Working full time and horses. Your routines

[ClaireH78]

I am just wondering what everyones routine is and how you all cope.

I work full time in London and it takes me 1 hour 20 mins to get into work and I start at 9am. I finish at 5.30 and providing the trains are running OK I walk through my door at around 6.45pm. I quickly change, grab the dog and am back out in my car by 7.00pm and drive to stables. On a good drive (no traffic) I get to yard for 7.30pm. The drive involves the A2 and M25. I quickly pick out Georges feet and give him a quick flic over before tacking up and going out to ride or lunge (at the moment only in sand school but in summer hopefully can hack out). Exercise him for approx 40 mins depending on how George behaves. Finish ride about 8.30. Do a proper groom, ensure feeds are made up and other little jobs that need doing like giving George hugs and kisses, take the dog for a run around the field, leave yard about 9.00 home for 9.30 might eat some pasta or toast and bed by 10.30.

I just get on with it as I have no choice, I need to work in London to get the money to pay for the horse. I pay for him to be on 5 day livery and the only thing I do is make my own feeds (although I do try and make up a weeks worth of feeds at the weekend). Sometimes though I am sooooooo tired.

I do this about 3 times during the week sometimes 4.

How does this compare to other London workers? And other people who live closer to their horses or work?

I choose to be at a Livery yard a distance away from my home as I have good facilities and hacking.

What is the furthest you would travel to a yard?

 

[Hovis_and_SidsMum]

Crikey! Thats sounds tough!
We're lucky enugh to live about 10 -15 mins away from the yard.
We get up at 0530, leave for the yard about 0545. Get there at 0600, feed the boys, start mucking out, encourage Hovis to eat a bit faster, finish mucking out, plead Hovis to eat faster, change rugs, pick out feet, remove Hovis's head from the floor where he's looking for the last bits of breakfast then turn them out.
Back in the car for 0640. Back home, take dog for walk, make lunches, have shower, dry hair, get dressed, go to work. Arrive at work at 0810.
I leave work about 1645 so get to the yard about 1730. Bring in the Destroyer (Hovis!), de-rug, do haynets, either ride or groom, do feet, re-rug, feed, kiss good night. Go home. Walk dog. Make dinner. Eat. Sleep!!

 

[Bettyboo1976]

up at 6am, wake daughter, let dogg out for a pea, get dressed have breakie etc.. be out of door for 6.40. Get yard 6.50, feed breakie, & start to muck out, turn out at 7.10 and finish muck out sweeping, make tea/breakie get changed leave yard at 7.45, take daughter to child minder for 8am and get to work for 8.30. Finish work at 5pm, collect daughter from child minder get to yard 5.30ish, bring in, groom, tack up ride, untack, put down bed, put on jammies feed say night night, go home between 7/7.30pm sometimes later depending on how much chatting i do.. lol. this is basically my routine mon- friday.. Saturday.. YO does breakie and turns out... so i get the morning with family!

I wouldnt livery more than 20mins away from my house or work cos i couldnt afford the extra fuel etc..

 

[melv1lle]

Hi - it is good to hear that others do similar mad things for the love of their horses

I also work (and live) in central London but keep my horse out in Berkshire because I wanted turn out all year round (plus it is a lovely yard). I have him on full livery now because my work means that I just can't ride him enough. I ride both days of the weekend and then aim for at least 2 nights a week riding as well - but this can get buggered up courtesy of a) getting stuck in work late or b) the traffic grinding to a halt for no apparent reason on the M4 (which happens a lot - sometimes I wonder if Londoners can drive in the dark

). From my work to the stables is one hour fifteen on a good day and then it is 45 minutes back home again afterwards. A bit of a slog but better this than no horse!

 

[HBII]

I work full time 8.00am to 4.30pm and I am 1hr and 10 mins from the yard. My mare is on full livery otherwise I would physically be unable to have a horse. I chose to drive the 80 mile round trip as the yard/facilities and care are second to none IMO and couldnt manage without it.

I [hopefully] market depending be moving this year and working from a different office so I will be closer to my mare.

Sometimes it is just nice to know you arent the only one who has trek!

Hb

 

[MontyandZoom]

I travel 1 hr 45 mins to work and start at eight. I finish work at four, get home, jump in the car and drive to the field. It's only fifteen minutes down the road so usually get there at 6.15. My two are field kept so no mucking out to do. My feeding, checking, picking feet etc usually takes an hour and a half. I get home for 8pm in winter since I have no school so can only ride on days off. In the summer I ride/lunge as much as possible so stay until it gets dark! I only use mine for hacking most of the time and would love to do more but I can only afford grass diy livery. It sucks but I still feel lucky to have them.

