Yard hopper

[Fluffypiglet]

What would you consider a "yard hopper". Just seen an advert of FB for a livery yard saying they don't want any yard hoppers. Do people really just do it for fun?! The only yard move I would ever make is if what I need can't be accommodated or it's just isn't working (eg yard changes to haylage only but my horse needs hay) and it's certainly not something I like doing. I'm not looking to move but it just made me wonder... Thoughts?

 

[Fiona]

No way, I only ever moved because the current option wasn't working ie no arena, badly maintained arena, and not enough winter turnout.

Fiona

 

[LaurenBay]

I know of 2 yard hoppers. They have had their Horse 10 years plus and never stay on a yard for more then a year.

 

[KrujaaLass]

Yes. Normally leave owing money

 

[Ceifer]

Same as LaurenBay. I know a yard hopper.
It would be my idea of hell as hate upsetting my horses routine and I’m on a great yard so why move, but the woman I know has been on pretty much every yard in a 25 mile radius over the years.
Starts off singing the yards praises, then descends into moaning and badmouthing. Then she moves on.

 

[Cinnamontoast]

I had two horses on loan at different yards so went to one yard with both. I then moved because the yard was full of KPWNs and I'd lost my warmblood and bought a cob!! Then I moved because the yo kicked me off for objecting to the newly released from prison pedophile being allowed back to the yard.

I can't imagine moving again, the sheer amount of stuff I have is horrific, even though I thinned out very thoroughly recently.

 

[Nasicus]

It makes me wonder what's wrong with the yard to have yard hoppers be enough of an issue to state it on your advert...

 

[ycbm]

I gave a horse to someone a few years back and my big regret is that I chose a yard hopper. Although very well cared for the horse is never in one place for more than a year, often less. There is always a 'good' reason and it took quite a while before I realised it was the horse's owner, not the yards.



.

It makes me wonder what's wrong with the yard to have yard hoppers be enough of an issue to state it on your advert...

It's not something that sounds very attractive, a bit of a PR blooper there.

 

[HeyMich]

Yep, I know someone who moves her horse pretty much every 6 months. She burns a few bridges every time she goes, which obviously isn't great for her future options!

I don't think there's any malice or bad intent, I genuinely think she's looking for perfection and not finding it anywhere! However, if you told her she was a 'yard hopper' she would be dreadfully offended. As they say, the truth hurts...

 

[Leandy]

A bit like saying "no time wasters" in an advert, noone will ever think they are one so it is pretty meaningless. It could mean the yard owner has had problems with non-payers who do frequent flits on no notice owing money which is never recovered - there are definitely people who do this regularly and often become known for it. It could mean there is something wrong with the yard if there is a high number of people moving on. Who knows! Also, I have a suspicion there are a number of people who want grass livery in the summer but stabling and more facilities in the winter and so move around to try to achieve this and not have to pay for the latter all year. I can see why they would want to do this to keep costs down and for more hacking/freedom in the summer but can also see it is annoying and disruptive for yard owners who would like people to stay long term.

 

[Fluffypiglet]

Some interesting views. I definitely read the advert as somewhere I would be cautious of, as it could imply they have a high turnover but mentally I think I'm always slightly unsettled as it could be better - literally the grass could be greener which would make horse very happy 😁. But my sensible brain understands that no where is likely to be completely perfect so some compromise may be required. I would only move if I couldn't find the compromise I needed. I do feel sorry for the horses dragged from pillar to post. The naughty people leaving due to debts didn't really occur to me. If I do move yards I would always try to leave on good terms and have been lucky enough to weed out potential disasters before moving there.

 

[chaps89]

I've unintentionally been a yard hopper. Trust me I don't want to be! I've left everywhere on good terms and paid up to date/received my deposits back and never bad mouthed any of them. It's just been really unfortunate changes in circumstances in my instance and I'd love nothing more than to find somewhere and stay put.
Yard 1 I had to move as needed to box rest and there were no spare stables (she was on grass livery at the time and pen rest wasn't working)
Yard 2 stopped offering services and I needed assistance so had to go. Subsequently found out the YM had been bad mouthing me to other liveries so seems I'm well off out of there!
Yard 3 was a private yard and a family member died so they decided they didn't want a livery anymore and the land is likely to go up for sale.
Yard 4 the YO had a falling out with YM and we all had to go.
Currently on yard 5 and dare I say it debating moving of my own accord this time. Had to move at short notice from yard 4 so didnt take my time finding the right place and it's just a bit too far away and the travelling and early mornings are really taking their toll with the way the routine works at the yard.
But I feel so bloody horrible about the thought of uprooting her again.
I really just want to find somewhere we can settle and stay put! Ideally a place of my own so that I'm less at the mercy of multiple other people but I know even renting somewhere you're not guaranteed security really, plus there just isn't anything in this part of the country.

