Nine to Fivers, How do you do it?

Also just thought to add, in our case the yard is less than 5 minutes from the house. Which is a godsend as even when I've left the office at a reasonable hour it's still usually still gone 7 by the time I'm tacked up and onboard and home just before 9.

Luckily I have an amazing OH who makes sure our dog is walked and food is cooking by the time I get in, leaving just enough time to shower, eat and then head to bed. Laundry and housework is done of a weekend, although I do try to keep on top of general tidiness Monday to Friday.
 
It wasn't managing the horse that was an issue in DIY and full time work, it was managing the husband so he felt he had a fair share of my attention :)

I rode weekends, Tuesdays and Thursdays and I never competed both days at the weekend or two weekends in a row.

I had a livery yard on the way to work so that it didn't add extra time to go there.

When I got promoted to more demanding jobs, I went full livery.
 
I work 9 to 5 mon to Friday and have 2 on DIY, in the summer they are out so I go after work and poo pick etc! Both of mine are currently jnridden, just in the process of buying a third!!
In winter I turn out then top up hays in the stable, YO brings them in then I muck out when I get there after work and generally fuss & pamper! My yard doesn't have a floodlights in the school which sucks :( so no winter riding for me!

Thinking this year of mucking out before work- just got to figure out how not to stink of **** at work all day (VERY non horsey colleagues)
 
I'm on part livery. I work "9-5" in theor, but as it's a reasonably senior role I do lots of extra hours as standard and lots of evening and weekend events. I could also be required to stay late / go in at any time if a crisis blows up. As a result, I don't think DIY is really feasible for me - the price difference is barely anything in exchange for knowing the neddy is being cared for on a daily basis, and I absolutely do not want my horse time to shrink down to dashing up at silly hours to muck out / do the vitals. If I only have an hour, I want to ride and groom my horse - not spend it shovelling poo. Equally, if I'm having a really rough / busy week, I do not want the mental pressure that I *must* go up every day.

I might switch to DIY when I retire!
 
I have two at home and they are mostly at grass. I dont ride midweek in the winter except for the odd morning. I work flexi time (but also have a 45mins commute) so I basically I ride weds morning, go in late (when work allowa it) and stay late as have dog training in the evening and go straight from work.I also work weekend mornings one weekend in 4 so get TiL from that which frees up some mornings.

So I get up early, walk dogs, see to horses (which is often just a check but sometimes put them out). Reverse it on way home with occasional mucks outs/bring ins etc and another dog walk (albeit a short one in winter as they get a walk lunchtime too). summer is obviously different! winter I tend to work 10am-6pm and summer in for 8am and leave at 4 if I can.
 
Headtorch!
I used to turn mine out at 5.thirty am 10minute walk with a headtorch. muck out barn which had a small light (although currently broken) then at 6.25 go to friends yard to turn out and muck out her horses days a week, home by 7.50 for a quick breakfast and change. leave house by 8.15.
luckily no long commute
I would pay for part liver in an ideal world, however, I chose to have multiple horses, don't earn enough and although cold and dark winters with no riding is not fun, I like doing it myself- they are part of my family.

I now work very part time, but because I have a 1 year old son and he comes to the horses twice a day everyday with me- now they are in at night (out all summer) he is in his buggy turning out at 6.thirty am!
 
I used to work 8am - 4.30pm, Monday to Friday with two on DIY. It meant a 5.45am start so I could turn out then muck out and leave the stables ready for bringing in time. Sometimes I could share duties with a fellow livery if I needed the occasional lie in bed! The first yard I was at had no schooling facilities so in winter, all I could do was hack at weekend. The next yard had a schooling paddock with 3 dim floodlights down one side only. It was an experience!! It was was hard work in winter but in summer, everyone turned out 24/7 so there was plenty of time for riding.

I'm now self employed and work from home. I have just one horse now and on full livery. The yard has excellent facilities and everything is taken care of.

I do however miss my DIY days. I liked caring for my horses, I liked arranging feed and bedding, I liked the control. I haven't totally ruled out going back to DIY...
 
I dont do 9 to 5 anymore. I do 7 till 4 ish 4 days a week. My lovely friend does him Monday and Tuesday mornings for me and the rest of the time I do him on the way to work. In the summer I come home and then go back up at 6ish, but winter will be on the way home from work as well.

I've got a 40min commute and the yard is 8 miles away in the wrong direction for work, but it does take me quite near the junction to the M1 so it could be worse. It does get tiring sometimes especially as I've got loads of health conditions that cause me a lot of pain and tiredness. But I know hes being looked after properly and its so cheap. He costs me under £200 a month now inc insurance, feed, vaccinations, wormers etc, etc.

Having a day off in the week helps massively. But having the horse helps me even more. I had an horrific night and went up this morning and cried into his neck, then felt better just for being around him. Days where I dont feel like I can manage going to work I have to get up to see to the horse and by the time I've done that I usually find I can go to work after all. And at the end of the day, he is what keeps me going so everything it worth it :biggrin3:
 
I am lucky enough to be in a situation where my pony can be living out all year round. Field has a field shelter and doesn't get excessively muddy.

I don't poo pick. I have stables but don't use them.

In the summer there is only fun to be had. The ponies live on grass alone so the only work required is the occasional messing about with electric fencing or acorn clearance. A little ragwort pulling however we are so on top of it that we get very little. Mostly it's just gallopy fun.

In winter there is mostly only fun to be had. They get hay and feeds which in torrential rain isn't the best fun but it's a ten minute job. A little time spent oiling legs to prevent mud fever once a week. Mostly just gallopy fun though.

So the answer is to have them living out. Sack off the poo picking and just enjoy your horse.
 
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