Work life- and your Boss!

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shadowboy

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I am interested to know how flexible your bosses are when it comes to horses. There have been many occasions where i have had to leave work early for the vet, or dissapear for an hour for the physio or have come in with hay stuck to my trousers etc When i worked for Laura Ashleys whilst studying my boss was wonderfull and even let me stay with the farrier for 2 hours after my lunch break after Shadow kicked him in the thigh! ( i must point out that i just made him tea etc till he felt able to continue!!)However, my new boss is not very flexible or understanding at all. She is a 'town' person, and has no consept of the countryside or why i do what i do in my spare time. She comes down like a tonne of bricks if she finds out i had to pop out so sort out horsey. Although hes on full livery, sometimes i just have to be present. Are your bosses more flexible or do you guys all sneak out of work at times too?!
 
I'm pretty lucky. I've worked with my boss now for nearly 20 years within various companies. He is well aware how important the horses are too me and is happy to be flexible. I repay him by being flexible in return, so if he needs to me work extra hours or different days then I do. Its swings and roundabouts.
 
This tickles me. So many people moan when mothers have to leave work early due to their child being sick or something. Why should a boss who has nothing to do with your horse let you have time off? Parents have had to fight for the right to have time off for their kids.
 
Where I used to work they were awful any time off was a big problem. My new job they are lovely , they understand I'm a mum and I have a horse. In return I am always available on the phone even on proper booked holidays and I am conscientious about making up hours when I can. I also fly up to Scotland regularly to sort out the new office up there.
I went from a big company to a small one, I would never go back now.
 
I work from home so my boss has no idea where i am!
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I take a day off or half a day if I have a horse related appointment that I can't move to a weekend, I have the flexibility to do that..but it does come out of my leave entitlement
 
I am very lucky in that the Department I work for are very good. There have been times when I have had to leave work, take a longer lunch break etc for various reasons. However, to be honest it doesn't happen very often. Certainly if I have to have the vet (non emergency) then I take the time off as holiday - either half a day or the whole day. I let the farrier get on with it - he doens't need me there tbh.

I don't think as horse owners we have any right to expect special treatment - and I certainly don't expect it.
 
Dont get me wrong i appreciate this, but when you work extra long shifts from 8.30 am till 7 most nights, i would expect some sort of leeway! especially if your salaried and not contracted, i reckon im on below minimum wage if you actually spread my pay over the hours i do! I envy those who work from home!
 
I work flexitime, and if there is a vet's appointment in the middle of the day I'm able to work from home which is a great help. It's not just limited to horsey folks/parents - if someone e.g. has a cooker getting fitted they're also allowed to work from home.
It drives my mum (a teacher) mad as she even had to ask for special dispentation to be allowed time off to attend my graduation ceremony.
 
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Dont get me wrong i appreciate this, but when you work extra long shifts from 8.30 am till 7 most nights, i would expect some sort of leeway! especially if your salaried and not contracted, i reckon im on below minimum wage if you actually spread my pay over the hours i do! I envy those who work from home!

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MY OH does 12 hour shifts and isnt allowed time off if say I'm sick and cannot care for the kids. Hence he has missed school plays and parents evenings. His boss would freak if he asked for an hour off to do the horse.
 
Thats very unfair! Employers should understand that people need to spend time with their children! Im sorry to hear that. In fact we have delt with some legal cases dealing with unfair employers expectations. I know work can really get in the way of life, its very frustraiting, this is why i placed the post today having worked most of christmas on a case as a favour id like to add, i expected my boss to let me have an hour off after lunch for the equine dentist but no! Oh well work sucks but we got to do it. I was just wondering how fortunate some of us were or were not. A lady at the stables is actually given split shifts by her boss so she can hack out in the daylight! wow!
 
I'm really lucky as work are very laid back and easy going. If I *need* to be there for the farrier I can take a half day off as holiday or I can work the time onto the end or beginning of a day. I can generally get out an hour early if I say I'll make the time up but more often than not they say not to bother and to just take the time i need as i'm bound to have made the time up somewhere already with an evening meeting or weekend work. They are this flexible with everyone though, drs appointment, delivery that needs signed for, dentist etc
I have to say though that I never ever stop for a 'lunch break' I always work through but work til 5 as well. (I know this is my choice but it makes a difference when I *need* to actually take an hour for lunch for farrier or whatever reason- they take it into account and it reflects well)
 
Mine are kind of flexible. They grumble but let me do it as long as start of day or end of day and I have to make up the hours which is totally fine
 
I wish i worked for my dad! my boss is ok but as he is not in everyday he has no idea really if i nip out for a while but i am lucky really that YO is present for injection dentist or new shoes!
 
