# Working full time 9-5..... how many times a week do you ride?



## {97702} (3 November 2016)

Bother, it won't let me fit it all into the title  

I work a standard 9-5 job.......I compete at riding club level but would like to do BD next year (horse is just 6 years old and green, so plenty of work to be done and lots of lessons coming up this winter!)........I have been bimbling around for years riding but have realised this year that I am not improving because I am not really THINKING about my riding but have been simply blindly following what my instructor has been saying - so I've been getting good results during lessons but cannot necessarily replicate that in competitions and schooling on my own.  This realisation has resulted in a change in focus, where I am trying to think/reflect about the feel/results I am getting while schooling etc.  I would really like to improve myself and my horse, so I have weekly lessons booked in with a good instructor who I have gelled really well with.

 My actual question, after all this waffle and context is..... how many of you are in this position, and how many times do you ride each week?

I have a floodlit school so can ride during the week but cannot hack - I try and hack at the weekends, and I have cut my competing down to once a month or so over the winter to spend as much as possible on lessons.


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## Under-the-radar (3 November 2016)

I don't have a school so once the clocks change I only ride at weekends unless I can wangle an early leave / late start. This winter I have arranged a fortnightly lesson - but this is more to get my youngster out in the lorry regularly. 

I've found I can still progress even with this winter routine - I work on my fitness over winter, -"and do as much watching of videos, reading books and magazines as I can. Although videos etc won't replace actual riding, I find that it just keeps my focus on what I'm aiming for. For me the mental preparation is more key than the ridden work now - 'mental focus is what I have to work on most


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## {97702} (3 November 2016)

Thanks U_t_R    Clearly I have lost my touch since no-one else has replied..... **sobs**.....


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## Mavis007 (3 November 2016)

Hi, I work full time and am often sat on my horse (luckily in a flood lit arena) at 8pm. I ride 5 days a week and pay someone else to hack him once a week. I hack once and school, have a lesson or compete on the other 4 days. I have a lesson once or twice a month and compete at BD every 2-4 weeks. We are competing at Advanced Medium and just starting Advanced, schooling PSG so it certainly is possible!


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## JennBags (3 November 2016)

I don't work 9-5 at the moment but probably will be from next month. I often hack out early mornings with a girl who does work 9-5, can't really do it December/January but it's light enough again by Feb.  We also have floodlights, so can ride in the school either early morning or after work.


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## {97702} (3 November 2016)

Big thanks to those who have replied   I can see I need to step my game up a bit


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## nikkimariet (3 November 2016)

I work a 9-5. I also teach, run a webshop, swim twice a week and manage to have a social life too 

I'm up at 5am and rarely in bed before 11pm.

I ride 4/5 times a week and compete all year. I have a lesson once a month.

It's easing off over winter and I'm divulging some time into jumping and side saddle 

I watch lessons, shows and clinics online and try to read one new article per day to keep my eye in. It's a great way to pick up ideas for schooling too.


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## naza (3 November 2016)

nikkimariet said:



			I work a 9-5. I also teach, run a webshop, swim twice a week and manage to have a social life too 

I'm up at 5am and rarely in bed before 11pm.

I ride 4/5 times a week and compete all year. I have a lesson once a month.

It's easing off over winter and I'm divulging some time into jumping and side saddle 

I watch lessons, shows and clinics online and try to read one new article per day to keep my eye in. It's a great way to pick up ideas for schooling too.
		
Click to expand...


Where do you find these articles??


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## Vodkagirly (3 November 2016)

I work 8-4 plus a family business. Normally I ride 6 days a week but since the clocks changed I have to ride in the arena in the week so I am planning to reduce to  twice, 1 lesson and a practice as I don't want to sicken him. I will also lunge 1 night. At the weekend I compete 1 day and a decent hack on the other.
I'm swimming twice a week to try and sitting on a fit ball when I work from home to improve core strength.
I've been reading any articles I can find, especially on core strength as I feel that is my weakness. If anyone has other ideas I would happily take them on.


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## nikkimariet (3 November 2016)

naza said:



			Where do you find these articles??
		
Click to expand...

