I have been quite happy at my yard with a few niggles but fine.
A opportunity has come up for a place on a new 'yard' but I am unsure as to take it or not. I'll call current yard yard 1 and this new yard yard 2.
Yard 1.
I have been here since March time this year. It's a small yard of 6 stables set in a L shape and a tack room, feed/tool room. I have my own small space in each and bridle/saddle rack. It is full and there are 6 horses including mine but only three of us as the yard owner owns, two another livery owns 3 and I own just the 1. Stables have automatic waters. Shavings only allowed but not a problem as is my preference. There is a deep open sided barn for hay and bedding and is where I also keep my carriage. There is a toilet. The school is average size and near the stables. The paddocks are a few minutes walk from the stables with posts and mains electric fencing. I have a large field for summer (about 2acres) and another for winter (about 1 acre) although grazing is poor but not hugely muddy. no rules on turnout but doesn't want fields trashed so all in at night at moment. Mine is often last out in the morning and last in at night so is sometimes left in and out on her own. She can't see other horses when this is. There is a field sublet for archery but we can hack in walk around it in the summer if it's not being used and ground is not soft but no fast work. The hacking here is awful, no one else hacks (owner is affiliated show jumper) and the hacking either goes onto a A road for about half a mile and two medium size roundabouts before its quieter and on way back from that direction have to hack on the same A road past a McDonald's drive thru and car wash and over the two roundabouts but have to go in the right hand lane after to turn across the main A road into the road the yard is on. From the other direction it's a 60mph cut through road with blind corners and a big hill. The local riding club is walking distance (about half hr) but you have to go on the A road. The yard is a 10 min drive from my house. Yard owner is quiet but very neat and tidy. Doesn't have any kids and doesn't really like them but fine with mine at the yard etc.
Yard 2 - it is a lot scruffier, new person renting (someone I know hence opportunity) has only been there a month and wants to improve/do up. It's another small yard of 5 stables within two barns. Yard owner will have hers in 1 barn (4 stables) and I would have mine in the other smaller barn. (1 stable and storage) which is lockable. They can't see each other when in but can hear each other. Yard owner currently has three horses but wants to loan another horse for her daughter who has outgrown her current one so yard owner will have 4 horses. She says she will take 1-2 liveries on top (me possibly being one). I would have hay/bedding and storage area in the same barn as the stable. The fields are a lot smaller. The bottom field (about 3 acres) was overgrazed before she took it over and has a weed in it (hen something) so she's taking it all up, harrowing and reseeding to make it summer grazing for next year for all the horses, they could go out all together or I can section some off if I want her out on her own in the summer. she says the main part will be post and electric fenced. The winter fields are small (about half acre) and I can choose to have her in with another horse (yo's) or on her own. She brings hers in at night at the moment but again mine may be left on her own at times if I'm down different times. She reckons she has about 6 acres in total in small sections in total. The grass seems ok. There is no ménage but there is a fenced off paddock to ride and school in but I don't know how muddy it will get. It's hacking distance from the riding club on ok roads (about 40mins) the hacking is a lot better, on ok quieter roads and some bridle paths. Carriage driving ok from here too. Yard owner did mention weekends she has a sort of pony club for the kids who used to go to the local riding school/livery yard which has now shut down. She uses her own horses for that. She also teaches a few lessons per week using her own horses. I would only say she is a average rider herself though. No toilet but I would be able to keep my carriage in a enclosed barn similar to where it currently is. In the next two years or so the front of the yard will be built on but access will be maintained, we would lose the two front fields of 1acre in total. She has one child herself and someone who part loans one of her horses down there. Is quite social bacon sandwiches at the yard etc but also quite loud at times. Yard is a 4 minute drive from home, about a 30minute walk from home.
My horse - Lacy, 15hh heavyweight traditional gypsy cob, grey (white) 8yrs. Really doesn't care about much. Likes other horses but will leave them. I school, ride, show and drive her. She has huge mane and tail and feather that I like to stress about. Good doer.
