How do you fit it all in??

G

GingerTrotter

Well-Known Member
Joined
5 September 2011
Messages
356
Visit site
I have 3 horses:

1 x 7yr old - does endurance
1 x 4yr old training to be a dressage horse, but also does endurance pleasure rides
1 x 3 yr old who is currently being backed and hacked inhand

I work a full time manager officy job an hours commute from my house. So i leave at 7am and dont get home until 6pm.
I am very lucky I have my own house with land and stables (4 and a half acres of grass with a flooding sand school)

I suffer from hypermobility so I can no longer poo pick as much as i would want to, so i ensure a good worming program and manage the fields to a reasonable level of standards with harrowing and rotation, along with as much poo picking as my arms can take!

I live on my own but do have a rider that comes and rides on the weekends with me.

I consider myself very lucky and happy with my life but sometimes I sit back and think I really struggle to so enough for my horses and to be honest time for myself.
I ride both days on the weekend, 1 long distance hack with both the 7yr old and the 4yr old, then a shorter hack. I try to lunge them both once during the week too if not get them ridden.
The 3 yr old I took out for her first inhand hack last night but try to play with her at least once a week.

I'd love to have more time to dedicate to the 4 year old as he is showing a great talent for dressage but my school keeps flooding so I've sort of given up for this season and I will hopefully scrap the money together to put better drains in it for next year and put a new surface down.

They are all on 24 hour turnout which keeps them fitter. But I constantly worry i'm not doing enough by them. They are all healthy and happy so maybe I need to stop worrying.

Are any of you in the same situation?? how do you juggle your time??
 
TBH I'd never want to be in a position whereby I had a full time job and 3 horses in work to do pretty my by myself, plus my own land to manage.

Would zap all the enjoyment out of my horses.

But we are all different and I admire anyone that can do all that and enjoy it!!
 
Gosh I have my own land, and I know I have enough time for 2 horses but def not 3!

I currently own/share two yearlings (they don't get that much time spent) and I would have had 2 in work but I sadly lost a horse a few months ago. Although I have a shetland to keep my boy company I am on the lookout for a nice project.

I work 9-5 (ish), live 30mins from work.

in the winter I will be having 4 horses in at night and as I am rubbish at getting up in the winter I was worried it would turn into a chore rather than pleasure. I am feeling a bit happier now as I have a girl coming daily to bring them in - at least they will be in the dry from 3.30 every day. I still need to muck out, but at least if I am held up from work I know they will be snug and warm.
 
Im at uni and i work and my course involves placements which currently are 1.5hrs away and its 13 hour days !! Im up at 5 to muck out my 2 horses.
It does mean i get more days off and its ok when im in actual uni but have just sorted out an arrangement with a friend who wants to ride and she will be hacking them out in return for bringing in mucking out etc!!
I think ust do what you can and im sure it will be enough!
Q
 
You have 4 choices: throw money at it as in employing someone freelance for a couple of hours, find a sharer, sell/loan one or put up. Personally this is why I only have one cannot cope with anymore as do it all myself with no facilities.
 
I have three horses and a full time job too... but I'm also finding I only have time for two like Arctic Fox.

I have:

1 x KWPN gelding I compete at Medium, aged 17 so no pressure to ride him every day. I usually compete him once every 2 weeks, and have a lesson once every two weeks, which entails 2 hours in the lorry plus the lesson itself... he is generally ridden 3 times a week, sometimes 4.
1 x WB filly aged 3, just work her for 20 mins twice a week ATM, long reining, walking out or lunging.
1 x TB mare, my ex polo pony, now 22 and a fun hack, who can be left for a month and then just jumped on - luckily!

My worry is that I won't be able to keep the youngster in regular enough work once she needs it consistantly next year (this year I'm just playing with her so don't feel guilty if she's left for a week!).

I work full time, and some weekend days too. Plus I run a small livery yard (just 7 horses, 6 of which are DIY), have 25 acres (with the house which saves travelling time, apart from a 30 min commute each way for work), a XC course, couple of sets of SJ and a floodlit school to look after. Oh, and I do up properties as a "hobby", I'm on number 3 this year and have one more to do! I also volunteer for two local dog rescue charities, and have foster dogs, one at a time, to train before they go to their new homes.

