Yard Dilemma

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Bex7

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I have found myself in a bit of a dilemma and would appreciate your thoughts.

I am currently at a lovely friendly yard with a great YO and what I thought was good hacking, plenty of off road but a bit of road to get to it. It is cheap but quite a way a way from my house meaning at weekends it is 60 miles a day for the 2 trips.

I have just been to look at a yard with no intention other than being nosey and have fallen in love with it and am now confused.

It has massive open stables that Bert would happily go in, must be about 20ft long with half walls! great school, jumping menage, about 8 miles of hacking on the farm with XC jumps everywhere and schooling paddock areas, jump alleys and god knows what else. The paddocks look like bowling greens with great grass and hardstanding at the gates, they go out 2 or 3 to a paddock, there is lighting at the gateways and proper harcore tracks.

The school is free it has a kitchen area and most importantly a loo!!! (believe me that is a novelty)

Security code gates and alarmed tack rooms, plenty of storage space and is 5 miles from my house.

It is dearer by £7 per week but it includes wormer and the haylage is cheaper and facilities better.

My conundrum, Bert is quite happy as he is but I only do the roadwork rides in company due to traffic issues so my hacking out is restricted to riding with others. Bert loves to jump and XC and it is something I want to get into so facilities would be great.

Only real down side is there may be the odd day in winter when they need to be kept in (2 days in total last year)

Thoughts and adivse would be greatly appreciated as I am not sure if I am worrying about moving him and being silly or if i am being selfish moving him.
 
If the new yard was closer to me I'd move with you, it sounds fab, definately move
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I would definitely go for the new yard.

Could I ask how much they are charging at the new yard and what this includes? Or PM me please. Sorry to be nosey
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I'm just researching.
 
I am going back to have another look with squeeley *on here* as she has recently moved to my current yard and this one is also nearer her. I cannot get over the fact that I could hack for hours and never meet a road from leaving the stable until i get back at the stable!!

I think I am finding it a tough decision as I love my current yard but am not sure if I can stick another winter of darkness and mud and 60 miles a day.

I will not gain anything on mileage during the week as my work is the opposite direction rather than same direction but at the weekend I could possibly cycle there *coughs*

I could take Bert's back shoes off again due to the decrease in road work which would save me £30 a month, my real concern is what if the 2 days in the winter becomes weeks??
 
DIY stable and grazing is £104 pcm and includes use of all facilities and wormer. or £130 pcm includes hay/haylage too.

This covers the school, XC, jump menage....basically everything that cannot be eaten and bedding
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Currently I am £17 pw for stable and turnout.
 
Sounds too good not to seriously consider. If you know your horse will settle and be happy and you can do much more, so long as the people seem ok, then, I would go for it.
 
This is my big worry...what if he doesn't
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He settled instantly at this yard but he has issues and is a bit special needs!

He has COPD and claustraphobia which means when he is stabled he has a little meltdown and cannot breathe.....(phsycological according to the vet)

ATM he has a 10x10 stable and small yard he can go between freely and he is fine with this however recently he has started to lie down in the stable and will let you shut the door. my current YO has said he will knock through 2 stables for him so we can try stabling him properly. (hence why I love my YO) however this new stable is half wall all way round and at least 20ft long and 12ft or more wide. other horses either side and not at all confined. My dilemma is will he wont he? What if he hates it. I wont know until it is too late as there are plenty of people that want my current stable setup on my current yard and it would be gone in a heartbeat.
 
What are you waiting for?!

If the weather is that bad that they can't go out, he'll probably be glad to be tucked up in the warm and the boxes aren't exactly small are they, you could almost lunge in them by the sound of it! I honestly don't know what there is to worry about; think of your freedom to roam all those acres; it would be bliss!
 
It would be that round here too!!

The only other place I have seen round here with similar (although obviously non comparable) facilities is MKEC and that is £40 pw and facilities that are often being used for comps.

Have never heard of this place before but know someone already on the yard who has been there for years.
 
Would it not be possible to have a weeks trial ?? with your horse, i mean surely if your current yo is as understandable as you say they are, Say that you may be needing somewhere closer to hand and that you have come across this yard that is closer , tell them that its noting to do with them and that its nothing personal , its just more convenient for you .


This new yard sounds great to be honest . I would be jumping at it .
 
If you think he would settle I would go for it. You will be able to spend much more time with him rather than being stuck in the car
 
I'd have moved already! That's incredibly cheap for all those facilities. Don't be too precious about your horse, they settle down quicker than you think they will. Also I wouldn't worry about him having to stay in occasionally - horses on box rest cope ok! And if you exercise on those days then at least he will have stretched his legs.
I'd definately go for it - it sounds great
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I personally would move even if its for your own personal reasons and not for your horse. If your horse is closer to home surely the time spent with him will be more / better. And on the plus side like you said it has all the facilities you could wish for which in tunr horsey will learn to love and enjoy like you do already!
 
Wish I was near there - I'd be moving in a flash !!! Go for it, sounds absolutely lovely !

If it makes you feel any better a friend of mine recently moved yards purely to save money, she worried herself silly right up to the day of the move about all the what ifs ....

What if she didn't make friends
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what if her horse hated it
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what if
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what if.........
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She LOVES it, never been happier, best thing she ever did, would never come back etc etc...

Reckon you get a feel for a place the minute you walk in, if you are loving the thought already then its probably the right place for you, go for it!!
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Good Luck !!
 
Right, I agree with everyone it sounds fab and I too would be very tempted to move. I have though gone to yards that looked wonderful and discovered that whilst the facilities were top notch, other things were amiss, so my advise would be not to get carried away. Custardsmum will be laughing when she reads this, as I'm often being her 'sensible / cautious fairy'. That said I'm one of the worst for making quick decisions and getting carried away! When you revisit the yard, make sure that you quiz them about everything, and that you get a really good understanding of what they will expect of you and that they will meet your needs, particularly as he has COPD. Don't assume anything, one yard that I was on Full Livery on, suddenly informed me that I should not expect my horse's hooves to picked out when he came in from the field! I always think it's better to ask all your questions, even any awkward ones, before you move, than to get there and be wishing that you'd known about something before you moved. If you are happy with their answers, then move, as I do agree it sounds fab.
 
The yard I used to work on did restrict turnout sometimes in winter, it entirely depended on how wet it was, and how churned up the fields get. We had a couple who really didn't like being stabled the whole time, so we used to do turn out in the indoor school for them, in between lessons either on their own, or if they got on with another horse, together. This worked well for all involved - might eb worth asking if this is an option, should you need it over winter. I would move tho, horses are remarkably adaptable.
 
Thanks for all your replies guys. I am off to revist tonight at 7 with Squeeley as I would ideally like to go together.

I am sure she will be able to think of some more questions aswell. As it is DIY I am mainly concerned with the facilities, security and general upkeep and organisation. I think i will write a list of things to check before I go so I don't forget anything.

If anyone thinks of anything i should be asking please add to this thread in case i forget something, I am bound to forget the obvious! LOL
 
As I have had a couple of PM's I just thought I would update anyone that was interested in the outcome of my yard conundrum.

I am moving on Saturday! It has been a nightmare but really there was no real choice to make. My YO, as usual, has been lovely about it and is even taking us there in his lorry. He has also said he will keep my stable and paddock for a month incase i want to come back
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I will post some pics when we get there, having just been again tonight it seems even nicer and nearer than before
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