Do you prefer keeping your horses at home, or on a yard?

[ArsenalsPlayingAtHome]

There's a possibility that we might be in a position to keep our pony, and another horse or two at home in the not too distant future.

For those of you who have done both, which do you prefer?

This isn't a thread asking advice about field management or the work involved, DH knows about all that side of things, it's more to do with preference.

We are currently at a great yard, it's friendly, the people are great, it's a sociable place where you can have a laugh, and there are some really interesting people.

Obviously, we would save time and money on petrol, it would be more convenient having them close by...but we wouldn't have the hacking facilities, for one, and it wouldn't be as much fun, would it? Please will you share your experiences and wisdom?

TIA

[Gabilan]

I've kept horses on yards but don't have direct experience of keeping a horse at home, though my mum has done this.

I would love to be able to see my horse out of my kitchen window BUT I also like the sociable side of having him on a yard. I recently moved to a new area for work and having a horse has made it much easier to meet people.

I think what swings it for me is that my horse likes having a larger herd. He's happy living in a big group and I think he would struggle having just 1 or 2 companions. Also I suspect he would become very dependent on just those 2 horses. If I had a more human-oriented horse, as I have done in the past, I might think differently.

[Velociraptor]

I have never kept a horse at home, but I know I wouldn't want to. I love the social side of having him at a yard, and the horse does too. I have had my own bit of land, and kept mine, and one other there. I found it very lonely, and not nearly as much fun.

[ArsenalsPlayingAtHome]

Thank you - I think our pony also enjoys being part of a larger herd, although I've never seen him anywhere else. I know he's happy where he is, and who his best friends are, it would seem mean to move him in a way.

That's how I think I'd feel velociraptor that it would be a bit lonely. Also, I think it's much better for the DCs to be mixing with so many other people and to feel comfortable and confident around so many different horses.

We've learnt so much there already and it's only been a month or so. Their pony is only 11.2, yet they are now confidently brining in horses much bigger thanks to their owners letting them, because the owners know that their horses are perfectly safe and reliable. In turn that has given me confidence, too.

I used to think having enough land at your house was the ideal, but this yard has made me question that. Anyone out there prefer having their's at home?

Thanks.

[honeyroar]

I've got mine at home. I do love it. It's lovely seeing them at the end of your garden. You can nip in for a warm up/drink/turn the oven on etc. the yard is totally geared around them. We get very wet fields and suffered with mudrash, so we built a large hardstanding around the yard, now the horses can go out all day on that with hay in wet weather, just wandering about the yard as well - just wouldn't have been possible on a livery yard. I can also split/change fields as I feel necessary.

I have friends that stable just up the road from us, so plenty of people to ride with if I want. I used to have four horses. That worked really well. Nowadays we only have two, so they are a bit more joined at the hip.

The major downside is cover when you go away or are ill. I'd suggest finding a good freelance groom locally and booking them regularly so that you become a regular client (we have one one day a week as standard so we have a day off).

[ArsenalsPlayingAtHome]

Sounds like you have the best of both worlds there, honeyroar it's good to hear both sides.

[honeyroar]

I'm lucky. I also have a fabulous horsey husband who does them while I'm away for work and fixes fences etc!

[lavendersun]

Mine have been at home for about 15 years - pros and cons to both. My friend owns a yard near where I used to live. I used to take my horses to her when I went away as it was easier for her than her coming to me twice a day.

Now though I struggle for people to rely on to look after them when I go away so I am looking to put them in a yard (down to two now). No one to ride with either so a very solitary existence.

I am just about to start a thread about my pony!

[Geonoacake]

Have mine at home. Two of my friends keep theirs here too, so we all row in and share the bringing in and turning out too. It's lovely. I do sometimes think they may prefer to be in a big herd, but we only have 10 acres and it means we always have enough grass all year round so no days in or mud.

[AuntieDee]

I love keeping mine at home except when some bastard walker leaves the gate open and they get out on the golfclub and I spend until 10pm trying to catch them and end up with a £500 bill for green repairs. The only downside is it can be a little lonely as there aren't people on tap to ride with and you have to make an effort to organise things. Plus sides - it's great being able to make your own hay, great being able to turn out, rather than muck out in winter if you are in a rush, and the peace is lovely.

One thing - make sure there are no rights of way over the land as footpaths are more trouble than they are worth with bastard walkers leaving the gates open and some cheeky effers even letting their kids have a ride on the horses

[AuntieDee]

Can you tell I am not enamoured with walkers at the mo?

[honeyroar]

Yes, we're having an issue with a mountain biker coming up a footpath on his bike and actually cutting a fence so it's easier for him to ride through!! It's an area within the field that I want to keep the horses out of as it's very boggy and there is a big deep field drain. I had a £200 vets bill from wire wrapped around a horse's leg last summer that had been on the floor (plain, so no scars thankfully). Up until this we've not had any problems with walkers for 40 years. We try and fence footpaths off so they're not in the main field if possible, and have locks on all external gates.

[frostyfingers]

Apart from one winter I've always kept mine with me and much prefer it. Turn out when you like, bring in when you like, rugs on and off as weather dictates, on hand for vet/farrier etc and you have the pleasure of seeing them. My old pony was struggling with colic last year and I was checking him regularly, something which would have been impossible if they were at another yard. I would have had to sleep in the car on one occasion.

