Working mom pony routine

[Lauren1993]

Hi Everyone,
Looking for some advice / tips etc. as we are looking at getting out 3 year old daughter her 1st pony

I work Mon-Thursday & she goes to nursery Tue-Thurs , Mon she is with Nanny.
I do work from home so I do have that bonus , hours are 8-4pm with half an hour lunch
So I have Fridays off & collect my daughter from nursery straight after work.
The yard is 4 minutes drive from our house where it is DIY stable & grazing, ad-lib hay, straw, indoor school, amazing hacking.
we have people on the yard that offer day care (full care) turn out / bring ins for extra money.
I was just wondering how working mums time their daily routine & any tips / tricks before we commit - I don’t know if I’m going to burn myself out.
I am pregnant due in September so will be finishing work to take 9-12 months off in August (but I will then have a newborn in tow) and then my daughter will only be in. Hearty term time 9-3pm so have a lot more free time & Time with pony.
What do you all think ? Do able, manageable ? Any tips ?
thank you !

 

[ownedbyaconnie]

My baby is 9 months and I have a pony on DIY. I mucked out every day, poo picking, lifting bales of hay, bedding etc whilst I was pregnant and I’m convinced it is what helped me bounce back so quickly.

i then took my baby to the yard with me every day. She gets shut in my stable whilst I get my jobs done but she is a very good baby. Another livery doesn’t bring her baby down as she says she cries whenever she is out of sight. I can’t say whether I just got lucky with my baby or my baby is like that because I’ve done it from day one!

Mainly it’s just make sure you’re really organised and the fact you have access to help is good. I always think if you want something enough you’ll make it work.

If you are worried about managing it all could you look for a share a few days a week? See how you go before making a decision.

 

[Lauren1993]

My baby is 9 months and I have a pony on DIY. I mucked out every day, poo picking, lifting bales of hay, bedding etc whilst I was pregnant and I’m convinced it is what helped me bounce back so quickly.

i then took my baby to the yard with me every day. She gets shut in my stable whilst I get my jobs done but she is a very good baby. Another livery doesn’t bring her baby down as she says she cries whenever she is out of sight. I can’t say whether I just got lucky with my baby or my baby is like that because I’ve done it from day one!

Mainly it’s just make sure you’re really organised and the fact you have access to help is good. I always think if you want something enough you’ll make it work.

If you are worried about managing it all could you look for a share a few days a week? See how you go before making a decision.

 

[Lauren1993]

Thank you for replying !
I’m not really concerned about when the baby comes as like you I think I will just get on with it & take her with me & she will get used to it.
We’ve looked for a share for about a year & there is nothing local that fits in with us & is suitable for our daughter.
an old friend has offered me a loan pony for the summer with view to buy if all goes okay, so my main thing is getting to August until I finish work juggling it all.
is is doable whilst working 4 days a week, nursery & being pregnant.
I’ve had horses all of my life and always done it on my own, recently stopped riding due to a spinal I just met. & now I have children life is obviously different.
I will have lots of help & a summer loan sounds very appealing !
I think I know the answer but I just wanted to make sure I was doing the right thing … & tell hubby ? hahaa

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

If pony can live out, which I would expect to be the case, if you ask the yard to do the morning check, you could collect daughter from Nursery and go immediately to the yard and involve daughter in the jobs that need to be done. Loan pony sounds exciting!

 

[Lauren1993]

at my yard they all come in overnight for Most of the time - in the hot heat of summer some switch round & out at night & in in the day.
spring/summer some leave out all of the time so I guess it’s just preference & what suits the pony.
the pony will be for my 3 year old daughter so she will be with me 90% of the time Hopefully.
my plan was -
7.30 - Be up the yard for turn out etc.
8 - Nursery drop
8.15 Home & work
Lunch - free time so I can go yard & muck out, bring in if needed
4.15 - finish work - Nursey pick up OR straight to the yard to bring in etc if daughter is not coming that day
4.30 - yard, ride, muck out etc.
then home & done for the day

obviously Fridays & weekends will be different as I have no work.

do you think this is realistic & doable ?

