Yards... to move or not to move?

ShadowFlame

ShadowFlame

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Torn as to what to do here. Stay, move, keep looking? Need some opinions. For the record, I have a hardy cob, who's a VERY good doer.

Current yard:
DIY
6 miles from home
2 schools
Lovely stables
Great people
Well managed
Stabled overnight Oct - April
Okay hacking
Cobby is settled in, chilled out, and happy (big difference from previous yard)
Will not restrict grazing
Turnout limited in poor weather

Yard 2:
DIY / Grass
12 miles from home
School
Off road riding
Year round turnout
Will restrict grazing
Cheaper

I love my current yard, but I know deep down that it's not working. The grazing is too good for my cob (who is horrendously overweight in the middle of winter), and I'm dreading spring coming. He's happy to live out and I'd rather him do so, but the atmosphere on the yard is fab. It's friendly, the people are great, but I think the only way I'd get round the weight issue is by stabling and muzzling year-round, which I really don't want to do. When stabled, DIY is costing £45 - £50 a week (including shavings + hay). In bad weather, when he needs to be brought in early (i.e. snow, field isn't hayed, and I work 9hr shifts), it's costing upwards of £60 a week. For DIY.

Yard 2: I haven't been to look round, as although it sounds perfect, I'm concerned by the distance. Obviously in bad weather / emergencies / etc, 12 miles is going to be a buggar. Having said that, if he's out 24/7 I may be able to cut down to 1 trip per day (having someone else check him, of course), and it is pretty much straight down the motorway.

Or, do I keep looking? There seems to be a real lack of yards that offer year round turnout / grass livery, and the few that do are a mission away.

Brain frazzled. Opinions would be appreciated!
 
I think you need to keep looking TBH, you don't sound convinced about te new one so I'd discount it. Have you spoken to YO about fencing a section off for your boy so you can manage the grazing a bit better?
 
Stay put and muzzle, or keep looking. My share mare is muzzled pretty much all year round and she is fine... But I know you said you weren't keen OP, just something to reconsider maybe?
 
Yes, I've asked. Response was that restriction causes too many problems, so they don't do it. I'm not convinced by yard 2, probably because I haven't looked round the place. I can't vouch for what the yard is like, etc. Saying that, I think I'm putting off going to look as even if I adore the place, I'm unsure if the distance is pushing it.

PF - how long is yours muzzled for? The problem is I can't justify stabling a hardy cob all year round, and muzzles can't be kept on 24/7? It's really starting to give me a headache :(
 
She's out during the day in winter, in at night, during the summer she's in during the day and out at night. She always has her muzzle on though, unless she rolls it off!

As amymay says, can you have it on in the day and off at night?
 
I'd go for 2. The year round turnout, restricted grazing and hacking would win it for me as that's what I need most and I don't mind travelling for it.
 
I have a very good doer nd I think that I have finally found the answer (and discovered that it isn't rocket science). She is on a yard with the best and most grazing we have ever had and yet she is in the best shape. She is muzzled while out which is 10-12 hours a day, no muzzle in this weather obviously. She is in at night with steamed hay and she is worked more than she was previously.

She is much happier on a larger paddock with her muzzle on all day than she was in a restricted patch or with strip grazing, using these other methods she was too food obsessed and very grumpy.

I would stay put at yard one. Why would you want SUCH a good doer on the grass 24/7?
 
Why not keep muzzle on 24/7? I know people that do & doesn't cause any probs.
As long as u check daily 2 make sure its not rubbing anywhere or do what I do & have the whole thing covered in sheepskin :)
 
I would do as others have said. Muzzle during day, take it off at night if kept out. If in overnight soak/steam hay. Also increase workload if possible.

Yes it feels cruel muzzling to start with but sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind & its much better in the long run. (I also have a fatty cob on good grazing). They soon get used to the muzzle xx
 
BillieBlitzen said:
I have a very good doer nd I think that I have finally found the answer (and discovered that it isn't rocket science). She is on a yard with the best and most grazing we have ever had and yet she is in the best shape. She is muzzled while out which is 10-12 hours a day, no muzzle in this weather obviously. She is in at night with steamed hay and she is worked more than she was previously.

She is much happier on a larger paddock with her muzzle on all day than she was in a restricted patch or with strip grazing, using these other methods she was too food obsessed and very grumpy.

I would stay put at yard one. Why would you want SUCH a good doer on the grass 24/7?
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I think if you turn out 24/7 even on poor grazing, a cob is more likely to put weight on than if you stable for 12 hours maybe with soaked hay / straw mix and double nets and use muzzle during the day.
Also as someone else said the extra 12 miles a day would be 84 a week - quarter of a tank in a 4 x 4 !
And thinking of the weather as it is - would you still have access to a stable if you needed it for whatever reason ?
A good yard is worth sticking with !
 
Amymay - if they're muzzled for only part of the day, do they not gorge themselves when it comes off?

webble - I know, but with current yard I'm having to go up two or three times a day. If I'm muzzling, whether in or out, I'll be there minimum twice a day. Two trips of 12 miles round, or one trip of 24 miles round would work out the same, and with it being motorway miles fuel consumption would be better.

BB - Because I'm not a fan of keeping horses cooped up. My boy is happier out, and it makes my life so much easier - to me, it seems silly to keep hardy horses cooped up purely because we WANT to keep them on lush grass?

Chocy - I've always been told muzzling 24/7 is a big no-no, due to the amount they restrict?

Gloi - this is what I'm thinking, I'm just unsure how practical it will actually be to be travelling that far every day. Having looked further into location it's probably more like 14 miles, but it's one junction on the M5. 20min journey.

Maybe I'll keep looking.
 
I don't WANT to keep her on lush grass. I want to keep her on exactly the right grass that meant she could stuff her face 24/7 but that would mean her having to be free to roam the county so that she could burn it off at the same time. As far as I can see you either habve to restrict, muzzle 24/7 as muzzling for part of the day meant mine scoffed her fill when it was off, or stable, or exercise for a couple of hours minimum a day including fast work. Always going to be a compromise somewhere!
 
Would they allow you to track your field? A friend did this, and it worked quite well. I'd probably stay put and muzzle, I have just halved my journey to the yard, and am enjoying it, plus being somewhere you are both happy is a real plus.
 
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