So, how do I manage it?!

Well, I don't sit down until 10pm at night, and I generally am asleep on the sofa straight after, I have a helpful other half who does his 50% of the housework (or thereabouts!) and helps with the house rennovations, and I don't ride as much as I should! I'm also very lucky that my horses are all good and can be left for a week and then jumped back on.

Next year all the houses will be done and I'm resisting another project, so I'm going to make much more of an effort to ride the older boy 4 times a week, the youngster 4-5 times a week, and hack the TB at least once a week (she's had a very quiet summer this year)!

Off to cater for 12 for dinner this evening as it's OH's birthday - must dash!
 
I have 3 horses;

1 x 22 year old - hacking/hunting/huntertrials
1 x 14 year old - dressage horse
1 x 8 year old - showjumper

I'm very lucky in that I am currently at university so always have weekends free, weds afternoons free and usually a couple of mornings or afternoons around my lectures during term time (and obviously I also have ridiculously long holidays!!). Also my horses are kept on full livery, and my mum and I both sort them out with exercise etc. Luckily my mum works for herself as well so organised her work timetable so that she works late mondays and fridays, but has afternoons off tues-thurs to ride :)

If we both had full time jobs (9-5, mon-fri) I don't think I would be able to fit them all in :( So we are VERY lucky!!
 
I have 2 horses in work, mum has 1 and then we have a retired pony in the field.

I'm going into my third and final year at uni about an hour and a bit from home! I do a course which has a fair amount of hours but very lucky to have free wednesdays and weekends and very very long holidays!

I also work for a big equestrian/country clothing company that travels round shows and work on the tradestand so can be away 4/5 days at a time 2/3 times a month over the holidays!

I spend A LOT of time driving up and down the M1!
Saturday and Sunday: Ride all of them/compete
Monday: early start to school/hack before speeding back up M1 for lectures.
Tuesday: Lectures then drive home late evening.
Wednesday: Home for whole day and often go SJ, then drive back to uni for night out!
Thursday: Lectures and Labs
Friday: Lectures and then home to ride!

They all have 1 day off a week and the day I don't ride my godmother does them for me, I'm very lucky that If I have to stay at uni for some reason she will often bring in/feed etc for me!

Not quite sure how I'll cope with this in my 3rd year so may have to reassess! My uni friends think I'm clinically insane!!
 
Goodness knows ...... I only have one on DIY and I don't know how I fit it in at all ....I suppose we all 'make it work' :rolleyes:

I commute for my job and am away quite a bit, if im away i always ride the morning turn out then head off i am known for riding early most of the week and do the horse at 6am most mornings before travelling anything from 200-300 mile round trip for work 10 hour days, I'm lucky I set my own diary and structure everything around so I can fit it all in but even so I sometimes have t sacrifice the non essentials for the essentials :D
 
Blimey!!! I have 2 and I struggle! 1 is 6 years old and the other is a yearling companion pony. The 6 year old I try to ride at least once in the week, if not twice and both days at the weekend where possible. The pony, I do a bit of leading work with once a week but he's no trouble. I am moving yards where I will have help in the winter because asides from my job, I am an actor part time, so rehearse twice a week and once at the weekend. On a Thursday, I take a class of musical theatre children before my own rehearsals, so I have to get help!
My work hours are pretty good though, 8.30 - 5.30.
I work in sales, so I am hoping for a big order before the winter which would enable me to pay somebody to take my mare out hacking once a week as a sharer is not going to be easy to come by as she's a bit sharp.
 