 

[LegOn]

Yard hoppers do exist and seem to be chronic when you come across one!

The one I knew was over horsed with one horse & delusional about the other horse who was lame. Unfortunately they would arrive at a yard and the issues with the horses were firmly blamed on the yard - the reason the she couldnt ride one horse was because of any number of reasons that were the yards fault. So she would start riding the lame horse which was only supposed to be a companion & again all number of issues with the horse were blamed on the yard. I think she found it very hard to admit the failings in her own horse ownership and just looked for others to blame.

YO's that didnt get involved were a problem and of course, YO's that did, were definitely a problem in her eyes so she would just up & leave to another yard - she would last max 6 months in each place and was very vocal about the previous yard which of course reduces the amount of yards you can go to cause word gets around. But it was very sad - one very unhappy girl & 2 very unhappy horses, no one seemed to be able to do anything to help.

But she wouldnt have seen herself as Yard Hopper though - she would have blamed the yards!

 

[Auslander]

I haven't had any yet - had a few who didn't stay long (they were mostly pushed!), but no-one I'd classify as a chronic hopper. There are a few in the local area, and I have dodged them whenever I've had a space, and they've enquired.
I have one livery here who I was warned was a mega-hopper, never staying anywhere longer than a few months. Must be doing something right, as she's been here nearly three years now!

 

[Darbs]

Its not just horses, its life in general. Some people just change a lot, but I don't think there is a common cause.

I have been involved in cycle racing for over 30 years and within cycing there are 'club hoppers' who ride with a different club every couple of years. I have never seen a common reason, its just the way some people are.

 

[Leo Walker]

I move whenever it suits me. Quite often a yard that has been working wont anymore. And then theres the couple of godawful places I've been on as well. I'm happy and settled at the current one, but I guess we will see in winter. The land is clay and theres been mutterings about turnout and I wont have mine standing in 24/7. But hopefully we can work something out as otherwise its suiting us both with some compromises.

I've never ever left without paying and only left one on bad terms, but everyone who goes there leaves on bad terms!

 

[Leandy]

I wouldn't count moving yards due to changes in circumstances at the yard or my horses' needs as "yard hopping" particularly so long as due notice is given and all is done on good terms. Circumstances and needs do change over time and adaptations need to be made. A yard which is not flexible about adapting to the changing needs of individual horses and clients is likely to have more turnover than one which accomodates different needs at different times. Some people are more flexible, tolerant and patient than others generally. Some are prepared and have the skills to work through change and associated frictions in the interests of long term stability (that's me!), others are much quicker to take offence and take things personally and can't or won't put in the energy to work things through and compromise where change is needed. Some people are bonkers and generally unstable! That is life and applies to both horse owners and yard owners.

 

[wiglet]

In over 30 years of horse ownership I've moved yards 7 times - it's not something undertaken lightly but sometimes needs must.

I know a couple of yard hoppers.

The first is a mother and daughter combo. They are nice, decent people just very fussy. The daughter has special needs so of course the mum is very protective of her and this usually leads to arguements if someone upsets the daughter. A few of the moves have been because they've found a private yard or land to rent - all goes well for a few months then winter hits and the reality of no electric and no running water hits hard. They usually stay at places for around 6 months.

The other yard hopper is a complete nightmare. Rude and obnoxious and always leaves owing money.

I guess it takes all sorts in life, eh?!!

 

[Leandy]

On a different level on the OP's facebook advert, I would steer well clear of any yard which puts "no/this/that or the other" in the advert. In my experience, yards with a long list of "don'ts" are not the happiest places. I like a well organised yard with professional standards but there are ways and means of achieving that without alienating your clientele.

 

[honetpot]

My friend worked part time in a small riding school. They got a lot of enquires about full livery in the weeks running up to Christmas.
I have had horses for more than 35years, I always pay my bills and only move if I have to. Turnout is more important to me than a wash box, tearoom or any extra. I have been on seven yards and rented two fields, the fields sometimes the same time as the livery to split my herd. I now have my own land.

 

[Horse2018]

A lot of yard owners called people yard hoppers because they complain about a problem like lack of turnout not providing what they are say there offering. I personally think it odd to put in a advertisement I say they service is not so good if they are saying that.

A true yard hopper is people who move yard a tons of times I now a girl who is a yard hopper the girl had the horse for 4 years but has been in 8 yards .

 

[Mrs B]

Careful observation over the years has left me with a sneaky theory that a few people yard hop because they really believe that THIS time, the magical new yard will change their riding overnight: they'll be able to hack out alone, whenever and wherever they choose ... their flatwork will suddenly come together in the new school and they'll discover their jumping brave-pants are hanging on their peg in the new tackroom, just waiting to help them effortlessly over that 1m track.

