Who manages to ride with small children/ babies?

[HammieHamlet]

Hi, I am keen to get ideas as to how to juggle riding and also a 3 month old baby. Up until now he's been sleeping in the car for 3 hours each morning so i've been parking car in middle of the yard and having everyone keep an eye on him whilst I nip out to ride for 30 mins max.

I now need to up the level of work to get horse fit for the season (only at BE90/100) and now baby is deciding he's not so interested in having a sleep in the mornings

It's not fair to expect everyone at the yard to push him around whilst I ride, so just wondered if there are horsey childminders out there for instance. ...

Would be keen to find out how you manage it!

Thanks x

 

[fatpony]

Firstly it is amazing how helpful some friends can be when it comes to looking after little ones in return for you helping them out in other ways. Is your horse on DIY? Can you pay some one to do the basic looking after so when you get to the yard and your baby is asleep then you can make the most of it. It helps if you have a patient horse who doesn't mind being brushed then left for half an hour, then tacked up and left for another half hour, then ridden, then will tolerate being patted by child/baby, then finally can be washed down etc. I used to put my baby in the pushchair or sling and do basic jobs and get ready to ride then when he fell asleep pop him in the car and jump on the pony. I am lucky to have some great friends at the yard who will entertain my little one for half hour or so. If i want to do more I do it on a weekend or morning/evening when my partner can look after him or one day a week he is at nursery for half a day when I am not. It can be very hit and miss. Your probably better aiming for events later in the season when there are more daylight hours to fit stuff in.

 

[stencilface]

I get my parents to push her around whilst I ride for half an hour, or make the most of weekends when the oh can look afte her. I did a very similar post a few weeks ago too!

 

[MagicMelon]

I was very lucky in the early days as I kept my horses at my mums so she babysat while I rode! But on the days she wasn't around, I would try to time it with when my son slept in the car (he'd only sleep for an hour but that was enough to time for a quick ride), otherwise I put him in his buggy and parked him on the other side of the paddock fence so he could watch me. He'd only put up with that for a short time though. It really depends on your child - my son is so active, as soon as he could walk he wanted to be on the go so I stopped using his buggy ages ago! Now the horses are at my own place, I dont have the bonus of my mum - so I have to tie it in with him sleeping in the car (he still sleeps for about an hour / hour and a half), I will literally put him in the car and drive round the block to put him to sleep so I can muck out and play with the horses! My OH works a lot so I rarely have him on hand to babysit although it will be handy in the summer since when he goes to bed, I can leave my OH inside and go and ride. Do you have any relatives that might like to spend an hour or so with your child every day? Otherwise, your child might be happy to sit in a buggy and watch at the side of the school? I know of someones 1 yr old who will sit in the car watching a film on an ipad for ages while they do whatever - mine would never do that!

 

[HammieHamlet]

Firstly it is amazing how helpful some friends can be when it comes to looking after little ones in return for you helping them out in other ways. Is your horse on DIY? Can you pay some one to do the basic looking after so when you get to the yard and your baby is asleep then you can make the most of it. It helps if you have a patient horse who doesn't mind being brushed then left for half an hour, then tacked up and left for another half hour, then ridden, then will tolerate being patted by child/baby, then finally can be washed down etc. I used to put my baby in the pushchair or sling and do basic jobs and get ready to ride then when he fell asleep pop him in the car and jump on the pony. I am lucky to have some great friends at the yard who will entertain my little one for half hour or so. If i want to do more I do it on a weekend or morning/evening when my partner can look after him or one day a week he is at nursery for half a day when I am not. It can be very hit and miss. Your probably better aiming for events later in the season when there are more daylight hours to fit stuff in.

Thanks - he is on DIY but I'm lucky at the moment as my dad pops in to the yard early to give extra hay so I can get there later. Mucking out isn't a problem as he watches in his pram or I can rock him if he revs up. Horse is fine waiting - probably grateful not to be in the mud all day! Usually baby drops off to sleep by the time I get there but now I'm finding he seems to wake up after about 45 mins which doesnt give me a chance to tack up and ride, plus sort the dog out etc.

Sometimes if he wakes I can drive up the bumpy track again to send him back off but by the time I've done all of this there aren't many people left at the yard and there's no guarantee how long he'll stay asleep for.

in terms of events, I won't be out until at least April/May time as horse won't be ready and I need a bit more time to get back into my competition gear

 

[HammieHamlet]

I get my parents to push her around whilst I ride for half an hour, or make the most of weekends when the oh can look afte her. I did a very similar post a few weeks ago too!

Do you have the link to your post? I know there was one a month back but cant find it?!

 

[HammieHamlet]

I was very lucky in the early days as I kept my horses at my mums so she babysat while I rode! But on the days she wasn't around, I would try to time it with when my son slept in the car (he'd only sleep for an hour but that was enough to time for a quick ride), otherwise I put him in his buggy and parked him on the other side of the paddock fence so he could watch me. He'd only put up with that for a short time though. It really depends on your child - my son is so active, as soon as he could walk he wanted to be on the go so I stopped using his buggy ages ago! Now the horses are at my own place, I dont have the bonus of my mum - so I have to tie it in with him sleeping in the car (he still sleeps for about an hour / hour and a half), I will literally put him in the car and drive round the block to put him to sleep so I can muck out and play with the horses! My OH works a lot so I rarely have him on hand to babysit although it will be handy in the summer since when he goes to bed, I can leave my OH inside and go and ride. Do you have any relatives that might like to spend an hour or so with your child every day? Otherwise, your child might be happy to sit in a buggy and watch at the side of the school? I know of someones 1 yr old who will sit in the car watching a film on an ipad for ages while they do whatever - mine would never do that!

