Yard choices ?! Feeling depressed

[Firehorse]

I had been on the same yard with my old boy for eight years. Never had any problems. They all live out 24/7 in a herd of usually eight. Anyway after I lost him I had 18 months away from horses with no intention of buying another one. However in January 2017 Charlie came into my life. There was a space at my old yard so that’s where we went. It’s literally a two minute walk from my house and cheap! I never for one minute imagined I would have problems. My horse didn’t settle, long story short, he is bullied by two others. I had an incident getting him out the field and broke my wrist so I moved yards. Absolutely loved this new yard, was there for nine months and then it closed down, forcing us back to our original yard. So my horse is being bullied again. He is literally covered in scars from being bitten and kicked. Now he is rugged, that is getting ripped. A few weeks ago he had a kick just above his hock which could’ve been pretty serious if it had been an inch lower.
There are also disagreements with the other owners re wormers. I do faecal egg counts, they just simply routinely worm. They don’t seem to understand when I’ve explained my reasons for doing egg counts and it has now become an issue. The person on the yard who organises the wormers is insisting I worm him in January the same as all the others. And get this, she thinks they need to be wormed for lungworm and wait for it .....! Ringworm!
I use Westgate labs for my testing so I contacted them and they put my mind at rest that I am doing the right thing with my worming. Also, the same woman organises the Haylage. She would not allow us to feed it when we had run out of grass. My horse lost weight. Her answer was to give him more food. But all he needed was the hay.
I’m now fed up of this yard. There are a couple of places I am looking at, but it would mean when I hack out I would be on a busy road for quarter of a mile and crossing over A27 out & back. I’ve done it before and my horse is fine in traffic. But it stresses me out because people drive so close past me. Also a friends horse got clipped by a car riding on this road last year Plus it restricts the times I can ride. I wouldn’t be able to ride before 10 o’clock or after 3 pm as the roads can be a nightmare
So I am weighing up the pros and cons. Stay where I am, bite my tongue, but my horse will continue to get bullied. Or move to a happier yard but be riding on a fairly risky bit of road.
??

 

[View]

I think you know the answer. Honestly, is your horse happy and relaxed being bullied?

 

[milliepops]

Oh god, this is just like me leaving my yard last December! I had a similar head-desk moment about the worming, it was the straw that broke the camel's back (which was already pretty broken).
I'd be moving. and then keep an eye out for somewhere that ticks all of the boxes.

 

[Firehorse]

I think you know the answer. Honestly, is your horse happy and relaxed being bullied?

It’s just riding on this road worries me. We did it for nine months when we moved before. I may well have to wait for a space in the yard anyway

 

[Firehorse]

Oh god, this is just like me leaving my yard last December! I had a similar head-desk moment about the worming, it was the straw that broke the camel's back (which was already pretty broken).
I'd be moving. and then keep an eye out for somewhere that ticks all of the boxes.

There’s two proper livery yards around me, one is £400 a month which is way out of my budget unfortunately. The other pretty much has a lifelong waiting list. I did contact the yard owner again the other day and she said she’ll keep my name just in case

 

[sunshine100*]

I had been on the same yard with my old boy for eight years. Never had any problems. They all live out 24/7 in a herd of usually eight. Anyway after I lost him I had 18 months away from horses with no intention of buying another one. However in January 2017 Charlie came into my life. There was a space at my old yard so that’s where we went. It’s literally a two minute walk from my house and cheap! I never for one minute imagined I would have problems. My horse didn’t settle, long story short, he is bullied by two others. I had an incident getting him out the field and broke my wrist so I moved yards. Absolutely loved this new yard, was there for nine months and then it closed down, forcing us back to our original yard. So my horse is being bullied again. He is literally covered in scars from being bitten and kicked. Now he is rugged, that is getting ripped. A few weeks ago he had a kick just above his hock which could’ve been pretty serious if it had been an inch lower.
There are also disagreements with the other owners re wormers. I do faecal egg counts, they just simply routinely worm. They don’t seem to understand when I’ve explained my reasons for doing egg counts and it has now become an issue. The person on the yard who organises the wormers is insisting I worm him in January the same as all the others. And get this, she thinks they need to be wormed for lungworm and wait for it .....! Ringworm!
I use Westgate labs for my testing so I contacted them and they put my mind at rest that I am doing the right thing with my worming. Also, the same woman organises the Haylage. She would not allow us to feed it when we had run out of grass. My horse lost weight. Her answer was to give him more food. But all he needed was the hay.
I’m now fed up of this yard. There are a couple of places I am looking at, but it would mean when I hack out I would be on a busy road for quarter of a mile and crossing over A27 out & back. I’ve done it before and my horse is fine in traffic. But it stresses me out because people drive so close past me. Also a friends horse got clipped by a car riding on this road last year Plus it restricts the times I can ride. I wouldn’t be able to ride before 10 o’clock or after 3 pm as the roads can be a nightmare
So I am weighing up the pros and cons. Stay where I am, bite my tongue, but my horse will continue to get bullied. Or move to a happier yard but be riding on a fairly risky bit of road.
??

