Yards - another WWYD

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archiesmum

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23 April 2008
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I am in a bit of a pickle and i need to make a decision before it drives me crazy! I have a big youngster and horse who is recovering from a sprained suspensory branch.

Yard 1 - current yard
All year round turn out but on a steep hill, not maintained, big herd, gets very boggy and need to walk along busy lane to turn out/bring in which gets scary in the dark in winter - currently in a fenced flatter bit up the hill for horse with injury but need to take up water and hay and poo pick
Stables on the small side -11.5x11.5 and 10x10
Big arena 30x45, has a bit of lighting
Tack and feed room
No storage for hay so under tarpaulin
Local hay guy, good value
Lovely hacking but busy in rush hour
Parking for trailer
Lots of plans to do the yard and fields up including hardcore turnout area but improvements normally slow to materialise
Water not always reliable when you need it
Winter was very hard work due to mud up to knees, water availability, getting to and from field etc in the dark
All friends on the yard, good atmosphere, horses are settled
Owner on site and is a very good friend
Can pay for extra help and schooling
On way to work, 10ish minutes from home

Yard 2 - possible yard
Flat small paddocks, can have just my two together, maintained, drier ground, accessible from the yard BUT possibly restricted if very very wet, would need to poo pick. YO has said they allow turnout on yard for a walk around and use arena and paths to fields for leg stretch
Bigger stables 14x14 and 10x14
20x60 arena, not flood lit
Tack room and feed room
Barn for hay
Hay supplier a little expensive but unsure who else delivers to the area
Yard on bridleway, lots of bridleways and quiet lanes but not sure what they are like in winter and i don't know the area, busy road the other way
Parking for trailer
Only two other people/horses, one is retired so very quiet
Owner on site
Can pay for extra help and schooling from freelance friend
Opposite direction to work but only 15mins from home, fast roads to get to work

My initial reason for looking to move is due to my horse straining the suspensory due to the turn out and vet said no steep hills or boggy mud which is making turnout difficult and unsure about winter if hardcore doesn't materialise. Yard 2 is slightly cheaper.

So... what would you do?!
 
Can you move your injured horse to yard 2 and keep your youngster at yard 1 ? I prefer youngsters to be out in big fields with a herd but appreciate that it is no longer suitable for your other horse.
 
Yard 2 before the young one also gets injured, buy a few portable lights for the school so you can ride at night, it may be that yard 1 never gets done and another winter like the last one will mean the turn out is even worse, I wouldn't want to keep a horse stabled regularly in a 10x10 that is a pony box in my view, 10x 14 would be ok for something not too big.
 
yard 1.you might not beable to ride the bws in winter and it sounds like you wont be able to turn the horses out depending on weather. yard 1 although on a slope has a lot more going for it I think.
 
Restricted turnout is a big no for me. I believe that they need to be out for atleast half of their time so for that reason I would pick yard 1. Although bringing in down a road in the dark sounds unbelievably dangerous I just admit xx
 
These are exactly the battles I am having with myself!

The stables at yard 1 are small and the turn out is difficult, especially once the clocks have changed turning out and getting in with the road in the dark - the field is on a hill with an average gradient of 10% so very scary when the herd come down flat out, in the mud, shoes flying!

It would be difficult to juggle them both at different yards - they aren't out 24/7 so the 3yo would still need to come in out of the heat and flies during the summer and in at night during the winter.

No lights in the arena isn't the end of the world as I am a bit of a fair weather rider and would mainly just spin on the lunge with a head torch but I would look into portable lights as well. This is assuming the suspensory will be strong enough by winter for lunging.

I am worried about the possibility of restricted turn out at yard 2 if we do have a wet winter, especially with my 3yo although the YO did say they can wander the yard, play in the arena or wander the paths around the fields. The land is quite sandy so well draining on the whole where as yard 1 is more clay so slippy on the hill and boggy at the bottom. The hardcore turnout area would be at the bottom of the hill which would still mean going along the road in the dark and sharing round bales with some more possessive characters in the herd which have already landed me with vet bills from kicks. I sleep much better knowing it is just them two in a paddock for the summer, although it won't be sustainable for winter.

The bridleways next to the yard at yard 2 looked fine, but as you say what will they be like in winter with a dirt and leaf litter floor. The beauty of yard 1 is the lane is gritted as it is a bit of a rat run and farmers need to get through, although the snow drifts caused chaos for a day or so, but I can ride out, even for just a quick trot on the gritted lane most of the time.

I am going round and round in circles and still coming to no firm decision, the 'what ifs' are playing havoc!
 
I'd stay put for now. If the injury heals by the winter, yard 1 sounds best. If it hasn't, move at the end of the summer or keep looking.
 
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