Hi & Daily Horsey Routines

[Soupdragon]

Hi

I've been lurking on this forum for months and thought it was about time I introduced myself - as well as seeking some advice and opinions! Think this forum is great and so helpful and friendly!

I was your typical horse-mad-but-deprived little girl growing up in a big city with no opportunities to learn to ride at all. I used to get excited about riding the donkeys on the beach when we went there for a day trip! As a little kid, I did once take a pony home that I had "found" and pleaded with Mum & Dad to let me keep it in the garage but they wouldn't let me!! :( The first time I went riding was when I saved up for months and went on a riding holiday for a week as a 17 year old. It was only after I had left uni and started working that I started taking lessons on a regular basis, and now at the grand old age of 37 I've been riding on and off for 15 years but still don't seem to have progressed very far!

I'm now trying to have lessons 2 or 3 times a week and think it's about time I got my own horse or pony ... Before I take the plunge, I just wondered how other people manage juggling careers/study with horse ownership, especially those that keep their horse at livery as that's what I'd have to do? What are your daily routines like? Do you go in before/after work or both? How much time do you spend with your horse in the mornings/evenings and at weekends? I work pretty regular office hours and horse ownership is now looking feasible as I no longer have to do a 100 mile round trip to and from work as I used to. I did have a half share in a riding school pony once but had to give him up as I hardly had time to see him due to work and as he was used in the school as well I couldn't really ride him or felt awful as he had been working already and he was well in his 20's!

Sorry for rambling - that's what comes of having lurked for so long with so many burning questions and things to say!!

[Bozzy]

Firstly......welcome to NR!!! :D :) :D

I keep my horse at DIY livery about 8 minutes drive from my house and work is half and hour from home and yard. It does take up a lot of my time, much more in the winter as he's in at night but in the summer he's out 24/7.

Winter - get to yard 6:30am to feed, muck out, turnout etc and home by 7:30am change and off to work
- Then back down by 6:30pm to bring in, feed, groom, cuddle(!) etc and usually home by 7:30pm

Don't get a chance to ride in week in winter unless it's light in mornings/evenings (ie now!) as no floodlit school.

In the summer its different, up there later in mornings to fly spray etc and ride most evenings. Spend most of free time up there enjoying being outside!

[NoviceNic]

It definatley is harder in the Winter. I am lucky though. I stable mine on my friends yard and we rota the mucking out. That way I don't have to be up there every day. I can go up and ride on my days off. When the Summer gets here it is easier. I have turned mine out for most of this week and I am tapping my toes for something to do. :p Usually I work Tues-Fri but I am off sick at the mo. So plenty of riding time when its not raining :mad: As you start getting into a routine you will be slow but as you get more organised you will walk into stable and be mucked out within 10 mins.

[eventerbabe]

well, i'm lucky. my mum and i split the horsey duties between us. she turns out and mucks out most mornings and i try to go up at least 3 afternoons a week. but i do most of the work at weekends. its hard, often i'm not done til 6 or 7 pm (i'm a post grad research student) so have to ask mum to help out (i'm 25 miles from yard and city traffic is horrendous!). i think i've ridden 8 or 9 times since november :( not enough hours in the day. its much easier in the summer though :)

[Pickles]

I keep my two horses at grass all year round and this is a really good way of cutting down on work during the week if you work.

Having said that you will still need to check on your horse twice a day unless you pay livery or have a friend to share chores with. The other problem is finding a livery yard with enough turnout.

In the past I worked in an office, studied for a work related quali and still managed to fit in a ride most days. In fact I don't think I could have done all the rest of it if I hadn't been able to blow off steam with a good galop!

[amandal]

Mine's on assisted DIY at a yard 5 mins from my home. To have any hope of riding at night I need to leave home at 5am to get to London by 7am, I can then leave work at 4pm and get home at 6pm, walk the dog and then up to the yard. My YO and her husband look after Z for me in the week, mucking out, feeding, checking her etc. I do DIY at the weekend.

I've been really bad at getting to the yard this winter - last year when I was sharing a horse ½ hour drive away (so 1 hour round trip) I got there every night. I got up at 5, left house at 20 past drove to a train station near the yard, got train to work for 7am, left at 4pm, got train back, drove to yard got changed and rode. Then drove for another ½ hour min to get home, normally getting home between 9 and 10pm. OH threatened to leave me and I couldn't afford livery there plus approx £80 of petrol a week on the journey, so moved when I bought my own.

I chose the yard nearest to me so that I could walk to it if the car broke down.

