@Ale I wouldn't go to a yard that showed me immaculate fields in the winter because no matter what they may say about winter turnout it's a sure sign it isn't happening. Immaculate horses may just mean they're covered up from head to toe and then groomed well when they come in - Little Un would hate it! - but mud free fields are a no. And if the yard owner lies about that what else aren't they being truthful about?
What makes a yard 'Posh'
- Thread starter Jessey
- Start date
I suppose as a society we are still judging a book by its cover. As I said in the other thread people make an opinion and judgement about us for having a horse in the first place, other horse people make an opinion and judgement about the type of horse you have and now I realise they do that about where they live. I find that part funny as the horse is blissfully unaware of all this and just wants to know where the hay pile is. 
I like the look of the yards with the hanging baskets of flowers, but mine stretches her neck if she goes by anything remotely yummy. So I won't be hanging anything up near her anytime soon. Pretty though.
As for class, I haven't been in one of those since I was at college. It's a very old outdated view- in my opinion- and a fairly closed minded insulting viewpoint. There's you and then there is I.
I is working class then if I have to be something, since my carthorse of a cob would be a working horse as well.
I like the look of the yards with the hanging baskets of flowers, but mine stretches her neck if she goes by anything remotely yummy. So I won't be hanging anything up near her anytime soon. Pretty though.
As for class, I haven't been in one of those since I was at college. It's a very old outdated view- in my opinion- and a fairly closed minded insulting viewpoint. There's you and then there is I.
I is working class then if I have to be something, since my carthorse of a cob would be a working horse as well.
@newforest I do feel it divides the horsey world into those with a genuine passion for horses and those who see them as a status symbol. It would be interesting to know if there's a link between the perceived poshness of the yard, how much time people spend with their horses and how long they keep them for. That's not to say if you don't spend half the year knee deep in mud with no access to facilities then you don't love your horse, but it is interesting to see what people will trade off between their comfort and their horses.
Our yard hanging baskets didn't last long!
Our yard hanging baskets didn't last long!
I wasn't going to add to this thread, but here is my tuppence worth.
It's interesting that some views about a posh yard are in relation to money and not necessarily in relation to what benefits the horse.
This is my schooling whip. I will let you decide whether it's posh or practical. It doesn't tell you anything about me though
View attachment 101291
Money doesn't maketh a man and it doesn't give you any manners either.
I suspect the reason for that (your second paragraph) is that the question was what makes a yard posh, not 'good'. The two can be very different - but not necessarily so.
Generally, if you are paying for facilities to make keeping a horse easier, it will come at a premium cost - so I think that's where the money part comes in, or certainly for my response, anyway
The concept of class is something with hugely annoys me. What does it all mean? Depending on who I am with, their perception of my class can change. I remember riding at dressage shows and parking my very beaten up N-reg lorry next to lorries which cost more than my house. I would be riding in my Toggs showjacket and Thoroughgood saddle, while the tack on the horse next to me and the riders dress cost thousands. Did the people who owned all those things look down to me as a lower class because I had less than them? Some of my friends live in absolute mansions compared to my heavily extended terrace house, but we are still friends and we still connect and support each other. Are they upper class because they have money and I am working class because I don't? Why do we have to create barriers to divide us? Why can't we just be?
Non horsey people may have the perception that owning a horse is an upper class thing to do. But when they see how hard I work to keep my horse and the sacrifices I make for him, they understand that horses for me are a passion, not just something I have because I have too much spare cash lying around. I would be horrified if anyone of my friends thought of me as 'posh' because that gives the perception that I don't work hard and I take things for granted.
What does a 'posh' yard mean? Is it even a thing? I'm on a yard which is expensive, where the staff wear uniform and the floor is swept 3 times per day. If someone wants to put a label on me and tell me that I am posh for keeping my horse there, then I think that it is best that we are not friends.
Non horsey people may have the perception that owning a horse is an upper class thing to do. But when they see how hard I work to keep my horse and the sacrifices I make for him, they understand that horses for me are a passion, not just something I have because I have too much spare cash lying around. I would be horrified if anyone of my friends thought of me as 'posh' because that gives the perception that I don't work hard and I take things for granted.
What does a 'posh' yard mean? Is it even a thing? I'm on a yard which is expensive, where the staff wear uniform and the floor is swept 3 times per day. If someone wants to put a label on me and tell me that I am posh for keeping my horse there, then I think that it is best that we are not friends.
I remember visiting two racing yards, one top end Flat trainer, one top end Jump trainer. The flat trainer was a very well maintained yard full of neurotic horses who stood in 23/7. They all had beautiful rugs and very immaculate but sad. they lived at a castle with acres of land but no provision for the horses to go out. they were top end horses, Derby, Guineas, and some of them had bumps on their backs from ill fitting tack. The jump trainers yard was scruffier and horses actually had some mud on them as they were turned out. Their rugs were old, worn, patched, some new, but the horses had their lights on and were happy.