Anywhere and everywhere  Euro dressage, COTH, Dressage today... Equally, keep an eye on Horse Hero and similar for snippets of training videos


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## dressage_diva (4 November 2016)

I'm not riding at the moment as heavily pregnant and both horses have been injured. But before I was pregnant I was working FT and riding each horse 3 days a week (I keep them both on full livery to help save me other time). My old boy I would just hack 3 times a week (or ride indoors in the winter but not 'school' as such). With my younger gelding who I compete BD on, I'd school him once during the week (most weeks a lesson) and then school twice at the weekend (he would be hacked out during the week by the yard staff). We were competing about once a month, but sometimes fortnightly.

ETS: I'm lucky that I can work relatively flexible hours at work so I start work early, just before 8am (leave home in the mornings about 6:45am as long commute) and then I would usually get to the yard about 5:15-5:30pm in the evenings.


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## star (4 November 2016)

I work 9 till 7pm. Luckily have an arena with floodlights. I also get Wed afternoons off which at least means he gets one hack during the week. Have to work 2 out of 5 Saturdays in exchange for that though. Used to do day off Monday, flatwork tue, hack Wed, flatwork or pole work on Thursday and Friday and compete at weekends. These days I'm a bit less intense with him as he's 17 now and he knows his job having just done his first PSG and we've pretty much retired from eventing. He gets mon and tue off now as I go to pilates tue evening. Wed hack or lesson, Thursday flatwork or day off depending on Wed activities, Fri flatwork or day off. Competing or hunting at the weekend.


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## Hannahgb (4 November 2016)

I work 8-4  plus on call most evenings and with 2 horses I ride them both about 5 days a week but with them having separate days off. Thankfully I am straight out onto a bridle path so with a head torch and Hi-Vis I can still hack in the dark.


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## {97702} (4 November 2016)

Thanks again to all who have replied, you have given me some really good ideas &#128522;


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## Jenna1406 (4 November 2016)

Following with interest.  My 4 year is having a wee week off as she has done so well over the last couple of months but I will be starting riding again on Saturday when she gets new shoes on.  We are putting new flood lights up this weekend, so hoping I will be able to school or do pole work in the evenings when its dark - maybe try lunging again.
I could hack as we are off road and I have put lights on my stirrups (lights for bikes) that help lead the way home, white to the front and red to the back.


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## milliepops (4 November 2016)

Usually work 8-4 or sometimes 9-5 but I can work flexi hours a bit, so some days I can nip out early and finish up in the evening.

No lights on the school so this time of year is a struggle and I need to be really organised to make the most of daylight.
Hacking is straight onto lanes where we are now, so that's a morning or weekend job, can't get round any of the routes safely after work really.

2 horses in work - one working medium/playing with AM elements and one on light duties to keep her supple.  I try to do Kira every day, she's not the sort that does well with days off. So she does 2 days in the school followed by one day doing something else. I try to get the 'something else' days to coincide with Millie's hacking days so I can ride & lead and get them both done at once.  

Bit more relaxed about Millie's routine but I'm trying to make sure she does something every day to keep her up together, so she does hacking/schooling/ground poles mixed up to suit the daylight & work around when the school is booked.

Also riding YOs horse at the moment as she's away and he needs schooling on a bit for her, bit of teaching during the week to squeeze in too.

It's very very busy but I wouldn't have it any other way. If I can find a way to get some lights on the school that will take the pressure off considerably.


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## madlady (4 November 2016)

I work full time, horses are on our own private yard and I don't have an arena to ride in at all so it's hacking or nothing - so we hack - in the dark.

Weekdays are short hacks - around the woods in the pitch black with loads of flashing lights or I leave it until a bit later when the traffic has died down and it's safer to ride on the lanes - again lit up like a christmas tree.  The good part about riding on unlit lanes is that we can see cars coming from miles away.

Weekend is for longer hacks.

I ride 3 nights a week and both days at weekend.


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## Christmas Crumpet (4 November 2016)

Don't compete but do hunt. Ride every day before work (leave yard at 6.30 a.m), back for 8 in time to take daughter to school and then on to work. I have a lesson once a week either before or after work. Hunt on a Sat and day off on a Sun.


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## chestnut cob (4 November 2016)

I work full time, sometimes with an hour's commute (each way) if I'm in the office and with a good proportion of travel within UK and Europe.  Some weeks I can manage to ride on 3 week nights and in others, I don't manage at all if I'm away.  
If it's a week when I'm around a lot he has Monday off, YO rides another day during the week and I ride 2-3 days (I have an early finish on a Friday which helps enormously, if I'm not on a plane somewhere!).  When I'm away I try to fit his day off around when I'm at home, so that his day off is one of the days I'm away.

