Yard Dilemma!

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Jango

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So I've had a totally awful morning at the yard today :( :( I've owned my horse about a month now and up until this week he was settling into the yard fine. Then this week a new horse has gone out in his field and another has gone back out after lameness and he's come in with 3 bites/kicks this week. It's a huge 35 acres with around 12 horses in. On this yard you can either turn out in this field or the 'day field' which is full of ragwort. I'm starting to feel like it's only a matter of time until he comes in lame or really hurt. I spoke to the farmer who owns the yard and he said I can move into the day field, but can't move back to the original field if it doesn't suit my horse. Or if other peoples horses are getting beaten up too he will look at removing the horse thats causing the problems.

The schooling facilities at this yard aren't great either, tiny/dust indoor next to a farmers yard (tractors,dogs etc) or a field which is winter is pretty much always too wet (it's in manchester!!) but I was willing to put up with the lack of riding space if my horse was happy. Which he now isn't!!

The problem is im working abroad for 4 months over winter and he will be getting turned away, is it too much moving for him to move yards now for 2 months then again in dec for him to be turned away? I'm going to look at another yard tonight which sounds lovely but is pricey - Dean Valley in stockport? I can afford it though and it seems you get really top facilities for your money.

I thought I knew about the stresses of owning horses from loaning them, I expected things like lameness and injury but nobody told me how stressful it is trying to make decisions about their welfare! I just want him to be happy and well! I'm starting to think I never should have bought him when I knew I was going away. I love him to bits and we get on great and our lessons are going well but I'm getting really upset about it all and I don't know what to do for the best. To make matters worse my best friend is on my current yard and loves it and she won't say it but I know shes gonna be pretty pissed off at me for leaving.

Sorry for the rant, I've just got no-one inpartial and horsey to talk to!
 
Definitely move in my opinion! The farmer should clear the 'day field' of ragwort or it shouldnt be used for grazing. It doesnt sound like the farmer is that helpful? Couldnt he section an acre of the big field off for you horse?

I bought my new boy at the end of July and he was at a yard for a month before I moved him to our current yard. He has settled in just fine. It might take your horse a little longer to settle in again but if he's out with a nice bunch of horses, he'll be happier.

My gelding's rugs were getting holes in them due to the other gelding he was turned out with so my YO has simply sectioned the paddock in half so they are seperated but next to each other.
 
This is a common problem. Farmers having a livery yard but not caring about the welfare of the horses. In many cases they are only interested in the aditional income stream. Find a yard where you can keep your horse in it's own well fenced paddock or with another horse that it gets on with. That way you will not suffer the problem of kicking etc.

However buying a new horse and then going off for four month does not seem the best plan either as your horse needs to get to know you and have a nice regular routine.
 
He won't do things like section off parts of the field, pull ragwort etc. he is a farmer with no interest in horses who happens to own a livery yard. But because it has lush grazing, 24hr summer turnout and is near the motorway (accessible) pretty much all the 50 stables on the yard are full! Therefore no motivation for him to make it better when he gets 50 x £80month rent! I was told yesterday by one of the other liverys 'don't worry about the ragwort, its bitter, he won't eat it with good grass available' I'm no expert in ragwort but I was always taught never turn horses out in ragwort filled fields!

There is a distinct lack of decent yards in my area, I live in manchester so there are NO yards really near to me, then one im on is a 15min drive and the one im going to look at is 20mins. Any further away would be a real struggle on DIY with a full time job! If the yard I'm looking at tonight is good I am going to move!! If it isn't I don't know what I'm going to do! Thanks for giving me some moral support!!
 
move,then when you are away you will not have the worry of what is happening with your horse. it all sounds too stressful at your current yard. your friend may change her mind if you find a nice yard.sounds like she has just closed her eyes to how bad the place is!!!
 
I was told yesterday by one of the other liverys 'don't worry about the ragwort, its bitter, he won't eat it with good grass available'
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And to some degree that's correct. However, the council will take a very dim view of any ragwort not being dealt with - as it is a legal requirement to do so. As will the Environmental Health department, that legislates all Livery Yards.........
 
50 boxes, where do all 50 horses turn out, I'm assuming he has at least a few fields with 12 allocated to yours?
I would move I hate horses in large herds like that always at higher risk of fights, injuries IMO especially if different horses are turned out all the time. I would hate my horse in with more than 5 horses and at our yard we have a well managed turnout regime and field buddies are carfeully picked and stuck too. We definetly have NO ragwort at our yard, I'm sure its actually an offence to allow ragwort to grow in fields used for grazing and it can be reported to the Environemtal Health department of the local authority who regulate yard lisences.
 
Grrrr!!! so I went over to the view the new yard and it was all lovely, but they didn't tell me on the phone that you get charged £5 everytime you use the indoor, without use of the indoor it comes to over £60 a week for DIY (inc hay/shavings) and I facebooked a girl I used to know who is an ex-livery of theirs who said don't touch the place as the owners as not nice people and your never allowed to turn your horses out in winter.

Tried another yard nearby which is full with a waiting list and so I'm going to ring up some more yards tomorrow :( wish me luck!