I work full time in a vets so do shift work I have three horses all in full work and compete although I would compete a lot more if only had one !! My days consist of very early starts usually around five am and thn usually get home Around nine pm maybe a bit later
 
I struggle with two in full work although my luck is on the op scale to yours as in I'll never be able to afford my own land but my time is my riches :)

I work 9-2 most days through the week in my day job then mix riding mine with teaching and riding for other people as well as doing loading , shoeing
 
Stupid phone :(

I work with the occasional problem horse to be able to afford to keep two in livery

One of mine must be hacked at least 6 days a week as he's recovering from a tendon injury and the other I use for dressage and the odd ode ,pleasure ride and I've started riding and leading one as it gets them both done so much quicker
Or because I'm on quite a busy yard I can sometimes get someone else to ride one

Even though I'm quite lucky that I Have more time I don't think I could cope with three
 
I work full time 8.30 to 5 (not including commute) and have 2.
Only one is in work, the other is a companion.
I honestly would never see myself having time for more, what with dogs and OH, looking after myself is always bottom of the list.

Good luck OP, don't know how anyone full time in work has time for more than 2:D
 
Blimey o'reilly i really do not know how some of you manage it!

I have only have one on DIY kept half an hour from my house and work full time office job 20 minutes in the other direction. I rarely make it home before 9pm.

I was toying with the idea of getting another one a while ago, but made the decision that at the moment i need to concentrate on the one i have and i am supposed to be studying for professional exams, so i wouldnt have the time to do both effectively.

As it turns out, i manage to do one, have lessons, compete (badly:D) study, work full time, see friends, do housework, however it appears the one thing i dont have time to find a husband........:rolleyes:.....
 
Anything is possible if you put your mind to it, IMO! Though having the horses at home makes a huge difference.

I work full time away from the yard as does my OH. A has just finished his school exams and while he was studying he would ride 3-4 a day and help on the yard. We have 4 ponies (B does PC and competes one at dressage/showing and one SJ, one retired and one just backed and going), A has Saffy who jumps BS and we have usually 3-4 nice irish horses (that I have sourced in Ireland which is very time consuming) to educate and produce at RC, PC and give all round experience. On top of that we have 3 full liveries, 6 DIY liveries and 3 grass liveries and 35 acres to maintain.

We have no staff and our horses are very well cared for, living in a clean and tidy environment. Our house on the other hand could do with a tidy and we tend to eat in a rather unhealthy fashion...
 
I'm the same. 3 horses, manage a barn and a full time 8-5 desk jockey job half hour from barn.

Heart horse, Riley, is retired, but from a disastrous ligament injury that requires daily wrapping, walking or turnout when he behaves, so he's a full half hour unto himself every day, more if I pamper him.

Bennie lives out, but is worked 5-6 days a week, and that's a long walk to his pasture every night. Bless him, he does come to the gate when I call.

E is worked 5-6 days too, but in the barn in the day, so that saves time. But he's so high maintenance, it takes 20 minutes a day to kit him up to put him outside.

Two boarders to feed, hay and fly spray every night. Plus stalls, making grain etc.

How I manage:

I pay for morning feeds to be done, and mowing a couple times a month to a great guy. Sometimes I have a school girl come feed evenings, but 9 times out of 10, I go out to check on everything, so not much of a night off.

Trainer rides each of the boys twice a week, I ride one a night during the work week, two on thursdays (go out at 5:30 before work in the am for 1). Both usually on weekends when I fit in a lesson.

It's grueling, but it's working well. Horses are showing very successfully this year. I don't slack at work. But it's summer, and the days are long.

I got really depressed last winter. Riley was doing poorly, we have arena lights, but I'd only have half an arena visible. I was never out in the day. I'd have to feed and blanket by flashlight. It was muddy and cold, and my entire family lives in South Florida and I am all alone 12 hours away.

I don't know how long I can keep it up. I'm planning on consolidating. E goes back to his owner this fall. Bennie will be on the market. I am vetting my FEI dream horse this week, so hopefully I can get down to one to ride and Riley, then board them and not be tied down so much.

Because as long as I have the barn . . . I always seem to need to have several to ride. I can't turn down a good project when I have an open stall. :)


I don't know how I will keep it up long term. It's been a year and a half with the full time job, 7 years managing through college though, with no help. It only works because I have no social life, no where I'd rather be than competing. I'm not burned out, not even close though. But to steal from Game of Thrones . . . Winter is Coming. :(
 
I have 3/4 to ride and a very intense full time job

I don't mind this time of year (if it would stop raining), because I can ride 7-9pm. Although usually to keep them fit I ride one, lead two and listen to an audio book as trotting for hours is quite boring. This also means I don't do as much intensive training as I would like, but that's what the weekends are for if I am not competing.

