To those of you with horses that work full time.... Why do i feel so guilty??

[rose bud]

Hi,
do you work full time and have a horse/horses and feel guilty about the amount of time that you have to spend with them?
I could do with some advice/reasurance/opinions please!
I have just got a new horse and after having two bad experiences with buying the wrong horse this is a case of third time lucky and i'm worried that i am going to do everything wrong!
I bought my new mare as a bombproof plod that would be happy left in the field for for a while and be exactly the same to ride next time, which is just what i want!
At the moment i feel guilty as i work full time and it is winter.
I keep my mare in a field 2 mins up the road from my house with a shetland for company, i go to the field twice a day (before and af ter work) to check them, give them a carrot and a stroke, check rugs and water etc, but during the week that is it. At the weekends i give them a good groom and ride my mare. When i go after work it is dark but in the summer i will be able to ride in the evenings too.
Is this ok? What does everyone else do?
Mine are both hardy so happy to live out.
Am i just being paranoid or do i need to do more?
Sorry for long post!! X

 

[Hippona]

I work 9-5 mon to fri....we have 3 horses about a minute from the house- they are stabled overnight so I obviously see to them twice daily and check them in my lunch hour but when the weather is rubbish and I don't ride at weekends I feel really guilty.....although they have a good 12 hours out during the day anyway and they are hacking/fun horses as opposed to competition/hunting horses so fitness over winter isn't really an issue.

I try not to stress it.....as soon as spring comes and the evenings get longer they get ridden/lunged etc most evenings and I can actually enjoy them as opposed to it being a bit of a chore.

I really hate this time of year....grrrr

 

[Kat]

Because I work full time I have mine on a yeard that has a school with lights. I knew I wouldn't be happy spending all that money to only be able to ride at weekends most of the year so it was essential to me.

It means that I can ride as late as I like all year and keep my horse fit and ticking over.

As it happens our yard has an indoor so I can also ride even when the weather is foul, which is brilliant.

Maybe look around and see whether there are any yards with a school that you could move to so that you get a bit more horse time.

 

[BlairandAzria]

Hi, it's hard I only have one horse and work full time in an office job. I'm on DIY livery although I do now pay one of the retired women to chuck my boy out in the morning for me- but that's primarily because it's cheaper than the petrol to get down to the yard. But yes i feel like I'm constantly out of time, rushing or running late. My yard has a nice arena with floodlights but during the week when it's dark and miserable I often find myself not wanting to ride and then feeling immensely guilty, or then riding and not coming home until after 9pm and feeling guilty for not doing washing or ironing etc. I'm going to London with work for a couple of days this week so my mum is doing him for me- and I feel guilty about that too, that it's an imposition on her and bad that I won't see him! God I long for summer when the nights are long and bright and for the day I win the lottery and can give up work and can spend all day playing ponies! Most of all I feel bad that I miss out on seeing my friends- and now I'm single again , where on earth am I going to find the time to meet someone new and go on dates!!! Ahhh!!

 

[NativePonyLover]

No, I don't feel guilty - I do what I can without killing myself! He is happy whether he is ridden every day or once a week - but we are just happy hackers who have lessons, so again fitness isn't too key. My horse is seen every day, twice a day and I have a great yard manager who brings in for me and will do other jobs for a charge, to help out. Even if I don't ride, he still gets one on one attention.

Honestly, as long as your horse is happy then don't feel bad.

Come the lighter evenings we will both get fitter and we can enjoy the spring and summer.

I also use the winter to keep up with training - things like DVD, demos, extra lessons to keep on improving

 

[Hippona]

I use winter to clean and organise tack etc. How sad

 

[stencilface]

I feel guilty that the last 3 summer I have worked in a job that has not allowed me to ride my horse that much at all. This year he has been off with PSD and it really brings home to me how many years I have wasted having him as I have been always working away. Hopefully he will be fit next summer, and I will do all I can to change that

I feel guilty for mine at the minute - he gets out 4x a week as part of his rehab (juggling with work - no school for work in the dark) and the rest of his time is spent in a tiny paddock or stable, still he stuff his face all day, so I think he's used to his lifestyle now. As is his neighbouring paddock companion, who stuff his face, then has a lunchtime nap flat out bless him

 

[Jesstickle]

No. I don't feel guilty. I ride BH (we have lights) but at the moment Nits just goes in and out of the field and that is all the handling she gets! Does she care? Not one jot. She is happy with her horsey companions, I am rather irrelevant in her opinion!

 

[YasandCrystal]

No don't feel guilty! Mine are 2 mins up the road - I have 3, only 1 in work and I see them twice a day, sometimes at lunchtime. My mare is ridden twice maybe 3 times a week - my husband always jokes that my mare is semi retired!

