Hey everyone, I am new to the thread and I am seeking advice for my 19 year old TB gelding and myself. I am debating if I want to move him but I'm having trouble making the decision. I am looking for some un-bias advice!
We have lived at our current barn for 7 years. It is self care, indoor/outdoor, trails, 80 acres and 57 horses. Riders are greatly varied, dressage, eventing, trail, retired, endurance, we have every type. Knowledge is even more varied, very experienced owners to complete beginners. I provide all of my own feed. I am getting very frustrated with the quality of the farm, safety of the pastures, and the fact that my horse is turned out in a group of about 15 cranky geldings and constantly coming in with a new injury, in addition to the never ending thrush, rain rot and scratches to do the severe mud in a small area. Our manager does a poor job at keeping pastures safe - fences always down, trees and branches in busy areas, and mud, mud, mud- to the point you cannot walk in the pasture without fear of being stuck or trampled by the herd. He also only gets turnout every other day about half the year (and only about 5-7 hours at a time if that on nice days). We have almost no grass in the spring, they do not seed nor do they bush hog weeds, so any grass is gone in a matter of weeks. It also takes me 15 minutes to walk to the gelding pasture (literally 30 minutes round trip just to turn out my horse). I have made some wonderful friends here, but sadly a lot of them have moved on to other farms for similar reasons. I do enjoy being able to care for my horse every day - cleaning his stall is never a problem! It is nice having an indoor and outdoor, but I honestly rarely use the indoor unless it's really nasty out and he hasn't been outside in a day or so and I will lunge him.
I have an opportunity to move to a full care farm literally minutes away. It is daily turn out, about 10 hours a day (and overnight in the summer). Bigger stalls. Tiny group (max of 6 horses, currently only 3 there). The pasture footing is much better, still mud but it is much more solid. Downside, they only have a large round pen for riding and trails. It is a large building that was converted to a barn about 10 years ago. Cost wise- it ends up averaging about the same amount as I pay for board and the hay and grain I purchase on my own. They would feed whatever grain I want - they use the brand I prefer anyway.
What would you do? Factor in - I'm really a fair weather rider nowadays. I ride dressage and trails. I like doing natural horsemanship with my boy. He is 19 and has arthritis, so being able to be out every day would be so great for him, plus a tiny very laid back group would be great. I would definitely miss my friends and riding together, but is it more important for my horse to be safe and happy outside than for me to be happy? But then isn't the point of having a horse to be able to be happy and make friends? Not that I wouldn't be happy - it would just be different. I'm so used to spending hours a day at my self-care farm, it would be a change to no longer have to worry about doing his stall after a long day at work or finding care for him if I go on vacation. I enjoy caring for him every day and having control over it all too.
Thank for reading this novel, and for any advice you can offer.
We have lived at our current barn for 7 years. It is self care, indoor/outdoor, trails, 80 acres and 57 horses. Riders are greatly varied, dressage, eventing, trail, retired, endurance, we have every type. Knowledge is even more varied, very experienced owners to complete beginners. I provide all of my own feed. I am getting very frustrated with the quality of the farm, safety of the pastures, and the fact that my horse is turned out in a group of about 15 cranky geldings and constantly coming in with a new injury, in addition to the never ending thrush, rain rot and scratches to do the severe mud in a small area. Our manager does a poor job at keeping pastures safe - fences always down, trees and branches in busy areas, and mud, mud, mud- to the point you cannot walk in the pasture without fear of being stuck or trampled by the herd. He also only gets turnout every other day about half the year (and only about 5-7 hours at a time if that on nice days). We have almost no grass in the spring, they do not seed nor do they bush hog weeds, so any grass is gone in a matter of weeks. It also takes me 15 minutes to walk to the gelding pasture (literally 30 minutes round trip just to turn out my horse). I have made some wonderful friends here, but sadly a lot of them have moved on to other farms for similar reasons. I do enjoy being able to care for my horse every day - cleaning his stall is never a problem! It is nice having an indoor and outdoor, but I honestly rarely use the indoor unless it's really nasty out and he hasn't been outside in a day or so and I will lunge him.
I have an opportunity to move to a full care farm literally minutes away. It is daily turn out, about 10 hours a day (and overnight in the summer). Bigger stalls. Tiny group (max of 6 horses, currently only 3 there). The pasture footing is much better, still mud but it is much more solid. Downside, they only have a large round pen for riding and trails. It is a large building that was converted to a barn about 10 years ago. Cost wise- it ends up averaging about the same amount as I pay for board and the hay and grain I purchase on my own. They would feed whatever grain I want - they use the brand I prefer anyway.
What would you do? Factor in - I'm really a fair weather rider nowadays. I ride dressage and trails. I like doing natural horsemanship with my boy. He is 19 and has arthritis, so being able to be out every day would be so great for him, plus a tiny very laid back group would be great. I would definitely miss my friends and riding together, but is it more important for my horse to be safe and happy outside than for me to be happy? But then isn't the point of having a horse to be able to be happy and make friends? Not that I wouldn't be happy - it would just be different. I'm so used to spending hours a day at my self-care farm, it would be a change to no longer have to worry about doing his stall after a long day at work or finding care for him if I go on vacation. I enjoy caring for him every day and having control over it all too.
Thank for reading this novel, and for any advice you can offer.