Riding in the morning before work

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dancingbay

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Does anybody ride before work? If so what is your routine, what time do you get up and what time do you head to the yard? It is something I am considering as I don’t finish work until 5.30pm and I’m finding it hard to get motivated to ride in the evenings.

x
 
I've often debated it myself! Wonder if its worth it?
Moving to a DIY yard and going on DIY for the first time so wondering if its worth going up and riding early. Problem I have is that I am in work from 8am..
 
At the moment not riding but when I am I find I'm much better riding in the morning, particularly in winter. I'm lucky in that I work home asked so it doesn't matter if I'm not showered and suited, plus have some degree of flexibility in start time. I generally aim to be onboard 7/7.30am
 
I used to, when I went home in between going to the yard and going to work. I stopped as I now go from the yard straight to work. Although we do have showers at work, they are very often in use as people use the gym before work and I'm paranoid I'm going to have to sit at work or in meetings all day after getting sweaty riding with the dreaded hat hair ... :D I will lunge in the morning's though, if I know I can't exercise that evening.

I used to find it fine riding before work, although sometimes, it was difficult to motivate myself to get out of bed! But, I'm not the best morning person, I have to be honest :D I think I used to put the bed up to air whilst horse had a haynet, then tack up and ride before turning out and did the rest of my jobs in the evening. I would either hack or school but only doing exercises I knew were already established with the horse, as I'd hate to run into problems with something new/challenging, but you then run out of time to school the horse through it

I prefer riding in the evenings after work as I personally find it more motivating as I try to make sure I do all my chores first thing so I literally just have to groom, tack up, ride and put to bed in the evenings. Try it and see how you get on though :)
 
I do as we start to loose the light in the evenings after work around October

Honestly i find it's harder than riding in the evenings. Riding in the evenings means I can relax and not look at the clock as I've no where to be (as such) but riding in the mornings always feels more stressful as I have to factor in being military with my timing to get back, shower, change, get to work. I don't mind getting back and doing feed/rugs/hay etc in the dark so i'm more relaxed in the evenings. But trying to do all those jobs like feeding/rugging etc while being conscious that I need to get to work feels very rushed. Also morning commuters on the road are faster than evening commuters i notice so the roads are more stressful then too.

I only do it cos i have to as it's dark when i get home by end of Oct but still light in the mornings. One of the many reasons I wish they wouldn't put the clocks back in winter.
 
I used to ride before school when I was doing my GCSEs. I really liked it! It was an effort to get up and out of the house so early, but it was really lovely being up when no-one else was. In the summer I used to hack and it was really nice as there would be no-one on the roads! I would get up at 5.30 am to be at the yard by 6am.
 
Molasses that is really helpful, thanks for the input. I think we may be on the same Island and your point about traffic in the morning is ringing very true with me!
 
Thanks for all of your comments and opinions. I start work at 8.30am so have to leave the yard no later than 7.30am if I go to work straight from there. This means I would have to be on the yard for no later than 6am.

I think I will give it a go and see how I get on. My plan is to ride in the mornings, turn him out and then put him on part livery in the evenings so I can just go straight home from work. Not sure whether this is going to work but I guess all I can do is try.

x
 
I always do! I am working and studying at the moment so no time to ride in the evenings, and also I love the early morning air for riding, nothing is a good. I get up at 6.00 am and get ready by 6.15. I give my horses half a flap of hay each in the stable while I skip out. I am ready to tack up by 6.45 if all going to plan and need to be in the saddle by 7.00. I then ride usually until 7.40 but sometimes later if its likely the traffic will be quieter for the drive to work, school holidays and fridays. I then pop them in field, give them a small feed etc. and back in the house by 8.00. I leave for work at 8.20 (always shower and wash my hair in the evenings) and arrive at my desk at 8.55am. I have 2 horses in work so I alternate them each day and a friend hacks out with me on a Wed morning and one other day in the week.

In the winter when its too dark to ride out, I ride in the dark in the fields or if weather is too bad, I walk them both in hand for 20 mins each.

I love having some proper time with my horses each day before spending the day at work. And also when you ride early there's no-one to keep coming and disturbing you!
 
I don't finish work till 6.45pm but still ride in the evenings. I start at 9am so would need to be on board at 7.15am which is just too early for me!! Also I don't find I ride as well first thing. My back is often a bit stiff and haven't got time to loosen it off whereas it's better after a full day moving around. Also don't need to clock watch in the evenings and can just do as long as he needs.
 
I changed my hours at work to accommodate riding in the morning.

