be confident enough lol

 

[Pippity]

One thing I would say about the large yard is that, if it's a riding school as well, check what access to the schools is like for liveries. I used to ride at a yard with two floodlit outdoor schools and an indoor school, but liveries could rarely get access to them at weekends/evenings because they were always being used for lessons.

 

[Barnacle]

I'd move... Particularly as you'll be riding in the evenings, it probably won't be as busy as it might otherwise be and in winter riding schools lose some activity anyway...

 

[fatpiggy]

One thing I would say about the large yard is that, if it's a riding school as well, check what access to the schools is like for liveries. I used to ride at a yard with two floodlit outdoor schools and an indoor school, but liveries could rarely get access to them at weekends/evenings because they were always being used for lessons.

I had the same. You could join in the lessons if you wanted, but that's no good if you want to work on some specific aspect of schooling.

 

[ester]

I'd spend more time at the big yard and ask some fellow liveries what access to the arenas is like in the evenings.

 

[marmalade88]

I'd spend more time at the big yard and ask some fellow liveries what access to the arenas is like in the evenings.

This! Just because there are facilities doesn't mean you'll have access to them. People are probably at a yard with floodlights and an indoor school for the same reason you want to be there, they work all day and ride in the evening.

 

[Whydowedoit]

I agree with the others about livery yards which also have a riding school. Access to the schools is usually very restricted as riding school clients definitely get priority. Having been on two such yards I personally wouldn't do so again.

 

[RacheeRooRoo]

Well guys I've made a decision to move. Pretty scared I've made a massive wrong decision due to how laid back and lovely current yard is. time will tell... Apparently access to the schools is really good at new place as the indoor is an absolutely massive one and they split it in half when lessons are on. As well as having the outdoor for liveries to use too!