Lifestyle doesn't leave much time for my OH tho!!! But he knows how much I love my ponies and is very understanding!

 

[Nats_uk]

Work in London too.
Get up at 5am - get down stables for about 5:20. Give breakfast to 5 horses, muck out, change my horse's rugs, turn out him (when he is off box rest) and another horse, get changed, grab lift to station at 6:30. Get 6:45 train into Stratford, then tube to Waterloo.
Work 8 til 5.
If I get out of work on time, catch tube and get 5:42 train from Stratford to home, get 6:20pm bus to yard - normally get down yard about half 6pm.
Get changed, do horsey, jobs, feed etc. Am currently getting home about 8 but once I start riding again that will range between 9-10pm. Then I finally get dinner, get clothes ready for morning, have shower then fall into bed

Horse is on DIY livery and have arrangement with a friend that he is bought in for me in the evening so at least that saves me so time.

 

[Benjamin]

Well, I have just added an extra horse, so this has been my routine this week.

Up at 5.00/5.15....feed the yard (around 40 horses - chuck feed and hay)
Throw Benj's w/chip bed up, change rug
Muck out Rudy, and lay bed back down, change rug.
Put them both out
In for shower and change, off to work by 7.30 at the latest.
Work 9 to 5.30.
Home by 6.30 (ish)
Get boys in.
If I am going to the gym, like tonight, then I will go to the gym, and ride and sort feeds/nets/beds when I get back. Indoors for a cuppa and bed by 10pm.
Nights I don't go to the gym, I will ride first then do beds and feeds, in by 9pm.

Roll on 24hr turnout

ETS I work in the Square Mile, commute on the tube

 

[AandK]

up at 6am to walk the dog. lucky as i live 8 mins from yard, arrive at yard about 6.50, feed and hay 6 horses (on DIY yard but 1st at yard am feeds the lot) muck out, turn out, leave about 7.30/45 (depending on time of year/mess ned has made in stable).
home for 8, quick shower at work for 9.. leave work just after 5, at yard for 5.15 (again lucky as work/yard/home are all 5/10 mins from each other) groom, ride, bed down, feed etc then usually leave 7/7.30 depending on how much time i spend faffing/chatting...

 

[Quarrybank]

I work in London too & start at 7.15am & finish at about 5pm. I leave my house at 6.30am & have a 45 mins commute (I'm lucky as I only have a 5mins walk to the station at home & work right by Liverpool street. ) I have my 2 horses on Part livery (everything except riding & grooming) Which is a 5mins drive from my house.
I don't go down in the morning & if I leave work on time I can be home at 6pm & at the yard by 6.20pm

Twice a week I ride them both for about 40 to 45 mins. With a flick over groom & a skip out & tidy of their beds, I'm finished by about 8.30pm / 8.45pm. Home to cook & eat dinner & in bed by 10.30pm as the alarm goes off at 5.30pm.
2 nights a week I just ride one of them & then I'm done by about 7.45pm. Weekends I ride them both & this means they both get ridden 5 days a week & I get one day off

In the winter I can only school, but in the summer I mix in hacking out as well.
Not ideal as I don't end up with much free time, but it seems to work ok

 

[H-J]

[ QUOTE ]
Work in London too.
Get up at 5am - get down stables for about 5:20.

[/ QUOTE ]

It takes you 20mins to get up, washed and changed and get to the yard

It takes me 20mins to get out of bed in the mornings

 

[AandK]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Work in London too.
Get up at 5am - get down stables for about 5:20.

[/ QUOTE ]

It takes you 20mins to get up, washed and changed and get to the yard

It takes me 20mins to get out of bed in the mornings

[/ QUOTE ]

me too.!! alarm starts going off at 5.30am, i get up at 5.57am (after several 9 min snoozes..)

 

[ClaireH78]

So it seems most of us give up a social life / housework / TV to have horses.

I don't mind though!! I do like to try and make it home to watch CSI on a Tuesday night though!!!

I also spend nearly all day Sat and Sun at the yard as I love being there and have a lovely group of friends.

Chatting is what makes me leave the yard so late!!!!

 

[Quarrybank]

ditto.... when i say alarm goes off at 5.30am I also snooze at least twice so get up closer to 5.45am!!