I don't mind the riding alone either - I can go when it suits me, at my own pace. My riding mostly is just for getting horse fit and we go out and meet friends hunting (which is our main occupation) and at shows/fun rides etc.

[Gabilan]

"We try and fence footpaths off so they're not in the main field if possible"

Honeyroar, if you're blocking access to rights of way, you're breaking the law. Sorry if you know this and would never dream of doing it, but that's how your post reads to me. You can get the RoW rerouted to avoid your property, which may make more sense if livestock are involved.

Cutting the fence is wrong, yes, and the mountain biker shouldn't be on a footpath either, unless he's wheeling his bike along it which I somehow doubt. Stiles were invented so that people could negotiate fences across RoWs without opening gates (or cutting fences).

[Gabilan]

Actually I've just realised, you may have meant you were trying to fence the field so that the footpath stays outside the field. Sorry.

[honeyroar]

Yes you were right second time. Most of our footpaths run down the side of the field, so we fence a corridor off. Keeps the walkers safer too.

The mountain biker is cutting the fence next to a stile so he doesn't have to stop and lift his bike over the next time and can go faster.

[WillowKnicks]

I've done both but mainly at home.

I think a LOT depends on the yard (& yours sounds great) but I much prefer mine at home on balance, it doesn't feel right when they're not here.

There is nothing like sitting on the patio with a glass of wine, watching the horses grazing or seeing their heads over the stable door, whilst making a coffee in the kitchen (a lot seems to revolve around drinking ). We've mucked out many a time in our pjs & if the weather takes a sudden change, we can just whizz down & change rugs/bring in etc. Also if it snows badly, there isn't the stress of worrying that I can't get to them.

On the down side, at home EVERYTHING is down to us, however inconvenient that occasionally is. One of my DD's ponies really stresses out when he's left alone, which, unfortunately happens quite frequently when we're at home with just 3 horses.

I've always had them go somewhere when we go on holiday, which is quite costly but this year I am getting my DDs RI who lives locally to come twice a day to see to them.

[lavendersun]

Willow - your 'watching the horses grazing' reminded me of when I had a new cross trainer delivered, placed in a garden room overlooking the paddock my horses were in ... they went batshxt crazy the first few times I used it - absolutely freaked them out massively .

[ArsenalsPlayingAtHome]

Willow...I'm so easily swayed, that does sound wonderful.

Sorry to hear about the hell with people on your land, cutting fences and putting the horses in danger.

[frostyfingers]

Some people are breathtakingly arrogant regarding access, I feel your pain Willow. Our old property had a rarely used footpath at the bottom of our furthest field, very short and crossing it in the narrowest part. I had mains electric fence in our top field protecting my neighbour's hedge & dividing the field into 2. It was clearly marked as electrified with one of those big yellow signs.

I happened to be in the field poo picking when a group of about 4 wandered off the footpath, up the hill and came to the fence. They demanded that it be turned off so they could get through and when I pointed out that they were trespassing they said it was "too far to go round so wanted to take a shortcut" and it was illegal for the fence to be on so they were going to call the police. I told them to go ahead at which point they backed down but still wanted me to turn the fence off so they could get through my field. I said no sorry not doing that,they could use the footpath. I was then subjected to a torrent of filthy language, stuck up posh bitch being probably the mildest. I walked away so I couldn't hear them and then watched from the gate as they went back down to the footpath.

I was slightly concerned that there would be repercussions but nothing happened, it was a really unpleasant experience and they just didn't get that they had no right to be there. If they'd asked politely and apologised for trespassing I would have let them through!

[snowpo]

I had mine at home when I lived in Ireland. Was lovely looking out to the stables with mountains in background while I was in the shower! However I really missed being on a yard, having other people to chat to, ride out with & share ups & downs. I found it hard to motivate myself to ride. Because I didn't take myself away from the house, I ended up spending less time with the horses & lost my relaxation time. It had always been my dream but it wasn't for me!

[honeyroar]

Taken at the bottom of the garden this morning! Made me think of this thread.

[lavendersun]

That is a lovely view Honeyroar. I have got the most hilarious photo somewhere of one of my horses gurning through the kitchen door. Not our current house but we had a house with a square walled garden behind the house, our land was around three sides of the wall, with the house on the other one.

BC (before children) I used to let one of them in the walled garden post an event in the trailer. One particular day I was having bread and cheese with my (very horsey) best friend on return from a trip. This horse was mooching about in the walled garden which had stables on the side opposite the house. Out of nowhere she grabbed the warm loaf from the table and trotted off into her box. It was hilarious at the time. The gurning photo was the same day, we had a stable door on the utility and found her gurning (for more bread no doubt) in the kitchen.

[Goatlington]

I have ours at home - it's heaven.

Just us. Would never, ever , EVER go on a yard again! ( or have liveries at mine but that's a whole new thread!

[honeyroar]

I bet it was a good photo Lavendarsun.

Lol Goatlington, we did DIY for a while and could join you on your never again thread!

[Lonecatwithkitten]

One of the reasons I never owned my own horse as an adult was brought up with keeping them at home. I loved doing 'late stables' going into the warm stable late at night in winter getting snuffled by the soft velvety nose whilst you refill water, Hay nets and skip out beds.