I rode her both days this weekend ( my mare looked mortified) and that takes some organising what with working fulltime and having a family and dogs and other animals. Mine are all out for at least 10 hours a day so I don't feel bad

 

[Archangel]

I do not feel in the least bit guilty. Indeed it is the horses that should be feeling guilty for making work all day to pay for them and then they break things and I have to work even more

I have 3 and they know the drill and are always pleased to see me. They are waiting at 7am, hooves tapping for their breakfast. They don't get supper until 6pm but I am told they are in position from 2pm onward

 

[YasandCrystal]

May I also add that some of my competing friends who are also very successful at non afiliated novice level dressage and cross country only ride twice a week and keep schooling down to a minimum

 

[maresmaid]

I think no-one should feel guilty for not RIDING! Horses don't care if they are ridden each day. They care about being warm, having enough food, and companionship. If they are getting enough daily attention to ensure they are well fed and healthy and have a friend to keep them company when you are not there, they are happy bunnies! Full time jobs mean we have enough money to pay for all the things they need and in winter there is always a trade off regarding time spent with the horses and time spent at work - I would feel more guilty if I was spending my time riding every day and making my horse go without things she really needs because I didn't work enough hours to earn enough money to pay for it all.

 

[Winklepoker]

I 'work' mine a minimum of 5 days (usually 6) for exactly that reason! He is either lunged, ridden or on the walker - My view is, what is the point having a horse that you arent going to get the best out of. - Buy a cob if you cant be arsed hee hee!!

 

[Black_Horse_White]

You shouldn't feel guilty, your horses are loved and well looked after. They don't care if they are ridden or not, as long as they are warm, have a full belly & water they are happy. Happy horse, happy owner x

 

[noblesteed]

I have one horse and work full time. When I got him I was keen to have the facilities to ride every day and have someone around all day to keep an eye so I kept him at a nice livery yard. However he hated it! The turnout was limited through winter as is the case with most livery yard and he didn't like all the coming and going. He also HATED being dragged out of his nice warm stable into the dark and cold to be ridden in the school - especially after many of the other horses had already had their tea!

He has been much happier since I moved him to a farm where he gets what horses love - TURNOUT! He doesn't give a monkeys if he isn't ridden much over the winter, he is seen at least twice daily - turned out from 8-5 in winter - and has a lovely big field which he spends all summer in, and a nice warm stable for winter nights. He is actually much better to ride, to handle and generally deal with. We go for nice long hacks at weekends and have an evening outing in the trailer every few weeks, and that seems to suffice.

So don't feel guilty! I would feel far worse having my horse cooped up in a stable 23 hours a day just so I would get to ride daily through the winter. And my horse would NOT like it if I had all the time in the world to ride him - schooling for hours on end is not his thing. Unless you're a serious competition rider I am most definitely convinced turnout should be number one priority. If you are lucky enough to find a livery yard that offers that much turnout AND has an arena that would be a bonus, but they seem to be very few and far between!

 

[catdragon]

Stop feeling guilty - as long as they have daily turn out and are warm and fed, they don't care whether they're ridden or not. I agree- competition horses need to be fit - but leisure and pleasure horses should be for just that - leisure and pleasure! I stopped beating myself up over this last winter. I am arthritic - and riding 5-6 times a week is not going to happen - it's just too painful when it's cold and damp. I was living on lots of pain killers just to ride... That is not an option anymore - I'd rather enjoy riding when the weather is better - which is the odd occassion through winter, 4-5 times in Spring/Summer/early Autumn. My girl still loves to see me, she enjoys the extra grooming and attention and always seem better to ride after her "holiday" through winter.

 

[BillyBob-Sleigh]

I never felt guilty when I was up there seeing to him everyday but the yard is 40mins from my house so I had someone bring him in and turnout for me (they're only in for a couple of hours during the day and then out the rest of the time) but it was costing my a small fortune going back and for and everyday was a 50mile round trip. So I moved him to a yard closer but they only did full livery and he was stressed with the lack of turnout and wasn't settled so I moved him back to the original yard and now have him there on full livery Monday - Friday and I would go up once/twice mid week and spend hours up there over the weekend. Yes I felt incredibly guilty to start off with - but does he care? No. He's out with his friends the majority of the time, I have a great YO/fellow liveries who look after him during the week and he's as happy as ever. I don't feel guilty anymore, at the end of the day the horse doesn't care about who feeds them etc it's us guilt tripping ourselves.

 

[Hippona]

I 'work' mine a minimum of 5 days (usually 6) for exactly that reason! He is either lunged, ridden or on the walker - My view is, what is the point having a horse that you arent going to get the best out of. - Buy a cob if you cant be arsed hee hee!!

Its not a case of not being arsed.....its a case of daylight hours not being long enough and not having a manege/lights on my yard. But I would rather have my own little yard without these facilities than have to endure a livery yard with them....

Just means more time on the sofa sipping wine over winter

 

[Mlini]

I don't feel guilty for not riding as my horse prefers eating to work! As long as he is warm, dry and fed - I'm happy

However, I have recently acquired a 'sharer'! She is the YM's partner - which means I get FREE LIVERY!!! And she has unlimited access to do whatever she likes with him during the day when I can't be there.