In summer with light nights I would be disappointed not to manage 3 days during the week (plus YO 1 day and me both weekend days).  Now it's dark earlier, he'll probably mostly get 3 days during week including YO riding, and weekends, so one extra day off.  Last winter when I wasn't shattered from being pregnant, I'd happily get up at 5.30am to lunge or quick school before work if working at home, but I really struggle with that now.

We have arena lights so he's now schooling 2 night's a week, YO hacks or jumps him on another, then the Friday afternoon and weekend work depends on what else I have on.  This weekend I'm competing DR on Sunday so I will probably hack this afternoon and maybe do 10 mins in school after just to ride through my test.  Tomorrow I will then do a proper schooling session, end with riding through my second test then take him around the 30 min block to cool down.  Last weekend he went SJ on sat then for a DR lesson on Sunday.  Next weekend I have nothing on as he needs a break from travelling/ shows, so we will probably do a nice long hack on both days to chill out.

MP - I find the same thing with my native type, he does best when schooled two days in a row followed by the third day being something totally different. Schooling two night's followed by a jump or hack on the third seems to suit him.


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## vam (4 November 2016)

I work full time but luckily as long as I work the core hours I can do what I like. I tend to do 6.30 until 4 but this means I get every other Friday off and I can leave a bit earlier once a week. Now the nights have come in I tend to school twice a week and on the Friday I can leave at 3 I wizz round the roads. The Friday I have off I can hack and then hack or go for a lesson at the weekend. So really she will only get ridden 5 times a week.
Oddly I find winter makes you get in the school and improve, I seem to favor hacking out and schooling then but sometime you really do need to knuckle down and winter make me do that. Mind you if its peeing down I don't tend to ride!
As she is young she will get a very easy Jan and Feb, possibly only being ridden at the weekends or even having a few weeks here or there. I don't mind but as she gets older I will try and keep her in more work. I was really lucky with my other horse to be on a yard with really quiet road work so I could do that during the week as well as schooling, kept him fit and interested rather than being in the school all week.


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## conniegirl (4 November 2016)

I work 8.30am to around 6pm. sometimes on a friday I can leave at 3 pm (today I get to leave at 4pm).
I exercise my horse every day, He gets hacked both days at the weekend and I ride 3 times a week during the week (normaly Tue, wed and fri). He is lunged 3 times a week (monday, Tuesday and thursday) in a passoa as it seems to realy help his SI issues (on a tuesday a friend lunges him in the morning for me and I ride in the evening in return I do her horse on a saturday evening).
I dont compete over winter and I try to have at least a lesson every other week (normaly friday evening)


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## mini-eventer (4 November 2016)

I Work 9-5, My horse is also a fairly green 6 year old so we sound in a similar situation.

 I aim to ride at least 5 times per week, but often manage 6. I was on at 6:30am this morning to fit a 45min hack in before work. 

I cant see how I can keep them fit enough just hacking at weekends. I aim to do the odd day hunting over winter.

I will have a longer hack over the weekend. We have a very well lit school so will jump and school a couple times a week also either early morning or after work

When I had no school, I had a flat part of field I would lightly school or lunge with rechargeable flood lights

My partner starts to feel neglected if I am home late every night. So although the early mornings can be hard work, I actually quite like getting ridden in the morning a couple of times a week as it leaves me more free time on an evening.

Although when I ride on an evening I really enjoy the extra hour I get in bed!


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## TheHairyOne (4 November 2016)

I work about 8.30 to 4.30 ish and I work one horse 6 times a week and work one of the others 2-3 times unless the weather is really awful, all after work, leave the yard about 8pm.

Very dark evenings I stick to the school (not lit) with rechargeable portable lights which are fine to do all schooling with, but I wouldn't jump using them.  If it's not overcast and there's some moon then once the eyes adjust riding around the fields breaks up the time in the school, and a lunge for each horse at least once a week.  Weekends is a long fun hack one day, then comp/lesson/jump/something else the other day. 

I'd love to go ride in the morning, but the traffic heading to work from the yard at the time I would be leaving is always AWFUL, so not really worth it.


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## Joyous70 (4 November 2016)

I work full time 7.30am - 4pm Mon-Thurs and 7.30am -3.30pm Fri.

We have flood lights and I try to do 3 nights a week in the arena, and hack at weekends with possibly a little pole work or jumping to keep her work varied.

