Yard Move Dilemma, what would you do?

[Deltic Blue]

Hello everyone!

A few months ago I posted a thread about my mare not liking our indoor school.
She hasn't got any better in the months that I've been trying to school her in there, so I've now given up trying to ride in there and I'll just lunge or free school. Even then she is unsettled!

She is perfect in an outdoor school as I've taken her out to a few places recently. She's so light on the hands, not strong at all and doesn't rush anything. She's just relaxed and happy. And with jumping she doesn't take things on at full pelt like she does in the indoor.

I've now decided to move yards if I can find somewhere within a reasonable distance and has spaces as a lot of local yards have waiting lists.

My dilemma is, I've found somewhere but it is 30 mins away. My current yard is 6 miles and a 15 min drive. The other one is 14 miles away and a 30 min drive if traffic is good!

Just to compare it, I'll list what I get at my current yard compared to the "new" one:

Current yard:

£151 per month.
No bedding or hay included
Stable
Indoor school, which I rarely use now.
No restrictions on turnout in winter.
Great hacking
XC jumps on our gallops
Parking for my horsebox at no extra cost.
Have to buy my own electric posts, tape, energiser, battery. As all the horses don't go out together. She is better in a group as she jumps out or breaks electric fencing if left on her own.
6 miles away, 15 min drive from home, 20-25 mins from work.
Lovely yard owner, relaxed and friendly, which I will be sad to leave as I do really like it there, but my horse doesn't and I can't focus on getting her ready to compete if I can't ride in the school.

"New" Yard:

£140 per month
No hay or bedding, but can buy in, don't have to buy from them as I use a local supplier to get round bales.
Stable
Paddock
No restrictions on turnout in winter
Use of all listed facilities
2 floodlit outdoor arenas
Horse walker
Lunge pen
Hot horse shower
Great hacking and can buy a pass for £60 a year to get access to even more local estates land.
Almost 15 miles from home, roughly 27-30 min drive.
12 miles from work, 25 min drive.

Me and my boyfriend are also looking to move house this summer, so if I moved the horse in the next month or 2 it wouldn't be such a long drive as we'll then focus our house search closer to the yard.

My gut is saying go with the yard that's further away as my mare should be happier there, but I've been at my current yard 2 and a half years, and will find it difficult to leave, but I know it's best for my horse.

What would you do in my situation?

Thanks

 

[HashRouge]

Are there any services offered by the second yard? I think if you can arrange it so you only need to go up once a day then the longer drive won't be so bad, especially if everything else about the yard is ideal.

 

[ester]

New yard does sound nice, do you have a work place to factor into this equation?

 

[CBFan]

I think you need to follow your gut instinct. 2nd yard does sound good and not THAT much more travelling in the whole scheme of things.... particularly if you can get help so you only need to visit once per day...

 

[Crackerz]

30mins is nothing imo.

It takes me 15mins to get to the stables, but stables is 35mins from work

 

[Deltic Blue]

New yard does sound nice, do you have a work place to factor into this equation?

Yes my work is about 20-25 mins from home depending on traffic, the "new" yard would be around 25 mins from work, which is about the same as my current one as I work in my town centre, so it all depends on traffic.

I need to ask about services as that is one thing my yard used to offer, but since the groom left they do don't it anymore.
I've got a friend at my current yard who would keep an eye on my horse and feed her if I went on holiday. But I haven't been away for 6 years, so it doesn't happen all too often. But if they offer services to make it so I only go down once a day, I'll cancel out the money being spent on fuel and time in the mornings if I just go up in the evening during winter.

Summer would be fine as she'll live out and I only visit once a day

 

[gnubee]

No reason not to move yards, but you do currently have a good opportunity to get your horse comfortable with regularly being in the indoor. If you can just live with never using one then no probs, but if you may want to do indoor jumping/showing etc are you sure you have tried all avenues to get the horse comfy in the indoor (trainer,company, join up, feeding in there etc) as once you don't have one on site it is going to be much harder to work through. Is the indoor rattley in the wind most of winter? If so you may find the issue easier to solve in summer.

 

[Hannahgb]

The second yard sounds brilliant - especially if you factor in work. If that's 5 days a week it wouldn't be much more travel time. Although I agree that ideally with the traveling- services once a day would help.

 

[Emmangel]

The second yard sounds brilliant - especially if you factor in work. If that's 5 days a week it wouldn't be much more travel time. Although I agree that ideally with the traveling- services once a day would help.

I ditto the second yard. Schools make such a big difference and it sounds fab.

 

[muddygreymare]

Go for it! I've just moved to a new yard after being in the same place for 3 years and it is difficult to take the plunge but it sounds like you horse will be happier in the new place which will make you more positive and enjoy your time with her more. Good luck if you do decide to move

 

[Deltic Blue]

No reason not to move yards, but you do currently have a good opportunity to get your horse comfortable with regularly being in the indoor. If you can just live with never using one then no probs, but if you may want to do indoor jumping/showing etc are you sure you have tried all avenues to get the horse comfy in the indoor (trainer,company, join up, feeding in there etc) as once you don't have one on site it is going to be much harder to work through. Is the indoor rattley in the wind most of winter? If so you may find the issue easier to solve in summer.