Please do not settle.You and your horse deserve better.Your hard earned money shld be spent at another yard.Horses do not care if u move 2 or 3 times as long as owner not stressed anymore.They pick up on it as you know. Good luck

 

[sunshine100*]

Just to add there is alot of yards that do not advertise so drive around,knock on doors,ask in tack shop.Let us knw your area and someone on here might help you.

 

[Firehorse]

Just to add there is alot of yards that do not advertise so drive around,knock on doors,ask in tack shop.Let us knw your area and someone on here might help you.

Thx. I’m in Sompting West Sussex. Yard would need to be no more than a 15 minute drive due to work hours. I think I know most places near me

 

[HeyMich]

Just to add there is alot of yards that do not advertise so drive around,knock on doors,ask in tack shop.Let us knw your area and someone on here might help you.

Yes, this. Look on Google earth for arenas/schools and then go chapping on doors. There are many wee gems that don't advertise!

 

[Leo Walker]

Thx. I’m in Sompting West Sussex. Yard would need to be no more than a 15 minute drive due to work hours. I think I know most places near me

I always think that and theres always places I dont know about. Ask on the local FB group, or get a friend to do it if you need to be anonymous

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I agree with the drive round and knock on doors advice, we did that years ago and found somewhere that we stayed with for 10 years. In the meantime take charge of your own management. Fence off a bit of the field with electric fencing, if necessary, buy your own hay/lage and feed it in the fenced off area, stick to your guns about worming - lie to the 'organiser' if necessary. And speak to YO about the way this woman is bossing everyone around, even though she knows nothing about what she should be doing.

 

[neddy man]

Look on www.*******.co.uk & www.*******.co.uk no need to register just put Sompting in the search box.

 

[AmyMay]

You get what you pay for, as you’re starting to realise. Good luck in your search.

 

[Leo Walker]

You get what you pay for, as you’re starting to realise. Good luck in your search.

I only wish that that was true!

 

[splashgirl45]

when i needed to leave a yard as the stables had been sold, i just drove round and knocked on doors the 6th place was a yard and the YO was not keen to take us as she said she didnt do DIY as the last ones were a pain but as we were desperate she would take us for a trial period of 3 months. this was in 2014 and my friend is still there, i gave up my loan horse last year but still see YO and count her as a friend. it was the best yard i had ever been on....so try everywhere. why does it need to be so close to home? i used to go to the yard before and after work and changed at the yard, would rather keep my horse happy...

 

[ester]

I'd move for at least the time being while attempting to find something better not involving the A27, it sounds like you are risking a decent injury in the current situation.

 

[Doublethyme]

No way would I cross the A27 at Sompting on a horse and people who say knock on doors, there must be yards etc etc obviously don't know the area.
Tough choice, but I'd be more inclined to widen your area and have a longer drive to your horse than have to cross that road.
It's becoming ever more difficult to get decent yards in that area.

 

[Firefly9410]

I realise this is controversial but in your situation my horse would live in. The stable chores would take no extra time than driving to a yard further away. If living in your worming routine would not affect anyone else and you could organise your own hay. This does depend if you can ride every day though and if your horse is ok with living in because some really are not. For good hacking on a cheap yard that is two minutes walk from my house I would try it. You could talk to the yard owner about it if they are approachable but my experience with bossy characters being allowed to rule it is because the yard owner is weak or not interested.

 

[Firehorse]

I realise this is controversial but in your situation my horse would live in. The stable chores would take no extra time than driving to a yard further away. If living in your worming routine would not affect anyone else and you could organise your own hay. This does depend if you can ride every day though and if your horse is ok with living in because some really are not. For good hacking on a cheap yard that is two minutes walk from my house I would try it. You could talk to the yard owner about it if they are approachable but my experience with bossy characters being allowed to rule it is because the yard owner is weak or not interested.

