Is anyone else exhausted by their winter regime yet?

[Marquire]

Maybe it's just me but I am completely knackered this year by the winter regime. Admittedly one of my horses is on box rest for a month so that doubles the work but even so I am tired all the time. Thank God my OH comes to the yard with me and does half the work or there is no way I'd be able to work full-time!

Here is a typical week day;

6am Out of Bed, wash, breakfast and pack car with work clothes etc

6.30am Leave house and drive to yard

6.45am Get to yard- dress Grumpy Boy (GB) and his two field mates and turn out.

7.00am Muck out GB and Box Rest Princess (BRP), fill haynets, water buckets etc

7.20am Walk BRP for 10 minutes in hand, give her breakfast

7.30am Drive to work

8.00am Arrive work, quick shower and into suit

8.15am-4.15pm Meetings, meetings, meetings!

4.20pm Change and drive to yard

5pm Muck out BRP, hay and water

5.15pm- 6.15pm Get GB in, groom and ride

6.15pm Walk BRP in hand for 10 minutes

6.30pm Rug and give GB and BRP their dinners

6.45pm Drive home

7pm 30 minutes exercising on cross trainer while OH makes dinner

7.30pm have dinner, tidy house, do washing, yada yada yada

9pm So knackered have to go to bed

Weekends are slightly better but usually involve one day competing so that is just as busy. I've come to the conclusion I really need to give up work but unfortunately there is no way I could afford it.

Double Expresso anyone?

Marie

 

[the watcher]

Yup, I have three, all in at night now..have already reached the stage where I feel like I am spending my life shovelling..

I will feel a bit more positive when this damp weather stops and hopefully we are into winter proper, at least I won't be water skiing through mud morning and evening...just frozen taps and troughs to worry about then!

 

[CJ1]

I dont know how you people do the morning thing in winter. Hats off to you!

6am - get up get train at 6.50am
7.30 start work
4.45 get train home
6pm - at yard to do the ginger boys stable/dinner etc
7pm - wade thro mud and dark looking for shadow that could be horse
7.20 - find enthusiasum to ride/lunge or just groom and feed. Natter for too long to other girls
sometime between 8pm and 10pm - shower, dinner, trashy tv and bed

 

[Lozz1uk]

Yes - so much so that after a month I gave up and grudgingly put her on full livery so that I could actually go back to riding and enjoying my horse rather than just mucking out and then being too exhausted to ride!

 

[piebaldsparkle]

Well try a 12hour night shift (6pm-6am). 1hrs drive to yard (via home to collect dog). Muck out, poo pick field & ride 1, turnout 6 & feed 9 (1st person on the yard has to feed all the horses). Walk dog and home to bed to do it all again. Thankfully friend brings my girl in with hers and puts her to bed & dad looks after dog @ night. Yawn 36hr day required!!! - Why do we do it?

 

[riotgirl]

My winter routine isn't that much different from my summer routine (except the horses come in about 7pm instead of 10pm) so Idon't find it that bad. I think it is mainly due to not having anywhere to ride in the week during the winter so I only have to cope with the mucking out and feeding aspects.

 

[Heidi1]

I'm knackered too..........have four to do, but don't do the mornings, they get turned out for me, but then have to muck out four stables, fetch in, all stay in turnouts, but then have to ride or lunge atleast two of them each night, will be glad when OH is back, then we split it and it makes life so much easier, also have to exercise dog and get something to eat...........Roll on Summer.....

 

[SSM]

5.30 - alarm, cup of tea with hubby
5.45 - 6.30 play on pc!!!!!
6.45 - coffee in Star Wars beaker

off to yard
7.00 - feed and change four sets of rugs, turn out, muck out Donkey, hay, water and prep feed
Home, shower and work
5.30 - In office change into riding/yard clothes (yes I am that oddly dressed person you see charging through the city centre!!!!)
6.00 - Arrive at yard, she has usually been brought in for me, groom, ride, lunge etc - feed her, change rugs
7.30 - Home to feed the family
9.00 - After tidying etc bed, I am so envious of you that have the energy to play late on here - all the good posts happen that I can only catch up with in the morning!!!!!!!

I would not have it anyother way though - last winter after my loss, yes the house was tidier, food might have been better prepared etc but I had no reason to get out of bed and was miserable - My Donkey is worth every moment I give her!!!

 

[WallisM]

Yes I hold my hand up I am a little sick, I think it's the weather and the mud more than the early mornings late nights. What also makes it harder is my sister isn't interested anymore so I have the 2 of them. But one is out 24/7 so it's not too bad.

