Riding in winter with a full time job?

I just ride as and when shift pattern and daylight will allow me! He doesn't mind, infact he's probably more miffed off when I take him out in nasty weather, he seems to think he should be allowed to hibernate in his stable all winter... Pansy. Get a rainsheet and a nice warm exercise sheet (I have a newmarket and love it), then ride whatever the weather whenever you can. They don't mind a few days off! Give him a quick lunge before you hop on if he gets fresh. Alternatively find yourself a sharer that will keep him ticking over when you can't ride!
 
I leave for work at 7am so in summer ride before work but in winter use the floodlit school most evenings and hack out or compete at weekends. More of a fair weather rider now so don't worry about riding when weather is foul.
 
I'm wondering how to keep my boy fit over winter as have no school or lights at the mo I'm thinking of paying someone to ride him a few times a week for me then ill ride over the weekends I'm planning on hunting on Saturdays so need to keep him in work.
 
I currently do 40hrs a week and find I cope alright working round my shift pattern.

I've got to admit, I'm more of a winter rider than summer - hot sweaty days and ponies really don't do good things for my motivation and I find my boys get a working holiday through the summer months because of this. We just end up hacking endlessly and going to the odd show to show face and keep us ticking over until it gets cooler.

I hunt through winter and do most of my competing then as well, so I never run out of reasons to keep getting on in the winter months. However we do live next to brilliant off road bridle paths that are pathed so don't get muddy and also a gallops track so keeping them fit still still involves plenty of hacking throughout winter. I do have exercise sheets for them to keep them warm when it gets super chilly as their clipped during winter. Schooling is usually improved as well as I find I ride better when I'm trying to get warm rather than becoming a passenger because its too hot to put effort in!
 
Mitchyden said:
Mine start training for endurance mid November so I have to ride every morning before work, weather permitting of course! I get up at 4am, walk dogs, muck out my three and ride for an hour in the dark with a headtorch. It's tough but worth it once it starts getting lighter and I've got nice fit horses to start competing on.
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Blimey, I thought I was dedicated getting up at 6am and mucking one out before work! much respect to you :)
 
[deleted user] said:
People make me laugh. I work in London. Up at 6, practice piano for 45 mins. An hour commute. Gym at lunchtime. Leave work 5.15. Home at 7. Yard at 7.15. Ride and home about 8.30. Dinner about 9. Then same again the next day. Ride under floodlights. Compete most weekends and on DIY at weekends too. Just get on with it!
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We don't all have a floodlit school, a piano or horses on full livery apart from weekends. ATM I am getting up at 5 to ride my 3 year old whilst my boyfriend sleeps and the kids are asleep,I then get her out and stable ready fr the night and get home before the kids wake up at 8 (keep them up an hour later to allow an extra hours peace for my boyfriend who is a chef and gets in at midnight and isn't their dad so don't expect him to deal with a 3&5 year old) it when they go back to school I know it will be nearly impossible when light is bad, mum and dad have the stables on their land at home soi know on ums days off film not at work I can ride in afternoon and she will collect kids but lily is only in nursery ATM and I won't have e time to ride, we have no school and no safe field to ride in, so hacking only ATM. I'm just hoping that the teenager p the road will still be eager to ride my horse as well as hers once or twice a week as she is fab and I wouldn't let anyone else ride my mare.

I let winter happen and try to ride in first light when possible, if we hunt I do a couple weeks of intense riding before hand by taking annual leave for a coup,e days a week etc, I always try to keep some holiday stored up for winter so I know I can ride for at least a week, I ride in all weathers apart from thick fog as the road I have to cross is a busy fast road, we wrapping hi viz and extra layers, exercise sheets on horses for warmth too. I feel that in the winter getting on my horse for ten minutes and plodding up the lane is a bonus and an achievement so aim fr that on busy days
 
I have always had to admit defeat in winter and ride at the weekends only with a full time job. I rent a field in the middle of the countryside so can only ever hack out and not doing that unless it is daylight. Cant ride in the field as it is not level enough and is clay so very wet in winter.
This year though I am going to be able to get him out for a hack a couple of times during the week days as I now work from home running my own business. The ideal situation will be an arena but I need to earn some money first!
 
im planning on breaking my youngster in over winter..... as shes only 3 in winter and her attitude stinks.... she needs a job.

Im "lucky" in as much as I have daylight hours 7 days a week due to my job, i work full time but work evenings/weekends - so i have every morning free to back/lunge ride etc :)

I was looking/hoping to get a 9-5 job but on min wage its less pay than i get atm, more hours and less daylight time :)
 
I've found a yard that looks/sounds fab but its full or part livery only. They want £80/£85 a week and part livery includes use of all facilities, stable, seperate summer and winter field etc etc and pure feed company food, hay, straw and they turn out bring in put on walker feed them all you have to do is muck them out and poo pick.
School is floodlit too.. just wondering if that might work out cheaper since I won't have to pay for anything except trims and other misc horsey bits? Hmmm!
 
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