5 ways to Work Full Time and Keep a Horse
Working full time, 9am – 5.30pm (or more!) 5 days a week and caring for a horse can be a struggle. However, for the most of us, owning a horse means that we must work full time in order to keep the horse!
With a bit of preparation and organisation it is possible to work full time and keep the horses going…. Even through the winter months when its dark and wet when you leave for work and still dark and wet when your get home from work!
5 ways to keep a horse and work full time – ideas from The Horse Exchange
- If the horses live out full time, a thick rug and snuggy hood in winter means that that you won’t have to fully groom a muddy horse before riding. In the summer when it is hot having the horses turned out at night and in in the day means that all you will need to do before work is bring the horses in to clean stables in the morning and ride. If the horses live in full time or your horse is on box rest, then you just need to be really organised and save time where you can.
- Make the haynets and feeds up the night before, or at the weekend, when you have more time. This means that in the morning you can just tie up a haynet and drop the feed over the door.
- Ensure your car is always full of the essentials – wellie boots, coat, snack for you and apple for the horse!
- Equally make sure you have packed your work bag, made your pack lunch and have your work clothes are out so that they are ready to go on after a quick shower after morning stables. Dry shampoo, perfume and antibacterial hand gel are essentials for your handbag. There is nothing worse that sitting in a meeting, resting your face in your hands and smelling the aroma of lingering horse wee despite having showered that morning!
- Purchase a headtorch – yes, they aren’t fashionable, but it means you can see what you are doing and have two arms free to do stable duties. They are also great for riding in the dark if you don’t have an indoor arena.
There will be days when you question why you are keeping the horses, but without a doubt it makes the warm summer hacks, competition wins, days out hunting across the beautiful countryside and the friends you meet along the way worth it.