Extra income to support horses

[JCbruce]

Hello I was wondering what extra jobs to people do around their full time job to support horses.

I work a normal 9-5 and I also groom at weekend but it’s a lot of time I only get at most one day off a week and I usually spend it cleaning. I used to work at a bar but I would finish at like 2 am and have to be up early for the horse and dog which was a killer.

Any other ideas for extra pony income or is this just my life now untill I finally decide to call it quits on the whole owning a horse malarkey,

Thanks

 

[Annagain]

Sorry to bring things down but I wouldn't have horses if my normal salary didn't allow me to keep them comfortably. I would find having to work an extra job to support them would bring me more stress than the horses would bring joy - not to mention worrying about how to afford unexpected vet bills etc. Also I barely have time to do them justice now, if I had to do extra work I'd never have enough time for them.

Would a bar job in more of a local pub that closed at 11 be easier to manage?

 

[Birker2020]

Hello I was wondering what extra jobs to people do around their full time job to support horses.

I work a normal 9-5 and I also groom at weekend but it’s a lot of time I only get at most one day off a week and I usually spend it cleaning. I used to work at a bar but I would finish at like 2 am and have to be up early for the horse and dog which was a killer.

Any other ideas for extra pony income or is this just my life now untill I finally decide to call it quits on the whole owning a horse malarkey,

Thanks

You could retrain to do another job which pays better or look at gaining additional training for your role which you could argue would entitle you to a pay rise.

If you learnt a document control system like Autodesk, Viewpoint, Asite or Acconex you could become a document controller. There is loads of requirement for document controllers on construction sites and because there is a lack of document controllers it usually pays really well especially if it is perm or you can become a limited company. You probably have a lot of transferable skills from your office job already.

It might be a bit boring doing just document control but if you were lucky enough to find a job which included site admin as well then it is quite interesting. As the admin part I create newsletters, induct new starters, keep registers up to date, organise meetings, liaise with schools and universities to help build social value, organise events like Build UK, time capsule and ground breaking events and charity fundraising events like MacMillan Coffee morning or sweepstakes, taking minutes and typing them up, creating signage, folders, labels and presentations, order stationery, create templates, type up reports, etc, etc

As the doc control part I invite people to the system, create 'how to guides', download drawing reports, print out and hardcopy file drawings and do a quality check on the new drawings coming in which can often mean rejecting drawings that don't meet the naming convention and sending the appropriate email explaining the issue.

I work 7.30 - 3.30pm with 30 mins lunch Monday to Friday. I love my job. Its really nice working on site too, its a great vibe, I used to love carrying out inductions and chatting to the workforce, learning about people from all walks of life, all cultures and from all over the world.

 

[JCbruce]

Sorry to bring things down but I wouldn't have horses if my normal salary didn't allow me to keep them comfortably. I would find having to work an extra job to support them would bring me more stress than the horses would bring joy - not to mention worrying about how to afford unexpected vet bills etc. Also I barely have time to do them justice now, if I had to do extra work I'd never have enough time for them.

Would a bar job in more of a local pub that closed at 11 be easier to manage?

I usually make bonuses at my current work as I am in recruitment but the markets have gone terrible. My basic salary used to cover everything but my mortgage went up £400 a month yeah I have been looking into local pubs but not much locally at the moment.

 

[JCbruce]

You could retrain to do another job which pays better or look at gaining additional training for your role which you could argue would entitle you to a pay rise.

If you learnt a document control system like Autodesk, Viewpoint, Asite or Acconex you could become a document controller. There is loads of requirement for document control on construction sites and because there is a lack of document controllers it usually pays really well.

It might be a bit boring but if you were lucky enough to find a job which included site admin as well then it is quite interesting. I create newsletters, induct new starters, keep registers up to date, organise meetings, liaise with schools and universities to help build social value, organise events like Build UK and charity fundraising events like MacMillan Coffee morning or sweepstakes, take minutes and type them up, compile team lists, create labels, signs and presentations, order stationery, create templates, type up reports, etc, etc

There is loads I can do I have a BSc in biological sciences but I’ll have to go back to education for a year or two which I can’t do as I have a mortgage.

 

[BallyJ]

Could you look at setting up a clipping business? then if in a lit barn you could do it through the week?

 

[JCbruce]

Could you look at setting up a clipping business? then if in a lit barn you could do it through the week?

That would be a great idea until you see my clipping skills. Many times a blanket has had to change to a full clip

 

[toppedoff]

What about dog walking?