I've been trying with her since July 2015 when I bought her, and in that time she's got no better, if not worse.
I've schooled her in one other indoor which was bigger and brighter and she was better, but not as much as she is in an outdoor.

I would love to keep trying, but I'm just at the point now, that I want to crack on.
She's 5 year old, 6 in summer and I recently got my horsebox in December so I want to crack on and get her ready for competitions this year. I feel that if I stay I'm just fighting a losing battle and upsetting her more, when I know she is comfortable, relaxed and happy in an outdoor.

Eventually I will want to compete in an indoor school as there is a venue near me that does their winter showjumping in an indoor, but it is huge and I feel she would be ok in that environment if it's not a daily thing like it is in winter at my yard.

I'm going to go and look at the other one this weekend, as I've been speaking to the owner, but haven't visited yet. Hopefully it is as good as it looks on paper!

 

[Dubsie]

Do see if she schools OK in the new yard's schools before she moves though!

 

[smellsofhorse]

Go for which every yard you feel will be better for both of you.

But i wouldnt move because my horse didnt like the indoor school.
You horses needs to learn, how can you successfully go out competing?
you horse needs to learn to school nicely at home and get out and about in new places and situations.

 

[pepsimaxrock]

You seem to be bigging up the new yard. It does however sound excellent.
Your criticisms of the old yard are based on experience. I'm sure with experience and hindsight new yard would have downsides too.
V tough choice.
Want my opinion? Please feel free to ignore.
I'd go for the closer yard. Xxx

 

[MS123]

But i wouldnt move because my horse didnt like the indoor school.

Very easy to say when you're not in that situation, especially as the OP has been battling this issue for over 1 year.

The new yard sounds fantastic, I'd move 100%.

 

[Deltic Blue]

You seem to be bigging up the new yard. It does however sound excellent.
Your criticisms of the old yard are based on experience. I'm sure with experience and hindsight new yard would have downsides too.
V tough choice.
Want my opinion? Please feel free to ignore.
I'd go for the closer yard. Xxx

I wouldn't say I was bigging it up at all! I was just listing what it has.
I love my current yard! If it had an outdoor school I would never leave! I've been at the same yard for almost 3 years! My old pony was absolutely fine in the school we have, but my new horse (had her since July) has just never settled in there. Which I am very gutted about as I love my yard! I can't sing it's praises highly enough, it just isn't working for my mare now to school there.

I can take her out to school, jump, xc and she is fine, lovely and relaxed, so I have no worries about taking her out to compete as she goes out and has to work when I take her out to new places to school her.

As it happens, the new yard won't suit us either now, after doing a bit more research, with it being quite far away, they have certain turnout restrictions which would make it difficult for me. Shame, the search continues.

 

[JulesRules]

Look at it this way. There is always a compromise.

Current yard the compromise is the school, and it's no fun when you are battling your horse all the time.

New yard the compromise is location.

The question is which compromise is more palatable?

I was on a fantastic yard 12 miles from home and the compromise was location. When prices kept sneaking up I found I had two compromises. I'm now on a yard 2 miles from home which I love, but there is still a compromise which is no off road hacking.

My point is that you will very rarely find the perfect yard.

If it was me I would give the new yard a go, but have a nice chat with current yard before you leave along the lines " if it doesn't work out..."


Edited to add - sorry just read your last post above, but what I said still stands ref thinking about what your priorities are. Like you though, the one thing I won't compromise on is turnout!

 

[Deltic Blue]

Look at it this way. There is always a compromise.

Current yard the compromise is the school, and it's no fun when you are battling your horse all the time.

New yard the compromise is location.

The question is which compromise is more palatable?

I was on a fantastic yard 12 miles from home and the compromise was location. When prices kept sneaking up I found I had two compromises. I'm now on a yard 2 miles from home which I love, but there is still a compromise which is no off road hacking.

My point is that you will very rarely find the perfect yard.

If it was me I would give the new yard a go, but have a nice chat with current yard before you leave along the lines " if it doesn't work out..."


Edited to add - sorry just read your last post above, but what I said still stands ref thinking about what your priorities are. Like you though, the one thing I won't compromise on is turnout!

Thank you

I know I will never find the perfect yard and I'm happy to make compromises, turnout is one I'd prefer to not compromise on, but I would if everything else was perfect, my mare would just need an hour or 2 in the field to let some steam off then she'd be fine to come back in if she has company.

I'm now looking at another yard which is 11 miles away, about 25-30 mins away again, but they offer assisted livery, if they have space, I'd consider moving there if everything else is nice about the yard, I'd have to compromise travel time etc, or pay to get them to do one end of the day for me over winter