Sleipnir
Well-Known Member
Hello, everyone. This will be long, so fresh baked brownies and wine will be provided at the end of the thread.
One year ago I moved my two geldings - then a 15yo and barely a 3yo to a new yard from a really crazy situation. Since then we have been residing at a lovely yard far in the countryside. The horses are really happy - outside 24/7, ad-lib hay, a hay track available for the fatties, a pro trimmer on site. I have also been happy - but lately, barely so. There is a friend with whom I sometimes carpool to the yard and she doesn't even ask me to cover any gas money, of which I am extremely grateful for, but since I recently changed my job, my schedule doesn't let us meet often. As the yard is really far from my home, it can take me up to 7.5 (in total) hours in public transportation each time I go... And no less than 15-20 euros a day just in transportation.
So there is the dilemma. The yard is lovely, the people are lovely, the care is superb. But I get to see my horses less and less due to increase in costs of literally everything. Plus if I have a day off and see it is raining - no use to spend those 7.5 hours in transportation as our outdoor school has clay footing and becomes extremely slippery when it's wet. Of course, there is always hacking, but it's quite poor in this case - just the edges of farmer's fields and gravel roads. There is some off site hacking, but I never get to visit that, as the trailer is always booked by those who just live closer.
Seeing that I've been visiting less, my yardmates have been trying to encourage me to loan out - but the thing is, I don't want to. My older gelding can be tricky, and my youngster is a work in progress - I don't want to dump him onto someone unsuspecting.
So tomorrow I am going to visit a yard that is much closer to home, costs the same and has an indoor arena. I am feeling anxious, as the horses are kept in at night (and I am used to them being outside 24/7), there are much more horses in general- so less attention spent on the care of an individual horse - and I somehow feel guilty of even considering leaving this absolutely perfect place.
Then again, I would spend only an hour and a half at max in transportation, instead of 7.5 hours. And I'd have an indoor.
What would you do? I feel kind of silly even asking this, but I am really anxious of making the wrong choice for my horses. Feel free to ask any questions - and help yourself with the brownies and wine!
One year ago I moved my two geldings - then a 15yo and barely a 3yo to a new yard from a really crazy situation. Since then we have been residing at a lovely yard far in the countryside. The horses are really happy - outside 24/7, ad-lib hay, a hay track available for the fatties, a pro trimmer on site. I have also been happy - but lately, barely so. There is a friend with whom I sometimes carpool to the yard and she doesn't even ask me to cover any gas money, of which I am extremely grateful for, but since I recently changed my job, my schedule doesn't let us meet often. As the yard is really far from my home, it can take me up to 7.5 (in total) hours in public transportation each time I go... And no less than 15-20 euros a day just in transportation.
So there is the dilemma. The yard is lovely, the people are lovely, the care is superb. But I get to see my horses less and less due to increase in costs of literally everything. Plus if I have a day off and see it is raining - no use to spend those 7.5 hours in transportation as our outdoor school has clay footing and becomes extremely slippery when it's wet. Of course, there is always hacking, but it's quite poor in this case - just the edges of farmer's fields and gravel roads. There is some off site hacking, but I never get to visit that, as the trailer is always booked by those who just live closer.
Seeing that I've been visiting less, my yardmates have been trying to encourage me to loan out - but the thing is, I don't want to. My older gelding can be tricky, and my youngster is a work in progress - I don't want to dump him onto someone unsuspecting.
So tomorrow I am going to visit a yard that is much closer to home, costs the same and has an indoor arena. I am feeling anxious, as the horses are kept in at night (and I am used to them being outside 24/7), there are much more horses in general- so less attention spent on the care of an individual horse - and I somehow feel guilty of even considering leaving this absolutely perfect place.
Then again, I would spend only an hour and a half at max in transportation, instead of 7.5 hours. And I'd have an indoor.
What would you do? I feel kind of silly even asking this, but I am really anxious of making the wrong choice for my horses. Feel free to ask any questions - and help yourself with the brownies and wine!