 

[poiuytrewq]

I don’t work full time during the week but that’s quite important to me because although it means I don’t earn a huge amount it means I have the time to ride every day and stuff like that. I realise I’m lucky to have that option.
So I work weekends, not solidly but I do Saturday pm and Sunday pm - usually by myself and Sunday morning with one or two others mucking out, general looking after, walkering a yard of pre trainers/breakers.
I’d like to give it up really but am torn between stopping and upping weekday work keep the horses and having the time to make keeping them worth while.

 

[Annagain]

I usually make bonuses at my current work as I am in recruitment but the markets have gone terrible. My basic salary used to cover everything but my mortgage went up £400 a month yeah I have been looking into local pubs but not much locally at the moment.

That sucks. It's definitely a really difficult time financially. I'd hate to be 10 years behind where I am in terms of mortgage and salary.

 

[rextherobber]

Can you change the way you keep your horse/horses? Live out, barefoot, etc. Maybe change their feed to an own brand, like Mole Valley, rather than Baileys or whatever? If you can rent land directly from a farmer/estate, it's loads cheaper than livery, and it doesn't hurt to ask politely if anything is available. Good luck, hope you find a solution that allows you time to enjoy your free time. I really feel for people with mortgages at the moment, it must be crippling.

 

[JCbruce]

Can you change the way you keep your horse/horses? Live out, barefoot, etc. Maybe change their feed to an own brand, like Mole Valley, rather than Baileys or whatever? If you can rent land directly from a farmer/estate, it's loads cheaper than livery, and it doesn't hurt to ask politely if anything is available. Good luck, hope you find a solution that allows you time to enjoy your free time. I really feel for people with mortgages at the moment, it must be crippling.

Thankyou horse is actually mega cheap 35 a week livery including hay, bare foot, barely on any hard feed. Insurance is expensive.

I think it’s just a tough time I’m going to have to try and battle through.

 

[toppedoff]

Someone was asking earlier on FB what jobs people do + how they afford their horses. Makes me so worried sometimes

 

[Mari]

Thankyou horse is actually mega cheap 35 a week livery including hay, bare foot, barely on any hard feed. Insurance is expensive.

I think it’s just a tough time I’m going to have to try and battle through.

Do you need expensive insurance? I have 2 retired & 1 ridden rescue. I don’t have them insured. I just have World Horse Welfare Platinum Plus . Worth having a look at.

 

[PurBee]

There’s a few websites you can join that offer online freelancing project jobs that you’d do at home from your computer at a time that suits you. Its excellent for people with varied computer skills….web design, graphic design, admin skills, writing skills, social media skills etc.

Another way of making money is to save it, by shaving it off living expenses - youve likely already gone down this route. Horse management systems can wildly vary as to what a horse costs to keep per month. A small local DIY yard can shave off a few hundred from a full livery yard. Supplements cost a lot, so review what are really needed, or change to other cheaper brands or bulk buys.

If you wanted a winter off from horses, to free up your time to earn more and save, you could consider winter 24/7 grass full livery, take off the shoes, turn them away for the winter, earn and save.

 

[sollimum]

You can look to see if any OOH vets near you need ACAs or receptionists?

 

[Peglo]

I do a couple of cleaning jobs on a Saturday morning just for a bit of extra money and one of them is to help out my Aunty at her self catering apartments. The other is cleaning offices which I can do anytime over the weekend really. I also work 8:30-5 Monday to Friday so wouldn’t fancy doing anymore than a Saturday morning. I want some free time.

 

[JCbruce]

Do you need expensive insurance? I have 2 retired & 1 ridden rescue. I don’t have them insured. I just have World Horse Welfare Platinum Plus . Worth having a look at.

Horse cost me 12k in vet bills last year he wasn’t insured because he was in backed and luckily it was covered by a third party insurance but it nearly crippled Me so I would be a lot happier with insurance

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

Agria do a very food lifetime insurance, excess is 25% but even on a £12k that would 'only' be £3k, much more manageable. Mine is £22 per month, might give you some breathing space.

For a long time before I changed jobs I would source second hand clothing and sell it for a profit online (from charity shops mostly) but that can be.... controversial. However, you can self-manage it in terms of time.

 

[I'm Dun]

Amazon Flex is good. Pay isnt great but its very easy work. I used to stick an audio book on and tootle round enjoying my book. Theres other stuff like that, but amazon was the one that was nearest me. I could make £100 most weeks for a few hours easy work.

Ebay reselling is another option, but you need storage and a bit of time to learn your niche. And you have to be very strict with yoursef to ensure your making enough profit to make it worthwhile. You need to look to be selling something at 5times what it cost, ideally 10times, but theres lotsof other stuff to consider. Theres lots of videos on Youtube showing how its done.