However I have no social life due to the horses, and I am very lucky that my parents help out with farm management. We have just got a tractor driven paddock sweeper and this is the best invention ever!!
 
I have two at home with no school. One is my TB who I attempt to compete and one is my son's LR pony.

I work full time in a demanding job and have a 2 1/2 year old son. I am responsible for all field maintenance and have also been building stables (thankfully reaching completion - just need roof).

The horses currently live out - and will continue to do so even after stables completed as they'll be left with the door open unless I need to keep them in. On a morning the TB is fed whilst I put the pony in a little paddock for the day to stop her becoming a fatty. I do basic checks then run back into the house, get me and the rugrat ready, drop him at nursery and then drive at least 45 mins for work. Back home, complete with child by 5.45 at night. Quick check on horses and a little feed for TB. Then into house for family time, dinner etc. Son in bed for 8pm though he rides once a week during the week too.

I try to ride my lad 2/3 nights a week after 8 and on other nights do field and garden maintenance. Weekends I ride at least one day - at least once a month have a lesson and try to compete at least once a month too. I do feel that I am stretched and I'll be honest the 'jobs' are a chore - I would prefer to be able to ride more but also wont sacrifice standard of care. I do think it also restricts my competition level - he is pretty fit and certainly enough to cope with the SJ and low level eventing we do but could easily compete at a higher level if he were fitter.

I am very lucky in that both the pony and my TB are low maintenance in so far as they can be left for days and not be unrideable - not sure it would work without this!

Having them at home is both a blessing and a curse. It is brilliant being able to wander to the bottom of the garden anytime and check on them but if you're in livery the field maintenance - fencing, topping etc is taken care of giving more time to ride.

I have been thinking of getting someone to come and do poo picking and maintenance for me and may well do so over winter when they are more likely to use stables and therefore need mucking out. Something's always got to give!
 
Seems a very obvious answer to me, why have you got THREE horses? !!
Sell one and just have two, then you will have enough time for both......
The other way of looking at it is your horses don't spend time worrying they aren't living fulfilling lives, just leave one to be a horse in your fields...and ride the other two.
It does sound a bit of a pathetic whinge to be honest, many people would love to have one horse never mind three, and if you think playing with your three year old once a week is enough what will you do when you have to ride her 5 times a week which is the norm for a four year old breaker?
I think you need to sit down and do some serious thinking, if you haven't time enough now, come next Spring you are going to need a lot more for the youngster..
 
I have two at home, an ex-racer & a very old retired companion pony, & I have a school. I work f/t in the City, so I'm up at 5.25 am all year round, & get home around 5.25 pm. I find that 2 works v well, as I can feed the pony in the field etc while I'm riding so she doesn't get shoo'd off her food.

I did have 2 in work before Adrian went on loan & altho I really liked the idea of having 2 horses to ride, after a few days I found it really hard work. It took all the fun out of it cos it tipped my life out of balance - more riding, to the detriment of doing other things. Plus trying to separate everyone at feed times (they live out) to avoid fights. It was one in the field, one in the stable, one tied up outside the tackroom, which was more work than feeding the old mare in the field then putting Trev out with food when we'd finished.

An extra hit on farrier's visits with 2 1/2 sets of shoes instead of 1 1/2, cracking thru feed & hay, an extra one to insure... It was a relief when A went on loan & I could concentrate on 1 horse.

For me, it needs to be fun, not a chore. The idea of having 2 in work was fab; the actual grind of making it work was no fun at all.

T x
 
I have two horses on DIY, work a 60 hour plus week with my own business and the only way I cope is called Mini TX. She is 17, still at school, the yard is close by and she does them for us. I am lucky that my old boy only needs hacking a couple of times a week and we have 24/7 turnout. Her eventer obviously needds a bit more work, but if she is busy, we have 24/7 turnout for her as well.

