When we move

[nic1]

When we move to our own little barn and field, hopefully by the end of the month i will have to cope by myself. Now i know it sounds daft but i am starting to fret about all the stuff i am going to have to do alone, being on a yard always seems to give me a bit of security, even if i am there on my own. For the last few months there hasn't been really anyone much i could ask for help at the yard and in a way it has helped becaus i have just had to get on with it, and i have been fine. But i have always been on a yard, never gone it alone completely before. My t/b gets really excited when you turn him out, now we have never had much grass and he gets excited, whats he going to do when i try and put him out into his new field. I am going to have to divide it up into sections anyway as Tawn is a native and neither have seen this much grass for ages so will introduce gradually. But i doubt i will be able to catch Jim, he will think he has died and gone to heaven, but he can be scary when you turn him out.The other thing is i am going to have to corner a bit off for schooling in. I have NEVER schooled in a field, i have this in grained idea as soon as there feet touch grass they want to clear off. Not true i know but i am going to have to do all this by myself. To top it all off i am going to have lots of tracks i can ride alongside the field not touching a road and i know Tawn will be fine, but again i will have to go alone.I don't hack at the moment only around the field at the back of our yard.
The move is the right thing for the horses, there own space, a field with a bit of green stuff, there own barn, i am so lucky , but feel so overwhelmed. I have no one close by to call on if i need to.
Sorry feel a bit daft now as i am so lucky to have found this place, but a bit worried too.

Nic
x

[tammy68]

Hi Nic

The hacking sounds wonderful. Whilst you are building up your confidence and getting to know all the different routes, why not get Pete to get a mountain bike and come along, or even your son. It is just knowing there is someone there with you to help if anything should happen. Once you have been like this a few times, ask Pete to wait at the stables whilst you do a small ride out on your own and just build from there. It may help you to hack out when you know there is someone at home who you can reach by mobile of necessary. All of this will help to reassure you and you should feel better for it.

Maybe you could loan Jim to someone to be kept at your field which would mean that he is being exercised regularly and so not as fresh when you have to handle him, also it would give you company down at the field and somebody to ride out with. I know he hasn't been worked for ages, but somebody with confidence and know how may just love working with him.

Schooling in your field - it may help to get some markers. Either some dressage ones you can push into the ground or just some cones. (The council sometimes leave them out on the roads especially for horse riders to take home to help them at times like this ). In tha past I have marked out areas with pop crates and buckets.

Good luck and try not to worry TOO much.

[muffy32]

I can understand your worries but I am sure you will be fine. Maybe having to do everything yourself could bring about a new confidence in you as you will soon realise just how capable you are.
Is there anyone you could come and spend some time with you at the field? could you advertise for another horse to share the field cos along with the horse comes an owner for you to hack out with etc. The nice thing is is you can vet each person that is interested and make sure they are nice and like minded.

Once you move and settle in you will wonder what you were worried about.
good luck

[nic1]

I have two horses muffy so they will be fine together there is a possibility in the future of my mum loaning a pony to hack with me on. It is just a bit daunting having to do everything without having anyone to turn to. I suppose it is just because i have always been on fairly busy yards.
Tammy, Jim is fine to handle i can lead him anywhere on a long lead rope, it is only when i go to turn him out, even if he has been out everyday for a year he still gets a bit silly to varying degrees. In all other respects he is a total star, i think i probably make it worse because i am worrying before we even get to the field.
What i might do is put tawny out first in his little bit and then put Jim in the paddock in front so i can build on getting him to walk nicely in to the field.
I have been doing some clicker training with Tawn so i might try it with jim to see if i can get him to walk calmly out to the field.
I don't think either will be calm when they see how much lovely grass there is, and how little i am going to allow them to eat until they have acclimatised.!!!

[Casper]

If you want any IH company I can always pop over and try to help. I am a nervous ninny on board, as you all know very well... but am pretty useful from the ground.

[nic1]

Casper i would love it if you even just come for a visit, your such a star. I am sure the boys would love to meet you and check out what you have in your pockets!!
I feel a bit out on a limb, my friend who has a horse works shifts so we usually meet up away from the yards, but always end up talking horse, my other friends are not really horsey at all, they like them but know nothing about them. So its just little ole me with a bit of help from OH and mum. I don't have a sort of circle of horsey friends i know lots of people just not to call on if i need any help if you know what i mean.

[Casper]

No problem at all Nic - it will be fab to meet your boys! Just let me know when and where, and we can go from there hun.