Exhausted

[atlantis]

I've been thinking if moving yards for a while. I'm the only livery on a private yard pretty much DIY but yo does do horse for me when I go away. I don't pay extra for this but I help out YO quite a bit. It's not that cheap and the grazing is pretty much too rich for mare with EMS, so quite a bit if fiddling about. However she gets to be out pretty much 24/7 in the summer and gets good TO in winter here too.

I'm also pretty loanly as YO pretty much works when I don't and doesn't really ride her horse either. Hacking not brilliant due to busy roads, or a tootle round the housing estate in the village. School isn't brilliant either, but we do have another livery coming soon so things will change.

I've looked around and there aren't many spaces but we're in the waiting list for a nice yard that does DIY up to part, so assistance available.

I moved to DIY mainly to save money, hoping to get a pony for DD next year. ( Current yard not suitable either due to hacking really ). Also to get more simmer turnout as mare was in quite a bit in previous part livery yard.

The thing is I'm exhausted. I'm up at 5-5.30 most days to poo pick and feed, sometimes ride. I work 4 days a week, run a business treating horse riders and Pilates for Riders (I'm a physio) have family life, need to fit in riding, house work and family time, let alone the poor bloody husband and dog. I'm considering going back to the part livery yard, if they have space. They now offer overnight turnout in summer so I would take them up on that. I'm wondering if going back to part would free up more time for me to work on business, and it would pay in the long run.

However so much chopping and changing can't be good right? I'd have to move again if we get a pony for DD no way I could afford two on part livery yard.

Lottie is settled where she is but has turned into dominant mare in the small herd, finding confidence she didn't know she had, which is great but I would now begin to decribe her as a bit mare-ish, which she wasn't before. She was fary settled where we're before, but just needed more turnout really. New livery coming where we are now might mix things up a bit.

Sorry early morning ramblings of a crazy woman. I'm so bloomin knackered but for some reason haven't been able to sleep since 4am. Feel free to ignore my rambling post... however if you have any advice that'd be great. Feel a bit like a failure even considering moving back, which is ridiculous I know.

 

[Theocat]

Work and family - and the time that comes with both - are largely non-negotiable, and there are only so many hours in a day. You cannot do everything - I think you need part livery, or at least regular assistance, and I also think from what you have described that you'll need part for the new pony as well, to maintain your sanity. Can you think about sharers?

How old is your daughter?

 

[Greylegs]

I'd say that you definitely need to move back, or to an alternative which allows you to fit everything into the time available. Your current situation sounds unsustainable longer term; there simply are not enough hours in the day and that's not a personal failing ... it's just a fact of life. So move back and give yourself some breathing space.

As for plans to add another pony into the mix, I'd think long and hard about that. If you're struggling now for both time and money then do you really have reasources for another one? Sorry to sound harsh, but freeing up time to fit in more professional work, just to use the extra cash to fund something which will require more time commitment doesn't seem to add up to me, as it's the time issue which is most pressing here.

Keeping a horse on livery is always going to be a compromise (in my personal experience anyhow ....). It's a simple time v money balance. Either you do the work yourself, pay less but use your own time; or you pay someone else to do some or all of the work which frees up time but costs more. You clearly need to move the time/cost balance of your current arrangement for your own good and see how that benefits you and your domestic set up going forward. Your horse will be fine with the move. You can decide about the new pony issue in due course.

 

[atlantis]

Thank you both for replying. I'm not even sure my original post made sense, so I appreciate the time you took to read and reply.

I admit I'm on my knees. So tired. I've had a lovely time there this am and it was nice to not rush, but that's only because I was up so early.


I actually have the money to move back, so i think I'll be ringing the old YO soon. I've got lots of ideas to move my business forward but just no energy to do do. I miss the facilities and the people too. There are a lot of horses there, very different set up from now, which was why I moved I craved the quiet yard, but it's too quiet.

Thanks again.

 

[atlantis]

Work and family - and the time that comes with both - are largely non-negotiable, and there are only so many hours in a day. You cannot do everything - I think you need part livery, or at least regular assistance, and I also think from what you have described that you'll need part for the new pony as well, to maintain your sanity. Can you think about sharers?

How old is your daughter?

DD is 6 ATM. Yes have considered a sharer and there is a girls at the yard who is a nice quiet rider. Worth thinking about.

 

[wren123]

Get a cleaner once a week so will you have to do is keep things tidy. And get your pony into some sort of assisted livery.
You will then have more energy to enjoy the life you are living now rather than feeling exhausted all the time. You will have more enthusiasm for developing your business to pay for the above!

 

[wills_91]

I moved yard 18 months ago so my mare could go on part livery. Best decision I ever made and we ended up having use of a little pony for the kids which was great.

 

[atlantis]

Well a yard I have been in a waiting list for has just messaged to say they have space. DIY livery up to part, with assistance available for bits and bobs. Nice school, amazing off road hacking straight out the back, children already on the yard. Lovely girl there as a groom, just passed her stage 3 who is a lovely rider who could exercise Lottie is I was away. Nice size yard, about half the size of the part yard I was considering moving back to. Hubby all for it. Just need to see if we can park the trailer there. I actually kept her there for s few weeks before a space came up on the part yard so I know the score and the owner, who I liked and we parted well. They didn't do part at the time and I actually said if I need DIY again I'll be back.
Feels like it's meant to be. I'm going to see it again tomorrow after work. Will try to keep an open mind. Feel relieved though.