Bad news today :(

As I was getting ready to go out to Whitby to join the Goth Weekend festivities, I got a phone call from the lady who owns the field where I keep my horses.

It's a lovely field - 16 acres, surrounded by natural shelter, with only four horses on it (my two and the owner's two geldings). It's so peaceful after being on a huge livery yard, and we've been there for almost eighteen months. There's a barn with four stables in, so this year I've had a stable for each horse at no extra cost, and the two of us get on really well, check on each other's horses, etc. There's no real facilities (no electricity and no school to ride in) but it's been almost perfect. My gelding doesn't like to be stabled, so living out all year round has really suited him, as we only stable them when it's really necessary, i.e. for injuries, etc.

She told me today that she's sold the field and originally the new owner had offered to keep me on as a livery, but he called her this morning to say he's changed his mind. She expects the sale to be completed by the end of the week, and although the buyer will honour my livery and let me stay until I found a new yard, the impression I got was very much that he wants me out as soon as possible.
I was absolutely devastated as I've loved being there, and I can't believe I didn't know anything about this I had always hoped that if she wanted to sell, she would let me know as we would have found out whether we could reclaim some equity in our house to buy the place.

Because it was so cheap there (half the price of our previous yard), my first fear was that I might end up having to sell my foal as many yards around here are much more expensive, and I couldn't afford for my costs to potentially double. D has been excellent and has spent the day helping me phone round yards and has driven me round all over the place to try to find somewhere suitable. He said no matter what we would sort something out, and I secretly think he would be as upset as me if I had to sell one of the horses

This afternoon we found a nice yard, but it's well off the beaten track! It's only £2 a week per horse more expensive than our current yard, although their winter turnout is daytime only (which is pretty standard, but I'm going to have a very cross thoroughbred ). But they also have an indoor school, they're building an outdoor and they can give me the number for the chap who supplies hay and straw to the other liveries at a very reasonable rate.
So we've reserved their remaining two spaces, and the horses are being transported over next weekend. Part of me is really freaked out, as I don't like change and I'm a bit worried about how I'll handle a busy livery yard again after eighteen months of peace and quiet. My experiences with livery yards tends to be that many people have sticky fingers and "borrow" without asking (I've lost a good many nice bits of kit that weren't even left out in plain sight ) so we spent the rest of the afternoon getting padlocks and storage boxes so that I don't have to live in fear of someone "borrowing" my feed or equipment, since it's all kept in a communal area. But on the other hand, it will be nice to have access to a sand school again, and I've got miles of new woodland and bridleways to explore.

It's just such a shame that I had to miss a day out in Whitby (and I was hoping to meet up with Lottie - sorry Lottie! ) but now I'm exhausted and broke as I've got to pay my final bill on my current yard and sort out a deposit for the new place, plus paying to transport my horses. I'm just so pleased that I'm not going to lose either of them!

what a shame she didnt let you know sooner. but glad its all worked out ok.

oh hun so sorry to hear that pleased you have found some thing thou hope it really does work out for you hun xx

I'm pleased for you that you don't have to sell the horses but what an upheaval for you just when it looked like things were going so well.

Glad you found a new place

I`m glad you found somewhere....but I would have enjoyed seeing the Goth Weekend in Whitby photos.

Aww glad you got it sorted

I almost made it to the Goth weekend too, not been there for a few years but I think I need to get Mia a bit happier with other dogs before we go
(at a party once a friend put a dracula outfit on Ben - the pup who wont even wear a coat - he loved it - bet they would have gone mad for count draculapup (not of course that I dress up my dogs)

Sorry you are having to move the horses from such a perfect place. Glad that you have found somewhere new though, it must be a weight off your mind even though it isn't as nice, it is better than nowhere xxx

Sorry to hear about your upheaval. This happened to a Friend of mine a couple of years ago and it freaked her out too, but hers has all worked out perfectly for her so I hope yours does too.

please tell me you did a typo with £2 a week!?!

glad you have found somewhere.