My routine is, night before pack bag with work clothes/ make up / toiletries etc. In morning up at 6.15, leave house by about 6.45 to get to yard just before 7. Tacked up and on by about 7.20. Ride for anywhere between 40mins and hour. Once un-tacked etc I feed and then leave with a hay net for the girls to turnout (mine are on full livery). Once done I get changed/ready in the stable kitchen and leave yard by 9 and head straight to the office.

I find I'm far more motivated in the mornings to ride - particularly in winter. I don't miss trying motivate myself to go and ride in awful weather after being at work all day!! Its also nice having evenings to do as I wish!
 
I do!
I'm up at 5:30am and at the yard for 6am. I'm in the saddle by 6.20 and finish riding around 6.50. It's then put in the field, muck out, do all jobs etc as I'll generally arrange for him to be brought in for me in the afternoon.

I start work at 8, but I'm lucky in that my job is 2 mins walk away from my home.

It's do-able but you have to be quick and efficient - I don't walk anywhere empty handed!
 
I used to when I worked full time got to yard at 6am bring in horse give hay net while I make up a feed and do hay nets for later skip out stable, then tack up and go used to be done by about 7.30am and on my way to work, I actually used to love riding early in the morning I sometimes do it now if it's really hot or if the horse flies are bad.
 
When I was working in an office, I trained my boss quite well - we were always rushing to finish everything up by 5.30, so I suggested that I stay until 6, and start later in the morning.... then I persuaded him I only needed a half hour for lunch (small town, small lunch, not a lot to do) so it worked out that I started at 10 and finished at 6 with half an hour for lunch. I got a p/t girl to work mornings too, and she would open up at 9.

I had 2 horses at that point, so would go to the yard, hack one, lunge one, or ride both in the school. Back home to shower, and then walked to work (office 5 mins from house). Worked very well!
 
Yes. Alternate between mornings and evenings. If you finish at 5.30pm and aren't motivated to ride in the evenings at the moment God help you in the winter!

For morning rides at yard by 6am latest (horses are kept at home) so finish by 7-7.30; chuck out, quick shower and leave. I don't have start/finish times as such but work long hours.

If I ride in the morning in winter, I'll usually muck out in the evening and vice versa. In the summer they live out and nothing better to relax after work than a ride in the evenings even if I often don't finish riding until 9pm.
 
During the week - I am (well have to be) an evening person as I have a 2 hour commute to work....so I'd need to ride at 4 and leave at 3:30am!
 
I used to start at 8.30 and rode before work - I would get up at 5.30am and get to yard for 5.40am and tack up and ride - so long as I was home for 7am and in the shower I was good for making work on time. Then I went back to the yard to muck out in the winter after work around 6pm. It was exhausting. I don't start until 2pm now so have plenty of time in the morning to muck out and ride two
 
I find morning much more comfortable for me to ride during the summer. Like you OP I lose impetus during the day...
Its cooler, less flies/mozzies, less people, much more able to concentrate.

I arrive at yard by 6, haul in and am usually on by 6.10. Ride for 30 - 50 mins, do chores for 2 and am home by 7.15/20.
Still time to shower, change, cuppa and leave for work at 8.10.

In winter I still keep same times, but don't ride before work (am lucky to only work 3 long days a week).
 
I did last week as it was forecast torrential rain in the afternoons - which it duly did, they never get bad weather wrong do they?!! My horses are at home though which makes it a bit easier on a morning. I have to be in work for 8am too, so morning riding for me works like:

5.45am - get up, contacts in, teeth brushed, dressed
6 - 6.15am bring neddy in, tack up, in school for 6.15am
6.15 - 7am ride
7 - 7.15am untack, brush off, kick back out, back in house for 7.15am

Leaves me half hour for wash, make-up, get dressed. Out the house for 7.45am

It's do-able and if i 'need' to i.e. weather's gonna screw me over! then i'll do it once or twice a week, but wouldn't want to do it everyday! However does wake me up and puts me in a good mindset for the day. :)
 
I ride 3 mornings a week usually, I love it, riding in the dawn chorus and the mist. I get up at 5, at yard by 5:30, on board by 6 and ride for up to 40mins. It's not a lot but better than nothing. I love knowing it's done so if I'm knackered after work I can relax knowing he's been worked, and if I'm really motivated after work I just ride him again.
 
Before I retired and when I was competing I always used to ride in the morning before work.

My job was not a 9-5 position that you could walk away from promptly as the clock struck 5; it was also quite stressful. I found that I was more relaxed and able to school better first thing in the morning before some **** had annoyed me; it also meant that the horse had regular//consistant work as there was no running out of time and also no competition for the facilities.