 

[BeckyD]

Your routine sounds like my old one! Up at 6 for 7.28 train to London, work 9-5, best case scenario on 5.06 train home, for 6.35 walk through front door. Quick change/feed cats then leave home 6.45 arrive yard 7.10, quick groom, ride 45 mins, then skip out, feed and ensure water/hay sufficient for night. Leave yard at 8.30 (yard close time i.e. if I missed the 5.06 train then couldn't ride), back 9ish. Prepare, cook and eat tea, do general house chores then fall into bed. Ronnie was on part livery for 5 days in the week. Weekends he was DIY. I aimed to ride 3-4 nights midweek, both days at wkends obviously.

Now

I work 25 min drive from home/30 min drive from stables. So, up at 6 for 8am start, finish 5pm, at stables for 5.40 pm (after changing into riding clothes at work). Groom, skip out, tack up and ride. Leave about 7 to 7.15, home by 7.45 at latest. Much better

I have a life again, and aim to see Ronnie 4 nights during week. Still on DIY wkends. Admittedly took a pay cut to move out of London but it's worth it.

 

[miller]

Up between 5:15 and 6am (depending on shift I'm on), go out to feed (horses at hom), in for coffee while they eat up. Tunr out, muck out (leave beds up), fill nets, water etc.
Into house 6.20-6.45 (depending on start time), coffee, shower, drive 50 mins to work, 7.5 hrs later leave, drive 50 mins home, get changed, put beds down, fetch horses, groom, ride, put to bed and feed.
In house anywhere between 6:45 and 9:30 (again depending on shift/length of time riding), cook/eat tea, shower, telly, back out to horses 10:30, skip out, top up water nets, feed again 3 feeds a day), into bed 10:45 - crash!

Edit to add - looking for a new job so could well end up in London and will have a 50 mins train on top both ways (40 mins to Peterborough station then 50 on train each end of the day)

 

[Nats_uk]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Work in London too.
Get up at 5am - get down stables for about 5:20.

[/ QUOTE ]

It takes you 20mins to get up, washed and changed and get to the yard

It takes me 20mins to get out of bed in the mornings

[/ QUOTE ]

To be fair we only live 2 min away from yard.

Have got yard clothes ready the night before so get up, wash, chuck yard clothes on and head down stables. No make up as its only yard owner who might see me. Get changed for work and put make up down yard. If I need a shower and hair wash, I will do it the night before.

 

[Tanta]

This morning I got up at 6.30, went outside (our yard is directly behind our house) fed horses except the one I was going to ride, tacked up and hacked for an hour and a half, got back, gave her breakfast, lunged another horse, put NZ on 3 horses, and put them out. (we have someone who comes daily at luncvhtime to muck out/get them in, and feeds pm as well). Then back in house by 9am, quick bath, in car by 9.20 and at work for 10 - easy! (but not so easy in winter when it is dark so late in the mornings...)

 

[RachelFerd]

I've been intending to get another horse for a while - and unfortunately have been in the situation of having enough money but not enough time or vice versa. So the answer was to convince OH to move - so we have just put a deposit down on a house in Surrey!! My provisional plan is as follows - just hope it works in reality

I travel around by motorbike, and work in Wandsworth (SW london) - quickest form of transport around london, and equals the speed of a car around the country. Can't carry much on it, but we're in the market for an old landrover to fill that duty

6am wake up
6.30am set off to stables to arrive by about 6.40am (yard requirement is that it is VERY NEAR!)
groom and on board by about 7am, ride for up to an hour - school or hack
8am brush off, feed, muck out whilst eating, chuck in field.
9am set off from yard straight to work, arrive 9.30,
have shower at work and am at work from 10-6.30

will probably have to have someone bring in from field (unless i find 24/7 turnout)
then drop in at the stables about 7.15pm, full groom, do all routine jobs, have a natter and home for about 8/8.30pm.

Aim is to be 'nearly' DIY - just require the odd bring in or turnout and the odd holiday cover (although OH is plotted in to cover me for work holidays!)

On DIY, this should be very affordable - unfortunately part livery prices in surrey made me near collapse.

My requirements when choosing where to move to were that I was 45 minutes away at maximum from work, and that I was no more than 20 minutes away from the horse - and preferably not in the opposite direction! Fortunately Leatherhead is surrounded by grazing and yards on all sides, so I think it's all going to be possible!

