As you may be aware my horse TC is massively overweight, we have tried to keep a grazing muzzle on him but he keeps getting them off (or someone is taking them off), I also have a driving pony on loan that doesn't need to get any bigger and has had laminitis (one bout of) in the past.
My boys live out 24/7, 365 days a year. The yard I am at is an ex-dairy farm and the grazing is very rich and very fertilized. The fields look like someones lawn and the farmer will randomly top whilst the horses are in the field and/or move them onto a field with fetlock deep grass without any notice.
TC is not losing any weight at all so last week I asked the YO if I could electric fence (at my expense) an area (I was thinking about 100mx50m) so that my two boys could live in there. They refused outright. The reasons were that I would need more than one area in order to rest one part while the other was grazed and they don't have space (they have 40 acres!!) and (more to the point I feel) that they're afraid it would set a precedent & they'd "end up having 18 individual paddocks".
So I was left with one morbidly obese horse, on whom I can't really keep a muzzle as he either gets them off, they are taken off (lots of walkers through the fields) or he becomes sore & a laminitis prone pony out in 15 acres of dairy pasture.
Although I am happy at the yard (the people are mainly ok, good hacking, walking distance from home, aestheically pleasing) obviously - for the sake of of my boys I have to look for somewhere else.
So, I have been offered a place at a new yard - but it is so scary making that leap, and I was so happy at my current yard despite the odd silly rule and hiccup. I keep telling myself that if I don't move it is going to drastically shorten TC's life - he is arthritic as it is.
I did some pro's & con's to help me decide so thought I'd let you see them too:
PRO'S:
* Small set-up: barn/stables & grazing rented off farmer by 3 friends.
* Two acres to myself to do with as I please (so would strip graze).
* Fab hacking.
* Stable (just one) - so could bring in to dry, etc.
* Organic.
* Grazing is quite poor, perfect for fatties.
* Girls seemd lovely.
* Kid friendly - one of them has a child & they were very happy for others.
* Dog friendly - they all just run around (but not in a bad way).
* Secure tack room (currently have to keep tack at home).
* Undercover storage for my gig (currently is out in open).
* Area to school in year round.
* On chalk so little mud in winter.
* Away from electricty pylons, current land is criss-croosed with them.
* Nice pub nearby!!
CON'S
* Limited natural shelter in field - my main concern - the field is on a slope running down into a dip (like a mini valley I guess) - the YO says that the horses that live out have always been fine and never stand miserable.
Here is part of the field I would have:
I'm standing on the top of the slope looking down, it looks hilly IRL!! I could get a field shelter in the future but money is very limited for this!! DH says if I sell TC I can get a field shelter !!
* Pasture looks rough - which is a good thing, but coming from bowling-green-front-lawn-effect fields to this is a bit scary. There is grass there but also lots of clover, dandelion, dock & thistles (no ragwort). The areas that currently have horses on are cropped short grass with the odd dock.
* Having to fit in to the three friends dynamic is a bit daunting.
* Much further from home considering I could (but don't!!) currently walk - new yard is about 8 minutes drive.
So I've ummed and ahhed all week and tonight handed my notice in at my current yard - the YM didn't sound surprised at all.
An interesting development also is that my friend and I saw the YO showing someone who appeared to be a buyer round the yard & land this morning, they had been rumours a while ago that the yard was for sale, so it seems I might be getting out at the right time....
What do you think about the new place? Any moving tips?
My boys live out 24/7, 365 days a year. The yard I am at is an ex-dairy farm and the grazing is very rich and very fertilized. The fields look like someones lawn and the farmer will randomly top whilst the horses are in the field and/or move them onto a field with fetlock deep grass without any notice.
TC is not losing any weight at all so last week I asked the YO if I could electric fence (at my expense) an area (I was thinking about 100mx50m) so that my two boys could live in there. They refused outright. The reasons were that I would need more than one area in order to rest one part while the other was grazed and they don't have space (they have 40 acres!!) and (more to the point I feel) that they're afraid it would set a precedent & they'd "end up having 18 individual paddocks".
So I was left with one morbidly obese horse, on whom I can't really keep a muzzle as he either gets them off, they are taken off (lots of walkers through the fields) or he becomes sore & a laminitis prone pony out in 15 acres of dairy pasture.
Although I am happy at the yard (the people are mainly ok, good hacking, walking distance from home, aestheically pleasing) obviously - for the sake of of my boys I have to look for somewhere else.
So, I have been offered a place at a new yard - but it is so scary making that leap, and I was so happy at my current yard despite the odd silly rule and hiccup. I keep telling myself that if I don't move it is going to drastically shorten TC's life - he is arthritic as it is.
I did some pro's & con's to help me decide so thought I'd let you see them too:
PRO'S:
* Small set-up: barn/stables & grazing rented off farmer by 3 friends.
* Two acres to myself to do with as I please (so would strip graze).
* Fab hacking.
* Stable (just one) - so could bring in to dry, etc.
* Organic.
* Grazing is quite poor, perfect for fatties.
* Girls seemd lovely.
* Kid friendly - one of them has a child & they were very happy for others.
* Dog friendly - they all just run around (but not in a bad way).
* Secure tack room (currently have to keep tack at home).
* Undercover storage for my gig (currently is out in open).
* Area to school in year round.
* On chalk so little mud in winter.
* Away from electricty pylons, current land is criss-croosed with them.
* Nice pub nearby!!
CON'S
* Limited natural shelter in field - my main concern - the field is on a slope running down into a dip (like a mini valley I guess) - the YO says that the horses that live out have always been fine and never stand miserable.
Here is part of the field I would have:
I'm standing on the top of the slope looking down, it looks hilly IRL!! I could get a field shelter in the future but money is very limited for this!! DH says if I sell TC I can get a field shelter !!
* Pasture looks rough - which is a good thing, but coming from bowling-green-front-lawn-effect fields to this is a bit scary. There is grass there but also lots of clover, dandelion, dock & thistles (no ragwort). The areas that currently have horses on are cropped short grass with the odd dock.
* Having to fit in to the three friends dynamic is a bit daunting.
* Much further from home considering I could (but don't!!) currently walk - new yard is about 8 minutes drive.
So I've ummed and ahhed all week and tonight handed my notice in at my current yard - the YM didn't sound surprised at all.
An interesting development also is that my friend and I saw the YO showing someone who appeared to be a buyer round the yard & land this morning, they had been rumours a while ago that the yard was for sale, so it seems I might be getting out at the right time....
What do you think about the new place? Any moving tips?