Baby, Part time job and horse. Can it be done

[lucypally]

Hi all

Happy New year.

I just wanted to chat with anyone out there that has a small baby and manages to keep a horse going as well.

My little boy is now 14 months old. I sadly lost my last horse when Owen my little boy was three months old.

It was so sudden it has taken me all this time to even start to think about buying another horse. I have been lucky enough to ride friends horses but it is not the same. And my empty field and stable is calling to me.

I also work three days a week but have a great family who help me look after my son.

I have my own land and stables close to the house.

How do you all manage to fit everything in. Can it be donw

take care

[jor]

Hi, I say yes it can be done, I have a long list of horses, manage illness and an 18 month old son.
I currently have a poorly mare who needs visiting 5/6 times a day which is difficult but is getting easier as Im not quite so afraid of finding her no longer with us everytime I go up.

If you have a supportive family who can help out with an hours babysitting on those rotten rainy/cold days to save bab being sat in car or corner of stable it will make your life much easier.
Must point out I dont have my own car at the moment (comes with paying vets bills and for a new house!) which does make it harder but horses are a 20 minute walk away even with a buggy and my son wanting to get out and walk himself.

Good luck int he horse search

[jen1]

hi lucy,i was in the same situation as you,i used to do my horse either when they were asleep
or when my hubby was in at lunch or tea,i didnt have anyone to help me,you say your family is good at helping(lucky you)would they be able to have babe for an exrta hour on they days they have him so you can ride i stopped worrying aboutgrooming ect,prefering to ride on my riding days groom when babes were with me and just put them in the pram ,groom and chatter away at my sons they soon went to sleep leaving me a few hours to get stuff done,
i didnt go out to work but had to help out hubby on the farm and do all the domestic stuff,
sleep and loads of water drinking got me through,,i dont envy you 1 bit its tough but easier if your really organised,good luck chicks

[smudge]

I have:
3 children (11, 6 and 4 months)
1 husband
6 horses
Work full time - 3 days at home and 2 days out
and
2 Great Danes

so yep, it can be done

[lucypally]

Wow Smudge you are proof of the pudding. Got any time saving tips.

I used to work full time before I had my son so used to get everything ready for the week on Sundays. Like all the haynets for the week and feeds.

I am nervous excited about looking for my next horse. Going to take my time and enjoy looking

Thanks all

[BeTheBest]

Hiya my friend on the yard is a single mum of 3 (16 months,3, 5) and she copes somehow with them and a horse and does a few hours work at the yard!!
Good luck!

[KoLaTo]

Full time demanding job, one daughter, two ponies, dog and rabbit, on my own! It can be done and is so rewarding if not a little tiring but well worth it, woudn't have it any other way, I don't think I'd know what to do if I had time to sit down!

[dione]

I work part time have 2 kids (7 and 4 yrs) i have 3 horses and 3 dogs. Its hard work but it can be really good fun and healthy for the kids, especially when they get interested too! Just make sure that any horse is good with small people cos some can get rather bothered. My kids can swing off tails (not that I make a habit of letting them do so !) and play football in the fields, shoot guns etc and my horses are absolutely non-plussed.

Enjoy then next thing will be 'Mummy I want a pony of my own....'

[sunnylynn11]

Yep, especially easy if you have the support of your family & stables close by.
I have 2 children (5 & 3 next week), I have two part time jobs & two ponies.
I have just taken on a sharer for one of the ponies which has helped, but the main reason for doing is that Zico was not getting as much excercise as he was in the summer months, when I rode in the evenings.
Having said all that, I rarely have time to watch TV or sit down and relax and my house is not as clean & tidy as it was pre ponies (I used to keep the house spotless though).
It may seem like ages away, but your son will be able to start pre school when he's 2 1/2 so you get a precious 2 hours, which is enough time to muck out 2 ponies, make feeds, steam hay & ride for approx 1/2 hour!.

[mandyjasper]

Hi Lucypally,

Happy New Year to you too.

I work 30 hours a week, have two children (aged 5 and 10), two cats, a dog and a horse. I have a very understanding husband and mum and I manage. I love my time with my horse!

Happy horse hunting.

[sunnylynn11]

I also agree with Dione, make sure the horse is kid proof, I know that no horse is 100% but I have to say there has been an odd occasion when I have taken my eyes off my daughter for a nano second and she walked straight under Zicos belly. ooopsie.

[fin]

Blimey, you lot are amazing. I have a fifteen year old and a horse and I'm don't know whether I'm coming or going most days (and I haven't even been at work for the last three weeks!)

I guess the moral is, anything is possible...but not if you're so disorganised you couldn't find your ..... um....ears (rearrange the letter folks) with both hands.

[smudge]

Yes, I have time saving tips

1. Get your horses living out if poss
2. Yes, buy kiddi proof neds
3. But good doers
4. Keep tack clean regularly with a wipe over
5. Feed easy - a balancer and some alfa a is all mine get in summer with speedibeet in winter
6. Have plenty of rugs for rug changes
7. Have horse proof dogs (like mine ) - they exercise themseles while I am doing the horses)
8. Get baby used to beinbg outside - put in pushchair and have hanging pushchair toys that are only used when you are at the yard - then they won't get bored with them
9. Don't clip and under rug so if you don't have time to change they won't get too warm
10. Train older kids to poo-pick

good luck

[tammy68]

I believe that where there is a will there is a way. I have had horses throughout both my pregnancies and whilst my children were babies.
My children are now 12 and 8 and in July 2005 I graduated from a 3 year full time joint honours degree at a university 20 miles from here. I managed to do this whilst looking after my horses, children, hens, dogs goat and husband. I'm not organised at all. In fact I found that in having so much to do I was better organised than I usually am. Also, I left most uni assignments until the last minute and stressed myself over it but still managed a good 2:1. So if I can do it then anyone can. My first child was difficult in that she didn't like lying don in the pram and so I had to hold her a lot of the time, however I found that she was happy to sit in her portable car seat on the yard as long as I was entertaining her with sweeping etc. Also, my border collie kept taking her sticks which I wasn't too happy about as they were normally covered in soil. I'd have my nice pink clothed baby sat watching witha dirty great stick on her lap and the dog smiling at her whilsg looking from the stick to the baby expecting her to throw it!
I know I'd have regretted selling any of my horses. My daughter and son have grown up with them all and are now attached to them all too. Just take each day as it comes and don't look too far ahead as it is less daunting that way. Good luck.

[gilly]

I have a 9 month old little boy, horse, hubby (almost as hard work as baby!), 3 cats and part time job.
I have a sharer for my horse to make things easier. I could manage looking after him on my own but I only get to ride once or twice a week tops, so decided a sharer was the best option so he gets more exercise and more time spent with him. It's a really good arrangement for all 3 of us (me, horsy and sharer).
My horse is great with the baby too. He's a bit big and clumsy but he is very gentle and totally unflappable round the yard. There's another lady at the yard who has a 8 yr old and a 2 yr old so I have been kind of training Ginger by letting them play with him and he's a complete angel.