Parents of pony owners

[poiuytrewq]

Do you do your childs horse for them in winter? ie- if in who mucks it out and turns out/brings in and all that comes with those jobs?

I do my daughters pony now the clocks have changed, Im doing my own so its no great deal. I don't want her to go to school smelling of horse pee so she doesn't come at all anymore before school.
We don't have electric or a school to ride in so I prefer her to make the most of what little daylight is left after school and ride.
Several other parents ive spoken to recently have been horrified by this and said if she wants a pony she should do the work before the riding.
Last week was half term and she did the turning out and mucked my two along with hers out every morning while I had extra coffee before work Her idea not mine so I am happy with our arrangement as she will help when needed.

The lady who keeps hers and her daughters horses down the road makes her do half the chores and they ride on a Sunday.
Interested as to how other parents handle winter?

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

When my daughter was at school, I did all jobs in the morning & then she came down after school & rode 1 or 2 & did evening stables with me.
As she got older, unless there was exam pressure, she still did evening yard.

However, at weekends & holidays she did same chores as me (we used to have up to 12 at a time) & also often had to ride anything from 2 to 5 a day at home, unless we were out competing, this from starting school till she left.

As soon as she had own transport, she would join me at the yard in the morning & then clean up & go off on moped to college

 

[Dubsie]

We've 2 ponies and a (new) horse, luckily kept at home, they all live out which is easier anyway. I actually like doing them, so every day I do them in the morning, 14yo daughter does them at night. We don't have a school, so similar to you they get ridden after school (usually while I poo pick, again I like poo picking so do the lion's share), or we go out to Pony Club, which means later back home, again she does the ponies and I cook tea..

I don't ride though.

 

[CrazyCobLady]

Not a mother but if I had a pony-crazed child I would make them do their chores before riding. Regarding before school, I would let them off as don't want to be smelling of horses before school but they'd be doing chores after

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Oh, I must add; when she went off each summer for PC camp from aged 10 till 16, she always said it was a lovely holiday as was just dealing with the 1 pony :biggrin3:
Camp was amazing - quite a number of children who had no idea how to muck out, clean tack - put tack back together after stripping etc, let alone plaiting their own pony, all because mummy was not there......

 

[smellsofhorse]

As much as I agree if they want a pony they need to do the work.

I also think people need to be realistic.
A child needs sleep, time for their home work and rest!
Plus ride their pony or what's the point in having it!
So helping out is a good thing to fit it all in.
As long as the appreciate it and are not just being lazy.

You can help each other our as you said you did durring half term.
Plus they have more time at the weekend and can keep their hand in mucking out etc then!

 

[Carrots&Mints]

I think youve got a good arrangement with your daughter

 

[mirage]

We have 2 ponies,kept at home.Both live out so no mucking out.When the nights are lighter and weekends,both girls poo pick and do field maintenance.At the minute,I do it as my work slows down at this time of the year so I have more time.They try and ride every night after school,I don't ride unless one of them can't.We have no lighting or school facilities,so my doing the jobs frees up time.Both girls catch,groom and tack up whilst I'm doing jobs and are expected to keep their tack and grooming kit clean.

 

[Flosii]

Blimey, your children have it good!
In order to keep my pony and do all the fun bits with it I had to look after it.

Up early to turn out, muck out etc, home to change, to school, home from school, walk or cycle to pony to go and ride and bring in.

As I got older and homework got heavy with exams etc dad would help out, but by no means would he do all my chores for me.

And if i didnt look after my pony and do my chores with the pony I didnt ride. And TBH I think I had a good deal as Dad paid for everything and the pony was my responsibility. Funny really as I see alot of parents at our livery yard doing alot for the kids, taxi everywhere, and the tantrums that are thrown are unbeliveable some days, but think this is because they are used to someone else doing it all for them.

 

[TandD]

When I was at school: they were fed and turned out by yard in morning
mum would muck out and put in evening hay for me at lunch time
I'd go up in evening and poo pick, groom, ride etc

During winter yard brought them in for me....during summer I bring them in

Weekends and holidays are done by me!

 

[nix123]

My sons 11yrs and catches the bus to & from school so he leaves the house at 7.50am and gets back around 4.45pm. I turn out, feed breakfast, muck out and bed down mon-fri and he does it sat & sun. If he doesn't manage to ride during the week i'll take pony out hacking.

 

[*hic*]

I had sole responsibility for my pony from age 10. My mother had no interest, she'd take me to buy feed after I had a bit of an incident trying to get sacks of straights from the mill a couple of miles away on my bicycle and yes, she paid as I couldn't officially earn money at that age but I did everything practical for him but I was pony mad and it suited me.

