Dropping down to once a day

emfen1305

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In a bid to save my sanity and my purse, I am trialling only going to my horse once a day in the morning. He is on DIY so I currently go in the morning to turn out and do my jobs and then I pay to have him brought in as they need to be in by a certain time and then I usually go up after work to feed, groom and do some bits and bobs as he can't be ridden at the moment. I live 15 mins away from the yard but in rush hour it is adding on an extra 40 mins to the 30 mins it takes me to get home from work and traffic is getting worse due to weather and darker nights. He is being brought in anyway and I have asked for his feet to be picked out and my plan is to do all the things I do at night in the morning but just feeling guilty about not seeing him twice as I have always gone back at night even if I didn't go in the morning. Does anybody else just do once a day?
 

milliepops

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I only go to the ones on the yard once a day. (I see the field ponies twice).
In the summer they are brought in for me in the morning so I just leave everything ready the night before.
In the winter they are put out and are brought back in for me, and given a fresh haynet so I go in the afternoon to sort everything out.

It means I can start work at 7 and finish with time to ride just about in daylight. The horses don't care as they are all in a good routine where the whole yard does the same thing as most are full liveries and they have everything they need.
 

NeverSurrender

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I have done, and will be this winter. I would go up, do feet, turn out, feed, and do all jobs as normal in the morning. In the evening I would pay for him to be fetched in, and checked over, etc.

It saved me both time and fuel, both of which equalled money for me at one point. Now it's just helpful and gives me some time back to myself and in turn saves my sanity! I only go down of an evening now if I want to ride, or ride in the mornings of a weekend.
 

xxcharlottexx

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Yep. All yards I have been on I have buddied up with someone. Currently on a private yard with a friend. She usually does the morning during the week whilst I do evenings. We are both happy to swap or do both ends if needed and one of us will go twice if we ride together but generally I only once a day. Both horses are happy with the arrangement too :)
 

dogatemysalad

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On our yard horses have to brought in during winter by a set time, which is 3pm during the darkest months. This was to prevent stressed horses trashing the gateways after most of the herds had come in. Some DIYers only come in the mornings and buddy up with other owners or pay for services.
As long as the horses have a winter routine, they'll be fine.
 

Mrs G

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At my old yard I would go down at least twice a day, often more, but that was because the yard staff couldnt be trusted to do the barest minimum of care and would frequently miss horses injuries etc. I then moved to a yard on assisted livery with a YM I trusted and it was a revelation! Id only go down in the afternoon/evening and they would turn my horse out for me in a morning. Made life much easier (and meant I was on time for work!) I think if you can find someone you trust to do your horse it will be an easy change to your routine.
 

scats

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At my old yard, I did go through stages of paying for services as their was someone on the yard who did livery. So I would just go in the evening to do everything.
The yard I am on now is completely DIY, we have no-one who does livery (only 4 of us) so I go twice a day. Fortunately I only live 1 mile away and am soon to be self-employed so it makes things a bit easier.
 

Fluffypiglet

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Absolutely no reason why this can't work and makes sense as long as you trust the people covering for you. That said, I trust my yard but still feel guilty if I don't see him twice on a Saturday and Sunday when I'm off work - and that's on full livery!! But it works well during the week due to work and horse loves the YM. It's only me that has the issue with miss
 

awelshandawarmblood

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I only every gone once all year round unless obviously there's something wrong. I do 12 hour day & night shifts plus nearly 2 hrs commute some days - then the yard is 20 minutes each way on top too. I did try doing it all myself in the past but ended up killing myself through being exhausted, so something had to give! You have to do what suits your work/life balance. I tried full livery on some yards but I couldn't trust them after various incidents, so now on assisted DIY with a good YO & bunch of owners which works better.

In summer we all keep an eye on each others so I go for one thorough check daily & for feed - I know if there was anything else abnormal someone would spot it. Some days my yard owner does this for me when I'm on a run of shifts. In winter on days off I do one end whether it be turn out or catch & all my chores such as mucking out, mixing feed, hay etc then my YO does just a bring in or turnout the other end along with wetting feed & rug change if needed. I have 1 or 2 days a week where he's on full assistance just to give me respite from shifts.

I do as much as I can & I still get the guilty feeling even though I know hes fine. Pony is always happy aslong as he's fed regardless of who does it luckily. I miss being in a 8-4 Monday to Friday job but needs must :rolleyes:
 
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Nasicus

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I've always had mornings done for me, whether that's been on part livery, DIY, grass livery etc. I do everything that's needed in the evening so that in the morning it's just a case of having them turned out (if stabled at night) or just being checked to make sure no missing limbs if kept out. When not a paid for service, I always return in kind in the evenings, bringing in, checking etc.
 

emfen1305

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Thank you all, feel much better now. I was always on a very DIY yard where everything was favours and everyone went twice a day and so I was always putting on someone to do things for me if i wasn't there but I moved to my new yard specifically to have the services as I knew I would be working longer hours, I just need my brain to catch up! My yard now needs them to be in for 4:30 and probably earlier when the weather is really awful so he comes in the same time/routine every day anyway, as long as he gets his tea he's happy!
 

The Trooper

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I only go up once a day if I can help it. Sometimes I need to go up more than once for instance I'm dealing with mastitis again this week so Bonnie needs hot compressed, stripped and fly creamed 2/3 times a day.

Last winter I was up in the morning to feed, turn out and muck out and back at night to feed and bed down. I am going to avoid going up twice a day at all costs. As much as I love my girls it can get very taxing, especially as the nights and morning are darker etc.
 

MyBoyChe

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OP, thats not really DIY, its more assisted livery as, presumably, you can rely on the person doing the evening shift. In your shoes I wouldnt feel guilty about it at all, youre doing the sensible thing for your horse, and as you say, as long as he gets his tea and his normal routine he wont be feeling guilty about not seeing you, sad but true!!
 

Annagain

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We have four of us who work together so we all only go once a day - 2 do the morning and 2 do the evening so we all only go up once a day. I do evenings so my share horse's owner will put him and my boy out and I then do my jobs in the evening, get mine and my share horse in and ride a couple of evenings (normally one evening each as neither is supposed to do much in the school these days). The other two are normally already in by the time I get there. The only exception is when Farrier is there - share horse's owner still puts them out as they are so used to going out at 6 then I pop up at about 7.45 to get all 4 in and wash their legs off if necessary in time for the farrier at 8 (they're all done the same day) He's fab and puts them out when he's done . I do my jobs in the morning and the other evening person gets them in.
 

JillA

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I'm reducing to once a day for now, now that my itcher no longer needs his antihistamines twice. They are on good grass, on a track with the poor doer in the soon to be foggage centre and they live out. As long as the weather doesn't mean they have to come in, and the grass lasts so they don't need haying, once a day is going to be fine. Tenants with sheep on the surplus field will alert me if there is a problem but not anticipating anything, they are all mature and sensible (**touches wood**)
 
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