This week however I have only managed one night, but will ride tonight as well, im doing battle with the loading issues we have, so I have been loading every night of the week but hopefully once this is sorted I will be back to riding 3 nights a week, with probably Monday and Friday nights off.

Again once the loading issues are sorted, we will hopefully travel to a venue once a fortnight for somewhere different to play.


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## MadisonBelle (4 November 2016)

I work 9-5:30 with an 1 1/2 commute. I used to ride 6x a week but horse is now 14 miles away so I only ride 5 x a week purely as the petrol costs are killing me but hoping to move within a few miles of the yard. We do BE.


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## j1ffy (4 November 2016)

I'm self employed so my hours can go up and down. When I'm working full time it's usually 8.30-5.30ish plus a 1hr45 commute each way to London. I usually ride one horse on four nights of the week in the school plus ride both on weekend days, I have two horses (well one is supposed to be my OH's but the most he manages is a weekend hack!) so it tends to be two schooling sessions each during the week, 1x school/comp and 1x longer hack at the weekend per horse. I pay my yard to do a couple of ride and leads or lunge during the week so each horse gets exercised 5 or 6 times a week.

It's a lot easier when I'm working part time!


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## spookypony (5 November 2016)

I don't ride nearly enough at the moment. Just now, I have to trailer to ride properly, am working long days (often at the uni until 8pm), and the weather sucks. Am trying to get moving from twice a week on the Ballerina Mare, to bringing the Spooky Pony back into work as well, which will mean trying to exercise each of them at least 3 times a week. No idea how I will manage that yet. Today might have been a riding day, except that there were field management chores to be done and then I had to go to some gigs (perils of being a musician)...


...feeling a bit down about it right now.


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## SO1 (5 November 2016)

I ride 5 times a week - 3 times after work in the floodlit arena and then try and hack out at the weekend.

I work in London and don't get to the yard till about 6.45pm. I don't have a partner or kids though so I don't need to please anyone but myself and I am on part livery so all I need to do when I get to the yard is groom, tack up and ride.

It is hard in the winter though to keep motivated especially when it is cold and wet.


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## {97702} (5 November 2016)

I've got to say I have given myself a severe talking to and have a provisional plan now I have read everyone's responses - I intend to ride 6 times a week, hacking at the weekend then schooling Mon/Tues, day off Wednesday, schooling Thurs/Fri.  So many others can do it, why on earth can't I   I've got to prove to myself that I am serious about wanting to improve....


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## conniegirl (5 November 2016)

TBH the day I find the hardest is Monday which is why I lunge him on a Monday. If I had to face riding on a Monday I think I would cry.
Be prepared to move your days around. Find what day you struggle on and make sure that you take it easier on those days! Other wise you will burn out


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## googol (5 November 2016)

In winter i ride at least 5xper week, i get myself into a routine better when they aren't living out (probably ride on average 4x per week in summer), plus its important for my boy to get consistent exercise as he doesn't get proper turnout. Im currently out of action and they will be in any day now which i am dreading, don't know what im going to do as it will freak me out not being able to get him out but don't want to advertise for a sharer.


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## rachk89 (5 November 2016)

I was trying to continue riding but the last couple of weeks have not been great. Haven't ridden him since Wednesday and we didn't do much as it sounded like fireworks were being set off so rather than risk it I got off and gave up. Probably only going to get weekends now because of the dark nights and that I won't get to the yard until half 5 (longer now probably since its dark and people here can't drive in the dark). I think I might see if the YO can ride him once a week to keep him going.


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## Tnavas (5 November 2016)

Years ago I was working in London - I would get home about 6:30pm - cycle to the yard - Muck out my horses box, ride and then cycle home. We had an indoor arena and other folk in the same situation so had company.


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## Lyle (6 November 2016)

I work 8- 4.30/5 and ride six times a week, Mondays is the horse's day off but I still go to the yard to feed up and clean gear/tidy up. I'm up at five, and on the yard by 6. I have a twenty odd minute commute to the yard. I ride, feed up the agisted horses, clean myself up and quickly change, before heading straight to work. I need to be there by 8 at the latest, but I try to get there earlier. I much prefer riding in the morning (although the alarm going off is painful!) as my head is a lot clearer and I can focus on my horse and his needs. After work, I'm usually too mentally tired to stay focussed. Horse schools/groundwork/poles Tuesday to Saturday, and hacks out on a Sunday (again at the crack of dawn, as it's the only time the road is quiet enough!)


