Yard choice help!

[reen2020]

Hi everyone,

I'm going to be relocating soon and driving myself crazy looking at yards! Could you help me weigh up my options? Both would be for full/part livery i.e. everything excluding exercise. With all else being equal (availability of arenas/ horse walker, pro yard owner etc) I think these are the main differences that are keeping me up at night:

Yard A:

• Turnout in groups of 3-4, sometimes alternate days if very wet, no 24/7 turnout in summer
• Great hacking
• 20 minute drive
• Own-brand feed

Yard B:

• Individual turnout, 24/7 in summer
• Limited hacking
• 30-40 minute drive
• Spillers feed included

I guess the main thing is turnout - I'd obviously love him to be out in a herd all year round but maybe that's unrealistic within a sensible radius of where I am relocating to. Is no 24/7 turnout the lesser of two evils versus individual all year round?!

I'd love to get your thoughts and opinions!

 

[Abacus]

Pros and cons with both. But from a horse welfare POV I’d prefer herd turnout. Alternate days though is not ideal. Lack of 24/7 isn’t the end of the world if they get a lot of hours out each day.

Hacking - the difference in quality - is down to how much you like hacking. You don’t mention other facilities but how important is a school to you, is there one at both?

Another important factor is atmosphere / friendliness. There are some yards I wouldn’t go near, regardless of all the facilities and benefits, if they didn’t feel right.

Are these the only options you have?

 

[reen2020]

Pros and cons with both. But from a horse welfare POV I’d prefer herd turnout. Alternate days though is not ideal. Lack of 24/7 isn’t the end of the world if they get a lot of hours out each day.

Hacking - the difference in quality - is down to how much you like hacking. You don’t mention other facilities but how important is a school to you, is there one at both?

Another important factor is atmosphere / friendliness. There are some yards I wouldn’t go near, regardless of all the facilities and benefits, if they didn’t feel right.

Are these the only options you have?

Thanks for your reply! I agree and really hate individual turnout, it just also seems such a shame for them to be in in summer. Appreciate what you're saying about atmosphere and friendliness!

I love hacking so that is a plus for me, both yards have big, floodlit arenas which is great.

There are other options but these would be my top two at the moment - both are run by pro eventers which is a big plus for me as I'm (trying!) to retrain my ex-racehorse to event and think I'd benefit massively from even just being around to watch them ride/ see how they build their training plans etc - more so than just having weekly lessons.

I'm also not used to being on full livery and really want him to be under the most experienced care possible, have been stung in the past by rashes caused by rugs not being changed regularly enough etc.

 

[stangs]

Generally, I’d always say group > individual turnout, but I wonder how much winter turnout there’d be at Yard A.

24/7 turnout is the ideal but being in in summer can be useful for when the grass is very sugary or for when it’s very hot.

 

[Ali27]

Do you definitely need full livery? All full livery yards that I know near me, don’t offer 24/7 turnout and tend to do individual rather than group turn out? Alternate day turnout in Winter would concern me. Could you maybe look at DIY yards with extra services that you could pay for?

 

[reen2020]

@stangs you're right - maybe I need to speak to some of the current liveries about how much this alternate day TO actually happens

@Ali - that's a good point, the reason I'm looking at full is that I'll be starting a job commuting to London and won't realistically be able to go often during the week. I thought he might get better continuity of care/ attention to detail from paying a bit more of a premium for a full livery yard than top up services which is where I've had bad experiences in the past.

 

[I don’t like mondays]

I’ve been at yards with no hacking and yards with a longer drive so would choose yard A because it’s closer to home and there’s hacking. I prefer schooling but when there’s isn’t hacking I really miss it. However if yard A keeps them stabled in bad weather I’d choose B because turn out is important to me. Group turn out is nice as long as they group horses appropriately (so there’s no bullying). Good luck

 

[splashgirl45]

Although 24/7 turnout is nice for us sometimes horses like to be stables during the day away from the flies. If yard A has in during day and out at night I would prefer that as the night is longer than the day so horse is getting more free time at grass. The hacking and being close to home plus herd turnout would sway me but it depends on what you prefer..I could cope with odd days not out in winter as long as it wasn’t too many days

 

[TealH0rse]

I’d suggest searching on Facebook for posts about yard A/by location. You might be able to find some ex liveries who could give you insight into how often they’re kept in.

I only suggest this as it’s really the only issue with A, but I’ve been on a yard like this before and they really did take the piss with turnout. Horses were only out for a couple of hours each day and rarely went out in the winter.

I’d also ask whether they rotate the fields or ask to see the size of them. Yards are more likely to take the mickey when it’s wet if it means saving their ground, opposed to those who rotate fields and can allow the ground rest.

I’d also check their quarantine periods and how they introduce to herds. Possibly not something people consider, but I’ve seen a yard that doesn’t quarantine and sticks them straight in. Quite obviously has resulted in a few health scares (and fights).

 

[reen2020]

thank you all!! I will make sure to try to speak to some ex or current liveries to get a feel for levels of turnout and agree with you all that it's probably worth it for him being out in a herd.

@splashgirl45 good point about summer and actually I've seen a lot of yards that have absolutely no shade in the fields which is another massive no for me

 

[Barton Bounty]

I would choose yard B ?

 

[Jenko109]

A.

Every other day isnt the end of the world through winter.

Part stables through summer keeps a solid routine and can help if horse is overweight/underweight.

Closer and better hacking.

 

[Bellaboo18]

I'd pick A on that information. I'd take every other day turnout in very wet weather and there are benefits to not turning out 24/7 in summer. The herd turnout would sway me and it sounds like they have a good routine. I think that'd be the pick of the majority of horses.

 

[Bobthecob15]

Ours is at a livery yard where they are in individual paddocks next to each other and they are out 8hrs a day ish, summer and winter. They aren't out 24/7 largely due to the grazing restrictions but it totally suits us as we have a Welshy and we are careful with restricting grass. They go out every day regardless of weather even in the snow and ice (with hay!) So I guess we are lucky in a way...I think the YO insurance also prevents horses from being out in groups too. It's full livery and retirement livery only there. Works for us.

I'd go for the one closest if I'm honest!

 

[Dexter]

I'd pick A on that information. I'd take every other day turnout in very wet weather and there are benefits to not turning out 24/7 in summer. The herd turnout would sway me and it sounds like they have a good routine. I think that'd be the pick of the majority of horses.

It wouldn't. Theres more and more research being done that shows horses want and need more turnout than a lot get. They tolerate less but don't fool yourself that its best for them.

 

[Bellaboo18]

It wouldn't. Theres more and more research being done that shows horses want and need more turnout than a lot get. They tolerate less but don't fool yourself that its best for them.

I'm not fooling myself. I like horses to have 24/7 turnout *but* if I had to pick between that and herd turnout, I'd rather they had herd turnout. OP can't have both herd and 24/7 turnout from her options.

Mine luckily can have 24/7 turnout with friends.