Moving Livery Yard vs Getting a Sharer..?

[beth_cf]

Im in a bit of a dilemma (in a bit.. i mean in a massive), the farmer who owns my livery yard is an alcoholic, the fields are badly managed, the place is covered in junk, our school is CONSTANTLY flooded and stoney/unusable and i basically dislike the whole place.
He has just raised our DIY livery to £30 from £25.
The reason I stayed is because she is settled there, and she absolutely adores the horses she shares a field with so i would feel sooo so guilty about moving her. Also this place is 5 minutes from my house (i dont drive yet, although fingers crossed will be soon :)) and there is no where else even near this close that is suitable at all.

Now the price has gone up, i physically dont think i can afford to keep her here. I know £5 a week doesnt sound alot but I hate having to ask my parents to pay for it, and because things are so tight atm am having to work extra myself to pay for extras (ie saddler, physio, farrier etc) which is going to be a massive strain in itself next year during exams and means i would spend even less time with her...

The other option is to get a sharer. This is something ive actually thought about alot, because this would help me out both financially and time wise next year. It will also help me to keep her fit and in work as this also can sometimes be a worry! The problem with this is that she is mine on loan.. i havent heard from her owner in the two years i have had her but i am scared that she would flip if she found out i was sharing and i cant risk losing her. Also i dont think i would be happy letting someone else ride her unless they were totally the right person.. and they would be difficult to find!

So I have no idea what to do :( if you managed to get to this point congratualtions! I would be really grateful for anyone with any advice on either having a sharer or have experienced moving yards?

Thank you, B x

[beth_cf]

bump?

[leah&lydia]

Thats a tough one.
But id get a sharer. The owner doesnt seem to bothered about the horse!
Id keep looking around for other yards, definatley so if something comes up you can grab it!
Good luck, keep us updated! :)
L&l xxx

[ladyluxor]

If it was me i would look for another yard as the one you areon sounds like it isnt goin to get any better, prob worse over time if anything. I understand thougt that she is settled there.

I would also look into having a sharer what ever you choose to do with the yards, it will give you alot of help physicly and money wise. You areonly going to do what is right by the horse so i realy cant see the owners having a problem and if they havent contacted you in the 2years then it sounds lilke you are more concerned than they are.

[Billy]

Regardless whether you decide to get a sharer or not, I'd say move her anyway if you're not happy at the yard, horses make great bonds but she'd soon settle in somewhere else. Modern domestic horses seem ok to be moved around, and although its sad for them to lose thier friends, as long as she's in with other nice mannered horses she'd make new ones!

Its easy to attach human emotions and memory to horses, but in reality a horse's memory is not like our own and she wouldn't remember her friends like we would. She would probably remember a companion she'd been with her whole life, but if that's not the case, then a move would be disruptive but manageable. She'd soon settle somewhere else.

In terms of distance, perhaps you could get a bike and cycle somewhere else?

A sharer would halve your cost, so you could stay where you are, which obviously reduces the hassle for you and alleviates the pressure to be there every day. Although you'd have to be prepared to share (sorry stating the obvious!). Perhaps you could arrange for someone to do just a couple of days a week, which would alleviate the cost but keep you as the main owner.

Good luck I hope you sort it out!

xxx

[alice87]

Where abouts are you situated Beth? I think a sharer is a good idea (and I'm looking for a horse to share at the mo and I know a lot of other people are keen at the moment, what with the cost of a horse being so difficult in the current climate)

[Bronya]

I would say do both. Move to a nice yard, where you'll enjoy your time and not have to worry. Then find a sharer to help out with costs.

[wondergirl]

I agree with what everyone has to say. I think your first priority is to move yards, because by the sounds of things you are clearly unhappy where you are.

I moved yards last year, mainly because my old yard didnt offer winter turn out, which made it a very hard winter! So I moved to a yard 5 minutes down the road, which was actually my first choice yard, but they were full at the time I got my horse! It was the best thing I could have done for Molly. She has been so much happier with winter turn out, and it makes my life much easier too.

Secondly, once you are settled at a new yard, look for a sharer if thats what you are still wanting.