working full time and DIY livery - is it possible?

[nikkig]

Dear all

Just wondering if there are people here who work full time and yet have their horses on DIY livery or have their own grazing.

If so what do you do about attending for the blacksmith or vet?

I would love to go DIY (I can manage attending to horse before and after work) but I can't see any way that I'd be able to get my horse's feet done let alone potentially short notice vets appointments.

My problem is that I either carry on paying extortionate rates for part livery which includes all sorts of facilities like indoor schools and x-country courses when all I want to do is hack out or I keep H at DIY livery on a farm where farmer is trying to get some extra income from having horses but doesn't want the responsibility of care - this leaves me with the blacksmith/vet problem. If I could find a yard which had the option of DIY with additional charges for occasional extras then I would jump at the chance. Trouble is I can't find any.

Any info/ideas would be much appreciated

Thanks

[miller]

I work full time plus 24hr on call every third week and run one horse on DIY (was 2 but loan horse went back) just bought our own place and will be running 3.

Farrier at present - I leave horse in on morning he is coming and he puts him out afterward (and boots him up for me) once moved he is going to do an early or late appt and myself and OH will take it in turns (he is going to do saturdays as far as possible)

Currently I get up at 5:45 - yard by 6:10, feed and muck out while he is eating and water, fill haynets etc then turn out. Leave bed up for floor to dry

After work, catch groom , ride and then tie up with tea while I put bed down.

Home by 8:30

[lindat]

Yes It is certainly Possible, I have 2 on DIY and work Full time.

Regarding farriers and Vets I take 1/2 days leave or Pay someone at my yard to be there, However Im very lucky in that most of the time my mum can get there as she works in the community.

If there are other people on DIY you can try and take turns on doing the farriers visit

[gem]

I have two horses on DIY, leave the house at 5am muck out turn out etc, get everything ready and go to work for 7am leave work at 5pm go get horses in ride groom go home at about 7. I manage vets appointments (the regulars like jab and teeth) by having doctors appointments which mean I have to arrive late (because docs always run over) or leave early, I also fit in My asthma clinics which tie in nicely with my farriery. Although again my farrier will come at 8 so im only usually a little late in.

Emergency vets appointments then I take Holiday if necessary or I just dash out of office yelling my baby is ill, and they all tut about my horses. I can do a sat am though if i need to make up time.

I hope working full time and having diy is possible or im stuffed as have a foal due in may!

[LisaM]

I work full time and have H on DIY... I get up around 7 ride muck out etc. Start work about half 9. Finish at 5.30 ish. H to bed and home by 7 ish.

The farrier will visit as it's a large yard and people are always about. So I dont need to be there. I leave H in these days and turn out at lunch or bring in as necessary.
Vet - well if he needs the vets then I'm ill as I cannot cope with a poorly man!! so I take time off.

yeah it's possible - rewarding too. Luckily if I'm stuck my yard offers bring in/turn out facilities when needed.

[KoLaTo]

Full time work and have 2 on DIY our yard, up at silly o-clock to do them while dad kidsits for me, back up on way home from work then pick small person up from childminders , vets and farrier fairly easy, been at my company for eons now so allowed to leave at short notice for vets or early for farrier if needed but he would rather do saturdays anyway so fine by me! It is possible but fairly hard work and often rushed but i cannot imagine a different way of life now as been working and DIY forever!

[Kim with Rio]

I work full time and have neddie on DIY - she's currently out 24x7, but I have had her stabled either overnight or during the day in the past too at different places.

Farrier comes out at 07:30 AM and I take 1/2 day hols for any vet's or Horse dentist appointments. Saddler comes out on a Saturday or early morning too, so I don't have to sacrifice extra holiday.

Life is easier (notice the 'er') as I live local to work and where neddie is kept.

K

[jestersmum]

its definately possible - everyone on our yard is diy or grass and we all work full time; its the only way we can afford the horses in the first place!!
re farrier/vet; sometimes i can get a weekend call but if thats not possible i just have to take the day off as annual leave. i figure if its an emergency i'll just call in sick, tho touch wood not had to do this yet!