My own daughter was introduced to riding as a way of trying to help her get over an extremely traumatic road traffic accident. She's never been pony mad and so I've never pushed her to do more than she wants to in the looking after. It also didn't help that she had to be up and six to leave the house at 6.50am to get to school by car and train and didn't get back home until about 6.30pm. So I did the pony(ies) for her. Her input during the week was to wander over to them on her way out of the gate and give them an apple each (made her feel good, which was the point of having them) and if we managed to swing it she'd have lessons on them a couple of times a week as well. That involved me getting the pony ready, loading it, driving it to pick her up from a station nearer school and then taking her and the pony to a lesson. I did absolutely everythign for them, including exercising. She helped me out at weekends but I wanted her to keep on going with them and to ensure that she did I was more than happy to make her time with them as easy as possible.

Well over a decade on and she'll cheerfully look after all six for me if we want to go away, and now she's finished her masters and is at home job-hunting she's helping me out every day she's not working - we're just off out to finish off the stables I didn't get done earlier.

She may have been very spoilt with the little she had to do but it was my choice to get her (and me back) into horses and it certainly worked better than the counselling which would have been the alternative

 

[Lolo]

Our mum did a lot for us, and still does help my sister lots. During the holidays we were expected to do the jobs, but horses was a family thing really- my mum, sister and I spent a lot of time together through owning ponies. During the term times (especially in winter), my mum hacked our ponies out for us during the week so they'd be reasonably fit, and would also muck out for us most mornings. My sister or I would cycle to the yard to do them a few times a week, but ultimately mum did it all. After school we always went to the yard and fed and brought in and did rugs, and skipped out.

We were so lucky, especially as my mum wasn't horsey at all when we started owning ponies. Without her we'd never have been able to have the privilege of being able to have the fun we did. Now, my little sister is going pro, and my mum still is hugely involved- she's even back riding and leading as my sister's away for a few months being a WP! She's the best mum ever

 

[Dubsie]

I must add that I do not do any tack cleaning, nor do I do any loading the car with tack etc for shows, pony club or whatever, I do not groom whether at shows, hunting or pony club, it is entirely her own work (and she usually manages to be in the top 3 for tack and turn out at Pony Club annually/at camp). All I do is drive, I don't even load the pony although I might lift a ramp or put a pin in to secure a door. The good thing about NOT doing all of this is that I cannot be held responsible for any shortcomings of rider or horse equipment, and it's taught her about being methodical, organised and time keeping - I say be ready for x time and I get home swap cars and off we go. Incredibly stress-free too. .

 

[Dizzy socks]

Speaking for my parents - no. I do it all, although they live out, so less than if stabled.

 

[Shutterbug]

Tomorrow we take on my daughters first loan pony - hes an older horse who belongs to a friend of mind. She will look after him and exercise him although I wont expect her to go to the yard before school - however I will ride my horse, do my youngster in the morning and then turn all the horses out - after school she can get ready and go do stable/feed/hay/ride if she wishes and help me bring in and bed down. At weekends she will have to be up early with me to do the horses and ride so shes going to be missing her long lies at the weekend. Shes quite looking forward to it, and having him over the winter will make her or break her. If she copes she can look forward to having her own horse in the Spring. But she will very much be responsible for her own horse - shes 14 btw

 

[SuperH]

When I was at school and had a pony (kept in at night and out in the day) I would groom, turn out, muck out and leave stable ready. My mum would get the pony in before dark as I didn't get home until 5pm. She would also change rugs when she got the pony in and give it the bucket of food I would have left ready for her. If it was still light I would do it. My mum had a rule, if the pony wasn't done properly it would be taken to the next sale. I never tested her as I believe she would have done it. She did do the pony for me if I was ill or away.

My bus went at 8am and it was a 5 minute walk to the bus stop. In the summer I would ride before and after school.

 

[LittleRooketRider]

from the "childs" point of view...

i am 17 now and since i was 11 i have done my ponies pretty much every single day
if she doesn't wanna smell of pee then she can either do full muck out after school or just get up earlier..its what i've always done..besides surely you don't want to smell of horse pee going to work either??

i am not criticizing what you choose to do but personally i agree that i should do the work required...this has been my choice entirely

 

[Cocorules]

As children me and my sisters did our own between us. It was too dark to ride in winter after school so did not ride then. However I think it is massively better that your child gets to ride. I think it is completely up to you and you should do what you think is right.

 

[MadBlackLab]

Do you do your childs horse for them in winter? ie- if in who mucks it out and turns out/brings in and all that comes with those jobs?

I do my daughters pony now the clocks have changed, Im doing my own so its no great deal. I don't want her to go to school smelling of horse pee so she doesn't come at all anymore before school.
We don't have electric or a school to ride in so I prefer her to make the most of what little daylight is left after school and ride.
Several other parents ive spoken to recently have been horrified by this and said if she wants a pony she should do the work before the riding.
Last week was half term and she did the turning out and mucked my two along with hers out every morning while I had extra coffee before work Her idea not mine so I am happy with our arrangement as she will help when needed.

The lady who keeps hers and her daughters horses down the road makes her do half the chores and they ride on a Sunday.
Interested as to how other parents handle winter?

