Full time work.. how do you do it?

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moo17

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I'm going to be getting a horse soon.. but my parents are making me feel rubbish about it! theyre totally unhorsey and are trying everything to make me think sh!t.. can i do this?

Unfortunately i work full time.. 9-6, although am going to try and negotiate 8-5 if possible. i would go to the stables in the mornings, and then again after work.. But is this cruel? my mum is saying i would not be giving him/her enough attention and that its cruel.. i thought that was what all horsey people did! i mean otherwise.. how would so MANY people have horses? do you cope working full time AND keeping a horse? im sure i can manage it but my parents are so unsupportive and seem to be trying to put me off in every way possible.. this is the next tactic!!

And because i know it might be asked; I am seventeen and work full time. I earn £600 a month, which will increase in april when i turn eighteen.
 
I work six days a week and manage to have a horse on DIY. Your horse only needs to see you twice a day, its not like they crave human attention like a dog for instance.

On the other hand, its going to be difficult owning a horse if you don't have any support from your family. How will you get to the yard - public transport? What about Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Years Day? What if you are ill or injured - who will look after your horse and how will you pay for it if you can't work?

Most of the horsey people I know work full time - thats not a problem. Having no support and going it alone at 17, could well be one (believe me I did it at nineteen and have had my fair share of problems, like when I lost my job and was unemployed for six months
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I have owned a horse while working full time for almost all of my working life - about 35 years! It is a complete way of life for me. It's certainly cruel on my bank balance and my fingernails, but fairly sure my horse doesn't find it cruel at all! However, I have had to make sacrifices because of the time and money that I spend on my horse, so social life, clothing, holidays etc are a rarity for me (luckily I have a very understanding husband). Will you have to pay for your horses upkeep yourself, as you might want to get some ideas from others about the costs involved? Having said all this, I can't imagine my life without a horse in it!
 
I work full time in a job which is very demanding and can mean long hours. Currently keep the horses at home, it is fine in summer, but would not work well in winter (horses are in overnight in winter)if I did not share the horses and this place with my sister. When we kept the horses at livery it was possible to get someone else to step in in an emergency, but this can cost. The other thing to remember is that routine vet and farrier visits are during work hours. I use an annual leave day every 8 weeks for farrier visits. Also do try and make sure that you have done all your sums and that you can afford the basics for your horse, if and when you get him/her.
 
the place i have a stable held at now is literally just down the road. =]

if i was to go away or what have you, a friend of mine down the stable already has agreed to look after him/her , and i will return the favour.

although you are right about if i could not work. my parents have said they dont want to get involved and wont be doing anything down the yard for me or taking me there (not neccessary anyway) but would help financially if absolutley neccessary (but not regularly obviously).. so i had better be good as gold at work :P

yes, i have worked out all my sums with help from older people i know who own horses (who ive shared / loaned from before), and have also included additional costs. i also have £400 extra in the bank right now which im keeping for emergency bills and will add to monthly.

yes, that is a good point about vet appointments etc being during the day/week. fortunately i have one day off during the week and one on the weekend.. hopefully i can squuuueeeze appointments into them days...
i dont know . i really hope i can do this


thank you
 
I'm 19 and have 2 horses! I live with my boyfriend who has a fairly well payed job so I'am very lucky that he pays for almost everything! My parents are none horsey but will help me where ever they can, they don't support the horses financialy, that is up to me. However they do drive me around, along with my boyfriend, back and forth to the yard, my parents also drive the lorry for me, as I don't yet have a driving licence yet. I only work 2 or 3 days a week as I find it hard to negotiate working and horses. They are on DIY livery and I compete so I like the older one ridden most days (I will soon have two to ride as my youngster is currently being backed). If I had a car I wouldn't mind working more but it's hard to negotiate lifts to and from the yard, then come home get ready for work, then get a lift to work, and then get picked up from work and taken to the yard in the evening. ALL my money goes on my horses. I have no spare money for driving lessons or new clothes ect. Like tomorrow I'am having a sjing lesson with event rider claire lomas, I would much rather be doing that than buying a new pair of shoes! It can be done, but I couldn't do it without the support of my boyfriend and parents. Good luck x
 
Please dont take this the wrong way but I dont think you have enough savings to cover vet bills. Therefore you need to budget for vet cover in your insurance. Or save up to 5K for bills. That would give you enough if a big one came in.
 
I'm 20 and have been working full-time for past year and half (now part-time as lost my fulltime job)

I coped fine, just make sure you have a decent torch for winter!

Tbh I'm even coping fine now working part time financially, somehow, and they're completely funded by me.
 
