Horse/pony on DIY .... routine?

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AngieScorpio

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Hi all i used to share a pony (3 days and week) about 8 years ago and have just started riding again (hooray!!) once i get back into it properly i would love to find another suitable share.
However the pony i had on share before was field kept so i only know field duties. I have seen some nice possible part loans / shares but they are stabled and this is when i realise i don't know a thing about stable management! I will need to acquire some stable knowledge before i even consider another share again. I will speak to my riding school to see if they do courses on this but if they don't can anyone advise of ways to get some experience? I am 32 soon so feel silly asking to 'help out' with the youngsters on the yard :/ but i need to get to grips with stable and yard life somehow.

Secondly i wanted to know if i even have the time to offer someone (if they have a stabled horse on DIY). what time is acceptable to get to the yard or does it depend on the individual horses routine ? i am an early riser but due to me having school runs 9am and 3pm, i couldnt get to yard at 7am like i used to be able to. I also run my own business where i work 2 weekday mornings until 12pm and weekday evenings from 7pm -10pm, full days off are fri , sat and sunday would my schedule be of any use to someone needing a sharer for their stabled horse if on DIY as i could not do any late afternoon or evening duties on the days i work and also weekends are family time so OH would moan if im out all weekend riding and at the stables so could only do one weekend day.
 
For the experience part I would suggest the courses that you are looking into, the stables near you may also be willing to do a work for a lesson type deal. Those get you great experience.

For the routine...it would depend who you were sharing with, it may be that the owner would prefer to do most mornings, also the routine of other horses on the yard.
In winter I get to the yard at 7am and turn out my horse and her friend (that way she has company and the ones left in the stables also have friends) I then muck out her stable make feeds and put up her afternoon net, the girl whos horse I turn out in the morning takes mine in around 3pm so that routine works for us.
To be honest I think it sounds like you wont be able to be very flexible with your time and unfortunately horses on DIY (Stabled) need to be seen to twice a day. Might it be more suitable to share a horse that is on livery? that way you could fit it around your home life?
 
Thank you for the reply that is exactly what i needed to know :) .... so no DIYers for me when i am ready to look haha I see a lot of horses on DIY for share but will just have to look harder when the time comes as sometimes see ads where people just want someone to come and ride on the days they can't although would miss all the inbetween duties (may change my mind once i have mucked out a stable or two hahaha) ( I did think DIY would not be ideal because of the no evenings etc but thought i would double check my suspicions) Thanks again
 
I would try and help out at your local riding school or maybe a private horse owner.

You really just want to shadow them for a few weekends to get the basics as I am sure your new share's (hopefully) owner will explain how they would like things done.

You are more than welcome to come and help me - however I suspect you are nowhere near :D
 
Try to read between the lines of share adverts

Some people advertise shares because they don't have the daylight hours to keep a horse fit for them to ride/compete at weekends, they may well be happy to do the chores in return for a financial contribution if you can keep the horse ticking over

Also some yards ask that the horses are bought in very early in the winter (some allowing only half a day turnout) so it could be ideal if someone was available to bring horse in and do chores in the day so the owner only has to skip out and feed later on
 
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Some owners need sharers to do full stable duties. Others don't.

If you are used to field duties you'll be fine doing stable duties. You know that they need fresh water, poo needs picked and they need to be in the correct rugs etc. All you're really adding is mucking out. Just be honest that you'll need to be shown how the owner likes it done.
 
Thank you everyone for your replies and advice. When i go to my riding lesson Friday i will offer myself to them and see if they are up for me shadowing and helping out haha I just feel like i need to be around horses more as one lesson a week isn't enough atm
 
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