 

[Natassia]

I really have it easy compared to some of you..you make me feel so lazy! I'm a student in Brighton and commute 2-3x a week and live with my parents so that I can keep my horse in London/Surrey. He's on DIY livery so I do everything and ride on my days off and study in the evenings usually (social life has suffered a bit but I'm so tired and poor anyway, I try to get down to Brighton for the odd weekend!).
On a uni day I can usually get to the yard before or after uni, its a small friendly yard so people help each other turn out/bring in as required. The stations a 5 min drive from the yard so I get the train to Brighton straight from doing my horse, I try to keep myself looking respectable and clean but its much easier when I go to the yard after uni! Its a 2 hour commute and I study on the train as well, my course is pretty much all reading and it seems to work out ok..god knows what I'm going to do when I start working full time!!

 

[BBs]

Usually up by 6:30. Leave for yard around 7am.
Get there just after 7:20 due to traffic

Turn out, muck out and get to work around 8:30 - work 9-5 usually. Yard is 5 minutes from work.
Sometimes ride before work.
Usually share chores with FinnMcCoul which makes life easier.

 

[Pinkwellies2]

Monday and Friday – supposed to get up about 6.45am normally 7am – feed dogs and cats, dogs are JRT and use cat flap to let themselves out. Then get self ready need to leave house by 7:30 to hopefully arrive at work for about 8.15, work 8;30 till 5;00. Only live 9 miles away from work but hit full on commuter traffic from leaving house so can take 1 hour. Leave work at 5 to get to yard anytime between 5.45 and 6.15 again dependent on traffic. Horse is on assisted livery so will have been turned out in the morning and brought in. Muck out, do water, make feeds, fill up any empty haynets, groom and then ride for 20 to 30 mins at moment but building up as fitness improves. Finish off, feed, get home for about 8;30, feed animals, OH works nights so just have self to feed, then will either do some housework, watch a bit of telly or go on forum before bed at about 10;30 but if forum is interesting can be later!
Tues, Wed, Thurs. Get up at 6;00am, feed animals out of house for 6.30am. Get to yard at about 6;50, feed all horses in my block about 9, 1st down feeds but only your own block, feed & hay mare next to mine. Muck out, water whilst horse eating, turn out horse, make feeds and leave haynet in stable for when he comes in. Leave yard at no later than 7.30 to get to work. Leave work at 5 to go to second job, work 6 until 9 at Matalan. Horse is brought in for me, and fed at normally time. One of the 3 days a friend rides him for me. Get home and routine is same as for Mon & Fri.

Weekends depending on what’s going on either go down first thing and am there all day or get him turned out in morning and go down later or go down early and leave everything ready and him brought in evening. Yard is very flexible, you just write what you need doing on board, they will also do days full livery so if need a day off is ok.

Am quite lucky that OH works nights so don’t have to worry about seeing him and we seem to manage alright at weekends, do own thing some days, others spend together either horsey or motorbike and always spend Sat & Sun evenings together.

 

[Accy]

My average routine
Mon - Fri
Get to yard for 6.30am Feed, Muck out, Make Haynets turn out three, Get to work for 8.30am Get to yard for 5.15pm Excersise 1 or 2 then home for approx 7.30 -8.00 pm

I guess I have it very easy compared to many of you

 

[Ani]

Mon - Fri I get up at 05.15 go to the yard do my two horses drive 30 miles to work. Work from 07.30 until 18.00, drive back to the yard, bring my horses in, exercise them and put them to bed, get home around 20.00. Saturdays & Sundays i get up at 08.00, do my horses and either teach or compete all day, put the horses to bed about 17.30. Starting new job soon where i work 07.00 - 17.00 two days per week and 08.00-17.00 three days a week but it's about an hours drive away from home. Sold one horse due to lack of time but now don't have a competition horse and am bored without the challenge.

 

[catembi]

I work in the City too.

In the past I've got up mega early & ridden before work, often in the dark. I'm sure I rem getting up at 4.30 am for a bit...

Now the horses are at home, and they're out all year, so in the am I just check that everyone's alive (my old mare is 35...) chuck food & hay at them & change rugs if I think it's going to warm up. Off the yard by 7.20 to 7.25 ish to catch the train.

The journey's 50 mins on the train (not counting the tube) which I use for studying with my ultramobile pc. I also study at lunchtime.