This is my time table.....
5.30 - Get up, Ready and ride my bike to the stables.
5.45 - Arrive @ stables, Put rug on Jim and turnout.
5.55 - Put hay out in field, Check water buckets.
6.00 - Soak hay for pm and start mucking out.
6.20 - Fill up stable water buckets, Sweep up.
6.30 - lock up and go home.
6.40 - Get home, Washed, Dressed and put face on.
7.00 - Have a cuppa and breakfast.
7.30 - Leave for work.
8.00 - start work
16.00 - Finish work go to stables.
16.30 - Soak Murphy's hay for the night
16.35 - Bring Jim in groom, pick feet, take rug off.
16.50 - Make feeds
16.55 - Put Jim in and feed the 2 of them.
17.00 - Say good night and go home

God I didn't relise how much I actually do.
x

 

[Christmas_Kate]

OH gets in at 6am and I then leave to muck out, turn out etc, get back for 7am, get kids up, bath etc, breakfast, do school run, come home, do shopping/housework, with toddler in tow, OH gets up at 1pm, at which point baby goes down for nap, I rush out to fit in an hour's lungeing etc, back to do more cleaning, sit down for a coffee for 1/2 hour and catch up with OH, do school run, straight from there down to yard to bring in and feed. Get back at 5pm in time for tea (Oh does that), and OH is off out again at 5.30pm. Then bath kids, get them ready for bed, do washing up etc, hoover whole house,do bedtime stories, baby in bed for 6.30pm, do homework with eldest, both have a hot chocolate, story, him in bed for 7.30pm, then I usually have a pile of ironing to do and packed lunches to make, and baking to do. Shower, a bit of telly, Fall into bed at midnightish.

 

[brightmount]

Marie, those are my sentiments exactly! It's the first winter I've been on DIY, plus I now have two horses to do, and like you I also have a "BRP"!!!

I'm supposed to be self-employed but my "office hours" are about two hours round lunch time, then a couple more in the evening - teenage taxi runs permitting!

I took on a rescue dog, which fitted in quite neatly until "BRP" boogered her leg!

Oh well, summer is only 6 months away

 

[Parkranger]

All I can say is thank god for assisted DIY! Means I don't have to do mornings.......

 

[Thistle]

How on earth do you too get together for long enough the make babies!

 

[SSM]

[ QUOTE ]
All I can say is thank god for assisted DIY! Means I don't have to do mornings.......

[/ QUOTE ]

But that's the best bit!!!!!!! When they are all beddy, hungry and therefore happy to see you!!!!

 

[Tierra]

Kudos to you people that can manage this... I have great respect for you!

I did it for many years although my horse is now on full livery (and im fortunate in that our yard is excellent and never feels like he is any the less mine just because they do the donkey work). I think going back to the kind of regimes you people manage would kill me!

 

[GoJo]

fair play to all those who get up a 5.30am to go and muck out- i stagger out of bed at 6.45am to go and check/change rugs/feed my boy - thank god he lives out 24/7 - don't think i could cope with mucking out before work in the mornings!

work at 8am and home again by 5.30pm to hopefully fit in a ride along with general maintenance of horse!

don't how all you manage with DIY especially if you have more than 1 to do- and work and kids and other animals etc etc

 

[cobwithattitude]

Me too and it's only November - 4 weeks to go until shortest day - 5.30am up and turn out/muck out 3(2 mine). 3 Children mucked out, fed and turned out to school, OH does breakfast/packed lunches, then work then school pick ups/clubs somedays. Rush up with 1 daughter 'chasing the light' to poo pick, bring in, then ride in floodlights (thankfully), feed and put to bed. Home, cook meal, wash clothes etc etc children in bed and then collapse. Don't get to talk to OH much during week!!

 

[Parkranger]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
All I can say is thank god for assisted DIY! Means I don't have to do mornings.......

[/ QUOTE ]

But that's the best bit!!!!!!! When they are all beddy, hungry and therefore happy to see you!!!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Do him at weekends but just couldn't physically do it during the week! Also get him mucked out during the week as I wouldn't get time to ride....I suppose if you're busy then something has to give.....although don't get me wrong, I'd much rather NOT have to work and spend all my time with him!

 

[miller]

Do the same all year round :

Up 5:30, make coffee feed cats and out to feed horses, nip in and down coffee while horses eat.
6:00 Outside, turn out, muck out (leave beds up), sweep, fill water and haynets for evening.
6:40 In for coffee/toast while OH gets changed for work (each muck out our own)
7:30 OH goes to work, I go back out to yard, put beds down, tidy, so everything ready for evening
7:45 Back in hous, hang out washing/put washing machine on, quick fag, jump in bath, changed and on way to work by 8:20
9:30 - 18:00 boring old work
18:50 Home, dive into riding clothes, out to groom (OH catches both when he gets home around 17:40, ride, rug up, feed
20:00 In for dinner, washing up - any other cleaning that needs doing, slob in front of TV for a bit
22:00 Out to check horses, put on any extra rugs, skip out, fill greedy mares 1st haynet (she has 2 small ones else she gobbles it all down in 2 hrs and gets colicky!
22:30 Bath and bed!

