DIY around a full time job?

[TheSubwayDino]

Hi all,
Currently making plans for the future so it's not anything recent or whatnot. Decided heading down a route of marketing and that likely means early trips to London and late trips back.

However, I'm not sure how it'll be with being on DIY. Assisted turnout or bring in, probably better so I don't have to do both ends of the day. But even so, I think spending out on part livery might be better since the money spent makes up for less stress. ?

Really not sure! Did you have a final push to be on livery or full? Or was it a decision you decided the moment you were looking for a horse?

 

[SilverLinings]

I work long days in a stressful senior management job, usually six or seven days a week, with a 45min commute between home and work and I have always kept mine on DIY. Usually I have rented somewhere to myself so there's no one else around to help. Seeing the horses first thing is a nice start to the day and a reminder of why I have to work (!), but I have got the morning chores down to 15 minutes by doing the bulk of the work at the end of the day.

I have lived in a lot of rural areas where there is no option for anything other than DIY/a rented field, and all the horse owners I know have managed on top of commuting to the nearest city for work. TBH the only time I could do with more help is when I am ill as having to throw up on the muckheap is no fun!

It is up to you really whether you want to spend the time seeing to your horse, or whether you'd rather spend the money and arrange for help. I don't think that there is a 'right' answer, it has to be what suits you/your situation, but in answer to your question, yes, a lot of people who work f/t have horses on DIY livery.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I had 2 on diy and worked full time and did it although I used to get home late if I rode both, it's easier in summer as they lived out and I rode one before work, I did often pay for turnout or bring in to save me a journey twice a day especially in winter.

 

[throwawayaccount]

I also have 2 on DIY but can do assisted or the odd full livery day if needed. I come up before work (6-6.30, in work for 8. Atm they’re on nights so I only need to bring in and skip out before going to work. Then I come up after work and ride do the jobs etc. put them out for the night. Then I go to my next job lol it can be done it’s just tiring x

 

[AntiPuck]

I went for full livery to allow me the flexibility to work longer if needed and not be worrying about the horse, as I don't have set hours as such. In summer, I think I could do DIY fairly easily, but in winter with the lack of daylight, it'd be harder, as everything horse-wise gets compressed into fewer hours of the day due to yard turnout/bring-in and closure times. If you were on individual turnout or had your own property, I imagine that would be easier as you could just chuck on a head torch and carry on whenever it suited you.

 

[Maryann]

Having done the 'I'll be fine, I can manage thing' I wouldn't do it again. Six horses, very little help and nearly full time job but kept at home. I was too tired to do the things with my own horse that I wanted to and anything that went a bit awry was really stressful.

 

[TheSubwayDino]

I went for full livery to allow me the flexibility to work longer if needed and not be worrying about the horse, as I don't have set hours as such. In summer, I think I could do DIY fairly easily, but in winter with the lack of daylight, it'd be harder, as everything horse-wise gets compressed into fewer hours of the day due to yard turnout/bring-in and closure times. If you were on individual turnout or had your own property, I imagine that would be easier as you could just chuck on a head torch and carry on whenever it suited you.

Yeah, winter time and yard closure times is what puts me off DIY if I were to go with the yard I help at, I was discussing this with family who aren't horsey at all and proposed to see if we can keep it at a friend's property and to pay rent and help with the farming routine. But at the same time nothing is set on stone. I just want this to go right haha I don't want to find myself not enjoying horses anymore due to long hours at 'work' if that makes sense ?

 

[mariew]

I think it depends on everything else. When I didn't have a child my perfect was an assisted DIY yard where I could get last minute help if stuck and holiday cover. I would be at the yard around 6.30am, do all the jobs and haynets for the day. Back home an hour or so later, quick shower and off to work. (Yard was 15 minutes away), commute 45mins each way.)

Actually most of the time someone brought in for me during the week which took all the stress off. I'd go up at about 7.30pm and ride. Back home at 9 or 10.

With a relationship you need someone who has their own independence and doesn't get jealous of the horse, and you do need to compromise a little, take a couple of evenings off and don't spend all day at the yard at weekends If you add a child to the mix it gets complicated. Personally I don't believe a full time job, relationship and child works with DIY. There just are not enough hours in the day.

 

[Squeak]

It's entirely personal to you and your situation. I hugely enjoy spending the time with the horses and when I had to go in to the office the time I spent at the stables in the morning and evening was my sanity check and my wind up or down time.

Having that sort of tie though is a huge commitment and can add a lot of stress. If you think there is a chance that your horse would be left out alone or your yard would have a curfew on timings etc. then it would be well worth having assisted or full livery.

There's no wrong answer, is there a possibility of starting off on either full or DIY and then switching once you know how it's going?

 

[Chianti]

It's possible but I think you have to have assistance on site. When I was younger my life was - up at 5.15am at yard at 6am, skip out, turn out, leave yard at 7 to get to work for 7.30. Back to yard by 4.30 (hopefully) to bring in and finish off. I only managed three week days and the yard did her the other two days in the week - but then that's time as you have to leave everything ready. When I was on assisted DIY at another yard I did the same morning routine - every day - but they bought in for me as I was working longer days. I couldn't do it now!

