New to retirement the owner !

welshcobabe

welshcobabe

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10 April 2003
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Hi well after 40 years of working and fitting work round keeping my horses I am now retired (yay) so why am I still getting up at a stupid hour and feeling like my whole routine is not working. I have spent years rushing around to get jobs done to get to work and now I can take my time and chill. So what is your advice to stopping working have you changed what you do with your horse and when ? Has your management routine changed any advice appreciated
 
OH and I both retired several years ago but still find it difficult not to rush to get things done. It is very satisfying however when other much younger liveries are stressed out trying to get to work on time to just take deep breaths, listen to the birdsong and remind each other that at last our time is our own, and we can just enjoy the company of our ponies - there has to be compensations for the aches and pains of old age 🙈 🤣 - routines haven't changed much but boy is it enjoyable even if money is tight!!
 
How lovely.

I no longer have horses, but I'm a bit of a routine freak, so I know that for me much wouldn't change in that area (except the 5am starts).

I'd still want them ridden and out by midday in order to give me the rest of the day to myself before starting all over again in the pm.
 
Quite simply, I have no idea how I used to keep 2 horses at home eventing fit when I worked!

I now don't seem to have as much time, because the time I do have is so relaxed and unhurried.

It has its downsides though as I sometimes get frustrated that I achieve so much less. I actually seem to have less time as I am relaxed!
 
As above really…it seems to take me ages to complete jobs I used to do so quickly but now I’m finished pm duties in a timely fashion so we can eat at a reasonable time…not 8 and 9 pm as it was when I worked full time. At first I had a tidy yard, home, garden etc as I blasted through jobs but when I realised I didn’t have to things are somewhat more “relaxed” now…although looking at the kitchen floor right now..perhaps a little too relaxed 🤣
 
We moved countries so that forced a change in the rhythm of life.
Some things here in France are very bad etiquette, or impossible, if you want to do them at the wrong time of day e.g. grab a baguette at 1 p.m.= too late the boulangerie shut for lunch at 12.30 and won't reopen till 16.30.
 
I kept to the same routine when I retired by doing my 2 retirees at livery in the mornings, just about an hour later as I no longer had to start work. There was plenty of left over stuff from working to deal with so I kept busy.

The big change I had was when I lost both of them and I had nothing. No reason to get up in the morning and no reason to go out except once a week to the shops for food. OH was still working and he has his own home. I lasted 4 months and then found myself a WHW loan non-ridden companion pony.

She is the thing that makes me get up in the morning every day. I'm up by 6.30 to 6.45 and at the yard by 7.30. I do pony, have a chat and a cup of tea and then get on with the rest of my day and pony can get on with her time out in the field. I also go along as a 'groom' for my lovely YO when she goes to her lessons or weekday competitions. An extra pair of hands is always welcome round horses!

I don't have dogs any more (OH doesn't like them and I like cats but don't want one in the house so we've agreed to have neither) but I would imagine having to get up and out with a dog would have the same motivation as my pony.
 
i have went from up at 5.30am going to bed at 9pm when working on a yard to sleeping all day up at 8pm ish and going to bed about 6am i miss many a doctors appointment etc my whole time lines gone back wards
 
This is so timely! I am at the cusp of retiring and have been wondering exactly the same thing. I have always ridden before work, so early starts. While I ride almost daily, I can count the number of times I have ridden at any other time on one hand! Discounting the rides where I have started early in the morning and ridden all day as I love long distance rides.
I think the biggest change for me will be to change to a mindset that means I can ride at any time of the day!
 
My horses are at home so actually I get a lie in being retired compared to being at work, go out and do the horses about 7:30. I retired 10 years ago but it takes a while to stop rushing and feel you must be busy all the time. I spend as long as want doing horse stuff - and certainly love being able to just faff around and not rush. Housework is still a low priority!

Main advice: make the most of it while you and your horse is healthy. I even started jumping again after 20 years, with the right horse its so much fun.

And congrats on retirement!
 
Do give yourself a routine or plan. I found myself taking there's always tomorrow attitude to things so horses got rode less and less until I just couldn't be bothered and Gav up riding. Still debating whether or not to start up again or just keep them as pasture ornaments.
 
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