WWYD- Not sure new job will work around horse

Depends what you want and if you're buying a home together what partner is happy with. I work full time have a 15 month old boy and a youngster on diy who I ve just backed myself I go to the yard twice a day and take time off for the vet and farrier another livery has the same farrier so I don't always have to be there. Its sometimes very hard work but I like to see to my horse myself so it suits me . I'd like to work less hours but that means less money id struggle to pay for my horse and it wouldn't be fair to my husband not to pay my share towards the house, holidays etc
 
I think you probably are spoiled with current situation but that said don't think I could cope working "normal" hours longterm! I've done about 3 weeks of it (going back to working shifts back end of this week) and have found it hard! Normally I work a mix of shifts usually starting between 8 and 12 and finishing between 5 and 8.30. I also work weekends and get time off in lieu so try to fit vet visits etc in with this. If I worked normal hours I'd end up just taking days off for vet and physio visits and have to plan them several months in advance as getting time off to suit me rather than the company isn't always easy if at short notice
 
You could test things with both employers to help you decide. At the moment it's a very polarised choice. If your current employer paid you more or the prospective employer were able to be flexible about hours, how would that influence your choice? If I were you, and I say this as someone who employs a large team and who knows how difficult and expensive it is to recruit and retain good people, I would ask the prospective employer about occasional flexibility in your hours - I'm sure that in a office full of women there must be others who need occasional flexibility too, and a good employer would rather this was handled in an organised way than that there are unexplained, mystery absences. If the response is not what you hope for, does the response tell you anything else that helps make up your mind? Conversely, could you explain to your current employer that you are thinking of moving on in order to earn more and see if they can make you an offer to keep you? How much would make a difference to you? Would just a little bit more money encourage you to stay where you are in order to have the flexibility and convenience? Talk it through with your partner - what matters more to you as a couple at this point... you earning more, or you having more time, and do those two things have to be mutually exclusive?
 
I work 8.30 - 5 with a 45 min commute in each direction. I am diy but yard offers services so I have a bring in during the day as I like him to come in an deflate before I ride in the summer and in winter they can't stay out all day. Yard will also do him if I need to be away with work. I'm never there for the farrier, just leave a cheque and the yard point him in the right direction or bring pony in for the farrier. For the vet I've taken holiday or if it's just routine jabs I've got the yard to sort him.
 
12.5k is nothing, a graduates pay starts at 16-18k . Teacher also but with a great mum who is retired. Horses at home with me. Deal is I shop for them at supermarket, everything is ordered and in. Leave at 6.45... Hour and a half communite, in school at 8.15, work for 30 mins. Leave school at 3.50, sit in traffic for M6! Commute home can be 2 hours. Change and can just help mum as walk through door. 2 in , three out. Vets, farrier am lucky she does! Someone rides once a week but soon I will be able to.
 
I know this thread isn't about your job choice really but if you can't take a risk now when can you? At the moment you are living at home, you have a partner who earns more and your horse is on part-livery. You were good enough to get your first job, you are good enough to be offered a better paid job where you will gain loads more experience even if that experience is that you find it is not something you want to do long-term. One day you will not be living with your parents and you may OH may leave you (sorry but it happens) and you need to make sure you can support yourself. When you live together will he be happy to support you whilst you have a horse and contribute nothing additional to the household? Not many men are.

My first graduate salary was £12,500 18 years ago and that was on the low-end to put it into perspective how rubbish your salary is.
 
My horse is on full livery so I do not have to worry to much about it. I would normally take a day off for the vet. The YO take care of everything else (farrier visits,etc..)
For me it's not possible to go in the morning and evening as in rush hour it would take about an hour get there and an hour to get to work. I normally go 3-4 times a week to ride.

What makes you think you will not like the new job? You will not know until you try it !
You might end up liking it better than your current job. Is that not minimum wage you are on, it seems very low to me..you have to take the new opportunity.
Worst case scenario you don't like it, just stay a year so it's looks good on your CV and find another job. That is how you improve your career prospect by moving to a better paid one and by doing different/new things. Doesn't mean you will always enjoy the job but with more experience you will find it easier to find something else that would paid more and that you will enjoy.
I'm sure you will find a way to work around your horse (maybe even pay someone to do it on some days)
Good Luck!
 