I get home at 6.25, have a snack, get changed & go straight out. I've now got an arena so o/h drags out my mobile floodlight while I get ready. I then school for 45 mins & my old mare has her dinner while I'm riding cos otherwise she follows us about & gets in the way (arena isn't fenced). Then I pile all Adrian's rugs back on & put him out with his dinner & put out some more hay.

Even when I was commuting to Romford every day (driving 140 mile round trip) I still rode every day cos that's the point in having a job - to pay for the horse!! No point in doing your 'stick' if you don't get your 'carrot'...

 

[AmyMay]

I get up at 5.30 and am at the yard by 5.45.

Feed the horses, turn and muck mine out.

Home by 6.30. Shower, change go to work for 8.00am.

Back at the yard by 4.30.

 

[MrsMagoo]

God reading all your routines, im not sure about my new job lol

How do you all OH's if you have one, mind you getting in late etc?

I know this is going to be an issue with mine when i start new job so i was going to try and not be that late. Routine at the moment:

07.00ish - up for shower, get dressed, strighten house, watch TV and out by 08.00ish
Get to yard about 08.15/20, turn star out *if out and muck out bed. If time, get haynet ready for evening.
09.00 - 4.30 WORK, play on HHO lol
4.45 - back to yard, get Star in, groom etc. Not riding at the moment as she is broken so usually feed and get home about 5.30/6ish then sit on my bum for the evening

When I start new job in Sidcup, routine will hopefully be:
06.00'ish - up shower, dressed, breakfast etc and leave by 7.00ish
07.10ish - get to yard, sort Star i.e turnout out, muck out, sort hay etc if time
07.45ish - leave for work and work 08.30 - 5pm
Hopefully get to yard about 5.30/45ish traffice depending and either ride if in work or get in and feed etc. If riding would prob get home about 7/7.30ish if dont talk too much lol, if not then home about 6.30ish...

 

[alsxx]

I work in Croydon - was in London but the 1hr 30 - 45 mins each way was killing me so got a job closer; Two ponios are on DIY, so routine is:

5.45 - get up, drive to yard for about 6am - 6.05am. Feed my two plus the other 4 that are in our little section of the yard (YO's and one other DIYer), muck both out, do water and change rugs. Marching them up the field is hellish as its a HUGE hill and takes me 15mins to get up there with them and back down again. Usually back in car for 6.40 at latest, home for 6.55.

At home I shower every morning as I usually stink of horses, feed cats and clean out litter tray or they go on the floor

and make lunch for me and OH. leave house at 8am to get the 8.11 train - lucky its a 5 min walk! Train gets into station in croydon for 8.48 and then 10 - 15 minute walk to work. I work 9am to 5.30pm with usually no lunch! I get the 5.40 train home so back by 6.25 and then straight in, feed cats and change and go down yard for 6.45 ish. Get in (sometimes other DIYer very kindly gets in which saves walking up the evil hill again ), try to ride for 45 mins, then change rugs, feed and hay. Usually end up leaving at about 8.30 if i ride and have to get in. So home, cook tea (no chance of OH doing that!!!) and then fall unconscious from exhaustion!!

Its more fun if I have to go away for work which is usually at least once a week, so before making a dash to Gatwick, I am down the yard for 4am doing the above so OH can bring in in the evenings!!

 

[Vicki1986]

I don't know how some of you do it i really don't !! I admire everyone who is at the yard in winter anything before 6.30am for anything other than a show/hunting etc!!

I live & work 25-30 mins from the yard, thats far enough for me. i work normally 7-5.30 or 8-6.

I get up there around 6.15 - 6.30 usually depending what time i finish and can leave as early as 7.30/8pm depending if ive got my butt in gear or not!
my mare is on full livery mon-fri so all i have to do is ride, faff about, - and i do my own feeds.

I like to get home as early as possible to do housework etc as i'm at the yard all day weekends too. the only reason im ever in from the yard later than 8.30 is if ive stood around chatting...God knows what i'd ever do if i got an OH. But that is highly unlikely LOL

 

[tiger_feet]

I can't believe the dedication you show in looking after your horses! I recently moved my horse to a new yard and put him on full livery after always being on DIY with morning turnout. It took me a while to get over the guilt of not having to see him every day. I'm now privileged to be able to get up at 8.30am walk the 10 steps to the office in the spare room, finish at 5pm, drive the 10 miles (20 mins) to the yard, ride, put to bed, and get back home before 7.30pm. I have one or two days off a week which means that I can now resurect my social life! I certainly have it easy now compared to most of you!