Well the title is fitting because that's exactly what I am trying to decide!! Threading off of a last post I made...
Basically I am at a very small, run down barn. Everything is patched up when the time comes, very little turnout, and everything is DIY. I don't pay any board because it's my friends barn, but I have been given a possible opportunity. My dad has a friend about 45 minutes from my house who has an empty ten stall barn with 2-3 acres. And my dad brought up the idea that maybe I could board there. Of course, I jumped on it. Currently, the only turnout I have is a small paddock. My horse only gets about an hour a day. I know, I know. NOT GOOD I'm working on it.
Most people in this situation would probably get there horse and leave immediately. The only problem is, if something goes wrong... I can't exactly just return to my current barn because of hard feelings that will most likely arise. So, my question to everyone reading this is What would you do? I will list the two barns below and what they contain, and tell me what you would decide. I will also start with a little information about my horse, but feel free to read my "Depressed, Grumpy, or Misunderstood" post before reading because it tells a lot more.
My Horse:
13 year old palomino gelding. I have owned him for two years (on Monday!!) and before I bought him, he was a lesson/trail horse. He packed around little girls who pulled and yanked and trail riders. He did this every day 5 days a week all summer, and almost every weekend during the rest of the year. I am willing to bet he has hard feelings toward the arena and being ridden. (but that's for another post).
Current Barn:
-a stall: but the stall has a mud base, leaks in the roof (we're trying to fix, but the roof isn't very sturdy considering it's a sheet of metal) and very open
-a small paddock: turned out if I go down and take him, and every day that it's not too wet
-an large arena with barrels
-a stall sized tack room that I share with one other person: we store our own hay, feed, pellets, and the actual tack and stuff
-I go down there and care for him everyday, but I can ask someone to feed him for me if I can't get down there
-someone feeds in the morning
-farrier is the owner of the barn (and my friend's dad, so we know each other well)
-vet is the communal vet and everyone splits the barn call
-his stall is attached to the tack room and on the end. So it's his stall, tack room, two more stalls (and it's outside, not in a barn.)
-25 minutes from my house
Other Barn:
-stall inside
-2-3 acres for just my horse
-no arena
-I would have to find a way for him to be fed in the morning, and I would have to go down there every night
-The owner's house is right next door, but he wouldn't do anything with the horse
- I could keep my tack in a stall if there isn't a tack room
-I would have to make sure to go down there every single day, because it was just be my horse
-The vet would have to come to me, and only for me
-My farrier MIGHT come down there, but since I'm leaving his barn it would be a bit tense (but honestly I don't think it would be too bad because I would tell him that my horse is much happier and I feel more comfortable being able to turn him out in a pasture everyday)
-45 minutes from my house
So that's all I can think of, but if you need anymore information let me know what it is!
Basically I am at a very small, run down barn. Everything is patched up when the time comes, very little turnout, and everything is DIY. I don't pay any board because it's my friends barn, but I have been given a possible opportunity. My dad has a friend about 45 minutes from my house who has an empty ten stall barn with 2-3 acres. And my dad brought up the idea that maybe I could board there. Of course, I jumped on it. Currently, the only turnout I have is a small paddock. My horse only gets about an hour a day. I know, I know. NOT GOOD I'm working on it.
Most people in this situation would probably get there horse and leave immediately. The only problem is, if something goes wrong... I can't exactly just return to my current barn because of hard feelings that will most likely arise. So, my question to everyone reading this is What would you do? I will list the two barns below and what they contain, and tell me what you would decide. I will also start with a little information about my horse, but feel free to read my "Depressed, Grumpy, or Misunderstood" post before reading because it tells a lot more.
My Horse:
13 year old palomino gelding. I have owned him for two years (on Monday!!) and before I bought him, he was a lesson/trail horse. He packed around little girls who pulled and yanked and trail riders. He did this every day 5 days a week all summer, and almost every weekend during the rest of the year. I am willing to bet he has hard feelings toward the arena and being ridden. (but that's for another post).
Current Barn:
-a stall: but the stall has a mud base, leaks in the roof (we're trying to fix, but the roof isn't very sturdy considering it's a sheet of metal) and very open
-a small paddock: turned out if I go down and take him, and every day that it's not too wet
-an large arena with barrels
-a stall sized tack room that I share with one other person: we store our own hay, feed, pellets, and the actual tack and stuff
-I go down there and care for him everyday, but I can ask someone to feed him for me if I can't get down there
-someone feeds in the morning
-farrier is the owner of the barn (and my friend's dad, so we know each other well)
-vet is the communal vet and everyone splits the barn call
-his stall is attached to the tack room and on the end. So it's his stall, tack room, two more stalls (and it's outside, not in a barn.)
-25 minutes from my house
Other Barn:
-stall inside
-2-3 acres for just my horse
-no arena
-I would have to find a way for him to be fed in the morning, and I would have to go down there every night
-The owner's house is right next door, but he wouldn't do anything with the horse
- I could keep my tack in a stall if there isn't a tack room
-I would have to make sure to go down there every single day, because it was just be my horse
-The vet would have to come to me, and only for me
-My farrier MIGHT come down there, but since I'm leaving his barn it would be a bit tense (but honestly I don't think it would be too bad because I would tell him that my horse is much happier and I feel more comfortable being able to turn him out in a pasture everyday)
-45 minutes from my house
So that's all I can think of, but if you need anymore information let me know what it is!