Thanks for the great response, i've got lots to think about from it all!
I spoke to my partner last night, and he has said don't take THIS job, but don't stop looking, as he thinks it will be a step backwards career wise. While I have CAD experience and surveying knowledge he thinks I should use this to gain more experience and go in to a job at LEAST in the construction industry and avoid admin. he agrees that although the extra money would be nice, in the long run I could earn more with surveying- especially as my current company have offered to send me on a managerial role at the end of the year.

So my plan from here is to speak to my employer and let them know I am struggling money-wise and to ask what more I could do to earn more in the same company. If they can offer me nothing, I carry on my job search in hope for more CAD work.

As for being reliant on him, I have never accepted nor will I ever accept money help from him or anyone else- the horse is my problem (my wonderful problem!) and I shall always keep it that way. We have worked out bills will be paid together by our % earnings, so we both lose the same % of our wage to make it fair in that respect.
Though with the property market how it is, it could still be years before we have a big enough deposit for a mortgage!
 
I work for my dad,so i'm very luckily and have lots of flexibilty in my job :P however I still do the early morning/Late nights as everyone else has said. I have 3 horses 20 mins drive from my house, but as long as I am organised in advance I never have any problem getting time off for farrier/vet etc, but I appreciate I am in the minority!
 
9tails said:
I work in London, a 1.5 hour commute from the yard and my horse. I work 9-5. My horse is on DIY livery, I go up at 6am to turn out and I have someone bring her in at 4pm. I then go up in the evening to skip out and ride, getting everything ready for the morning. I take a day off work for vet visits and I have a helper for farrier visits.
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^^^This! I used to manage 2 on DIY as well as commuting to London. Home-office is just under a 2.5hr journey although the train is just 1.5hrs of this. I am on a yard with assisted DIY though - so if another livery isn't able to bring in for me, I can pay the yard to do it. Also with farrier/vet etc etc - if I couldn't be there, I leave the horse(s) in and get yard to turn out afterwards (or get them to bring in early if an afternoon visit).
 
Just an update- I turned down the job I was talking about in this thread, but have been offered a job as a junior surveyor (so similar to what I already do) but with a hefty £7000 pay rise compared to my current salary.

best of all- it's right next to my favorite tack shop!

Thanks all for your input, I will be making use of the new yards services so I only have to go up once a day to muck out and ride/groom
 
Honestly, it'll work if you want it to.

At one point I was living in the city, walking 15 minutes to get a bus, riding the bus for 40 minutes, walking for 35/40 minutes to get to the yard, poo picking/feeding/riding, walking back the 40 mins to the bus, riding the bus for 40 mins again and then walking home. I'd then shower, get ready for work, start at 1 and finish at 10. In the evenings I had someone do her for me.

If I started work earlier/finished earlier, I'd do the same in the morning and the same in the evening. It was flipping exhausting, and in the end I decided it wasn't working for me.

But as your yard is so close, I can't see an issue with your set-up.

ETA - just seen your update post. Sorry for irrelevant input!
 
I work 8.30 til 4.30 and have 2 horses on DIY as do a lot of people and manage just fine. I earn 18k so same as you;d be getting and manage to do them before and after work. If you need to have farrier/vet then you either take a half days holiday or arrange at weekends :) It's not that hard! Not many people will have the privilege of being able to do their horses in their lunch break
 
xgemmax said:
I work 8.30 til 4.30 and have 2 horses on DIY as do a lot of people and manage just fine. I earn 18k so same as you;d be getting and manage to do them before and after work. If you need to have farrier/vet then you either take a half days holiday or arrange at weekends :) It's not that hard! Not many people will have the privilege of being able to do their horses in their lunch break
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I understand going before and after work isn't difficult, but it's just cheaper for me to pay someone else to bring in or turn out for me than it is to drive there! I will certainly miss going to see him at lunch times, but I know I have been spoilt since being at this yard, back to the real world for me haha!
 
