Is two horses too much?

i have to fit competition horses and i work full time. However its bl00dy hard work ive got to say! Both mine do dressage(as you probably know) and i go out to my trainer most weekends, and i compete the other day of the weekend normally.

My mare is going into foal shortly, so il have 3 this time next year. Il be keeping it aswell.........Blossy will be ridden during her pregnancy aswell, as she loves her work, but her last competition is the Nationals next week. Then i can conentrate on my other horse and getting him out competing more regulalrly over the summer, whilst still keeping blossy fit!
 
I'd be very interested to see the replies to this.
I've just been offered one freebie that needs 6 months off.
One horse for £1200 who is lovely, another one for a very small amount of money....and... I still have my 18yo TB who will do a few PN this year!
 
Depends on alot of things - I probably couldn't but have heard of people that do. Finances are the reason behind me having only one horse but even if i had loads of money and more time, i think I would only want two in work, max.
 
I have two and think its fairly do able if you don't mind getting home late and having no life during the week but i had 3 last winter and i really struggled.
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I already have the horses but having been at uni for three years, apart from holidays I haven't had to ride both to keep them fit enough to compete. In 8 weeks time I will be moving home and getting a full time job, so just wondered.
 
Well with uni your in lectures all/most of the day hen you come home and have work to do. Working full time means you go home and it's 'you' time.
 
I used to ride 3 horses and work 10 hour days.

Two horses I was keeping fit for competition and one horse was a young horse I was Schooling for someone else. They were all in different yards too
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Luckily all within 2 miles.

That was one of the hardest seasons ever!! I must have been soo fit. LOL
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I have to admit I can't say I enjoyed it too much. I was just so determined to do it all I couldn't stop myself.

I think if I was very organised I could do two again, but not three.
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At one time when I had two at home to ride on I used to tack them both out and ride and lead, half way round I would swap over.

If I was Schooling, I would tack them both up, leave one in the stable waiting and then School the other, then swap them over. I would then untack them at the same time. Not ideal but it saved time.

I just thought!!! In 3 years time I will be back in that position!! Exciting!!
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i couldnt add to mine as it was too late, but both mine are on DIY aswell, so i get up everymorning to muck out one and turn out one (they get turned out on alternate days).

Im also doing and open university course so i do that in the evenings when i get home from the yard!!
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Whilst I have had two horses, only one was in work.

Personally, I would find it very difficult. But I know many people do it.
 
I do it - I have two fit eventers and I ride a third for a friend (my friend does the fitness work and I school it 3x a week).

At the moment I get to the yard for about 6.20, sort out the horses and ride for an hour. On my way to work by 10 to 8. In the office by 8.30, finish at 5. Straight back to the yard - I get there just before 6 and ride another horse. I get home about 8ish.

I rotate the horses around - morning rides are always hacking, evening rides are schooling (don't like getting hot and sweaty before work). My 2 go out 5 or 6 times a week and I ride the other one 3x.

Hard work but definitely do-able.
 
I guess it depends on what level of fitness you are wishing to obtain, and what hours you have available for doing so...also what facilities you have to support you.

I have two who i keep SJ'ing fit, and i work an 8.5 to 9 hour day plus 4 hours travelling on top. The horses are kept on livery so i don't have to worry about mucking out or feeding, but i do all the grooming and exercise. Both horses are ridden 5 to 6 times a week all year round, for about 40 minutes each (more at weekends). I have the use of an indoor school so i can ride in the dark without any problems, and my OH does ride one of them once or twice a week on average. I manage okay, although sometimes in the dead of winter i wish i just had the 1 to do
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I'm not sure i could get/keep two horses eventing fit in the same circumstances though
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I think a lot of it depends on how you want to keep them, what facilities you have and what constitutes 'full time'.

I have 2 horses at the moment although only 1 is in work. I work full time, some days this is 9-5, but sometimes I am out the door at 5am and back in at 8pm having not ridden!

Currently I have no school and hence no lighting. Through the winter I was hacking out midweek at 7am on my 9-5 days. I box to a school on the weekends and try to get to an indoor school in the evening once a fortnight on weekdays.

It's bloody tough, both horses are stableds overnight and I do everything myself.
There is no way on earth I could keep 2 horses fully fit with this regimen.

When both horses are in work I will be loaning/part loaning the older one to lessen the burden, plus they are going to have to learn to do ride and lead pretty damn quickly!
 
I used to have three at one point, but I rented a yard that was 10 seconds from my house, so looking after them was easy. I also worked for my Dad at the time who gave me lots of late starts and early finishes so I could look after my horses.

