New Working hours 9-5 - how do you do fit in your horses

Joyous70

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Im having to change my working hours, from 7.30am - 4pm, to 8.45 - 5pm, can't say im pleased about this as finishing at 4pm currently means I go to the yard after work, arrive around 5pm, muck out, ride put to bed etc., if i want to go to an evening event, i can usually manage without having to book leave. Once i start finishing at 5pm, i won't arrive to the yard until 6pm earliest due to commute and traffic, the option for me to go to the yard before work isn't viable, as i won't be able to turn my girl out she likes company and lots of it, so i would still have to pay for turn out, and consequently pay more for the privelege of going and mucking out in the morning.

So i suppose my question is this, those of you who visit the yard once a day and arrive around 6pm, how do you fit everything in and get home before 9pm?
 

Antw23uk

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Part or full livery. Get some help, even if its 1,2 or 3 days a week. By my estimate (and how i work if i had a stabled horse on livery) getting to the yard at 6pm would mean i would be mucked out, hayed and watered by no later than 0630 and likely be tacked up by then as well if the horse was in already. Ride, untack, horse in stable and i would be on the road to home by 2020 i guess?

I will say this, DO NOT put unnecessary pressure on yourself to ride everyday, it makes the hobby miserable and it is supposed to be fun!
 

The Trooper

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I work 0800-1645 everyday, my routine is as follows..

Wake up at 0445 have breakfast and take the dogs out for a quick walk. At the yard for around 0600, feed and muck out and usually want to be heading home at around 0645 to be ready to leave for work at around 0730.

When i finish i'm usually at the yard for around 1700 to feed and pull down the beds, fill haynets and add fresh bedding if needed. Usually heading home around 0630.

Once the lighter nights are here i'll be going out riding instead of sorting the beds etc.

Home for shower and dinner and hopefully in my own bed for around 2000-2100.

Edit - I am DIY.
 

Sukistokes2

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You just do. I now have my horses at home, before that I had turn out in the morning and did everything after work. As a teacher working an hour away I was sometimes not home from work and horses until gone eight. You kinda have to get on with it and get the fun bits in at the weekend. When it gets lighter its easier. Even with being at home I currently only see my horses in the light at the weekend.
No riding in the week because its dark and I do not have a handy school.
 

Joyous70

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Part or full livery. Get some help, even if its 1,2 or 3 days a week. By my estimate (and how i work if i had a stabled horse on livery) getting to the yard at 6pm would mean i would be mucked out, hayed and watered by no later than 0630 and likely be tacked up by then as well if the horse was in already. Ride, untack, horse in stable and i would be on the road to home by 2020 i guess?

I will say this, DO NOT put unnecessary pressure on yourself to ride everyday, it makes the hobby miserable and it is supposed to be fun!

Sadly where i am there is only the option for turn out & in, no livery service extras currently available, plus i cannot afford the extra, looks like i might have become super quick at mucking out haynets etc., to get her ridden
 

ester

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Is there a reason you can’t go mornings as that is where you now have more time? I always got everything done in the morning, horse brought in 2pm so evening I could ride and skip out only.
Or I’d ride in the morning too and have the evening more to myself.
 

Pinkvboots

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When I did it I never got home before 9pm, some days I would ride or muck out before work so I got home earlier, but that meant 2 visits a day but I was very close to the yard failing that he was put on full livery or just didn't ride everyday.
 

Pc2003

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I currently turn out in the dark and bring in when it’s dark 🙄
Mine are the first out and last in. I had to get another horse to keep mine company so I could stick to this routine. Then I have 2 stables to muck out and I have a school but I generally can’t be bothered to ride as its way gone 6pm by then plus horses are hungry etc and just want dinner. BUT I do only work 3 days in the week so have 2 free days. It’s not easy.
 

MissMoo

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As ester above says, Could you go to the yard in the morning, ride, muck out, sort nets for the evening etc then leave in for someone to turn out? You would then have the option to go back in the evening to bring in, skip out etc if you wanted to make two visits or get someone to bring in and feed leaving you with the evening to do as you wish?

I always ride etc in the morning as I prefer it, then in the evenings I only need to bring in, groom and de-muck my fields. I tend to find if I leave riding to the evening it doesn't happen as it's cold, dark and horrible - it never seems as bad in the morning.
 

SadKen

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I get to the yard around 5.30; mucking out etc takes til 6, then I'm on board by about 6.10 and ride for half an hour or so most days. My girl is turned out and caught in for me. Lovely YO puts up a haynet for her when she comes in as she's crotchety without food, but it's all gone by the time I arrive.