 

[JFTDWS]

I 'work' mine a minimum of 5 days (usually 6) for exactly that reason! He is either lunged, ridden or on the walker - My view is, what is the point having a horse that you arent going to get the best out of. - Buy a cob if you cant be arsed hee hee!!

I have 3, no real facilities, but I can school in walk and trot on one field under the light or on lighter nights and I'm happy hacking in the dark. One doesn't really get anything done other than basic handling - yearling so I wouldn't be riding him anyway

One gets ridden at weekends / when I feel like it / comes out ride and lead when I hack - he's 18 (and a cob so I don't need to be arsed, clearly! ).

The 5 year old does more work - at least weekends and a couple of nights in the week. I use the winter to force myself to focus on working on the quality of basic walk / trot work, transitions, lateral work in walk etc, bareback if I'm short of time / lack the energy to tack up. I quite often take him out though and hire an indoor, attempt (fail) at clear rounds etc in the evening. If I don't have time to work him, I don't stress over it - and I quite like him to have mini-breaks every now and again, especially if he's had a hard couple of weeks. He's out 24/7 so not too bothered. If I really don't have time to ride I normally do groundwork with him instead, mostly because I'm not prepared to pay to keep horses and not enjoy them (when they aren't out of work for medical reasons).

 

[Winklepoker]

On a serious note... I have NO idea what I would do without lights. The boy would get ridden at weekends and that would be it. Although I would rather loan out than only get to ride once/twice a week. Could you exchange an early start for an early finish 2x pw if you still feel bad?

 

[clip_clop]

I work full time and have 2 horses, my mare lives out 24/7 but my 18 yo cob gelding comes in at night. I can't ride during the week as rent my own field, don't have a school and not enough time before work to ride. Coblet just gets rode at the weekends round the woods and mare is not back in work yet after having a foal. Morning wise in the week I turn him out, hay them in the field, check waters. At night I muck out, get him in, feed them both and put hay out for her, also sometimes try to poo pick in the dark!!!

 

[JenTaz]

definately dont feel guilty, i hardly ride over the winter, have a floodlit school but the surface is currently frozen at the moment, to icy to hack out so im not taking the chance, taz is happy going to the field eating grass all day and then munching on his hay in the stable over night, will be different come feb when the nasty weather starts to change and i can get him fit, horses need some down time too they dont care whether they are ridden

 

[cobmum]

Your horse is doing what it loves to do so why feel guilty! he/she is in a field eating, has a friend, has water and warmth and see's you twice a day!

I am sure your horse wont mind not being ridden!

 

[LaurenM]

I just ride at weekends and visit once a day (my friend does the mornings and I do the evenings).

I don't feel guilty - my mare loves having a quieter life!

 

[measles]

I have a full time job away from the yard as does OH and we have 11 to do stabled with 5 competing. Anything can be done to a high standard and is possible if you cut out tv watching, sitting down in evenings and live on tea and chocolate!

Why feel guilty if your mare is in good condition, well fed and content?

 

[Elsbells]

You don't have to be a FT worker to ride less in the winter.

I work PT which is evening work and so I have no excuses, but this year I have decided that myself and my mare should have some downtime instead of fighting time and the eliments. Last year was so bad! I was spending to much time up at the yard and she was spending to much time in, so in defiance and for both our peace of minds, I have arranged for her to live out with a small herd at a horse paradise.

Should I feel guilty? Does she care if I do?........I think not

 

[Slinkyunicorn]

I use winter to clean and organise tack etc. How sad

CLEAN tack?

What is this thing of which you speak?

 

[AshTay]

On a serious note... I have NO idea what I would do without lights. The boy would get ridden at weekends and that would be it. Although I would rather loan out than only get to ride once/twice a week. Could you exchange an early start for an early finish 2x pw if you still feel bad?

I used to feel like that.

But when my old pony trashed his leg and I needed to move him somewhere with just the right facilities I had to think about his wellbeing above my desire to ride more than 2x a week.

I have 3 and work full time (don't get to farm till 6.15 in the week). I spend all weekend with them and try to get afternoons off when i can in the week. In the evenings, both my boys come in to be fed and get some attention (grooming, clicker, etc, neither are ridden at the moment for different reasons). My mare gets ridden at the weekend only in the winter. She gets fed a couple of times a week by me (tough as a nut she is) and she gets checked by YO two weeknights a week and I see her the other 3 weeknights.

I *could* move somewhere with lights so i can ride my mare in the week in the winter (and keep my other gelding in work over winter) but where I currently am is still best for my old pony and he's the priority so I live with it.

Come spring, I'll have 2 horses in work which will be fun

 

[Kenzo]

You have nothing to feel guilty about, horses graze...that's what they do. they were not meant to do anything else, so if your horse a nice field and is out as much as possible, with some other equine company, kept nice and warm through winter, have a caring owner to check and fuss them twice a day and tend to their every need, then I'd say there living the life most horses would be more than happy with