Yard choices, help needed to decide.

[cblover]

So.....I need some input from you lovely people to help me decide which yard is better suited to Sox and me. I posted recently to say I was going back to a yard I was on several years ago and was welcomed back no problem. I moved there just this weekend gone and have use of a 4 acre field but it now has sheep in it too so I’ve fenced a good acre off. Every horse there grazes alone and I don’t like that but for now, I’ve got Sox’s companion with her but she goes back sometime in March. And the ultimate goal is to just have one horse to concentrate on.

However today I got a lovely text from a lady even closer to my home (1 mile), with a large country type house and about 10 acres. She has her own horse there and a couple of liveries.....and she asked me if I’d like to join them as she feels I’d be a lovely additional on their small yard.

The one I’m on now is a big farm type livery yard with an arena, parking for a trailer if needed, lots of fields (all filled with one horse in each), some nice people - some not, local to me.

The lady who text me has horses grazing with each other, no school, small with 2 other liveries, 1 mile away, no real area for ground work or long reining, she’s hands on and knowledgable. Not sure of cost yet.

Hubby is gonna love me if I move again lol. I know both places well enough, I’m just looking for opinions on which would be the best. Or if I’m not thinking about something to consider, please tell me. Thanks.

 

[doodle]

I’m thinking Sox is young? I wouldn’t want to have no school and nowhere to do ground work with a young horse. How is the hacking there? That is presuming you plan to back and ride. And apologies if I have the wrong person!

 

[cblover]

Sox is 4 and I plan to back and ride her. Hacking will be quieter than where I am now I think, but it’s pretty similar to be fair. Where I am now does involve crossing over a main road however. That wouldn’t be the case with this other one.

 

[be positive]

I would normally go for a small yard with shared turnout but with no school will it suit your needs and with only 3 others there is yours likely to be left alone if they are all doing something at the same time?

 

[Equi]

Personally i would not have my horse at a yard with no arena unless he was retired. I don't hack that much, i don't have an arena at home so when i had the big horses at home i got totally sick of hacking. The individual turnout would bother me a little if the horse needed the company, my boy would be fine with it in that he doesn't panic if he is left alone or is the last left in the field but i would never want him to be alone forever.

 

[J&S]

The country house with 10 acres and not too many people (nice or nasty!) sounds lush to me! Never had a school so would not miss it, I'm sure you could fence off a small area of the acreage and make your own schooling/breaking/riding area?

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I would not want a sociable horse, especially a young one, on individual turnout. I would ask the YO of the 10 acres if it would be possible to use grass for a schooling area

 

[cblover]

Thanks folks. Two of the horses there are retired so Sox would always have company. I’ll find out more about what this place offers on Thursday, I’m going to see the owner for a chat.

 

[chaps89]

If she was a backed establish horse I'd be moving to the new yard pronto.
But a yard with no school and possibly not great hacking with maybe no hacking buddy for an unbacked youngster would be a no for me. Presumably on rhe bigger yard theres a greater chance of someone to hack with too?
You might not do much in the school with a youngster but an enclosed space is invaluable to get you started really.
And I say that as someone who puts herd turnout at the top of the list of must haves (and also spent all of last year boxing out to ride as no school and poor hacking was no fun on an established horse, definitley not something I'd try on a young/green one)

 

[Jango]

I wouldnt have somewhere without a school if you work full time and enjoy riding. Otherwise come winter you will be only able to ride twice a week, a grass schooling arena is fine for the summer but you will be really limited in winter. Depends what you want to do with your horse I guess ?

 

[Pedantic]

Depends on what riding you do, do you need a menage ? or mostly hack, is there hacking at the other place ? if so do others hack or just keep their horses there, do you need hacking company, or do you have regular lessons in a menage ?

 

[cblover]

Sox isn’t backed yet but I’ll just be plodding about. I’ve got a trailer and can go places when I want to. I like flatwork lessons, dressage (long way off), ground work, horse agility.....just fun stuff.

Main thing for me is company, supportive people around me and horse welfare as it’s ethos.

 

[cblover]

Been for a look round the small yard I’ve been asked to join and, although it’s not a clean and roomy it is better suited to the needs of Sox and me. Company for the horses, paddock rotation, team work, field area for ground work and other things I feel happy with.

Not made a final decision yet, need hubby to have a look tonight. I’ve only been at the other yard for a week....I feel awful saying I’ll probably be leaving. It feels a bit rude!

 

[jnb]

I bought my cob home after breaking (and having a major op) and we haven't got a school, I box for a lesson once a week (when we are not in lockdown). Occasionally I wish we had one but I will never wish to be on a yard again - certainly not a big one anyway - my cob is out 24/7, we have stables but never use them & he loves it.

 

[Slightlyconfused]

My sister backed her youngest in a feild. The yard she is on now actually, it doesn't have a school, they are living out and stables are for emergencies only and backs straight onto woods and it's 2 miles ish from her home.