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## Charlie007 (6 November 2016)

I work 7.30 til 4pm. 15mins drive to work. I'm on the yard by 6 and have two turned out and mucked out by 6.45. I'm lucky as the horses are on my door step. Get home at 4.15, then poo pick whilst it's still light. I ride most evenings as have a floodlit school. I try and vary it between schooling and polework.  If I don't feel like riding I will do inhand work. At the weekends I try and get to a lesson,  compete or a clinic.


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## MuddyMonster (6 November 2016)

Wow! Some people are particularly dedicated - hats off to you all  

I work 9-5 (ish), have a 45 minute commute & one horse on DIY livery. 

At this time of year, I'll aim for 2 hacks at the weekend & 2 evenings riding in the school. If I'm doing really well I'll put in another  night of lunging/groundwork/riding & if I'm not doing so well I'll substitute a night of riding for lunge/groundwork. 

Well have approximately a lesson per month & if I leave work early for whatever reason (I tend to acrue lieu time) I'll hack that day in the week. 

I only hack & do low level dressage & jumping - I find if I start to put too much pressure on myself to ride X amount of days in the cold/wet/dark I don't enjoy it. If I'm struggling & constantly tired in the winter, I just do less! If I'm enjoying it, I'll aim for a bit more. We only have an outdoor school, so sometimes it is weather dependant too.


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## gunnergundog (6 November 2016)

Lévrier;13405413 said:
			
		


			I have been bimbling around for years riding but have realised this year that I am not improving because I am not really THINKING about my riding but have been simply blindly following what my instructor has been saying - so I've been getting good results during lessons but cannot necessarily replicate that in competitions and schooling on my own.  This realisation has resulted in a change in focus, where I am trying to think/reflect about the feel/results I am getting while schooling etc.  I would really like to improve myself and my horse, so I have weekly lessons booked in with a good instructor who I have gelled really well with.

 My actual question, after all this waffle and context is..... how many of you are in this position, and how many times do you ride each week?

.
		
Click to expand...

As you have correctly identified it's not just the hours you put in, it's the approach/attitude and quality of those hours!  Crikey!  If hours devoted were the sole criteria for success then I would make Michael Jung look like an amateur!    OK, so I lacked in natural talent and aptitude and had to compensate with hard graft.  

Years ago I had a couple of really good horses; I shared the competitive ride on the main one with a 4* star rider - the other one was schooled and very occasionally competed by the pro but was mainly my ride.  He went 3*.  I got myself into the mental state though whereby I couldn't ride/function without the pro there telling me what to do as I knew that the neds could perform, so if they didn't with me on top then it was down to my ineptitude.  I became a type of automaton and lost all feeling/sense of thinking/responding for myself.  It was a dangerous area to be in. You need to be capable of thinking things through/ responding/working things out for yourself/not being afraid to experiment or indeed to fail. It's easy to say things like that now that I am retired in my sixties and looking back;  at the time it wasn't quite so evident.

Not sure if I've misinterpreted your question or not.  I rode six days a week without fail though.....spread between the two horses, dependent on my work commitments and the competition requirements of the neds.

My advice now would be to decide on your goals/what you want to achieve horse wise in an ideal world; then, re-assess those goals given your other life commitments (work, family, social life) and what you want from each of those areas; finally, decide what is realistic horse-wise given your other aspirations and then........GO FOR IT!


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## {97702} (6 November 2016)

Thanks GG that is really motivational    I am - mentally speaking - a victim of my own desire to get better, as if I really want something I then try to hard..... but I have set my goals so I will see how it goes


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## wench (6 November 2016)

For those that hack in the dark, does your insurance cover you?


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## hippocobamus (7 November 2016)

Probably 5 on average - but more because other things invariably crop up, rather than work necessarily. Luckily there are lots of willing volunteers to exercise him for me too - hubby will even have a sit sometimes.


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## ponypatters (7 November 2016)

I have four horses, two in full work at the moment, 1 just coming back in to work.  I ride two of them 4 times per week each, riding before work and my sharers do a couple days each which really helps, its hard in the winter I have to admit.  All are out 24/7 with daily pooh picking, haying and feeding all done by me except I have someone who feeds for me at one end of the day.  Tired all the time but it is possible to do it, just need a strict regime  Oh and I have help pooh picking a few times per week !


