Parents who work with horses

[MuckerOuter]

I was wondering how any parents who work with horses manage to make it all work.

I am a recently single mum (not that it made any difference being partnered) to a 2 yr old and I work as a groom. It was a battle getting back to work but I now do 3 days a week and the nursery hours of 8-5.30 work well.
However I’m so worried about when he goes to school - how does anyone manage to work when school hours are 8.45-3 ish?!
I do not have any grandparents or family members to pick him up for me or anything.

Let me know your secrets ! I’m sure it can’t be impossible since plenty of horse people have children! I am absolutely dedicated to my job and my clients and I love that I can do it part time, I would never want to give it up.

 

[HappyHollyDays]

Most primary schools have breakfast clubs which open about 7.45 around here and after school clubs until 6pm. Obviously there is a cost involved but it might be a solution.

 

[wispagold]

I don't think this just applies to horsey people, but any working parents. I work 3 days a week 8am - 5pm. My husband is site based and will soon be living away during the week. We will be relying on wrap around childcare, breakfast and after school clubs.

 

[abbijay]

Yep, this goes for most careers and parents. I have always been slightly bemused by people who work school hours, it wouldn't be an option for me with the commutes my career requires.
It's all about wraparound childcare - make that a priority when picking a school and find out about holiday clubs in your area. Beware that holiday clubs often don't run on inset days so you may need to save 5 days annual leave a year to cover those!! Or you need to make friends with another family in your area and see if you can come to a share arrangement.

 

[Abacus]

Definitely agree with the wraparound childcare option, and worth exploring if your job is flexible enough (or if there is an alternative) that would enable you to be free in time for the end of the school day. Will your former partner be responsible for some of the weekdays? (I am also bemused by parents, mostly men, who don’t take on half of responsibility). I am a single parent but don’t work with horses - even so the pressures of work and childcare are really tricky and I sympathise. I am fortunate in having an equally committed ex husband, and I work from home. Would you consider changing career for a period if you can’t get the childcare situation to work out?

 

[PSD]

There’s also the option of child minders near the school who will drop off and pick up. I’m very lucky my children are in the school I work in, I don’t know how I’d manage wrap around care other wise. Especially in the holidays

 

[Sprogladite01]

A combination of before and after school clubs and childminders worked for me. Expensive and stressful but managed to get me through - son is now 18 and off to uni soon! Look into everything early, it'll save a lot of stress

 

[Barton Bounty]

I used a childminder when I needed to. That way you can have leaway for any extra hours she may be needed

 

[MagicMelon]

Yup this applies to all working mums. Its hard is the answer! I have 2 at primary school and 1 who will be starting nursery in January. My nursery and school dont do before/after clubs sadly. I have always had to have jobs where I can set my own hours. Im a self employed estate agent so I choose when I work, its the only way to do it. Especially when your kid is ill and needs a day off. The holidays are hardest - summer holidays are so tough to try and work with no childcare. Generally with my 3 kids, I just have to work hard in the evenings! I cant afford private nursery for the smallest one and theyve all got huge wait lists where I am anyway.

 

[Annagain]

How fleixible is your employer? Could you spread your hours over 4 days instead? That way, at least you'd only have to rely on something for one end of the day. I know it's tricky when there are horses to be turned out / brought in etc but if there are other staff (there must be or you wouldn't be able to work part time?) there may be some scope? You wouldn't be there for bringing in but having you there for an extra day may mean all the jobs that don't get done could now be done? You could fill all the haynets and prep all the feeds, for the week making it easier for the other staff, clean tack, do all the poo picking etc?

Failing that, as others have said, nurseries or childminders that offer wraparound care or schools with breakfast / after school clubs are the answer.

 

[Goldenstar]

I have had several free lance grooms over the years who work around their children basically they drop the kids off and work until they pick them up .

 

[poiuytrewq]

I worked at a yard when my daughter was at school. I started at 8.45 and easily finished in time to pick her up.
They had quite a lot of staff, most of whom started early and go the mucking out done.
I started when the riding and washing/grooming sorting the yard chunk of day started. It worked well all round.
A later yard I worked at there were 4 of us. 3 had children so the one got there to feed and start and us other 3 started after school drop off.

 

[Clodagh]

Idk if racing yards are your thing but they seem to be very flexible. They need staff so badly if they have to work round school hours they will accommodate if possible

 

[MuckerOuter]

Thanks so much for all your replies. Of course this applies to all working parents (mostly mums let’s be honest). I honestly don’t know how anyone does it with more than 1 child. Working in the evening sounds exhausting, fair play to you @MagicMelon !

My problem seems to be that with freelancing, yards only want you in the morning or the afternoon, so I’ve been doing 2 or 3 sometimes 4 yards a day, cramming in as much as I can, spending a lot of time driving while stuffing food down my throat and not earning money, and being in a huge rush at the last yard to get to nursery pick up on time.
I just don’t feel this job (which I absolutely adore) is worth it as a freelancer. It was so much better when I was full time and worked at one yard.
Unfortunately none of the yards around here would want to pay any freelancer for a whole day because they just can’t afford it anymore, or they have full time live-in staff to pay.

@Clodagh race yards is an option to look into - I may do that, thanks.

I’ll see how things go over the summer but I can’t see myself doing another winter unless I can find something with more stability.

 

[MuckerOuter]

I’m aware that last post was more about the job than working around childcare …. It’s been a stressful week ha