A opportunity has come up for a place on a new 'yard' but I am unsure as to take it or not. I'll call current yard yard 1 and this new yard yard 2.
Yard 1.
I have been here since March time this year. It's a small yard of 6 stables set in a L shape and a tack room, feed/tool room. I have my own small space in each and bridle/saddle rack. It is full and there are 6 horses including mine but only three of us as the yard owner owns, two another livery owns 3 and I own just the 1. Stables have automatic waters. Shavings only allowed but not a problem as is my preference. There is a deep open sided barn for hay and bedding and is where I also keep my carriage. There is a toilet. The school is average size and near the stables. The paddocks are a few minutes walk from the stables with posts and mains electric fencing. I have a large field for summer (about 2acres) and another for winter (about 1 acre) although grazing is poor but not hugely muddy. no rules on turnout but doesn't want fields trashed so all in at night at moment. Mine is often last out in the morning and last in at night so is sometimes left in and out on her own. She can't see other horses when this is. There is a field sublet for archery but we can hack in walk around it in the summer if it's not being used and ground is not soft but no fast work. The hacking here is awful, no one else hacks (owner is affiliated show jumper) and the hacking either goes onto a A road for about half a mile and two medium size roundabouts before its quieter and on way back from that direction have to hack on the same A road past a McDonald's drive thru and car wash and over the two roundabouts but have to go in the right hand lane after to turn across the main A road into the road the yard is on. From the other direction it's a 60mph cut through road with blind corners and a big hill. The local riding club is walking distance (about half hr) but you have to go on the A road. The yard is a 10 min drive from my house. Yard owner is quiet but very neat and tidy. Doesn't have any kids and doesn't really like them but fine with mine at the yard etc.
Yard 2 - it is a lot scruffier, new person renting (someone I know hence opportunity) has only been there a month and wants to improve/do up. It's another small yard of 5 stables within two barns. Yard owner will have hers in 1 barn (4 stables) and I would have mine in the other smaller barn. (1 stable and storage) which is lockable. They can't see each other when in but can hear each other. Yard owner currently has three horses but wants to loan another horse for her daughter who has outgrown her current one so yard owner will have 4 horses. She says she will take 1-2 liveries on top (me possibly being one). I would have hay/bedding and storage area in the same barn as the stable. The fields are a lot smaller. The bottom field (about 3 acres) was overgrazed before she took it over and has a weed in it (hen something) so she's taking it all up, harrowing and reseeding to make it summer grazing for next year for all the horses, they could go out all together or I can section some off if I want her out on her own in the summer. she says the main part will be post and electric fenced. The winter fields are small (about half acre) and I can choose to have her in with another horse (yo's) or on her own. She brings hers in at night at the moment but again mine may be left on her own at times if I'm down different times. She reckons she has about 6 acres in total in small sections in total. The grass seems ok. There is no ménage but there is a fenced off paddock to ride and school in but I don't know how muddy it will get. It's hacking distance from the riding club on ok roads (about 40mins) the hacking is a lot better, on ok quieter roads and some bridle paths. Carriage driving ok from here too. Yard owner did mention weekends she has a sort of pony club for the kids who used to go to the local riding school/livery yard which has now shut down. She uses her own horses for that. She also teaches a few lessons per week using her own horses. I would only say she is a average rider herself though. No toilet but I would be able to keep my carriage in a enclosed barn similar to where it currently is. In the next two years or so the front of the yard will be built on but access will be maintained, we would lose the two front fields of 1acre in total. She has one child herself and someone who part loans one of her horses down there. Is quite social bacon sandwiches at the yard etc but also quite loud at times. Yard is a 4 minute drive from home, about a 30minute walk from home.
My horse - Lacy, 15hh heavyweight traditional gypsy cob, grey (white) 8yrs. Really doesn't care about much. Likes other horses but will leave them. I school, ride, show and drive her. She has huge mane and tail and feather that I like to stress about. Good doer.
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