I had flu over xmas and couldnt go out. OH's boss wouldnt let him have time off to take our youngest to the doctor so my mum had to take a day off to do it. My mum's bosses are good in that way, she just takes a day off (unpaid), but she shouldnt have to.

I'd love a job that allowed time off to hack in daylight. How fab would that be?
 
My boss is brilliant, although if I need to be present with the horse during the day I will book it as holiday. For an emergency they treat me as if I have children (well my horses are my babies!). It does help that my boss was brought up in the countryside so he seems to understand.
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I actually work with horses, at a retirement home where lots of them get ill etc.. so You'd think my boss would be good. No Chance!
One sunday night my pony got kicked very badly in the field, vet came out, suspected possible fracture had to cross tie him etc.. went back every few hours to check him, rung my boss in tears. she did the whole 'take as much time off as you need' thing.
monday morning came I got a phone call asking if I would come and work the afternoon, I didnt want to leave him but I agreed. got into work at 1pm at about 2pm got a phone call from yard saying my boy has got colic bad we need you back. I wasnt allowed to go, had to wait till 5pm before I could leave.
Then obviously I had tuesday off work as he was very bad I slept at the yard all day and night, he was put on a drip and then Wednesday morning the impaction had gone, but Wed Pm it had come back. Then this bit still upsets me, my boss rang me and demanded that I was back in work Thursday, I said he's really ill and she said " I dont care about your horse, not my problem, if he dies deal with it, just get back tommorrow"
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:( so I had to have him sent to the RVC as there was no way I could look after him.
Then I went back to work, got called into the office and got given a verbal warning for made up things that I hadnt even done because I hadnt actually been there. So working with horses hasnt helped me
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brilliant! when my horse had colic and we thought that was it, a bunch of flowers came for me! for the people that have children in my workplace i have a horse and my managers understand my needs for being there for improtant dates and vet visits even between the hours of 9-5 and if there is a show i want to go to during the week im also able to get the time off! i couldnt work for a compnay that didnt understand
 
My boss isn't too bad. I always arrange the farrier/EDT so it means just coming into work 30 mins late or leaving 30 mins early. Vet appointments fall whenever - I'm allowed time off but I always make the time up. If the weather crap, boss often lets me off 15-20 mins early to get them in from the field.
 
I'm very lucky in that I am the yard manager of the equestrian centre where my horses are kept- therefore if they have any probs I just step out the door!
 
Well I don't have a horse atm, but when I do think work will be a problem as I have to clock in and out (I know - in this day and age!) so that my hours are recorded. 'Core hour infringements' are taken very seriously - lol! Still, I knew the deal when I signed up.
 
I never need time off from work for the horses as I work evenings mainly. If ever I will occasionally swap shifts if I need to. If I needed to leave early or come in late then I would be allowed, I do as I want anyway so its a good job really.
 
My boss is fabulous, I can leave work at the drop of a hat for any horsey occasion, whether is be the vet, farrier, feed delivery or even if it starts raining hard - my baby hates the rain.

I have also left work early when I'm taking my horse to the gallops.

But then, my boss is my friend and I work very hard (when i'm in)
 
I work in town and my boss is understanding of my need to leave on time at the end of each day to get up to Louis. I can't just pop off in the middle of the day though or leave for appointments, I need to pre-plan these things to notify work that I am taking a holiday or booked day off. There have been the few occasions where I have been stuck in an emergency and I've had to phone in to get an hour or so off but this rarely happens as I am at a lovely yard where the YO are always around to handle emergencies. I also have a very close friend who will go up and do Louis on the few occasions that I am stuck at work for a meeting etc. I actually don't like to take the pee as I am employed/payed to do a job and it is my choice to have a horse so I try to keep the two separate. As soon as I finish work i'm on Louis' time!
 
Well as I work at the Vet College, animals come first!! My direct boss is great. I once had to bring Jack in for a scan (at the college) I left at 12 and she didn't mention making the time up - however, I rarely take a lunch break, so I guess it all evens out!
Mx
 
I'm on flexi and my Boss is really nice so I just have off whatever time I want, but on the other hand is there is a deadline I will work late to meet it.
 
Mine are complete crap, I have to book days off months in advance. I’m so lucky the horses are kept at my parents were my Sister works from home. Also my Mum helps a lot! I so wish my job was more flexible, don’t become a scientist!
 
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