Weekends exactly the same apart from work and we go out to feed at 07:30 and ride in the morning.

Life is alot easier now they are home rather than having to drive 20mins to yard as well.

 

[seaview]

I am the same its knackering mind you on sat my best friend was feeding and she did all my work so I could have the day off, it was lovely and I was clean allll day LOL!
x

 

[Lonesome_Dove]

After only 2 weeks of feeding mine twice a day I'm knackered! Have to get up at 5.20am, it was raining so hard this morning but my boyfriend (non-horsey!) called me at 5.40am to tell me he was waiting in the car as it was raining! (I don't drive). Mine all live out now but I miss mucking out. We have a stable but the old boy just doesn't want to live in!

 

[Chex]

Chex is still out, but coming in in a fortnight and then the knackeredness starts! Although I'm at uni, so not too bad not having to work all day!

 

[WishfulThinker]

God!! I must have it easy"! No boyo this year but last year was the following:

7:50 get up and ready for work
8:40 leae to walk to work
9:00 -9:30 arrive (thank lord for flexi!)
5:10pm get bus to stables
6:15 arrive at stables, change and start mucking out
7:00 get boy in and grrom
7:30 ride
8:20 put boyo to bed, another groom, feed
8:46 bus or lift home
9:00 off bus
9:15 home and dinner, and bed any time after that.

Although some nights when OH is away would be at stables till 9:30 cos would have to sweep as it would be a mess (personal choice though)

 

[Nic]

Yup cream crackered already

 

[Christmas_Kate]

[ QUOTE ]
How on earth do you too get together for long enough the make babies!

[/ QUOTE ]

It's called being resourceful.

 

[racingdemon]

ALL mine are still out (inc those clipped right out- gosh i'm cruel)

6.30 up wash dress etc,
7.00 leave house, drive to horses (25 mins)
7.30 catch horse i intend to ride, feed others (or mother may be up so she feeds)
7.45-8.30 ride, turn back out
8.30 tidy yard, eat breakfast,
9.00 leave for work (late)
9.15 arrive @ work (late)
9.15-5 (ish - normally 5.30) work
back to horses at 5.45/6
6.00 feed, check everyone over
6.30 - drive home
7.00 start supper,
9.0-9.30 bed!

am VERY much enjoying having them out, had too many in for the last few years, and this year its a breeze, whether they'll need to come in when it gets colder i'm not sure, but touch wood, they'll stay out all the way through (rug manufacturers are loving me!)

 

[Dogbetty141]

How do you feel for me mine is in 24/7 only winter turnout is not ready yet and that is only for an hour week. Ive got only one to do but have to exercise him and get him out for as long as possible dont normally leave the farm until 8ish and finish work at 5.15pm

 

[evsj]

I feel v. guilty and lazy reading your posts - I have opted for part livery from now until the end of January which includes YO turning out and in (no other services) 5 days per week. I do the mucking out/hay/feed/grooming in the evening after work. This means that I have time in the morning to go for a run (in the dark) or go on my cross-trainer for half an hour without forking out for crappy gym membership.

Can't ride horsey at the mo so I have to work off flab some other way. My employer refuses to allow flexible working and we have to have a 1 hour lunch - I would far rather take just 1/2 hour and leave work 1/2 hour earlier! So stuck in office 8.30 - 5.30 (+1/2 hour journey each way).

Get home around 7.30-8 pm (depending on if I have someone else's horse to ride) - made to shower (OH always says I smell of horse wee) then cook dinner+watch crap TV. Then the clock flies by until its bedtime. Roll on February!!

 

[Lill]

Erm in a word yes.

Weekdays are usually:
9am-5pm work (don't go to yard before work)
5.30pm leave home to go to yard
6.00pm start mucking out - usually 4 to do - do hay, water, sweep, tidy muck trailer, whenever i finish that ride Holly, then Blue put 4 to bed go home
9.30pm - 10pm get home sometimes later, then dinner for me and shower and bed! Although i only ride one on a Friday so i can get to the pub! Sunday is easier have more time and i don't go to yard on Saturday!

 

[Pidge]

oh yes, have just employed a cleaner at home as am too knackered/don't get time to clean properly, worth her weight in gold!
6am alarm clocks goes off
6.10am shower then breakfast
6.40am leave for yard
6.55am feed 2, change rug and start mucking out mine
7.30am turn out
7.45am leave for work, get changed and freshen up at work
4.30pm leave work
5.00pm get to yard and bring 2 in, 2 feet picked out, change rugs, bringbed down, groom mine and tack up to ride
6.30pm ride for max hour with sis
8.00pm leave yard after bedding horses down
8.30pm tea of some description
9.00pm bed, unless something interesting on tele or here, and then pay price next day when am soooooo tired.
However I wouldn't swop it as the good days make it all worthwhile.