I usually get home around 7.30.

Things that may help include:

1. If you're a haynet user, buy a few and fill up at the weekend if you have somewhere to store them. I personally tip hay on the floor and give one quickly filled haybag for afters.
2. You can also prep complex feeds at the weekend and put in bags. Just tip in the buckets.
3. I'm time poor so I spend a bit more on bedding. I don't go through the bed as much (mine buries her poo) and while I try to be as conscientious as possible I am happy to just chuck a poo riddled forkful rather than try and sort it to save shavings!
4. Just brush the bits where tack goes
5. Try not to chat to fellow liveries too much :D I've missed riding a few times because I've been sociable. Mind you our yard is fine with people saying 'in a rush, got to ride' and cracking on.

I do any big jobs at the weekend (tack cleaning, big groom, washing etc).
 

lauracwd2

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I do my jobs in the morning, turn out at 6am muck out and get stables ready for evening so that if I want to ride I can and only have a few finishing off jobs to do (I make up haynets for the next day to save time in the morning). It helps that I have two so can turn them out and bring in anytime as they have each other for company. One of the other liveries at the yard is usually there before me and only has one horse so she turns out another livery with hers as they only come in evenings anyway so would be paying for services otherwise.
 

holeymoley

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I used to go up at both ends before work, even if it was just to quickly turn out in the morning. 2 kids later and afraid that's not possible with the traffic at rushhour and nursery runs. He's on box rest at the mo so that helps (a little). When he was going out I'd either get a friend to do it or my husband would put him out. If not he had the odd day in which didn't harm him. On box rest he gets his breakfast and 2 haynets left to be put over the door in the morning.
 

Joyous70

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Is there a reason you can’t go mornings as that is where you now have more time? I always got everything done in the morning, horse brought in 2pm so evening I could ride and skip out only.
Or I’d ride in the morning too and have the evening more to myself.

Currently the YO turns out at around 6.15/6.30am and brings in around 3pm which suits my girl as she goes out (individual turnout) with her neighbours and comes back in with them, this keeps her very settled, if she were to be left in her stable she would have a meltdown, so I feel its best to keep to this arrangement, consequently if I then go to the yard to muck out and get stable ready i am paying for her to be turned out and then paying extra in fuel to get to the yard its an extra 20 minutes drive plus extra miles. If she didn't get so uptight about being left, i would definitely go in the morning, turnout and then do bed before going off to work. It's something i need to sit and contemplate - thank you.
 

conniegirl

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I work 8.30 to 5pm monday to thursdaye and 8.30 to 2pm on fridays. I pay for turnout in the morning and bring in (includes a net putting in for them) as yard currently bringing in at about 2pm.
But i normally arrive at the yard by 5.30 and am mucked out, hay and water done and horse tacked up by 6pm, pony is on sawdust so i only take out droppings during the week and i dig out the wet at weekends. I dont ride for more than about 30mins monday to Thursday and dont put pressure on myself to ride. Pony takes 5mins to untack, rug up and feed.
Am normally home just after 7pm if I ride and 6.30pm if I dont ride
 

Joyous70

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I get to the yard around 5.30; mucking out etc takes til 6, then I'm on board by about 6.10 and ride for half an hour or so most days. My girl is turned out and caught in for me. Lovely YO puts up a haynet for her when she comes in as she's crotchety without food, but it's all gone by the time I arrive.

I usually get home around 7.30.

Things that may help include:

1. If you're a haynet user, buy a few and fill up at the weekend if you have somewhere to store them. I personally tip hay on the floor and give one quickly filled haybag for afters.
2. You can also prep complex feeds at the weekend and put in bags. Just tip in the buckets.
3. I'm time poor so I spend a bit more on bedding. I don't go through the bed as much (mine buries her poo) and while I try to be as conscientious as possible I am happy to just chuck a poo riddled forkful rather than try and sort it to save shavings!
4. Just brush the bits where tack goes
5. Try not to chat to fellow liveries too much :D I've missed riding a few times because I've been sociable. Mind you our yard is fine with people saying 'in a rush, got to ride' and cracking on.

I do any big jobs at the weekend (tack cleaning, big groom, washing etc).