I went to see a horse to buy at a posh yard up on the south downs. Immaculate yard, very tidy, lots of facilities, but so many horses, so little turn out. The horse I went to see was totally nuts, weaving and generally stressed. Would never keep a horse there.
I had someone interested in Fleur, wanted to take her to a big posh yard in Cheshire, wonderful facilities, no winter turn out. No doubt she would be clean and well fed but.....
I went to see a horse to buy at a posh yard up on the south downs. Immaculate yard, very tidy, lots of facilities, but so many horses, so little turn out. The horse I went to see was totally nuts, weaving and generally stressed. Would never keep a horse there.
I had someone interested in Fleur, wanted to take her to a big posh yard in Cheshire, wonderful facilities, no winter turn out. No doubt she would be clean and well fed but.....
What a terrible ordealI have been pondering this and I do have an instance of keeping a horse on probably the 'poshest' yard in Ireland. It was custom built in the time of the celtic tiger by a VERY wealthy entrepreneur. sorry this could be a bit long winded.
Some of you might remember back in the day i had a gorgeous Tennessee Walking Horse I had imported from Tennessee and he was the first and only one in Ireland. Foolishly I agreed to let an American lady who lives in Ireland use Sonny to promote her intentions of importing more of them to Ireland. I agreed he could go and stay at this very up market but well respected yard in Dublin for 1 week - she would foot the bill. she would do a demo there with him and another 2 days with him at the RDS - basically showing a TWH doing his thing.
Well off he went in a very lovely horsebox sent to collect him (we followed on behind - not that daft
I asked how much turnout he would get - several hours each day was the reply. When the american woman coudln't get there to exercise him would he get exercise? Oh yes they said - we have a gorgeous horse walker and he will go on that. (I had specifically asked he was not ridden by junior staff as riding a TWH really is not for novice grooms who are in their first year of riding tuition IMO.)
so visited unannounced on day 2...caught a trainee groom riding him in an arena - no sign of the boss........hacking at his mouth and bizarrely seemed to be trying to get him to trot encouraged by her mate on the ground??? A TWH does NOT trot
After much blustering and apologies by the manager when we eventually tracked her down we left - well actually we had to because apparently all gates locked at 8 so off you go lady. What do people who work do then, I assume they cant ride in the evenings or have to get there damn quick before they close?
visited unannounced again on day 4...my poor beautiful boy was being chased around the loose pen again by some child in their fancy uniform......Sonny very obviously lame......sweating like a pig and could not get her to admit how long she had been chasing him for. On inspection it was obvious he had thrown a splint that they were totally unaware of and he was lame with it. First and only horse I have had go lame with a splint but the poor horse did and was not spotted by one member of staff, trained or otherwise. I was heartbroken I had let him down so badly and so angry that this damn yard that everybody assured me was the very best in Ireland was capable of such gross incompetence and neglect.
Very long story short - a very kind lady (a livery) who had witnessed my melt down about the unnoticed lame issue and how hard he was being thrashed around by this novice with not a clue, very kindly offered to take Sonny back to Cavan for me right there and then (A good 2.5 hour drive with a horse on tow, there are some VERY good people out there, we are still good friends many years later) ) But of course I had to pay the 4 days livery myself to get him released! :O It was roughly €380- for 3.5 days livery - roughly 320 sterling so around about 100 per day.
so that is my experience of what I would assume is a 'posh' yard . Well you can take that and do what you will with it - for me I still rate the often rather scruffy little backyards out hidden away out of sight, with knowledgeable and kindly owners doing their best to guide ALL their customers novice or experienced. And doing the job mostly because they love horses and love that way of life. so if ever I cant keep mine at home with me - that is the sort of little old yard I will be looking for.
I think it does really highlight the fact that posh/upmarket really does not equate to good/knowledgeable/decent yards, appearances mean so very little in the grand scheme of things.The thing that gets me, generally those who see owning horses as a status symbol in this day and age don't have status even if they do have a horse, those who actually have the status (old money, titles etc.), don't see having a horse as defining their status (in my experience), just as something they want to do. (excluding the traveler status concept in relation to horses)
I see everyone's horse as beautiful, some more than others. I am naturally drawn to natives, just am.
@Mary Poppins I definately wouldn't be looking down on you. You have transport. Transport is transport and we don't have any. Actually when I went to Pontispool with a friend we hired what turned out to be very expensive smart lorry with a driver.
People possibly assumed we had heaps of cash, when in fact I have to hire to go anywhere and I can't drive a lorry.
@Mary Poppins I definately wouldn't be looking down on you. You have transport. Transport is transport and we don't have any. Actually when I went to Pontispool with a friend we hired what turned out to be very expensive smart lorry with a driver.
People possibly assumed we had heaps of cash, when in fact I have to hire to go anywhere and I can't drive a lorry.
I always break people down into 'horsey people'and 'people with horses', which is similar!
It also reminds me of someone I was on a yard with who was a 'Queen B' type character anyway, but would loudly declare they had spent 5 hours at the yard, how dedicated they are and what a horse person they are.... actually, they'd turned the horse out within the first five minutes of arriving and preceded to spend the rest of the day drinking coffee, smoking and criticising what other people were doing!