I work 8-4 with a 100 mile round trip each day. I get up at 4.45 to muck out 2 and get stables ready again before leaving at 6.30, work (30 min for lunch), then get back about 5.30pm. If horses need a visit I book a half-day. There is no-one there to do jobs for me, I have to do it myself. It means long days, even worse if I keep them in during foul weather as I have to muck out again in the evening after work. Some nights and sats I do a part-time second job to supplement the horses. Without wishing to sound harsh, what is your complaint? If you want the horses you make the effort, you're very lucky to have a partner to carry your personal living costs so you only have equine expenses.
 
pip6 said:
I work 8-4 with a 100 mile round trip each day. I get up at 4.45 to muck out 2 and get stables ready again before leaving at 6.30, work (30 min for lunch), then get back about 5.30pm. If horses need a visit I book a half-day. There is no-one there to do jobs for me, I have to do it myself. It means long days, even worse if I keep them in during foul weather as I have to muck out again in the evening after work. Some nights and sats I do a part-time second job to supplement the horses. Without wishing to sound harsh, what is your complaint? If you want the horses you make the effort, you're very lucky to have a partner to carry your personal living costs so you only have equine expenses.
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I do not have a "complaint" as such, I was merely asking what everyone else does, which I now know because of all the helpful replies I received. I also know I have to make the effort, but I don't see it as an "effort" as I enjoy looking after my horse- all I wanted to know is how everyone else goes about it if they can't book half days in short notice etc.

Also I must add my partner does NOT carry my personal living costs, and he never will, and I would never expect nor ask him to- so I do not "only" have equine expenses.

I do however feel that in order to enjoy my hobby and my horse I should make life easier for myself by using services which are there to help, and asking how others make life easier for themselves- there is no shame in wanting to have a better quality of life by paying someone else to help you out.
You do not sound harsh, but you must enjoy how your day goes with the early starts etc, otherwise why would you do it? Your job must really be worth it to do a 100 mile round trip.
 
I'm glad I read to the end so I could say CONGRATS on the new role! I work partly in the construction industry and was going to suggest a few places I know are recruiting for surveyors, depending where you are based in the world..!

FWIW. I had two horses on DIY for years. My job involves stupidly long hours, trips away, night time meetings. There were frequently days where I couldn't get to them at all, and so I paid a friend to check and feed on for me on those days (they lived out 24/7). I hated not seeing them - the guilt factor! But it was necessary to earn a sensible salary.

I will be getting a new horse on Friday (lost 1 and retired 1 last year) and he will be on part livery - ie the yard does him Monday to Friday (which I am not entirely happy about but needs must). I hold a management position now which means I simply can't get to the yard (40 mins from work and 30 mins from home) every day. I drive 100 miles a day just to get to the office and back too, and am always all over the country for work. But thankfully my wages cover the cost of his care and I will not stress that he's missing being fed or brought in when I know its impossible for me to get there.

What I'm rambling to say is, we all find ways of coping with owning horses. We all have to work to provide for them and us, and sometimes it is ridiculously hard. But needs must and everyone will find the way that suits them best. Good luck with the new role!!
 
Petal77 said:
I'm glad I read to the end so I could say CONGRATS on the new role! I work partly in the construction industry and was going to suggest a few places I know are recruiting for surveyors, depending where you are based in the world..!

FWIW. I had two horses on DIY for years. My job involves stupidly long hours, trips away, night time meetings. There were frequently days where I couldn't get to them at all, and so I paid a friend to check and feed on for me on those days (they lived out 24/7). I hated not seeing them - the guilt factor! But it was necessary to earn a sensible salary.

I will be getting a new horse on Friday (lost 1 and retired 1 last year) and he will be on part livery - ie the yard does him Monday to Friday (which I am not entirely happy about but needs must). I hold a management position now which means I simply can't get to the yard (40 mins from work and 30 mins from home) every day. I drive 100 miles a day just to get to the office and back too, and am always all over the country for work. But thankfully my wages cover the cost of his care and I will not stress that he's missing being fed or brought in when I know its impossible for me to get there.

What I'm rambling to say is, we all find ways of coping with owning horses. We all have to work to provide for them and us, and sometimes it is ridiculously hard. But needs must and everyone will find the way that suits them best. Good luck with the new role!!
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Thanks very much, and good luck with your new horse!
 
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