 

[MuddyMonster]

Having been on DIY, assisted DIY and part/full livery, I generally prefer assisted DIY. For me, it allows me to remain in control of the important bits - how much forage he gets, how long it's soaked for, what feed he's on, which bedding I use, how much I get through etc - but without tying me to the yard twice a day every day as my horse doesn't really care who brings him in, turns him out or changes a rug.

For me, its the best of both worlds as I get enough time to have a life outside of horses and work but still remain hands on.

Monday- Friday I get to the yard early to do my jobs, ride and then leave everything ready for him to be bought in, feet picked out, rugs changed if needed and fed.

Weekends, it varied whether I do the AM or PM as to my horsey and non horsey plans.

I do sometimes miss the convenience of part livery!

 

[Griffin]

I am currently on full livery in the week and assisted at weekends. I used to be on part livery in the week and DIY at weekends, which was fine until my personal circumstances changed (I am now a carer for an elderly parent). I have also done a full time job and DIY in the past.

I think DIY with a full time job is doable if you don't have to travel too far in any direction. It's also easier if you finish work in daylight in the winter!

 

[SO1]

I am Head of Communications and so I know how the marketing roles work.

I think it depends on how ambitious you are the contracts we hàve all have an unsociable hours section which said we have to be prepared to work unsociable hours to meet deadlines. I am on part livery for work reasons but I am part of the senior leadership team and also manage the press office function which can mean unpredictable hours.

I don't expect my junior staff to work late I will try and cover to prevent this, however I don't have family commitments. When I left my previous role my old team got a bit of shock their new manager was out the door at 4pm to see his kids and the team were expected to pick up any last minute requests or work he had not completed.

If you want fixed hours don't work for an agency as they have unpredictable workloads because they look after lot of companies or a very small company where you may be the only marketing person so if something urgent needs to done at short notice it will always be you that needs to do it.

Non marketing people often underestimate how long it takes to write flawless copy and put together creative adverts and because your work is so customer facing it is really easy to see if a mistake is made, you often get managers with short notice requests to put together marketing collateral as think it is quick to do comms work. For example a lot of work goes in our ebulletins and social media posts and website work.

I have done DIY before but it was grass livery so didn't have to be at yard at particular time for catch in and I was in a more junior role

There is no way I could do DIY now as I need to travel for business and sometimes work till after 9pm. Some yards have times when they want everyone off the yard.

 

[Wishfilly]

I don't want to be super negative here, but often, early in your career, you have to make compromises, and sometimes it is easier if you can be flexible, and stay late, or volunteer for things etc. If you're commuting as well, then getting stuck and not being able to get back to the horse can be difficult.

DIY can make this very difficult- but it can also be tough affording part livery when you are first starting out- especially as you will also want to do things like moving out, travelling etc potentially.

If you want to make horses your priority, then it's worth looking for jobs that will fit in with that well (as well as paying a decent salary). If you want to focus on your career, at times, in your 20s, horses may have to take a back burner.

Ultimately, I've flip-flopped between the two, which is why, in my 30s, my career isn't in a brilliant position AND I haven't done a lot of the horsey things I would like to- but I feel like I'm now in a place with a reasonable balance- which means a horse on assisted DIY, a job I can leave by 4pm in the winter (although early starts) and lots of holidays when I get to focus on horsey stuff a bit more. I've done my travelling, and my time living in a city and had all the nights out and "experiences" though.

 

[Jim bob]

I do 12 hours shifts. I use to do DIY but I found I would be up at 5am at the yard for half 5 left at 06:10 at work for 06:30 and finish work anywhere between 19:20-20:15 then go back to the yard so I wouldn't be getting in til 21:15! Then up again... I was shattered!!!! So now he is on full

 

[TheSubwayDino]

I am Head of Communications and so I know how the marketing roles work.

I think it depends on how ambitious you are the contracts we hàve all have an unsociable hours section which said we have to be prepared to work unsociable hours to meet deadlines. I am on part livery for work reasons but I am part of the senior leadership team and also manage the press office function which can mean unpredictable hours.

I don't expect my junior staff to work late I will try and cover to prevent this, however I don't have family commitments. When I left my previous role my old team got a bit of shock their new manager was out the door at 4pm to see his kids and the team were expected to pick up any last minute requests or work he had not completed.

If you want fixed hours don't work for an agency as they have unpredictable workloads because they look after lot of companies or a very small company where you may be the only marketing person so if something urgent needs to done at short notice it will always be you that needs to do it.

Non marketing people often underestimate how long it takes to write flawless copy and put together creative adverts and because your work is so customer facing it is really easy to see if a mistake is made, you often get managers with short notice requests to put together marketing collateral as think it is quick to do comms work. For example a lot of work goes in our ebulletins and social media posts and website work.

I have done DIY before but it was grass livery so didn't have to be at yard at particular time for catch in and I was in a more junior role

There is no way I could do DIY now as I need to travel for business and sometimes work till after 9pm. Some yards have times when they want everyone off the yard.

Yeah for sure, the hours for that industry is what makes me really consider what livery I'd go for! I think part livery might be the way to go. Although it's not in my favour I do still want a horse but I can't have a horse if I don't have a job haha