However, since moving house I sold one and kept two, but found it a real struggle to work full time and on DIY/Part livery to look after them and train them, especially when it is dark and wet in winter. I did have an indoor school, but it was time that was the problem.

Now I only have one and it is bliss. He gets my full attention and training and I also have a life outside of horses. It is sooooo much easier, not to say lighter on the wallett!!!
 
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I guess it depends on what level of fitness you are wishing to obtain, and what hours you have available for doing so...also what facilities you have to support you.


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Whilst I agree with that. I really do think it is down to what someone is prepared to do. You see people with no facilities produce the most amazing competition horses. That to me is down to sheer determination and dedication to their sport.

Facilities certainly make life a whole lot easier though
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I guess it depends on what level of fitness you are wishing to obtain, and what hours you have available for doing so...also what facilities you have to support you.


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Whilst I agree with that. I really do think it is down to what someone is prepared to do. You see people with no facilities produce the most amazing competition horses. That to me is down to sheer determination and dedication to their sport.

Facilities certainly make life a whole lot easier though
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Yes, i do agree.....but in my case, no facilities would mean no horses....full stop....end of story
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I leave home at 5:45am and get back to the yard at 6:45pm....in the winter that means dark to dark, so dedication doesn't come in to it....simple physics does
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I have 2 horses (well a horse and a pony) who are both TOO fit. but then again they are only in my back garden, and i have mum to ride for me when im at school etc.
 
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I leave home at 5:45am and get back to the yard at 6:45pm....in the winter that means dark to dark, so dedication doesn't come in to it....simple physics does
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Pah. You're a wimp!
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I thought dark to dark was the norm.

If it is dark you just ride around the field in the dark!! Simple!! (I am not saying I can be bothered to do that anymore mind you)!!!
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not if you are dedicated and dont have too much else other than work and kids!!

We have two biggies and one pony on DIY, I do all 3 most days and other half helps out more at the weekend.

I have two sharers/riders, who mainly ride but also muck out when time allows etc, they pay a small fee to ride unlimited each month and all neddies are fit and ready to compete each weekend.

One sharer has just started also using pony for her daughter which is fab too as it means she is now less FAT!
 
My two are manageable as older mare doesn't need to be competition fit as she really just hacks out now due to arthritis. Now we have the 3rd one, if I end up doing a lot of the fitness work next winter, it will be harder! The two mares can live out, but then you start to wonder whether that is actually easier, as if you want to ride first thing, then it is easier if they have been in and groomed the night before, as we have no school/lights, so can't ride in the evenings but can groom ready to ride etc....all things I need to decide over the summer really as need to get stables sorted out for next winter if necessary!! Luckily we have nice sharer for older mare so I pretty much don't ride her at all these days!
I think 2 is do-able if you are determined, also depends on hours you work, commuting time etc....
 
I have two and have a full time job. I have to keep them event fit, I have a jump lesson on both every weds, fitten once a week and compete every weekend, sometimes both days.

I also ride a friends ponies, so have had 4 to ride the last few days. And rode 6 on sat! Very hard work though and im always tired!!!
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My friend works full time and keeps both her compeition horses fit, however she does have to go down the yard twice a day so she can make time to excersise them both.

I on the other hand couldn't!! I work up London so dont get down the yard til late as it is!! I had 2 last year and i couldn't cope with keeping them both fit and doing all their jobs after work as i cant get down there in the mornings.
 
I have had two for years until last year - and I must say only having the one to do was bliss. If you are competeing more than one then I don't think it is possible in most cases if you have a family.
 
Yes you can, I do it and I have 4 to keep fit! Get to yard for 6am, ride each one for 20 mins each. get home around 7.15am shower change leave for work at 8am. Work all day leave the office at around 5.30, get back to yard at 6.15ish, change into yard clothes. Catch in other two horses and do the same with them. See you can do it!
 
I used to keep two horses fit - one was fit enough for advanced endurance rides. Had 3 horses on DIY livery. Also used to work full time and had a young daughter as well! Looking back, don't know how I did it all - but must have been pretty well organised. Now I don't work, daughter has two children of her own, I have horses at home and am only a happy hacker - I still don't have enough hours in the day!
 
Personally I would say with a full-time job, especially if you intend having your own home and if your horses are on DIY you will struggle during the winter, but it depends on what they will be doing competition wise and the facilities at the yard (horse walker, turnout, off road hacking, lunging ring, floodlit school), good facilities make keeping your horses fit whilst fitting in everything else much easier as does being really organised.
 
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