[Alle]

Hello and welcome to NR! :)

Are you going to be on DIY? Because that's more time consuming obviously. Anyway, I can't do a DIY because of my job. :( I get into work at 6:30am, and out at 4pm and go directly to the barn at about 4:30. I then spend about 2 hours there either riding, getting her ready for training and then putting her away or just hanging out with her. I also get every other Friday off, so I'll head to the barn at about 1 or 2ish. On Saturdays I get there at 9am or so because of an early lesson and then more or less hang out the whole day. On Sundays I get there at noon and hang out until about 5. But I don't have kids, and mostly ignore housework and so get to spend the extra time with Sevi. :D

[Showjumper]

Welcome to Newrider :)

I work 5 days a week from 7.30am to 4pm. If Dolly is rugged up, or stabled, I'll visit her twice a day (before work and after). If (like most of the year), she's out 24/7 naked, I'll make a daily trip after work.

How long I spend with her depends on my mood, her mood, and what I want to achieve on that particular day. Some days, like today, I'll visit her in the field, pick out her feet, and have cuddles with her, then go home. Other days, I'll get there at 4.30pm, bring her in, groom, tack up, ride, feed her, turn her out again and not get home til gone 7pm.

I rent a stable and field space from a local farmer.

[amandal]

But I don't have kids, and mostly ignore housework

lol Allie, yup that's me too, forgot that bit.

[momofsix]

We were wondering the same thing but finally took the plunge. With my husband working full time and me trying to juggle all of our kids busy schedules, we didn't think we could handle caring for a horse full time. We were lucky to find a sweet horse that we are now leasing part time (which also turned out to be not as expensive). We don't have to feed or clean her stall but my husband and I take turns in the evening and on weekends going to groom her and ride her. Eventually I really want my own horse and do everything-but I am realistic enough to know that I have to wait until my two youngest are in school to have the time. (Only four more years) I would rather share a horse now then have our own and not have enough time to care for it.

[Alle]

lol Allie, yup that's me too, forgot that bit.

:D Well, my house may be dirty, but my horse is spotless...at least for 5 minutes after I groom her. :p

[shirley]

Hi there,
It depends on the amount of time, money etc you have as to what you do. I stable my horse at a yard that is about 20 mins drive away from us (we live outskirts of NE London). It is a basic livery yard, we have yard manager who offers full livery and other services, but also yard also does DIY. For me that means I can do my own and if needed opt for occasional full livery if required. During the winter horses are on limited turnout, only a few hours per day. So yard manager feeds / hay / water in the morning, rugs up and turns out for about 1.00 pm. I arrive about 4.00 - 5.00 pm, bring in, muck out, feed some hay, ride, feed and bed down for the night. We do have an outdoor school that is usable most of the time, except when rains very heavily or is frozen!!! If not too boggy then we also have a couple of perimeter rides that we can use as well. So fortunately do not have to go out on the road if not wish to. At weekends I am fully DIY. During the summer we have quite a lot of turnout and my horse lives out 24 / 7, so yard manager checks in am and me pm etc. This all fits in with my working life as I start work at 7.30 and usually off by 3.30. Also if I do need to work extra hours or am ill etc I do have the option of full livery if required. So nice to know there is a back-up if I cannot do my horse myself.
So I would look at what time you have, travelling time to and from livery yard, facilities offered at the livery yard etc. My daily routines vary according to summer / winter, but make adjustments for these with facilities etc offered at my yard. Also our yard manager is BHSAI instructor, so we have someone on site to give lessons as well - that I find is a huge bonus, as lessons fit in as and when either she has time around yard duties and me around my work commitments as well. Also if having problems with horse etc there is someone experienced to assist and ask advice from. The other thing to think about is the type of yard as well. The yard I am on is very friendly, very sociable, so having odd cup of tea is brilliant. I have lots of support and encouragement to get on and do different things as well, and loads of people to talk to when done.
Sorry this is a bit long winded - but hope it helps. Good luck with your venture and hope all works well.

[kedwards]

The barn where I keep my horse does the mucking, feeding, and turnout. I go most nights after work to groom and ride. If I am just riding and caring for him, I spend about 90 minutes to 2 hours. With a 60 minute commute between work-to-barn and barn-to-home, that puts me home around 6:30-7pm. I could be quicker and more efficient, but I really enjoy my time there. In fact, I often ride at least one other horse as well, so many nights I don't get home until around 8pm.

On weekends I spend a good portion of the day at the barn when I'm not showing, just because I enjoy it. When I am showing, most of my weekend is spent in preparation, hauling, and showing.