Meanwhile, I might have only been there 90 minutes but could have ridden, groomed, chilled out with my horse with his massage pad on, turned out and be leaving the yard in that time
Ha, I was once a upon a time someone who insisted on an immaculate pony. I gave up after a week, after the first winter I gave up on grooming. I embraced the beige and cracked on.
Just this week, I have had comments on my pony being 'filthy', 'hungry' and other delights. For context she lives out, has a mudpack applied probably 23hours out of every 24, gets mud on her eyelashes (!), she isn't rugged. On the evening this week when it was -5 she had frost all down her back, on her mane and ears. Happy as larry,, if that doesn't show what a great job her coat is doing keeping her warm I don't know what does.
She has no issues when stabled, she can go anywhere and not give a sh*t. Yet when there was some work going on at a neighbouring property there was uproar as we hadn't had notice. I was like 'GREAT, lets go visiting.' The workmen were expecting me to ask for the tools to be stopped, but I waved them on saying 'Make noise!' pony looked very interested but after 20 mins there she got bored so we went home. Other horses were going batsh*t as they couldn't see what was going on. These owners (on my yard) tend to spend more money and time making sure the horse looks immaculate and their stable is something out of a stately home than what they do life proofing or actually going out enjoying where we live. Still whom I am to judge - we all have our own way of doing things
Let them live out as much as possible, as horses should. I'd much rather the grubby small DIY yards that have muddy fields in winter because you are allowed turnout on them than ones where they have to stand in all day and only go on the horse walker 20 mins every other day. I've been on one of those yards in the New Forest, other owners were millionaires and were the sort to go abroad and their horses were looked after and there for them to ride when they turned up every 4/5 months to go for a wander on the forest. I soon moved when I noticed my usually easy going cob was getting a bit anxious being in, I could have stayed at the 'posh' yard and left him to get stressed and get 'used' to it but I couldn't do that.
Just this week, I have had comments on my pony being 'filthy', 'hungry' and other delights. For context she lives out, has a mudpack applied probably 23hours out of every 24, gets mud on her eyelashes (!), she isn't rugged. On the evening this week when it was -5 she had frost all down her back, on her mane and ears. Happy as larry,, if that doesn't show what a great job her coat is doing keeping her warm I don't know what does.
She has no issues when stabled, she can go anywhere and not give a sh*t. Yet when there was some work going on at a neighbouring property there was uproar as we hadn't had notice. I was like 'GREAT, lets go visiting.' The workmen were expecting me to ask for the tools to be stopped, but I waved them on saying 'Make noise!' pony looked very interested but after 20 mins there she got bored so we went home. Other horses were going batsh*t as they couldn't see what was going on. These owners (on my yard) tend to spend more money and time making sure the horse looks immaculate and their stable is something out of a stately home than what they do life proofing or actually going out enjoying where we live. Still whom I am to judge - we all have our own way of doing things
Let them live out as much as possible, as horses should. I'd much rather the grubby small DIY yards that have muddy fields in winter because you are allowed turnout on them than ones where they have to stand in all day and only go on the horse walker 20 mins every other day. I've been on one of those yards in the New Forest, other owners were millionaires and were the sort to go abroad and their horses were looked after and there for them to ride when they turned up every 4/5 months to go for a wander on the forest. I soon moved when I noticed my usually easy going cob was getting a bit anxious being in, I could have stayed at the 'posh' yard and left him to get stressed and get 'used' to it but I couldn't do that.
My farriers wife says the exact same thing.
Horsey people are effin nutters, people with horses though - totally different thing,@Margie and Magic - climate controlled arenas? Wow! But I'm guessing your weather can be a lot more extreme than ours and so it's needed if horses are to be safely worked all year round. Still sounds amazing though
It does rain almost 9 months out of every year where I live in the US. I could be wrong, I've never used the stables I mentioned (only visited) but I believe the motivation behind the climate control was to attract a richer clientele that pay $$$ to be able to train in comfort all year round.
I had transport but no longer do. The lorry died last summer, but now I will hire transport and be one of those ‘posh’ people in a brand new truck!
To be fair, if there is enough space for the horses to graze, the fields don't have to be muddy. My horse lives out on 20 acre with 5 friends. They all come in for a few hours during the daytime, but Ben gets at least 18 hours turnout per day. Their field has practically no mud, even after all the rain have had. The gateway is muddy for about 5 metres surrounding it and the area where they have hay is a bit rough looking, but 95% of the field looks in great condition.
Same - we also have a slope,
so the wet drains down to the bottom of the field, and they avoid there.
envious, we are on a hill but the bottom bit of the field is 'deep'
The muddy bit at the bottom is where Hogan escaped last week - he'd sunk about 10 inches into the mud in his escape bid
We used to get that but there is now a ditch that gets cleared outside the field for it all to drain into. The gateway also has hardcore underneath. It's muddy but not deep mud.
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