Your thoughts on possible new yard please...

[jules34]

Have been looking for a new yard and may have possibly found one. There are a few drawbacks though, and wondered if any of you could give me any advice/thoughts.

It's a small, quiet yard. The fields are quite muddy at the moment - mare on her own so has trashed her field a bit! My mare would have her own paddocks (2 of) which are parallel to other mare. Mains electric fencing. Loads of storage. Farm next door supplies round baled hay at very competitive prices and they deliver. Self-filling water troughs. Electric. 2 nice dry new stables and feed room. YO has offered to turn out for me each day and share the jobs, so I could bring in for her etc. Hacking is very good, and her mare is same breed and age as mine, and she wants to do similar things (fun rides etc). She hacks out regularly and would be happy to hack out with me.

My concerns are with only 1 other mare, could they become very attached? How could I try and avoid this, if possible? The fields are very muddy at the moment, but girl explained that this is due to her mare being on her own and trashing the field. However, she has other areas to use as fields which she plans to in the summer, and says the trashed field will be rolled and will grow back quickly. YO not on site, but family members very closeby. Toilet onsite and trampoline! (my kids would be very happy!). No school, but there are some locally which can be hired.

Any thoughts? Advice?

 

[quirky]

Personally, I wouldn't like to be without a school and I am not keen to be on a yard where nobody lives on site.

I ride in the evenings, which would mean no riding/exercise for the winter months. How would you manage your winter riding?

 

[splashgirl45]

my mare is with one other horse whois a gelding. she did get quite attached but is manageable. if the other horse is hacking out without me i put mine in the stable and she is fine. if left in the field she goes looney and gets herself in a state. we always turn out and get in at the same time to avoid any upsets and this works well, with the provision that you get on with the other person and they are sympathetic to the needs of your horse. my situation is different as the other person is not yo. if you dont already know the yo will you get on? that would be my main worry, everything else sounds great. hope this helps..

 

[jules34]

Personally, I wouldn't like to be without a school and I am not keen to be on a yard where nobody lives on site. - yes, this worried me too a bit

I ride in the evenings, which would mean no riding/exercise for the winter months. How would you manage your winter riding?

I only manage to ride at the weekends and my day off in the winter due to work/family committments and no school at present yard. TBH this is pretty much how its always been and my girl isn't worried. When the weather was bad (snow and ice for 3 weeks) we couldn't ride as it was too dnagerous and she was fine.

 

[jules34]

Thanks splash girl - no, I don't know this girl, so it is a bit of a gamble... My mare used to be turned out with 1 other mare and wasn't bothered if she went out, but there were other horses to look at! Thinking about it, I'm not sure there are any other horses in sight so she may get a bit upset if the other mare went out without her...