[cazrider]

Hi, and welcome :)

I work full time and keep my horse Sennie at a livery yard. He's on what could best be decribed as DIY with services. What this means in practice is that on a normal working day (like today!) the yard will give him his breakfast (got ready by me the night before) and turn him out. Also muck out, sort out water, bring him back in at the end of the day and pick out feet, take outdoor rug off and give him a haynet. I arrive at the yard at about 6ish, groom, ride if i'm not too tired, feed, skip out if needed and finish him off for the night. At weekends I do everything for him myself.

However, I do work some odd hours and quite frequently need flexibility, and the yard is great for that. As long as I call the Yard manager before about 5ish, she will feed and finish off Sennie for me. Either that or let her know. She's also happy if I have an unexpected day off to leave him to me.

She is also great about being there with farrier, dentist etc. And is fantastic if he's ill for whatever reason. I have told her that if she's at all worried and can't get hold of me, she's to call the vet.

The other thing you may want to consider, is when I first went to the yard 7 years ago with first horse, I'd visited before I bought him and explained to them that although I'd been riding for years, I didn't know much about keeping a horse. She suggested that they do everything for the first few months and I asked whatever questions I wanted to and learned, and gradually took over as much as i felt able to do, given job etc. That worked fabulously well. She said that she'd far prefer that to someone who bought a horse and didn't keep it properly. So I learnt how to muck out, feed, etc all from the yard, and even on one memorable day, how to put a bridle back together. :) I seriously don't think I'd have bought a horse or succeeded without that help. There is a huge amount to learn.

Oh, and one other thing, I have heard about yards near me where they don't allow you on after 7 at night :eek: That would definitely not work for me!

Good luck :)

[NoviceNic]

Alle has got the balance right. All play and no housework. :D Since I have had my cob I don't believe in housework. I would much prefer to spend all my sparetime with my horses. Housework can wait (till next year). :p

[Alle]

Alle has got the balance right. All play and no housework. :D Since I have had my cob I don't believe in housework. I would much prefer to spend all my sparetime with my horses. Housework can wait (till next year). :p

:p Thanks, I try hard to avoid housework!

I really wish work allowed more time to do a DIY set up, but that just isn't an option. My barn doesn't even have DIY, but would possibly work something out if I wanted it. Still, I consider myself very lucky to be able to spend as much time with Sevigny as I do. The job I had several years ago would certainly not have allowed it.

[Drummers mum]

Lol, its the same with me, even my mum noticed I wasn't so bothered about keeping the house clean and tidy and she only visits every couple of months!! :p

To answer the original question, I am very lucky, I work in a school so I am home by 4 and have lovely holidays!! (easter just starting now just to make you all jealous! lol) Drummer lives almost across the road, I can see him now out of the upstairs window!

Anyway, I do DIY but YO will turn out in the mornings when I'm at work (I know, across the road and I still can't make it!) I go up every evening after I've walked the dog, sometimes I go visit him in the field sometimes I ride, sometimes we just have a groom and a play!

My OH can get very stoppy if I'm gone for ages so I have mastered mucking out in approx 6 mins 27 seconds :D but Drummers stable is still cleaner than my house!

[frenchtrotter]

my horse is on full livery (cheap out here £250 per month). i go and see my horse at 5.00 and get back about 7.30 (30 min drive), however i can always ask the groom? (he just cleans the boxes) to let my horse out. weekends are spent at the yard!!

my house is a tip!!! but my husband helps out so i guess im lucky.

i did have a 2 horses on DIY for 1 year, it was fine in the summer, but winter was a nightmare, call me lazy, but that is why i put my horse on full livery (DIY you find for £100 or less per mth). i just felt i didnt have time for anything and although i love my horse he doesnt run my entire life ( he now runs about 99% of my life!!!!!!)

[Soupdragon]

Thanks for the replies everyone. It helps to know how people manage. I don't have kids at home - just a cat and the OH (completely not into horses) to keep happy! I don't think he'd be too happy if I was never home so I'm encouraging him to pursue his own interests more!

I've started horse hunting :) and have made enquiries at a couple of livery yards - just have to go and look at them now. There are 2 which are halfway between home and work which would be pretty convenient (about 15 minutes drive) I think I'll be going for full livery but with the aim of going in most evenings after work and at weekends.

Guess I won't know if I can manage until I try! Wish me luck with the search!

[Alle]

Best of luck in horse hunting! One of my friends at the barn got back into horses, and ended up buying. Her OH is thrilled because when he goes out and does his interests (mountain biking for one) she can't complain. :D He has no horsey interests, and they have worked it all out quite well, and you will too! :)