I wish i could ride in the morning, however, i get seriously sweaty head, so getting to work with smelly hat hair would be a no no. :confused:

We are not allowed to put hay on the floor and the livery is all inclusive so the hay and straw is replaced as and when it runs out as it's for everyone its not really on to fill a weeks worth of nets, i may get away with a couple.;)

I may have to be less bothered about the odd bit of poo hiding.:eek:

I chat far too much, however by the time i get there once i start my new hours there probably wont be anyone around to chat to :)
 

9tails

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I go to the yard at 6.30am to turn my horse and one other out. I muck out, hay and water then go to work. My horse and the one I've turned out in the morning is brought in by the other horse's owner around 5pm while I'm still 40 miles away at work. I get back to the yard around 7pm, there's still time to ride in a floodlit school.
 

zola89

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You can definitely make it work! My routine is pretty much:
6:45 - Leave house & get to the yard just before 7, turn the horses out, skip out (big muck out on the weekend), put hay & water ready etc
7:30 - Leave the yard to get a train just after 8 and to work for 9
5 - Leave work and get to the yard about 6:15
6:15-7 - Faff, bring in, tack up etc etc
7-7:45 - Ride
7:45 - Faff some more, feed etc
8:30 - Home
And I can be home between 7-7:30 if I don't ride.
Would probably be sooner if I didn't faff so much and chat to people!
Are there other people on the yard who work 9-5? Mine is left out with a friend's horse and I will bring in and turn them out together but there are also other late-nighters in the fields next to us.
 

thommackintosh

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I guess I'm very lucky to work from home the majority of the time and have Domino liveried a 5 min drive from the house, making it easier to visit twice a day in more reasonable hours.
That being said it makes a massive difference to how easy tasks are through the week by doing the bulk of the time-stealing tasks at the weekend. SadKen has some brilliant suggestions.
If stepping up to part-livery isn't a favourable option can you share some duties with another livery? e.g. you turn their horse out one day, they turn out yours the next?
And in the depths of winter, I don't chastise myself too much for not riding everyday. A quick spin on the lunge lets him stretch his legs and minimise some of the craziness for when he's ridden ;)
 

Hallo2012

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i leave work at 5.30, home for 6.

my OH gets horses in and swaps rugs so i pick out feed, do bandages and groom the one im riding.

i normally faff a bit washing tails or trimming something, but am on board by 6.45 and ride for 45 mins.

skip, hay, pop teas in and in the house by 8.

i go back out to skip/hay at 10.45/11pm
 

conniegirl

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We are not allowed to put hay on the floor and the livery is all inclusive so the hay and straw is replaced as and when it runs out as it's for everyone its not really on to fill a weeks worth of nets, i may get away with a couple.;)
our hay is all inclusive, most people on the yard fill a weeks worth of hay in one go, just be considerate when you do it. So for example if you would use the last of the bale on an evening when others will likely need it and it cant be replaced then do it the next day.

I tend to fill my nets on a Saturday morning as the yard owners husband is still around to replace the bale if needed.
 

hellfire

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Makes me realise how truely lucky I am being a farmer. Yes the hours are long and hard at times in all weather, and I don't get days off, I often don't get time or the energy to ride BUT I have 4 natives and one IR one cushins and means I ration hay. 7.00am, 11ish, 5ish and 10pm. I luckily have mine turned out all the time generally and poo pick and bucket feed about 4. I do feel for people working set hours and having to manage before and after work. Don't stress yourself is the most important thing. If you can't ride you can't ride. Look forward to weekend and lighter evening.
 

Joyous70

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You can definitely make it work! My routine is pretty much:
6:45 - Leave house & get to the yard just before 7, turn the horses out, skip out (big muck out on the weekend), put hay & water ready etc
7:30 - Leave the yard to get a train just after 8 and to work for 9
5 - Leave work and get to the yard about 6:15
6:15-7 - Faff, bring in, tack up etc etc
7-7:45 - Ride
7:45 - Faff some more, feed etc
8:30 - Home
And I can be home between 7-7:30 if I don't ride.
Would probably be sooner if I didn't faff so much and chat to people!
Are there other people on the yard who work 9-5? Mine is left out with a friend's horse and I will bring in and turn them out together but there are also other late-nighters in the fields next to us.

Most of the other liveries are done and gone or going home by around 6pm, i am usually one of the last ones there:(

How do you muck out? Weekly deep litter has worked for us on straw (and others)

I tend to take out all the poo and the wet patches every day, I have never been able to do the deep litter as she tends to churn up her bed so i have to dig around to get the poos out :rolleyes:
 

Identityincrisis

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I work 8:30 - 5 my routine is as follows

Get to yard at 06:45 ish - do as much as possible i.e muck out, soak hay, water, 25mins exercise leave yard for 07:50 to arrive at work for 08:10 to change clothing and brush hair!

