Fed up

HiPo'sHuman

HiPo'sHuman

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Bit of a pointless post really but I need to vent - sorry!

So I took my children (4, 7 and 10) out of school a month ago and am now homeschooling, don't want to go into details but there are lots of issues, some behavioural. Anyway, I used to do the pony when they were in school, inbetween work and uni. Uni has now been put on hold and I have the children with me 24/7.

The problem is I no longer have any time for my pony :( She's a rising 5 Highland, lightly backed last year and had winter off. I'd planned to bring her back into work round about now but I can't, I'm stuck...The kids hate the yard, even seeing to her basic needs is hard work with them moaning. It's not a case of just being strict/stern with them, things are more complicated than that.

The only time that I have free, without children, is of a weekend when my lovely mum watches them for me...two days out of seven isn't enough to bring her back into work. I'm torn, I don't know what to do? I even went so far as to put her up for sale last week (I've since taken the advert down). She has suspected sweet itch so turning her away could prove problematic, the only place available is 30+ mins away and I'd have to visit twice daily to treat and feed her which isn't practical.

I'm drawing a blank, this is my dream pony and I don't want to sell but I can't think of another option. Do I just carry on as I am and start some basic groundwork at the weekends?
 
Use the pony as part of PE, the biological side such as heart rate and such. (its in NC if your following that). You school it and children learn whats happening with her and your body. Think its 2hrs a week PE they would be doing in school so you could get them to walk out with you on a hack for 2hrs a week! You could always get a tutor in for a few hours a week so you can have horse time. xx
 
Depends what you want long term. Will the children be going back to school? If not then what about a sharer? Or part loan? Otherwise tbh I'd consider selling as you aren't going to have much time with her if you are going to home school them properly. Much as she's your dream pony the kids come first.
 
I home schooled for over 10 years. (and managed a job, a husband and several ponies...) Dd came out at year 5, went back at year 12 and now has 3 unconditional offers for top ranked Unis starting this Sept. (Proud mum..). If you need a bit of support please feel free to PM me.

What to do with pony - and how to build her into HE - will depend on where you are in educational terms, what your mid range goals are and what other activities are around you. Everything is possible - but I would imagine it all feels a bit overwhelming right now.

You make the best choices you can - help is out there. Do PM me.
 
I'm afraid I haven't got any suggestions (although already others have :-) ) but just wanted to say don't give up on your dream just yet.
I too have a highland that I bought as a 4 year old (now rising 6), I was going to wait until family life was a bit easier before I bought my dream pony but then a few sad events made me realise how short life can be and that if I kept putting it off, it might never happen.
There have been plenty of times I have been in tears thinking I can't do this anymore, but equally there have been times I have been very down and my pony is what has kept me going. Being a mum is exhausting and can be lonely too and if you can have something that's yours, and that gives you happiness and fulfils a dream then it's worth a fight :-)
 
Can you find a sharer that would do 2 to 3 days a week you might even be lucky and get one that can do the weekdays which would leave you the weekend to ride? one of the riders I have rides Thursday and Friday as weekends is when she spends time with her kids so someone like that would be ideal they are out there.
 
I have a sweet itch horse who lives out in summer and is treated/fed once daily. You said "suspected sweet itch" so I'm guessing it's not severe. I appreciate some people like to visit twice daily as standard, but if you could accept a once daily visit it could work for you to turn the horse away.

Alternatively, I've had various loan ponies as a child who were on full livery Mon-Fri and DIY at weekends and that was when I rode. It *is* possible to bring a horse back into work only riding weekends, it just takes a lot longer to get a base level of fitness there. If you could add in a lungeing session mid-week that makes a lot of difference too.

Don't give up if she's your dream horse, it's true the children come first but you need a life too.

If you have to go to the yard with children in tow, make up all the feeds/haynets on the weekends when you're alone and do the full muck out then too, just skipping out during the week. It really cuts down on time at the yard. Consider having yard staff turnout or bring in so you only have to go once daily.
 
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