I think this is a great set up and is realistic too. If it suits you and your daughter and she is mucking in (excuse the pun) with her pony and its not affecting her education then IMHO its good deal for both of you

 

[khalswitz]

It's a tricky one. I've known kids who only 'do' horses for the social side, and enjoy Pony Club, riding with their friends etc but just aren't horse mad enough to get up early and muck out every day - whereas Mum is, and therefore Mum looks after own horse and child's pony, and whilst when child is up they are responsible and do know how to work and do everything, they would soon get sick of it if doing it at home on their own every day. Does this mean they shouldn't be able to enjoy their hobby? If Mum is willing to do the lion's share of the work then I don't think it should. Different if child has everything done for them, and doesn't know how to tack up or tie a quick release knot, but otherwise...

I didn't get my first horse until I was 16 and could pay for it all and look after it all myself. From a personal point of view I still find it heartbreaking that so many kids out there would be up at the crack of dawn twice a day to muck out just to be around the horses, let alone ride, whilst ones who have ponies often leave the hard work to Mum... but ultimately it doesn't mean child doesn't deserve a horse if they don't do the work - it means they are very lucky to have a supportive Mum who gives up her time and money for their enjoyment of riding. They will one day pay that back - whether they stay in horses or not, that amount of dedication to your kid doesn't get ignored once they actually grow up (in most cases!).

 

[pansy]

If I'm working then both of us go & it's a quick turn out in morn & then we do stables after school & work - if I'm not working I will turn out & do stables until the nights get lighter - that way she can sometimes ride before it gets too dark - my daughter works hard with her horses all year round & especially this time of year I am happy to help - during holidays when I am working she gets dropped at yard & sorts herself - just tells me what I need to buy

 

[skint1]

My daughter isn't a kid any longer and hasn't got a pony but a horse and at the moment I am doing the chores, in fact when she was younger and had her pony she did them all herself. I am giving her the benefit of the doubt, full time job where she needs to prove herself and a foot injury that has seen her on crutches for the last 2 weeks,

 

[Bobbly]

When I was about 14 I had two horses that were stabled 24/7 in a pub yard up the road from our house. Every morning at 5.45am rain or shine, summer and winter (with lots of lights but there was no traffic much then) I would leave the yard ride and lead and trot 3.5 miles in about 35-40 mins, one or two known local used to get up by me. Some mornings Dad would meet me when I got back and helped me muck out etc before I then went off to do a paper round before school. Time permitting I would then ride the lead horse after school. Eventually the paper round stopped and I got the bus to work instead. That were a lotta years ago mind.....

 

[poiuytrewq]

When I was younger my parents were totally non horsey so I did everything which meant I only rode on the weekends. This was ok, my pony was older and wiser!
Daughters pony would be crazy if he got ridden only on the weekend which is another reason I do things this way. Also from my point of view it gives me the occasional someone to ride with!
I too refuse to clean her tack or anything like that which can be done in the dark!
Interesting to hear other peoples point of view on this one!

 

[shannonandtay]

Had completely non horsey parents myself so therefore just got on with everything myself, I actually enjoy helping my daughter and as I don't ride so much now I will help out if I'm not working and have time. She does all jobs weekends and holidays, but this evening we went straight from school to the yard so she could ride in the light and I mucked out and did feeds and haynets, while she brought him in from the field, groomed and rode. Also it got all the jobs done in good time and we even managed to get home at a decent time this evening and believe it or not I enjoy it.

 

[hnmisty]

I kept mine at home. My dad used to feed them in the morning when he let the chickens and geese out, and my mum would turn them out for me. If she was feeling particularly generous she'd muck out in the winter for me, otherwise I would get home from school at 430 and rush straight out to muck out by camping lantern (no electricity in my stables).

 

[windand rain]

Think I have it totally wrong I provide the ponies, do the mucking out, pay for everything and do all the DIY chores myself and I dont actually have these children they are just kids that come to ride the ponies I am happy with the arrangement although do get a bit annoyed if they take a clean pony off me at a show use it as a sofa and hand it back when they want to go off with their mates without so much as a pat or untacking the poor beast. Still I love the looking after and dont ride much if at all so the ponies get exercised and I get to spent the time with the ponies and can just about justify my need to have them about

 

[maree t]

I have got two kids 14 and 16, i love horses and had them before the kids came along.
Up until recently I used to do the stables during the day. The ponies (6) are only in during the winter at night. They have to travel on 2 buses to school starting quite early so they get up an do rugs and turn out. If I have time I will muck out etc during the day but if not they will do it later. They struggle to ride during the week at all unless I go in and pick them up from school , I would prefer they have time to ride and keep the ponies fit and enjoy them than worry about mucking out. I do a fair bit of poo picking etc while they ride, my choice .
I do clean the tack as I have an obsession with it. If i am cleaning tack then they will be cooking the tea or loading stuff to go to a show or such like. they know how to do everything and are more than capable but I enjoy helping them .
My son has had glandular fever aswell so he had years when he wasnt able to do much , he still relapses so i prefer to see him riding than worrying about mucking out

 

[zigzag]

I do all the looking after of my daughters pony, she does "try" to help but as she is only 2, I think she has an excuse of me looking after the pony