Help! How can I re jig my routine this winter?

[Gingerbird]

At the moment I get up at 5.20am, am at the yard for 5.30am, turnout my 2, muck out and am home for 6.30am.

Up until now I have been exercising in the evening, only one really needs exercising, but as of Monday I am just about to go back to normal hours (during the summer recess I have been finishing work at half 3 so have been at the yard by 5pm) so will not be at the yard until 6pm. Obviously very soon it will be pitch black, and they will not want to stay out that late in the manky weather so my Mother normally puts them to bed. But this means I need to think about exercising.

When do you think I could fit it in? Is it worth doing it in the morning and getting up earlier? Or should I just say sod it and even though Mum has put them to bed earlier, ride in the evening. Also we have a outdoor school but thats it so how can I vary his exercise (obviously can hack at weekends) so he doesn't get bored as he's only a baby?

Not sure I;ve explained myself too well reading this back but just wondering whether I should re jig my hours and start later or stick to the status quo and drag him out of bed???

So any tips etc on how others cope exercising in the cold manky weather would be useful!

 

[Bruised]

I'd ride in the evening. I have similar hours to you and have to go home at lunchtime to get mine in. They're quite used to being dragged out of their stables in the evening to be exercised. In the past I got up even earlier to fit in riding before mucking out etc but I found that, after a while, it was just too exhausting. 5.30am is early enough especially when you can't get to bed any earlier. As to making stuff interesting when you can't hack out in the week, I make use of trotting poles and also lunge now and again rather than ride, so boredom doesn't set in.

 

[barbaraNcolin]

My mum always put my two in before I get back from work during the dark winter. She puts a blanket on them and I ride after work. I vary between poles, lungeing and schooling during the week and hacking/competing at the weekends.

 

[BigRed]

Your horse gets to go out in the field all day, so working in a school several nights a week and hacking at the weekend is a perfect scenario. He is a lucky horse. I have friends who only ever ride in a school, they never hack and the poor horses only get a couple of hours in the field too.

 

[Gingerbird]

This is all good stuff guys! And I have to say none have you have suggested that I get up any earlier - I did it during the very hot weather this summer and I was utterly exhausted!

 

[hellspells]

Getting up earlier isn't a good idea - due to the afforementioned exhaustion issues!! I either change my hours one day a week so that I can hack out one day once it has got light, about 7.15/30 here. Or as suggestion I bring in at lunch then ride after work in the school, as suggested, pole work, lunging etc.