Apparently ragwort is only an offence is livestock are turned out there, nothing you can do about horses as you are choosing to keep your 'pet' in those conditions. Someone else on the yard tried to get the farmer in trouble about the ragwort and that was what they were told by the council!! I would be very suprised if the yard I'm on is regulated by anyone!

ossy - theres also a day field with around 10 horses in, around 15 in the 'pony field' and about10 horses in small paddocks, but these are all taken and people with paddocks pay extra and won't be giving them up!! these are mainly oldies or horses with injuries

fatpiggy - i've PMed you!
 
on the one hand there are always going to be scraps between horses in fields until they sort the pecking order out...fortunately this isn't usually anything nasty- just a few bites...but it does sound extreme in your case and the fact that some of the fields have ragwort would make me leave pronto!

i've had friends who WERE on dean valley and weren't too keen if i'm honest- but there has got to be somewhere?! i must be fairly near to you but probably the wrong side of manchester (bury) ?
 
Jango said:
Apparently ragwort is only an offence is livestock are turned out there, nothing you can do about horses as you are choosing to keep your 'pet' in those conditions. Someone else on the yard tried to get the farmer in trouble about the ragwort and that was what they were told by the council!!
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This is utter rubbish! Report the farmer and the council to Defra. The council should be controlling ragwort on their own roads etc, to stop it spreading to other people's livestock fields.
As for livery yards, it's worth driving around the area you could travel to and just stopping everywhere you see stables. You never know what you might find.
 
Id move, even if it is a stop gap whilst you are away and then you can think again when you come back. Not ideal but at least your horse will be safe and you will sleep at night.
I was in a similar situation a few years back, was on a yard years with 10 horses, it was also a farmer who had gone into horses to bring in some money. This yard was great but 10 horses went to 20, then 30, then my friends horse got kicked and had to be PTS. I moved after this and now there is about 50 horses on there. Its always full, riding is great, farmer was great but just too many horses in one field.
I hope you get sorted.
 
Have you considered sending away now to a specalist yard that deals with horses all year round, where owners cannot be present. Henryhorn on here runs a fab one.

This will give you more time to look around your area, knowing your horse is safe, settled and being properly cared for whilst you are away, then by the time you come back, if the yard you found has a waiting list there will be a space.

If you are looking to turnout for the winter, now is a good time to look and as long as you have a good YO then distance should not be a restriction.

As for ragwort, trying to get councils to do anything is like pulling hens teeth. If you are DIY then take it as that and Do It Yourself, as otherwise it will just remain, if you want to stay on current yard.
 
scally - I can afford my horse DIY/assisted and for him to be turned away over winter but I can't afford full livery!! and I'm going to miss him enough while I'm away I don't want to not see him for even longer. I'm going to look at somewhere to turn him away on sunday, sounds good he would be going out with a retired hunter and someone would be checking him everyday then my friend going up once a week so *fingers crossed* thats sorted!
In the field I'm currently in the liverys in that field spent ALOT of time pulling the raggort, the ones in the day field don't bother and I wouldn't even make a dent trying to do it myself!

pearlsasinger - I will look into doing this after I've moved! don't want to shoot myself in the foot! Thats a good idea about driving around though, if the yards i've found on cheshirehorse to ring tomorrow don't work out I'll give that a go!

louby - that sounds awful :( this is the reason I want to move, I don't think he's safe (there is other 'hazards' in the field like the random bits of fencepost + wire I found today, a deep ditch, a river - which a horse fell in and died etc, only electric fencing between the field and the busy road) so I want to get off there ASAP before it's too late. Because the field is sooo big the hazards didnt seem that bad and the horses are generally fine but now I know he's being bullied I'm terrified of him hurting himself.
 
Sorry, but assumed if you were going away for four months then your horse would have to be on full grass livery. Some of these yards are not expensive around £25 to £40 a week where you dont have to worry at all, and horses are totally looked after.

Umm, sorry on second thoughts you are going away for four months, what will happen if your horse is not on full livery at grass and something happens were he has to be stabled through illness or injury...... an assisted DIY yard or someone doing it cheaply will not want to do that?

You really need to sit down and work this through in your head, you pay for the service you get and with going away for such a long length of time, you really do need to cover ever possible scenario, including box rest at full livery rates if required.
 
Thats what I'm looking for full grass livery! He lives out and is checked on and provided with water everyday then hay if the weather gets bad. £25 to £40 per week would be absolutely fine price wise, I thought you were refering to full stable livery which around here is £90+ a week. If he did require box rest for a period of time I would be able to afford that too (for up to a month) if it was longer than that I'd come home and look after him myself.

I wouldn't want him more than an hours drive away my house, as I said I've got horsey friends who I trust who I'd want to check on him to give me piece of mind. I wouldnt want to send him miles away with someone I don't know when I'm not here. If you could know of any suitable places I've love to here about them!
 
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Look for retirement liveries then, chances are you wont have a school etc before you go away, but you will have total confidence whilst you away that they know what they are doing and fully looked after, however with any yard, get references and asking on here is a good bet.
 
Can you not put him out on loan for the period you are away. You might find thsi a better solution as lack of daylight means he won't be ridden much anyway whilst you are gone, and someone will be covering his rent and checking on him regularly. He might well end up on a nice yard with better facilities than you have access to now.
 
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