My daughter has all 3 meals at nursery so will just have snacks etc. to hand either end of the day.
I’m excited but want to be realistic & not make a mistake.
thank you !

 

[ownedbyaconnie]

To be honest it’s all well and good having a plan but you’ll find your routine that works when it comes to it. Eg my baby cluster fed 6pm-6am so that didn’t affect going to my horse. But my friends baby cluster fed 8am-12pm so her mornings were a no go for a while. My baby has always been much happier and amenable in the morning so I’ve always done my horse then as opposed to the afternoon.

Some days I’ve got my jobs done in 30 mins because baby hasn’t needed feeding, nappy change etc. other days it’s taken me 5 x as long because she’s needed a lot more attention.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I can think of no good reason to bring in a healthy (not laminitis/sweetitch prone) pony overnight in summer - it just makes work which the mother of young children doesn't need. I certainly wouldn't plan to take the children in the morning. However as above, I'm sure you will find your own workable routine.

 

[Lauren1993]

Yes I agree, if he is okay to stay out he will be out to make life easier for me, but it would also depend on if he has a companion whilst out, wouldn’t want him to be out alone.
ah okay. I can work any hours I want to between 8-6pm so I can fit around really so if I’m not taking my daughter up in the morning I can do the nursery drop then go to the yard after & start work later.
I would just finish later in that case.
the yard offers bring in & turn outs so I can make use of that on some days I need to I guess

 

[Upthecreek]

The only thing I would say is going from having one child to two children is quite a shock in the first few weeks so I’d ensure you have support with pony in place for that time. Once you’re back at work you’ll be well in the swing of it and it will be manageable, especially if your working hours are quite flexible. I had competition horses to ride when mine were tiny and that was difficult fitting in time to ride as much as I needed, but you will be fine because your children will be involved in caring for their pony so easier to keep them occupied.

 

[Lauren1993]

Thank you that is some good advice. I have lots of friends & help on the yard so I’m hoping when it comes to that time I can have lots of help when needed.
my daughter will also be moving to a school nursery at this time too so she will go to do 9-3pm while I’m off then I will go back to work next year for 3 days a week is the plan (from home)
I think I know the answer & what I want to do I just needed abit of reassurance that it is totally doable & not to worry about it !
thank you

 

[alsxx]

As a mum of 2, I'd say plan for your plans to constantly change! But if you want to do it, you'll make it work.

We have our own place, about 15 mins drive from home, and 3 neds and 6 sheep and no one else to help. I work full time with 3 days at home and 2 in office (commute into London). My current routine is they are all out 24/7, the shetland spends overnight in her fat paddock with soaked hay and then in the field with the other 2, muzzled, during the day. Hubby usually does the morning stint on his way to work while I get girls ready and drop off to school and childminder. Evenings I do them and office days it's just a check/feed/relocation but other evenings I do a mix of poo picking, working one or 2 of them (usually lunging shetland and currently groundwork with my 4 year old, hopefully progress to ridden soon haha), sometimes with kids often alone. Friday nights and weekends are for riding/PC/my stuff. Not ideal but I can't find any more hours in the day by the time I've done everything else.... ?

 

[lcmcd]

Ah I think I’ve chatted on another forum about this! All the best if you do decide to go for it… some great advice here. I have my pony and my two children 4 and 2, usually go to the yard myself just for ease either early morning or evening while my husband is at home (I’m lucky I only need to go once a day just now due to sharing tasks with fieldmate’s owners), but I do take kids with me sometimes maybe a couple of times a week and usually works ok - it is very rewarding to see them learn the chores and be involved and my 4yo has just started riding our boy. Like others said I did struggle when 2nd was little but support from friends at yard made it easier and I think it sounds like you’d have that too. All the best!