To be honest, although I have considered giving it up as sometimes I struggle to find the time, I dont think I ever will. I dont see my horsse as much as I would like, but I know he is fine and Mini TX looks after him, he is happy and is always very pleased to see 'mum'. I think a lot of it is that we adjust our lives accordingly and you can be amazed what you can fit in. I also believe that horses are pretty much a lifestyle choice as well, and that if you want to have them, you make the choice to give up something else.
 
I am at uni with a part time job and 3 horses.
My timetable last year involved me at uni 9-5 on Monday, tues and thurs but uni is 45mins away so leave home 8 and get home at 6. Weds, fri and Saturday I work mornings.
Luckily I keep my horses at home and mum helps me out with bringing in and out and mucking out etc.
Horses are:
5 year old dressage horse worked 5x a week
19 year old dressage horse worked 5-6x per week
4 year old exmoor show/ dressage pony worked whenever I have time do occasionally 3x per week ish but not worried about it as she is a late maturer.

2bh I would be better off with 2 in full work rather than 3 and I am trying to sell my 4 year old to replace with a youngster I can bring on when the 19 year old retires. If I can't sell the exmoor she will be turned away until I finish uni or my sister will ride her as going into my 3rd year next year.
I couldn't go back to only 1 horse though, I wouldn't know what to do with myself and I would lose fitness and I think riding 2 different horses helps my riding so I don't develop bad habits from riding the same 1 horse all the time.
 
mine live at home
i have 4
3 are in full comp work from novice to inter II level

am i am up at 6.30 and either take one over to the arena to do a 45min session, or i hack one and lead one for 45mins.
at work 9-5
home about half past five
then either take 2 out for a hack or to go on the horsewalker for 45mins, or one to school (occasionally take 2 so one schooles whilst the other is on walker)

basically the comp horses do some kind of work each day, normally have 1-3 days completely off per month.

the 4th horse is 23 and she either babies the hacking out horse or sometimes babies one on the walker. or she hacks out with just me.she normally gets worked every other day.

at the weekend they may get worked twice- which will be either 1hr hacking, 40 min walker or 40min (with additional 10min before and 10min after walking) schooling.

i am hoping to get in contact with the people who own the huge field next door as it would be great for hacking on...it must be about 40 acres and its got fab hills in it!
 
WOW!
you guys are all amazing! I wonder if our horses know how hard we work for them.

I love having my horses at home and am in the process of trying to find another rider to help out with the excercise.
I'm not entirely sure where I find all the time to provide a high level of care to the all and keep them fit and interested, but they are all healthy and happy and thats the main thing for me. They are the reason why I work so hard and I wouldnt have it anyother way... although some shred of social life would be nice too :)
 
Wish I could help you, but it's a bit too much of a drive for me on a regular basis, given all the other stuff that looks like it's coming up! A sharer for at least one of them sounds like a good plan, although with two youngsters and the peculiarities of the Ginger Trotter himself, it may not be easy to find one that's really suitable! However, you may have some luck if you contact the uni riding club. They may know of experienced students that are horse-less due to being away from home. Also, their coach may be able to vet the students for you.

I will be watching this thread with interest---the Spooky Pony will be needing a new friend soon, and I am currently planning on taking on a loaner, to test the waters and work out just how expensive in terms of time and money this two-pony lark is going to be.
 
wow, you all lead very busy lives!!

I have two on DIY, but one is a dressage horse who gets ridden every day by someone else and the other is building up to be an eventer so he gets ridden daily by me. Sometimes when the other rider is away I will ride both of them each day.

However, I decided to fit my career around them rather than the other way round and so purposely chose a job that allowed me to work from home / have some degree of flexibility with my hours. I do work in healthcare sales and don't mind my job at all - it pays well / it's a really good company and can be good fun. I couldn't bare to be restricted to an office 9-5, but do appreciate that's what most people have to do.

Typically at the moment I'll be down the yard 6.30/7am, and then muck out / ride, and venture out to work around 10am, but back to sort the horses out again in the afternoon / early evening. I usually manage to fit in a lesson at my instructors place once a week which takes up a whole morning, but at the end of the day, as long as my sales are coming in then I can pretty much do what I want! :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top