The downside was the deal I struck with the owner was that I had to feed everything (handful of haylage plus hard feed) as soon as I arrived before riding.

The upside, apart from the plusses above, was the abundant wildlife encountered whilst riding around the farm/XC course; in particular, the vixen that would always be sunning herself on the table fence at the top of the hill.
 
gunnergundog said:
My job was not a 9-5 position that you could walk away from promptly as the clock struck 5; it was also quite stressful. I found that I was more relaxed and able to school better first thing in the morning before some **** had annoyed me; it also meant that the horse had regular//consistant work as there was no running out of time

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Laughs! That's exactly why I prefer riding in the morning, I'm often too mentally drained/stressed by the end of the day to school constructively.
 
As above. Always ride in the morning. Rarely manage to get out of work before 7.30 or 8pm whatever time I start, and struggle to find the energy then. LOVE riding in the mornings, when my head is clear and empty! :-)
 
I ride all winter at 06.45 every weekday , loads of hi viz and lights including ride and lead. Up at 05.30, 1 HR ride on roads. All sorted by 08.00. It absolutely works for me.
 
I'm up at 5.30, on the yard by 6. Horse brought in, and we are warming up by 6.30. Off at 7/7.10, untacked and away by 7.25. Home at 7.30, 2 minute shower and at work by 8. Horse then hacks on the weekend, and some mornings has a lunge as a stretchy relax instead of a ride. Is working at elementary level, starting to play with medium level stuff. Oh, and the lights don't work on the arena, so through the winter it is actually pitch black! Horse is fine, if anything less distracted hehe. It's just annoying when someone moves the mounting block and I have to fumble around in the dark to find it. I'm lucky that I live in between work and the yard, and it's a very short commute either way. Lucky my OH was willing to base where we lived in relation the horse!
 
I've often contemplated it but never have - I'm not really a morning person and I'd have to be up at 5.30 to realistically have time to ride and get back to shower and change before getting to work. Having the time constraint would stress me out too, I'd be constantly clock watching rather than able to enjoy it.

Most evenings I finish somewhere between 5.30-6.30 and I'm at the yard by about 7. Then ridden and done by about 8.30 and home by 9. I prefer it as I can take my time and it's a good way to destress after work. Also I don't know what to do with myself if I go straight home after work - I get bored!
 
I think it purely depends on your circumstances: where yard is, what shower facilities you have at yard/work, commute etc.

I start work at 8am and already have a 1hr commute so I'm out of the house at 6:50am and up at 5:55am! Absolutely no chance of me riding before work. However even if I started work later I don't think I'd do it - I'd hate going to work without a shower first and like others have said I'd hate to feel my schooling sessions are limited to a very specific timescale (sometimes you just need to be able to stay on an extra 5-10minutes to get to where you need to be). It could work if I was hacking perhaps.

I also much prefer being able to spend the day at work looking forward to having a ride when I get home!
 
I don't compete but hunt - I ride every morning before work. In the summer I'm up at 5.30 a.m and ride between 1hr - 2 hrs to get horse fit. I have to be back by 7.30/8ish when OH goes to work so child isn't left home alone!! In the winter, I leave home at 6.30 a.m with hi viz/head torch/flashing everything!! Works for us.

I too am the kind of person that much prefers to ride first thing. I'm way too tired in the evening after work to ride. I also find in the summer you totally avoid the flies first thing and also there is barely anyone else around on the roads. Its lovely.
 
once or twice a week i work 9.30 to 5.30 (instead of 8.30 to 4.30)

5.50am alarm goes, up,dressed,contacts in,feed cat, wake goodbye to still sleeping OH
6.10 on yard, feed,turn out, muck out
7 grab horse back in (paddock is just next to yard),groom and tack up
7.20 on board
8am off, rinse off/brush off rug up and back out

as the horses live at my parents and work is only 5mins away i actually have time to do a few odds and sods like clean tack, weeding, washing the arena mirrors, mending fences etc and dont normally go in to the house to shower until 8.50am which leaves me just enough time to grab some breakfast, shower, make up on,work clothes on and leave at 9.25 to be at my desk at 9.30am.

if i REALLY rushed i could probably manage to be on board for 7.10am and off for 7.50am which would just about allow me to sling him back out and still make 8.30am if i ate breakfast at my desk.

i am lucky in that if i am 5-15mins late my employers dont mind as long as i make it up with a short lunch break or stay later etc. so i dont have to clock watch too badly.
 
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