[chloe]

I work full time, but flexi time so I can take time off as long as I make the time up before/after.

[natalia]

I get up 6:30, go to my boy, then go to work for 8am. but i work at another yard so its easier to just go already smelling horsey! My yard also does bring in or turn out and change rugs for £1.50 so often i get this done am or pm so only have to go there once. I also have a sharer 2-3 times a weeka nd she normally will do the morning shift and ride on her days, so he's fitter than he would be with just me riding. oh, and we have an indoor school so I can ride after work if need be.

[percypony]

hubby and I both work full time and manage 5 horses on our own yard. It is hard work but (if I had one or two horses) I would never go back to livery full, part or otherwise if I had the choice.
We get up at 5am, travel to yard, get everyone, turned out (if in) fed etc and are both at work by 7am. We then finish at 4pm and do the reverse routine. It is harder in the winter obviously but lovely in the summer!
As for the farrier, he comes at 4:30pm in the summer (when it's light enough) and Saturday morning in the winter, although I know he has a waiting list for a Saturday slot!
The vet routine visits are also done at 4:30pm and emergencies are done whenever and I am late or sick!
I have flexi-time at work so can work round appointments a bit.
It can be done!

[becsfugs]

It can be done i used to work shifts when i first had my boy but now i'm 9 - 5 but i actually work 8 - 4. My contract has in it that i can leave in an animal emergency i didn't even ask it was already there, did mention in my interview that had a neddie so maybe they put it in.

At the yard for 06.30 on the way to work by 07.15 at latest we can work Flexi time so by doing an extra half hour each day i am up 2.5 hrs by the end of the week for those routine jabs/dentist ect. Work are good i can be late in if needed and will just let me go if nothing to major is happen in the office in a real emergency there would be no question about leaving.

Lucky the farrier comes on a Sat his choice but before that used to have the 1st or last appointment of the day so could go in late or start early depending on the appointment time.

You'll be surprised who easily it is once you get into a routine and summer is lovely once they are out 24/7. Invest in some overalls to keep you clean and you can go on route to work and save time.

Good luck

[amber]

It is possible,..although can be pretty tiring to be honest. I used to have my boy on a DIY yard similar to what you're thinking of moving on to.... a farm that had a few stables and fields but with no help from the owners.. I was fortunate that the other stables were taken up by my farrier, so trimming wasn't a problem. If/when he needed the vet, I used to take time off work to be with him, which I like to do anyhow... I want to be there when my vet visits, even if it's just for a routine jab.... but that's me!

I used to go up to the farm at 7.45am, and turn him out, together with one of the farrier's horse's for the day,...do what I could from a 'stable duties' point of view before leaving for work at 8.30am. Go back in my lunch hour to muck out... and then go back again after work at 5.45pm to bring in, and ride with time for TLC as well... I'd be home around 8pm myself most nights.

I'm now on a yard, with facilities and part livery,...so the YO feeds and turns out in the mornings, monday to friday... everything else I do the same as before,...still go up in my lunch hour to muck out... giving me quality time with him in the evening.

[Val (Toons&co)]

I always admire people who do this altho IF I didn't have an 18 miles trip to the yard and IF I didn't have 1 hour to 1 hour and a half drive to work I think I could manage 9-5 even with 3 horses to do. Right now it's just not possible so I have an arrangement with yard owner to feed/turn out in the morning and work part time so get to the yard between 3.30 and 4.00pm, which in winter is just enough to muck out 3 before it's dark and time to turn them in (getting lighter already).

[Alrac]

Yep, I do it with one horse and don't find it any trouble atall, as it is all I've ever done. I don't have any other commitments, kids etc so that helps. For the farrier either one of the other people having their horses shod waits up there or I take holiday and wait up there, vets and dentist etc I take holiday. I know people who meet their farrier for shoeing before work and then the farrier will turn their horse out after they have finished.l Electric lighting is a saviour for very early mornings and late nights so take that into account !!

PS. If you use Stablezone powder then you can lay the bed in the morning and save yourself a job after work, it's been a bit of a lifesaver for me !