Which yard?

[Blackberrythief]

Yard A: full grass livery. Out with 8 other horses, poor grazing, ad lib hay over winter, floodlit school but rubbish hacking. Checked by staff every day, no poo picking, £200 a month.

Yard B: DIY grass livery. Out with 2 other horses, excellent grazing, outdoor school no lights, miles of off road hacking. Fields need poo picking and ragworting but doesn't have to be every day. No staff so would rely on the kindness of other liveries to check and for holiday cover. £100 a month.

I am currently at yard A and a space has come up at yard B. I now have a baby so it's been much harder to get up the yard and ride. Realistically I only plan to ride 2-3 times a week and would prefer to just hack. However my baby is EBF and also quite high needs and I have no family support bar DH so it's not easy to get up the yard very often. Horse is a good doer and very easy (I can leave him for weeks and hop on and he is good as gold). I can't decide if I should move yards as I'm enjoying the time with my new baby. Previously I used to compete and spend hours at the yard but obviously priorities have changed. Any thoughts on what would be a good option? I almost feel like yard B would be a great option once my baby starts school!

As baby is small I think A is best for now, but maybe tell Yard B you'd be interested in the next space that comes up (baby might have started nursery perhaps?) Our yard is VERY like Yard B (only I know you're not moving there because there is almost never a vacancy). We incumbents tend to help each other out if needed as a 1 off eg I'm working late so will message the group and ask if anyone can bring in & feed. However when people have had babies/gone on holiday/been in hospital etc, there are freelance people about or we pay people on the yard to cover (one student always happy to pick up work, and one lady likes to earn a bit extra where she can). Plus the lady with the baby brings her up in a pushchair to poo pick, leaves her outside the field and chatters to her as she does her horse etc.
For lighting get 2 or 3 rechargeable LED floodlights from Screwfix, about £30 each.

You could also consider a sharer for your horse, this could make Yard B work better for you?

Thanks @Ariela I know spaces are yards like yard B rarely come up which is why I'm in two minds whether to move! Yard A's hacking is along busy A roads which I'm not keen to do. My only worry is if my baby is poorly and I can't make it up to the yard I would hate to be a burden and expect other people to keep an eye on my horse. My DH asked if I would be happy spending an hour poo picking when I could be riding 🤷‍♀️ My baby is not keen to be left in a pushchair while I do things and with lockdown I can't even leave her with other people on the yard to get my horse in! Sharer might be an option but it's a private yard so they don't want too many people coming to the yard 😕

Stay where you are for now. With a yiung baby you are in no position to be able to return favours. I used to bring my own in with ds in a sling but wouldn't have trusted anyone else's ponies at the side of him like that. Also you have a fair few years before school starts then when it does 14 weeks school holidays.

Thanks @Frouby That is my worry that I can't return the favour, I have previously helped people out when I've been in another yard but it would be much harder with a baby. I can't take her to the yard at the moment as the horses can be bargey at the gate and I can't risk taking her up in the sling so she has to be at home with DH, usually at the weekends. I just hope a space will be free in a few years time!

It's a waiting game with babies. They get easier and harder in stages. My dd was perfect to be diy livery, ds not so much. And even with perfect dd it was hard when weather vile, she was ill, I was in a rush etc.

Ds is now 6 and more interested than dd but I still struggle to ride with him on the yard or even lunge some days. I'm full livery now but have seen more arguements and fallings out with mutual arrangements going wrong than anything else.

I pay now for mine to be done so I don't get dragged into it all.