Leave work bang on 17:00 (much to other's disgust!) arrive at yard 17:30 do everything else that is left to do, generally leave between 19:00 and 20:30

I try to make a week's worth of nets and feeds up at the weekend to free up a little bit of time!
 

AmyMay

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If your YO is turning out that early then I'd absolutely be going up in the mornings to feed, muck out and turn out (after all that theoretically is the time you'd be going up anyway).

That means that your horse is brought in to a clean stable and you have time for a decent ride in the evening should you wish - and get home at a reasonable time.
 

eggs

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Could you arrange to turn out one of the horses that is in a paddock next to your horse so that you can go up in the morning and turn them both out and get your stable done. There is a good chance that the person that you are turning out for could then catch your horse in in the afternoon so you could get to the yard and ride and only have to skip out?
 

alexomahony

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I work each day 8:30-5pm and I'm on DIY and really - you just make it work and you have to just kinda get on with it.

My daily routine is:

AM

5am: Wake up and leave house within about 5-10 mins
5:20: Arrive at yard, turn horses out straight away
5:30 - 6am: Muck out, do nets make breakfasts
6-6.30: nap in car (I keep a clean base layer on under overalls and put my duvet in my back seat - I can get a full on 30 min sleep in!)
6:30: Overalls back on, get horses in from field
Home for 7am to get ready for work.

PM

5pm: leave work
5:45 - 6:30pm - Arrive at yard, give some more hay, skip out poos from the day fill night nets and make teas
6:30-7:15: Ride first one
7:30 - 8:15 Ride second

Home for about 8:45 - 9pm, shower and bed! Sometimes this can be a little later if I set up exercises with poles and fences - but I normally save that for when I have my Mum with me on a Tuesday :D

I don't eat tea and like to be asleep for 9:30 so luckily my routine works for me :D

Save my social life for a Friday evening when the ponies have a night off being ridden if I have anything planned and have good friends at the yard and we help each other out if needed.

If i'm not feeling well or feeling a bit tired I alternate them and only ride one each night and let the other one loose in the school while I ride... they tend to keep themselves fit by chasing the one i'm riding and helps training concentration.
 

Hipo

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Most days I go in the morning. I have 2 so can turn them out together. Muck out, and do haynets and hang them and have feeds ready for when they come in. I pay to have them brought in on a night and their feeds put in and then I don't go back after work. It has really taken the pressure off for me doing it this way. I only ride on a weekend. Ponies couldn't care less.
 

hopscotch bandit

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I feel your pain at your new arrangements. I am currently 'lucky' enough to work 7am - 4pm and my job which I start next week I will be finishing at 3.30pm for the next 18 months. Have to get up at 5.20am but its worth it to finish early. But I temp so I am able to have a degree of flexibility from employers in respect of working hours and haven't worked later than 4.15pm for about the last six years. I can't imagine having a job where i finished at 5pm and then have to go to the yard afterwards. Well i wouldn't take it if it were offered me but unfortunately you don't have any choice in your situation. Can you compromise with your boss and ask if you might possibly be able to work your old hours say 2 days a week, or 7.30am - 4.30pm five days per week?

But when my partner was sick in hospital and my Dad was dying I amazed myself how quickly I was able to muck out and fill haynets so I could see them both. Because I've basically worn myself out over the past 18 months a few weeks ago i decided to put my horse on full day care one day a week and although i miss him like crazy its been a God send. I know you said your not able to do that. We are also on a very large livery yard so I've learnt over the years to make less trips here and there up and down the yard and do everything in an particular order so I am not constantly to-ing and fro-ing all over the place! And I know what you mean about talking, I have two coffee/ciggy breaks with my livery friends so this can add an extra hour onto my evenings. Fortunately my partner doesn't mind me getting home at 8pm for my tea! I can muck out, wet haynets and distribute them, do water, make up feeds, clean his teeth, groom, pick out feet, rug up, feed and move fencing in paddock in about 75 mins now but that is flat out, no breaks!
 
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Maesto's Girl

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I moved to somewhere that was part livery, and have full livery 3 days a week - the days I work in London. I have Tuesday and Thursday off (the break REALLY helps keep me from losing the will to live in the winter) and then on a Wednesday I know she's all done - so I just need to brush off and ride. That said - my days are longer as my commute is 90 minutes each way. I did used to do DIY. I would have to be up at 4:30am and then home at 9pm and it just wasn't sustainable. I have to leave at 6:40am to get to work, then get to the yard 7:15pm in the evening so having help is really the only way for me
 
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