Bets on how long I'll last ???

burtondog

burtondog

Well-Known Member
Joined
2 December 2002
Messages
902
Location
SE London/Kent, UK and Devon
www.michellehudson.co.uk
Am planning to DIY for 10 days straight !
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No big deal, most of you may think, but in 10+ years of horse ownership I've only had to do the odd few days here and there before. I do love my full livery !

The reason for this 'temporary' change of heart ?

I bought a lovely new horse and put him on a lovely new yard which sadly turned out to be a bit too far to commute (SatNav says only an extra 10mins each way but is more like an extra 20+mins). As a result I've only managed to get down to see him twice a week in the 7 weeks I've owned him.
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So I've decided to move back to my old yard (much closer) and when I do I'm taking 10 days off to settle my new boy in personally. I want to make up for lost time and I thought I might as well DIY while I'm not working. I can save some cash + could use the exercise!

My friends are taking bets on how many days before I get the yard to muck out for me!!! They have no faith
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You might get fed uo after the first week (tired or in the case of some people I have seen they simply haven't mucked out in so long they do not know what to do!!) but by the end of the 10 days you wonder why you pay someone else to do it!! IMO
 
I do two every day and wouldnt have it any other way.I love the hands on plus I couldnt afford livery lol.You will miss the lay ins cant remember last time I slept past 7 30
 
I bought my horses home after 10 years on full livery back in February. I have so far done 3 months and THANK GOD the summer is here so they can stay out at night. All I seem to do is work work work. (I do have 5 horses and a baby though!). I permenantly smell like a muck heap!!! But I would never send them back to full livery. I will get help next winter though.
 
I think you'll be pleasently suprised - I had Ty on full livery last summer and now have two on DIY (but they only live 3 mins drive away now) and I love the fact that I have the final say on everything with them......

Can't moan at other people for not mucking out very well though!
 
QR I have two on DIY to do every day. I don't drive and unless I get a lift to the yard or can manage to catch a bus then there is a 20 minute brisk walk to do to the yard as well ( sometimes there and back). So think yourself lucky you only have 10 days to do. I had to walk, in rain, sleet, snow and a blizzard to my last yard which was a 25 minute walk last year.
 
Thanks for the encouragement. It'll probably take me at least an hour to muck out each day because of my OCD! I suspect I'm going to be aching like crazy to start with but hopefully it'll be worth the effort.

I remember when I worked on a racing yard in NZ for a couple of weeks while I was backpacking, I had a 4.30am start and loads of horses to do, took me about 3-4 days to get into the routine but wasn't so bad after that.

Hats off to those who DIY and hold down a full time job. Especially those with more than one horse and a young family. You must be superhuman !
 
You'll be fine and an hour is not that long. It used to take me longer than that when I first started mucking out. Winter is worse for me as I get back pain ( injured back a few years ago) and it flares up when I get cold in my back and I'm either stiff, in pain or both.
4.30 start OMG I don't do early mornings. In fact I hate early mornings to be honest unless the weather is nice and the birds are chirping. I can do early on holiday as I go fishing and the tide times are not always at the most convenient times of the day. But the sheer excitement of going fishing actually makes me wake up earlier lol.
I am not working at the moment and had a part time job last year. Maybe going on a course later this year though to try and further my career prospects so I can start doing something with my life again. I love the horses to bits but having no transport, a partner that works shifts, a daughter and 38 pets at home to feed and clean out, managing time can be hard. I know I can find time to post on here but that is mainly at night or at quiet times during the day.
Since moving yards I have had to give the horses time to settle in and also then try and make arrangements for putting horses out and bringing in when I do go back to work. TBH I have been waiting for the horses to go out full time as at my last yard it was April they went out and it does make life a hell of a lot easier.
But I totally agree with you that those people who can juggle all three major commitments like that want applauding.
Btw in my earlier post I wasn't having a go my post was tongue in cheek. But I do readily admit that sometimes I feel as though I would give my right arm to be able to have full livery or even part at times. It is nice to get a break from mucking out in the summer though but I have a suspicion at the new place it won't be for very long
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Caz
 
Oh no, poor you
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10 whole days of mucking out and looking after your horse yourself
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How will you cope
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Only joking
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I've been looking after my own for 30 years, now have 4 (admittedly they are at home) and would never have anyone else, apart from hubby, look after them. I think you might find you really enjoy it - you'll get far more involved with the social side of things at the yard too.
 
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