Baby and horses- how do you manage?

BlackIrishBeauty

BlackIrishBeauty

Well-Known Member
Joined
6 September 2022
Messages
78
Visit site
Hi,

I
Was just wondering how people manage to ride with kids?

I have my own yard, but no arena and finding I’m can only ride say once/ twice a week when hubby is free. I’m about to start work soon too so will be sidelined to weekends.

I’m hoping to really get back into my riding goals but how do you do it when working full time, a baby and a house to run?
 
BlackIrishBeauty said:
Hi,

I
Was just wondering how people manage to ride with kids?

I have my own yard, but no arena and finding I’m can only ride say once/ twice a week when hubby is free. I’m about to start work soon too so will be sidelined to weekends.

I’m hoping to really get back into my riding goals but how do you do it when working full time, a baby and a house to run?
Click to expand...
I think the honest truth is unless you have on site help the riding goes out the window! There will be lots of comments on here I’m sure from people who have managed but all my friends who had horses just barely rode at all when kids were small, I certainly couldn’t. Hopefully you’ll have someone who can watch them when you want to ride but it’s a real challenge…it’s easier when they are babies and can sit in a pram or pushchair to a degree but very hard once they are mobile…until they are really old enough to be more independent etc. Mum guilt is real and this is just one of those things that often goes out the window till the kids are older! Fingers crossed for you x
 
It’s really hard is the honest truth unless you have willing baby sitters/nursery or childminders. It’s more difficult when they become toddlers to be fair.
 
I rode when they were at school/nursery but before that I only rode at the weekend, I’m self employed so I can pick and choose my work hours (she’s says having just spent the morning working!)
 
Unless you have significant help, it's really hard! Probably easier when a baby, as they can be left in a pram... as soon as they are mobile/understand you've stepped away from them for 2 seconds, forget it.

I lamented myself for years, not doing enough, not working hard enough to find the time to ride regularly etc.... I always seemed to hear that if you wanted it enough, you'd find the time, and kids would just fit in. They didn't and I was exhausted all the time from trying to do it all.

So be kind to yourself.

We've now moved, have horses at home and it is MUCH easier (plus I work from home), but now the kids are older (9 and 7), they have their own busy schedules and life still likes to get in the way 🤷‍♀️
 
I didn't ride when my children were little.i just turned the horse out with the sheep on a farm. We visited and had necessary vet and farrier but that was all.
 
I could lunge with baby in buggy (outside school!) , he seemed to enjoy watching that.

But really if you have kids you can only ride when someone can watch them until they're school age, and then only safe schooling if they're amenable to sitting with an ipad or colouring.

30 odd years ago my friend would strap baby in basket to shetland and go hacking, I think that'd get you arrested now.
 
It’s hard, I just accept that I can only ride 2 or 3 times a week if I’m lucky. Once at weekends, one evening in the week once they are in bed and once in my lunch break when I wfh. Don’t beat yourself up, my pony doesn’t mind having the odd week off when life is busy or the weather is rubbish x
 
Bloody mindedness and an incredibly tolerant/understanding partner is the only way!

I’m currently on my 2nd mat leave so not quite the same, but when I went back to work after our first I found the only way to get some riding in was either early morning/after work whilst my husband was doing the nursery run or during lunchtimes and lowering all expectations for a while. We also hired in help to do the stables so my horse time could solely be for riding.
 
I drove myself a bit mad with having a baby in a pushchair and walking him until he slept, jumping on the horse, often having to jump off again... it sometimes worked and sometimes didn't. Can you ride in a field with baby in screaming distance? I was determined though to keep some semblance of riding and horse time, I was pretty sure if I stopped (and husband got used to it) it would be harder to start again.
 
In all honesty I didn't. I found it really difficult. My partner farming long hours, I had no family close at the time. Baby never seemed to sleep, she cried the second I pulled up at the yard and I was unable to do the "just leave her she has to get used to it thing" that everyone else I knew who had apparently coped well with baby and horse kept telling me.
I felt continually guilty about my poor horse.
In the end I put him on loan and focussed on being a new mum instead. It was 4 years before I got back into it. By this point my daughter loved ponies too so it was something we did together and while she was at school instead of being stressful it was fun again.

Children are not tiny forever, I'm very glad to have done it that way.
 
I tried as a single mum working full time, but in all honesty I never got more than once a week in the summer months when I could extend child care a little. I ended up loaning my horse out for 3 years while I did the 'mum' thing. Once they were in school it was easier as I could leave them in after school club an extra hour a couple of times a week. Still wasn't riding everyday but it worked until child wanted to ride and then I got side lined again.

But I now have no kids at home and I still struggle to find enough time to do everything I want too.
 
I couldn't make it work. Your relying on so many external things to line up and make it work
Combined with clock watching removed all enjoyment for me it became just another job
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top