"This time next month, Rodney ..."

And if anyone ever finds such a magical yard, please do let me know. It'll save me a fortune in lessons ...

 

[tankgirl1]

I could be called a yard hopper - been on 6 yards in 5 years. However just going into my 3rd winter on the current yard and don't expect to move again. Never left owing money

ETA - 2 of those yards were 'stopgaps' over summertime and YO knew I wasn't staying long, so really 4 yards in 5 years

 

[HiPo'sHuman]

I’m a yard hopper, not because I enjoy moving but circumstances change and/or the yard didn’t provide what was originally promised etc. Never left anywhere owing money and only two on bad terms, one of which was removing my ponies haynet and starving him all day and the other where there was an arson issue and I found out via fb 🤦🏻‍♀️ (much more to those stories!)

Moved last week actually due to now needing full livery and couldn’t be happier 😁

 

[Equi]

Ive only been on two yards in my life as i always had my horses at home. My first yard...many people left it in my time there i was only there 2 years and at one point me and another livery were the only ones who had been there longer than a year. The main reasons were the controlling behaviour of YO with the haylage (only allowed a small net twice a day even when no turnout) and the arena was pretty crap. That being said i still really liked the yard and the people, i got on well with them, but the arena despite their attempts at my behalf to fix things just did not work out for me. I was lucky to get a space on this yard now...the YO had broken a horse and he then left to his home and the stable was free...i was looking about and my friend who was at the yard recommended me as an easy as pie person to fit in..and its been bliss! When my horse is retired/dies i will keep a stable until i can get a new horse for sure.

 

[doodle]

I have been on 3. First was a farm up the road where i had minto. Then when i got soli pretty much out of racing i felt i needed a school so took him to current livery yard. After i lost minto me and my best friend moved soli and her horse to the farm. However soli hated it and i took him back to livery yard. Lost soli, got tom and moved him to another livery yard. I hated it and after 2 months moved back to original livery with huge sigh of relief.

 

[hairycob]

I could have been taken for one a few years back. I had been at a yard 4 years when it changed hands. New owners were horrid and everyone left on the same day! The others were renting a yard together but the location didn't work for me so I went to a friends field while I looked. There for a month then moved to what could have been a decent yard but a couple of weeks later the family from hell arrived and then YM changed. I ended up having to put a bolt on the inside of my stable so beats didn't come squealing in while I was tacking up. YO turned out to be a crook and his son a drug dealer. After 4 months a friend called me, the person she shared a yard with was moving away so I went there. 6 months later both my horses got atypical myopathy. No way was I turning the survivor out there, so off to another friend's field while I sorted something out. Have been at the yard after that 5 years now and have no intention of moving.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

What would you consider a "yard hopper". Just seen an advert of FB for a livery yard saying they don't want any yard hoppers. Do people really just do it for fun?! The only yard move I would ever make is if what I need can't be accommodated or it's just isn't working (eg yard changes to haylage only but my horse needs hay) and it's certainly not something I like doing. I'm not looking to move but it just made me wonder... Thoughts?

I have had yard hoppers reason beings.

1. unbeknown to me mother and daughter had stolen a horse and parked it with me. (loads excuses to why non payment etc back 15 years ago)
2. stayed 6 weeks at my yard, then vacated my yard when they knew I was on holiday leaving bills behind
3. livery had been in 6 yards in the first year we opened 1996, livery a nightmare so was the pony, we told them to go
4. again livery and horse a problem left us leaving bills and the yard before leaving bills, and a training manager leaving him out of pocket
5. another livery also.


You always get them, but I always take people on face value, prob my down fall, I give them to much lea way.

 

[Sussexbythesea]

It makes me wonder what's wrong with the yard to have yard hoppers be enough of an issue to state it on your advert...

Agree it would put me off going there.

I’ve only been on 3 yards in 14 years. First 4 years but moved mainly due to the restriction on who you could have to teach you. Moved to my dressage trainers yard then realised that she wasn’t what she seemed to be and couldn’t be trusted. Plus it was too far away in an emergency. I left after a year. I’ve been at current yard 9 years and have no intention of leaving.

We had a yard hopper last year we all knew what she was like from the local grapevine. She left after about 6 months. None of us were sad to see her go. I know she slagged us off afterwards though. She’s since rented another yard but now given that up and moved again.

 

[Bernster]

Just totted up and have been on more yards than I had remembered! 5 in about 15 years. Part of that was working out what the better suited yards were. The first 2 moves were due to following a friend who I realised was a bit of a yard hopper! She was Always looking for that nirvana perfect yard I think.

I would find it off putting in an ad and wonder what it meant for the yard.

Most yard moves, of other people I know, have been for genuine reasons but sometimes I think they were misguided.

ETA not something I would undertake lightly. I have way too much stuff to move!