Regrettably Panda the role of parents is to ask those questions.
Horses are cripplingly expensive and £600 a month to cover your bills and ned's is not going to leave much, if any, spare. By the time all my bills add up over the year keeping horses costs me at least £600 a month alone!
However, having said that if you really want one go for it but just be aware that Mum and Dad may have a point.
 
Well if you can cope with getting up at stupid hours you will be fine...I do the same hours as you,I get up at between 5.30am and 6.00am,it is only three minutes from home,in all fairness which helps as you don't consume time in travel.It does help more so in winter if you can work with others at yard to get your horse in before darkness,as nothing worse in yours being the last out and struggling through the darkness with a frantic horse(Been there and done that one!
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)My tip to you is once you have got your horse take a week off and do a trail run each day to see how much time it takes,then you can adjust your times....you may find that you won't need to change your hours!
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Have been keeping horses on DIY for 12 years,and if I can cope,then anyone can,just takes a good routine and a watch that keeps the correct time.
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| have done this, when i was at college full time 9-5 and 16 or 17 I had to manage getting to the yard and getting the horse done myself without my parents running me there and back as they were working and also unwilling unhorsey parents!! Lucky for me they did pay my DIY livery bills and my insurance for me, but i had a weekend job to pay for shoes, feed, hay, entry fees, worming, etc. It was bloody hard being on my bike to cycle 3 miles each way in the cold/dark/rain every day but i managed. didn't get much riding done in the winter at all but the summer made up for it with the lovely long evenings. you just need to be super organised and get into a good routine, as others have said.

I work full time (but term time only) now and have a 6 year old child so my horse and her pony are on full livery during the week in term time-i tried to have them on DIY but to get both horses mucked out, ridden, get home, get tea done , daughters homework and have her in bed by 7 was nigh on impossible so now we just have to pop up and ride after work its brilliant.
 
How exciting!
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It sounds like you have a good grounding and are going into this with your eyes open
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Before I got bounced on my head, I got up at five-fifteen, to yard and onto ned for six-thirty, left yard (having got changed in Dizz's stable and having had a cold hose in the yard(!)) by half-seven. At office fifty-odd miles away by nine-ish.

We have three neds. Although hubby takes daughter and she does her thing with her two, including mucking out Dizz, I can manage Dizz on my own. Our horses live out as much as possible. We have friends who we can swap duties with if neds need to be in/be checked/exercised.

The pones cost about £150 per month all in (insurance; shoeing as they are barefoot or just front shoes; feed, as they don't need much extra and hay is included in the livery). Dizzy costs a lot more
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, mainly due to high insurance.

Rugs, etc., I buy in sales. Dizz has the most expensive stuff because she is the wimpiest and cost the most, the other two neds are much tougher lol.

We ride in the winter whenever we can. We ride no matter what the weather is doing, so long as is safe! Buy a decent waterproof!

I think you're prepared, the thing you've got to be sure of is what happens if you can't get to the yard for days. I bounced on my head last Sunday and whilst I'm lucky that others can and do look after the neds, if they didn't/couldn't then Dizz would have been living out all week (no problem with that) wihout being checked (which would have been a problem!).

As said above, it is parents job to ask such questions, and if they aren't horsey, the last thing they want as you are growing up, is to feel they are lumbered with a four legged beastie that requires money, time and effort.

I remember coming off a horse. Long story short - hole in head. Bleeding. Drove home. Mum saying 'You never think about us, what if you'd been lying in a hospital bed. You'd better lie down'. She's right, I hadn't thought about all that before I got on the strung up showjumper that went potty at a bird coming out of a hedge, but I was seventeen, fit, strong and healthy
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you fall into a routine before too long, it'll become a way of life, I had 2 and worked full time - half hour's drive away...so was up at yard for 6.30...I had to be on road for no later than 7.30...I mucked out, did haynets and water in am....and anything else I could fit in.....you will find at most yards people work together if needed...to help you out thats what us DIY'ers do..help each other!!

I wish you all the best of luck!!
 
I have 3 horses (TB, Section A and a yearling) plus 2 jobs. I don't have to leave for work until 9.45am which obviously helps but then I work right the way through to 8.00-8.15pm, not getting home until 8.30-9.45pm. It's hard work and I sometimes feel that I am not spending enough time with my beasties but they are always fed, watered and happy. They don't particularly care if they are not ridden as much as I would like.

If you get yourself into a routine then that will help, you also need to do everything possible to save time. Such as if you are having to make more then one trip to the muck heap a day, get a bigger wheel barrow. Mix feeds up in advance and fill hay nets at weekend. When the weather is really cold I make sure there are plenty of buckets filled with water so that I don't have a mad panic when it freezes. I'm sure others have lots more time saving tips!
 
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