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## Lanky Loll (7 November 2016)

Work full time, small boy impacts my time as well and have just bought a new 4yo having sold this year's youngster and saying I wanted an older horse that didn't need quite such consistent work... doh! 
Anyway - currently ride both days at the weekend - one hack, one school and try and at least do one night in the week - which means boxing up and hiring an arena.  Every few weeks that arena hire will include a lesson, and about once a month I'll do a RC clinic so that the youngster gets some exposure to working in company, coming and going etc.  I try to make sure everything we do is educational - we had our 3rd ever hack on Sunday and she marched out in front all the way  but try and make sure that I vary every schooling session.  If I get chance to start late/finish early in the week (work are pretty flexible) then that's bonus riding time but I can't guarantee when/if that will happen.  Luckily my mum will also lunge her for me.  It worked pretty well for last year's youngster so fingers crossed will work for this one


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## YorkshireLady (7 November 2016)

I work full time 9-5 though with a bit of flexing and can sometimes be at home. I am also on Livery so its much easier than when I was on DIY. In general I ride 6 times a week. Sometimes 5 though rarely. Once we into Dec and Jan I not compete as much, usually its 2/3 times a month.  I should add once horse.

I will prob drop to one lunge session once its full on winter. I too want to hack one day at weekends or if I am lucky when I get the chance on a WAH day. I try to vary it up and do a fitness day once a week in teh school with no circles or fancy pants training and more like circuit training for him.

Will jump min once a fortnight


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## DressageCob (8 November 2016)

I don't strictly work 9-5...each day is different and often the hours are longer than that. My horse lives 1.5 hours away from where I work. I ride at the weekends (and compete around once a month) and one evening in the week if I am lucky. Thankfully my horse is easy to do and doesn't need masses of exercise to stay sane.


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## chaps89 (8 November 2016)

One thing that helps me is around the middle of the week, sit and make a plan for riding the horse/s around the upcoming weeks commitments  (work, social life, boyfriend)
I was working 9-5 but was fortunate to make an agreement with work to do 10-6 3 mornings a week and 9-5 the other 2. I have my own horse and 2 others. Mine is just being ticked over and ridden 4 times a week until she goes to the vets, my share horse I ride once or twice a week and the other horse I ride probably once a week when there's time. Mine was being ridden 5 or 6 days a week prior to pulling another sickie, we have no school so its either early morning hacks or a quick lunge on the grass in the week with proper rides at the weekend. It's about being organised and deciding what you want to achieve from each session as well as having an overall goal I find (whilst remembering that life gets in the way sometimes and horses are horses so sometimes we have to be flexible in our plans!)


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## leflynn (8 November 2016)

I work 9-5.30 every day with an hour commute and in the winter try and ride 4/5 times a week, sometimes I lunge or do groundwork esp when the weather is bad.  I ride before work oct/mid nov twice a week to hack, hack or hunt on weekends and school the rest, we only have a small school so I don't like to do too much in there.  Sometimes on eve's weekend (more jan/feb time) a friend and I hire an arena to school in.  I also keep holiday days and take half days on a wed nov/dec time to keep hacking.  Compete once a month (unless hunting) and try and have one lesson a month too - all depends on the lovely weather sometimes!


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## JustMe22 (9 November 2016)

I'm very lucky in the sense that while we have slightly longer work days than the UK, mine are quite flexible. On days I ride in the afternoon I work 6am to 3.30 with no lunch break, and on other days I ride early and then come home and work until everything is done, but it often means I work until late - I have two freelance writing jobs too so that I can easily afford the horse.

I have my own youngster who I ride 5 to 6 times a week, plus two horses at the yard who I ride to reduce my livery bill, normally about 4 times in total - and then I also have a jumping lesson on a RS school horse once a week. I try to have a lesson on mine every fortnight, and he hacks the majority of the time (starting to school once a week or so now that he's turned 4) but the place we hack is only open from 6-6 I think. We have a field with a track around it which I use when there's no time for hacking. He lunges probably once every two weeks, or less. I also teach on Saturday mornings and go to visit my retired horse after teaching. 

We don't have floodlights but luckily the changes in daylight hours aren't so drastic - probably an hour or so more in the mornings and 90 minutes more in the evenings. 

I am also going to try a SJ horse to share two days a week today, but if that happens I'll drop the RS lesson. 

So I guess the gist of it is that the only day I don't do any riding sometimes is Thursdays, but even that is a bit rare!

Luckily, I'm in South Africa so we're on full livery and all i need to do is turn up, tack up, ride and hose down etc.


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