Sounds like an ideal set up when the horses were at your mums my mum isn't far away but normally too busy OH works long hours and now has tennis matches (alright for some )at weekends so that rules out one day. Baby still bit young to sit in the buggy too long without moving....perhaps it'll all be easier in a few months?!

 

[viola]

When I'm back I will come to watch him for you so you can fit a longer ride now and then

 

[HammieHamlet]

When I'm back I will come to watch him for you so you can fit a longer ride now and then

Thanks we managed 8 minutes in the school today before being called back! Had barely started to warm up! Would be lovely to see you when you're back xx

 

[viola]

Wow 8 minutes is certainly not enough :-/ I will come for sure, training with my brother's newborn so will be prepared xx

 

[atlantis]

Very early in the morning!! Leave child with hubby and get to the yard for 6 and I get back in time for hubby to get up. Tbh I've only been doing this since i started sharing 9 months ago (daughter is 2 1/2) and not sure I could manage it when she was waking in the night still. Too tired.

Can you do jobs with her in a carrier? It won't be long before she can sit up in a buggy and therefore will be more likely to be happy for a bit sitting outside the yard. Soon the portable DVD player will be your friend. I can recommend the sing and sign dvd's. my daughter was transfixed!!!

Could you get a sharer or someone to hack horse for you to increase fitness, so you can concentrate on schooling.

 

[HammieHamlet]

Very early in the morning!! Leave child with hubby and get to the yard for 6 and I get back in time for hubby to get up. Tbh I've only been doing this since i started sharing 9 months ago (daughter is 2 1/2) and not sure I could manage it when she was waking in the night still. Too tired.

Can you do jobs with her in a carrier? It won't be long before she can sit up in a buggy and therefore will be more likely to be happy for a bit sitting outside the yard. Soon the portable DVD player will be your friend. I can recommend the sing and sign dvd's. my daughter was transfixed!!!

Could you get a sharer or someone to hack horse for you to increase fitness, so you can concentrate on schooling.

Hubby leaves for work at 5.45am and returns at 7/ 7.30pm so weekdays not an option to have help from him....

I guess I could look for someone to hack him but do worry as he can be a bit sharp. Will check out these dvd things

 

[atlantis]

Ooh loooong day at work then!! Can he not do his tennis after work one night to give you more weekend time?

If you can afford it a childminder or nursery for a couple of hours twice in the week? It's really difficult isn't it. Could you pay a friend from the yard? I feel for you I had to stop riding a friends horse when pregnant and never got back into it due to having no childcare.

What about a friend with kids. They might look after yours while you ride in return for you having theirs while they get some me time? Worth an ask!!

 

[Maisy]

I used to wrap mine up and park the pushchair next to the school.....

 

[HotToTrot]

I think you need them awake whilst you tack up... if they fall asleep whilst you're getting ready, they won't sleep for long enough for you to ride too! I park mine in a pushchair in the corner of the school and hope she falls asleep. I have a Snoozeshade (blackout blind) that I put over it, to make her think it's dark and she should go to sleep!

 

[montanna]

Get one of those baby carrier backpacks and ride with them on your back! Haha!

Sorry no helpful advice, but I really admire those of you who manage to keep a horse fit enough to compete with a little one aswell - I struggle without!

 

[Joss]

I have a 1 & 3 year old. It's wonderful when they start Nursery!! The whole sleeping thing only works for a short time when they are very little. I used to use my baby monitor that worked off a battery & put the pArent unit on the arena fence. When eldest was little I tried that & boxed up to nearby arena with all the faffing around that involves & literally did one lap & there was full scale yelling down the monitor .......argh!

These days I am lucky enough to have horses & an arena at home. Daddy is a farmer so always working so not really a reliable help. I pay for child care one morning a week so I know I have one clear morning when I can do something decent with the horse without relying on anyone else. Otherwise it's mainly Granny that allows me to ride fairly regularly & it does get easier as they get a bit older. I didn't manage anything that much when I was breast feeding although I did try...... Hasty attaching to boobs between dressage tests etc..... It's all wonderfully stressful

 

[abbijay]

When they sleep on the yard it's the easy stage...
I'm lucky to have my horse on part livery and have a sharer for him. Both give me lots of flexibility in fitting him in around the rest of my life.
My twins are now 1 yo and find coming to the yard boring. They're too wobbly to let them walk around at all and just want to be involved in what I'm doing so we regularly leave the yard with them shreiking! We get our jobs done in the daytime but when it comes to riding I wait until the munchkins are in bed and then dash out to ride at 7pm. I'm the only one on the yard then but at least I get the chance! I have always worked long hours so have always been on a yard with floodlit arena.
Good luck!

 

[HammieHamlet]

Thanks all - given me some ideas - I think the best option will be to enlist some outside help once or twice in the week so I guarantee a ride and then anything above that will be a bonus!

At the moment I can't quite imagine how to do an event but hopefully by the end of april he'll be weaned off breast feeding so life will be a little easier. I'll also be able to drink wine again so may not stress so much if I don't get enough riding in

 

[stencilface]

H&H was thinking of us!

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/feat...ingMums&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social