Work / Horse Balance

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happihorse

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Just wondering what is more important to people - getting on in their career or enjoying / competing their horse(s). Do you work just to keep your horses or are you more motivated to move up the career ladder (or both in equal measure).

Sorry it's a bit of an odd post, but just something I have been thinking about recently.
 
I used to be more interested in my career, but have now found (having turned 40) that my focus is on competing and spending time with my horse
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I used to be career minded but I am turning more to I want to earn enough to pay for my horse and enjoy it more. So I want to basically work minimal hours to survive and be able to ride the horse sufficiently daily
 
I work three jobs to keep my horse but I end up with more time playing horses than working
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. My whole life evolves around my horse and as long as I have time to train him thats all I care about. Obviously more money would be great then I could get him out competing but we have fun doing what we do. Stroll on Cricklade Show next year - its the only one close enough to hack to!!!! Although I really hope I can get to Riding Club Camp in October (funds depending)!!!
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My 'money making' job is kept only so I can afford training and competing. I have some degrees but hate all the corporate culture and would never fit in. I also work as a freelance instructor and rider and that is completely different matter. I do want to be as good as I can as a coach and rider so I guess in this respect I am career focused.
 
I am motivated to reach a level with a minimum amount of stress and maximum income. I.e. at the end of the day I do not want too many responsibilities. I work hard and produce results but at the end of the day work to support the horses and eventing. At the end of the day my job needs to be fairly flexible with holiday etc. I guess I'm lucky as my job gives me a decent wage, flexi time and leave when I want it.
 
I to have been thinking about this lately as I have just been promoted to my dream job! The problem with my dream job is that the hours can be long and unsocial and it's does tend to be more of a life style then a career. This is quite difficult with two horses to ride but i do seem to cope some how. The downside is I currently don't compete, although I am hoping to change this in near future as I have taken to dressage to music. Before I left uni I really wanted to move up through the level BE but have since decided that I need to be more realistic and accept that my choosen career and spending hours getting the horses fit for BE will not work, however my horses are fit enough for dressage and I find it fairly easy to keep them that way. This may all change as my mum, who is an angle at helping me out when needed, really wants me to enjoy my time outside of work so is behind me all the way if I choose to compete more. I think there could be a balance if you have the right support (thanks mum!)

evenag114
 
i'm mixed always wanted a good job but always wanted to make sure i can fit in the horses too, i have been very lucky recently and found an amazing job and i will be able to (hopefully) progress ie earn more money over time. it's not flexible we have fixed holidays and its a 50 min drive from home but i work within the equine industry which keeps me motivated - i realised it would have to related to them some how.
i would never do a job that stopped me doing the horses even if money was amazing as what would i spend it on!!!
 
I work to live, obviously I'd like to be successful and very well paid, but not at the expense of my hobby and spare time. Flash makes me happy, work generally makes me unhappy
 
I graduated from university last July, so full time employment came as somewhat of a shock!
At the moment I work to fund having a horse and compete at BE. Currently I don't want my job to be my 'career'. I work 9-5.30pm and really enjoy working where I am (insurance broker....) and have reasonable wage to fund having my own horse and compete.
Found last winter hard though and just couldn't keep horse fit -lack of any school doesn't help. This winter I have organised someone to ride 3 days a week, I will then ride/lunge on the remaining 2.
I still live at home, but am moving out next year, so horse will be moving up north to 'retire' with my mum as won't be able to afford horse and rent/bills/council tax etc. I meanwhile will be lucky enough to be able to ride and compete on friend's horse.
 
I'm a Civil Servant as my main job and my boss's wife was a 3 day eventer so he understands my passion!!! He knows that the horses will always come first! I thought when he first started working here that he saw me as a "silly little girl who plays horses" but it transpires that he actually has a lot of respect for me because I live my life to suit my hobby as in I bust a gut to keep my horse but make sure that I have the time to keep him happy. He's said he's seen many people who went for the high flying career and missed out on all their dreams due to working long hours to keep their boss happy. Sadly I work two other jobs on a casual basis to keep my horse but my main job understand and as a CS you get plenty of time off - 30 days annual leave per year, plus bank holidays and privilige days and flexi time. Why would I want to give that up for something that pays me enough to have my dream house with the stable in the back garden but I wouldn't have any where near as much time off to be with my horse. I work 7.30am to 4pm every day - no staying late for me (Dec and Jan I work 7am to 3pm so I have enough daylight to do the work as no electricity or lighting in the field). It takes me 25 mins max to get to work. Besides I have a dog at home alone and I couldn't take on any extra hours or longer travelling time as it would be too long a day for the dog to be alone and the dog is 11 on 9th Sept so I couldn't and wouldn't want to re-home him now. On top of all that work, I do this all by myself, I don't have family near by to help (they wouldn't support me anyway). I am lucky to have good friends who would help but I don't like to ask too often as you never know when you'll need them. My horse is what makes my life complete - if he's happy then I'm extatic!!!!!!! I don't have any aspirations to compete except at local shows pottering about in a showing class or doing some prelim dressage. All my horse and I want is to have fun. He makes me feel like that child I should have been many years ago!!!!
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If I had the highflying job, I'm certain that I wouldn't have the amazingly wonderful and magical bond that I have with my horse.
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I am not interested in a career and never have been! All I want is my horse and the money to do what I want with him. I work a 4 day week and given half a chance wouldn't work at all! I am lucky in that my lack of earnings are made up for by my husband who covers my livery bills, some fuel and funds my car. I can't be doing with stressful jobs, life is too short and my job is in between home and the yard, so I can go home to let my dogs out at lunchtime and change at work to start riding at 6 in the evenings! Perfect!
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I work hard when I'm at work (compliance auditor) & get through a ton of stuff, but I never work a second past home time!! The trains only go every half hour from the City to here & a missed train would spoil riding.

I've learnt to get loads done v quickly & thoroughly so my boss doesn't mind me working 'to rule'.
 
I am still at uni and about to start my 3rd year of 4 and hoping to get a 2.1 in Ecology and Conservation. When I graduate I want to be able to have a job that I enjoy but will also allow me to keep my horse and compete at weekends. I am lost at uni without my horse but in the long term it is best for me to not have her at uni.
 
i work to live. i deliberately got myself a good career so i could afford to live the life i wanted, but i'm not really interested in progressing to be a partner because i'd have less time, even if i did have more money.
 
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I'm worse I work for Environmewntal Health mainly as a Health and Safety Inspector
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Ha ha I am worse than you, cos I charge for the stuff that you make the manky folk do! I work reasonably flexi hours for a large business services company. I am someone who does enough to hit my targets and achieve any incentives, but not enough to pay 40% tax!!!!!!!!
I too could earn more money, but work/life balance is far more valuable!
 
I work to keep my horses, i HATE my job with an absolute passion. My boss is a total ar*e
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Hopefully il only have another year or so here then il be able to afford to set up my own yard - thats my main aim.
 
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