We don’t have stables, so no option to live in. Yard owner tried to sell the land last year as he’s elderly. He lives a 5 hour drive away and gradually reduced his 6 weekly visits to once a year. THe grazing is no longer maintained and is pretty poor now.

 

[Firehorse]

No way would I cross the A27 at Sompting on a horse and people who say knock on doors, there must be yards etc etc obviously don't know the area.
Tough choice, but I'd be more inclined to widen your area and have a longer drive to your horse than have to cross that road.
It's becoming ever more difficult to get decent yards in that area.

I rode across the 27 for 9 months while we were on the yard that closed. We cross on traffic lights. That bit doesn’t bother me. It’s the road leading up to them

 

[bouncing_ball]

You get what you pay for, as you’re starting to realise. Good luck in your search.

I think there is some truth in this. If you live in an expensive area a well run yards with good management, herd management, people management, land, grazing, fencing and infrastructure management AND good hacking are costly to run snd charge accordingly.

Not that all expensive yards are good, but in expensive SE good well run yards that are financially sustain tend to be expensive.

 

[Sussexbythesea]

What about somewhere like Truleigh Hill Farm? Is that too far?

 

[Sussexbythesea]

I think there is some truth in this. If you live in an expensive area a well run yards with good management, herd management, people management, land, grazing, fencing and infrastructure management AND good hacking are costly to run snd charge accordingly.

Not that all expensive yards are good, but in expensive SE good well run yards that are financially sustain tend to be expensive.

The trouble with living on the south-coast is you do not have a full radius to search in as everything South is the sea. The coastal area is really built up now and there are fewer and fewer yards left that haven’t been swallowed up by housing.

 

[milliepops]

I've got a similar issue as I live close to the river severn, which splits the county in 2. so while there are yards close by as the crow flies, the need to do a massive detour to cross the river makes them out of reach ?
You do end up making big compromises then. For me the stress of the OPs current place and constant worry about injury would push me to move even if the alternative isn't ideal.

 

[Skib]

If there are yards that you cant afford, consider getting a sharer - I am a mid week hacking sharer and you could enquire as you went round the potentisal new yards.

 

[chaps89]

I have finally found a yard I love and where my horse is settled.
Livery is dirt cheap but I get what I pay for - a school that's not maintained, overstocked fields that are also not maintained.
If I add up my ginormous hay bill, the cost of a freelancer (as no services on the day I really need them), school hire (if she comes back into work) then it's not so cheap.
Factor in the likely vet bill from the fat leg she's currently sporting and the expensive breathing supplement I have to give as she can't handle dry hay, and I'm going to have to move.
It's actually a false economy having somewhere cheap. (Although, vet bill aside my yard still works out cheaper than anywhere else)
The reality is that to have a nicely run yard means it comes at a cost.
Where I'm going to find an extra £200 or so I'm not sure but needs must.

I moved from the perfect yard to this one. The most incredible hacking, nice rough grazing perfect for my metabolic mare, big stable, school etc. But my mare wasn't settled and I was miserable (character clash with YO)
I was so worried about moving to something less perfect. And even though we might have to move again, I'm still so glad we did it. It was a relief to be moved from somewhere we weren't happy, even though I'm paper it was great.

So, the point of all that waffle, OP, I feel your pain.

But it doesn't sound like either of you are happy and the increased risk of an injury to your horse just wouldn't be worth it for me.
Could you look slightly further afield to give more options?
If you go up twice a day currently but went once a day to new yard the difference in mileage/overall time wouldn't be much different?
Or just move to the other yard mentioned and accept the compromise on your and your horses mental and physical health is having to be a bit more flexible with riding and that maybe you'll do less over winter? Not ideal I know.
I hope you find something.

 

[scats]

From my point of view, of my horses are injured or unwell, it hugely affects my mental health. I get very down if my horses aren’t right. If my horse was being bullied and I was in constant worry about injury, I’d not be in a good place. For that reason alone, I’d move.

 

[ester]

same too scats, I'd move even if it meant I didn't ride out for a bit.

 

[Trouper]

Nothing is worse than having an unhappy horse that is at risk of injury from others and whose health is being compromised by ignorant people who do not take the trouble you are taking with him. One other solution might be to contact farmers in your area to see if you could rent your own land? If there is another person you would be willing to share with for company for him that might solve a lot of problems. Sometimes you are better on your own than in this sort of "yard" situation.

 

[holeymoley]

I think I would move, I couldn’t have mine getting bullied like that. Could he move fields?

Going through a bit of a ‘will I won’t I’ at the moment with yards too...