Working full time

[WallisM]

Hi Everyone,

Was @ my stables last night and was wondering if any of you's are like me. I work full time Mon - Fri ( so I can afford my neddies ) So when the winter comes

I can only ride on a weekend, This wasn't a prob in the summer months as I rode nearly every night, But with the dark nights coming it's impossible as I dont have the facilities like a flood lit arena.
Anyone else in the same situation ?

 

[riotgirl]

Yep. One of the disadvantages of having my horses at home means I don't havr any posh facilities to go with it! I was actually quite surprised at how well my Welshie managed with only being ridden at the weekends, but she wasn't too bad. I looked upon it more as keeping her ticking over, and then worked on her fitness again in the spring. It is annoying, but not much I can do about it!

 

[burtie]

Do you have an arena at all? When our school lights broke I still used to ride most nights in the dark, horses have excellent night vision and mine's not bad. It also meant I had the school to myself!! Very few nights were so dark I really could not see at all.

 

[miamibear]

We do have a floodlit arena but its outdoors and when it rains heavy it floods and when its icy it freezes over! Cant win really - i would love an indoor school but dont have the funds to afford livery anywhere round here with an indoor school!

Hacking is a no go apart from weekends because i work full time too - wish it could be summer all year round!!

 

[4whitesocks]

I'm in the same boat - my new yard hasn't got the floodlights in yet but my boy is on schooling livery so at least I know (hope!) he is being ridden 3 times during the week....mind you next year I'll be bringing him home to live with me so dunno how I'm gonna manage during teh winter....

 

[tormor]

you can also get very good torches that would light the place up

 

[Heidi1]

We have an outdoor and it's floodlite, but problem is when it's cold and wet you still can't ride because there is no protection and it freezes, did have an indoor school, but they knocked it down to do a barn conversion and that was nearly three years ago and guess what, still no barn conversion, such a shame......

 

[WallisM]

No I don't have an arena and really dont want to go riding in my field in the winter months as it will get ploughed up.

Well at least am not the only one in this situation, I love having my own place as you can please yourself and there ain't no rules or regs but being at a yard with an arena would be fab.

Last winter it was the same and I could only ride my horse on a weekend which he was a total B*****D ! At first I put it down to bad behavior but thought about it, he was used to being ridden every night so had alot of energy, When the nights got lighter again he was fine.

Can't win ! hahaha

 

[Murphs_Mum]

Work full time but have am moving horse tomorrow to yard with school because it's a nightmare riding in the winter. I need to get him fit to draghunt and it's just not possible at the moment.

 

[FMM]

We joined the local riding club when we had no facilities and working full time - they had evening courses which we could get to by getting a lift from a neighbour. That meant we could ride at least one evening a week and both days at the weekend. Again, with the bad ground, we used to do dressage or jumping with the neighbour each weekend so we could give the horses some work.

Perhaps you need to prepare the horse for the lack of work, reduce feed etc, otherwise you will have a very fit horse who is looking for an outlet! Perhaps give him a holiday for 2 or 3 weeks to let him down a little (and give you both a rest) and then start riding again.

 

[rrose]

i work 8-10.30 (i do two jobs each day.) i dont have time to do my horse let alone ride. i go up in the morning and quickly at 10.30. she lives out so its not to bad. im lucky enough to have flood lights in the school. but i struggle alot. i work all week including sat and on sunday i work in the evening. i try and ride her as much as possible but it very hecktic.

 

[WallisM]

FMM good thinking a rest sounds quite good.

Yeah I am gonna look into feed which will not make him as fizzy, Last yeah he was only on D & H Leisure mix and Molly chaff, Any deas what I could change him onto ?
x

 

[FMM]

I would call one of the feed companies like Top Spec and ask for suggestions based on his age, height, type and work requirements. They will give you a feed schedule which you may find helps keep him sane!

 

[kick_On]

ooo yes - based on working farm
I work full with flexi -time-life saver- At yard 6.30am to muck out, reset beds and food, then ride both horses in morning on road (with school mother traffic!!) , travel to work 15mins down road hitting my work desk at 9.30am. Then in evening i have friend who brings in for me(in return i put her two out aswell) or if she can't, i rush out at 4pm(late lunch), go back to yard bring boys in and then go back to work and finish at 7pm.
In winter also member of rc and they have lesson in evening which mean that some mornings i can get to work for 8am which sorts my flexi time out .
I find you just have to be flexiable, but very oraganised and Only hard feed for the work you done, Not for the work you going to do
One good result i find, is i lose about a stone in weight over winter and i can eat anything chocolate, crisp etc and i still lose weight - brilliant

 

[ExRacers]

Yes I work full time too and have 2 horses. I get up to the yard at 6am and feed, then muck out & turn out before going to work. Luckily my Mum lives beside the stables so she brings them in for me each night. We have no school either so they only get ridden at the weekends - 1 hacked out each day - & that's providing the weather is OK! Suprisingly it seems to maintain their fitness quite well as I sometimes do the odd dressage or s/j comp in winter too without any problems. Incidentally they are both TBs as well but so long as they get turned out every day during the week, the weekend hacks are not too full of high spirits!!

 

[WallisM]

Good Idea FMM might see if the have a website.

My Neddie isn't in yet the other one lives out which makes it easier, But when Jim goes in I'm up at 5.30, Ride my bike along to the stables which is 5mins away, Feed, Change rugs, Let him out, Put piles of hay out, Muck out, Change water, Soak Hay & make feeds for night, then home for 7.00 get ready for work get there for 8 till 4, Get to the stables for 5 bring in, Feed, Tuck him in then go home to bed ready for the whole thing again. What a fab life hahahaha

 

[Chumsmum]

I'm in a similar situation - work full time and no school - so can only ride at weekends in the winter. However, he is usually quiet, even if I didn't ride for a couple of weeks, so don't worry too much and he gets lots of turnout. Hopefully going hunting towards the end of the season so might have to consider paying for him to be exercised to get him fitter.
Agree that it is hard work when in DIY and working full time. Usually have a nice rest when he is turned out 24/7 for the summer but he was on box rest for six weeks! He can go out now (thank god) so have got another month or so before the early mornings start again! But I love it all really

 

[luie123]

Does anyone have any ingenious ideas for lighting a school with no flood lights. Horse doesnt seem to have great night vision - masybe he doesnt get enough carrots! I was thinking something hooked up to a battery (like electric fence battery) but my OH doesnt think it would be powerful enough or last long.

 

[Bex7]

I am in the same situation but am still riding every day in the mornings....

Ride out at 6ish as the light is coming up with so much high viz it hurts your eyes.....

 

[Vicki1986]

i work 8-6 by time i get to yard its 6.30 and dark by 7.30 !! i ride out in the dark fluro'd and lit up to the very max
i look like a christmas tree but i think i wouldnt go out without all the gear on

i.e..

flashing hat band, flashing waistcoat, whip with flashing lights on the end (my BEST accessorie with its blue red and green lights!!)

reins covers, browband cover, x4 leg wraps, 3/4 sheet, flashing tail cover, breastplate

(all pink! haha)

i actually had someone stop me last night on the country lane and said "excellent visibility, saw you from MILES away, more so than in the daylight!"

this was the other day when we hacked at dusk not total darkness so didnt have as much fluro gear on as usual .... altho you cant see any of my flashing lights when you take a photo which is a bummer!!