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Elite Veteran
Posts: 788
  
| I don't have kids yet and find time to do nothing! What do you do to manage time better? I get off work at 4 every day but Friday (which I would think is plenty of time to get everything done) but when I get home usually at about 4:15-4:30 I feed, then either cook supper, workout, or clean for a few minutes. (usually none of the above before the horses get done eating and I figure out something else that needs done more) Then its about 5:30 or 6. Then try to ride as many horses as possible before dark, which turns into only 1 or 2. (it needs to be 4) and then its dark, 9:00 and im tired and don't wana do anything else but shower and sleep. I constantly get frustrated because I feel like I haven't gotten anything accomplished. Am I crazy or am I just not doing something right? What do yall do if you have kids and other responsibilities and still get horses rode and fed?
And before someone asks I am married and the husband is riding his own horse or busy doing other things when he gets home. He does help me sometimes but most of the time is busy. | |
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 Bulls Eye
Posts: 6443
 
Location: Oklahoma | do you have a walker you could warm up/cool out horses on while you work one? Or ride one and pony one and just rotate.... | |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 788
| I do pony a lot since I cant ride them all but I always seem to have work I need to do on most of them. I only have 1 that is a finished horse. | |
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 Expert
Posts: 2457
| Lists my friend - lots of 'em.
I make a list of the things I want to do on that day - only that day - and stick to it. Then I don't get distracted by the "oh I can clean this too, and this, and this, and this while I'm right here things ..."
I put it on my calendar in my phone ( I keep everything there!) What horses I'm gonna ride, what household chores need done, what outside things I want to accomplish, etc. I have found that a lil organization will go a long way.
Good Luck!! You CAN do it! | |
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 Experienced Mouse Trapper
Posts: 3106
Location: North Dakota | I would love to be home before 530! With that said, multitasking is waaay overrated! If you only half- a$$ 2 things by multitasking maybe you should , start one thing and finish one thing and repeat every hour (that would mean 5 things done in an evening). Multitasking is for things that go together, obviously, while the horses are eating, they are being brushed. Other things, that work are washing laundry while cooking supper. Start a load before you start supper, finish the load-(throw it in the dryer etc) when the dishes are in the dishwasher. Sometimes we need to move FASTER, meaning hurry through the parts that aren't important, for me the walk from the barn to the trailer-it's not very far, but I usually try to "trot" so that I can have more time on my horse rather than leisurely walking to the trailer. I also saddle as fast as possible unless there's a horse having an issue. Get a little oranized and have priorities, Thursday I like to clean some, Monday, usually the yard and laundry-I give the horses the day off. Tuesday and Friday we rope, if I need to practice barrelsI will make time somewhere in between. laundry never ends-there's always something waiting. Plus it's a great day when I have something started in the crockpot before I leave for work! BONUS :) | |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 540
Location: My own little world :) | I am a relatively new mother...my daughter is just over a year now, I go to school online, have a part time job, and a husband....you wives out there I'm sure can relate ;) I have found that if I adhere to a schedule I can get a lot done. I am not a very organized person and am very easily distracted. For example, right now I have two essays to write but what am I doing??? I'm looking at horse stuff! Yay!! Anyways, so for me I get up early like 4:30am thats early enough for me. I try to get my homework done in the morning before my daughter gets up then I play with her or work during the day. Thursdays are my house cleaning day so I do nothing until my house is clean from top to bottom and all of my laundry is done. As for the horses I just have chosen to make them a priority. This summer was hard for me to get everything in order and I often thought about quitting horses all together but they really make me happy so I have chosen to continue. I have three young ones to ride each day and a pony I'm working with for my daughter so as soon as my husband gets home I get outside and get working with my horses. I also try to get out there and get them caught and saddled so that when he does come home I can just jump on and go. A huge thing I've learned is to be happy with even just a little bit of time spent with them. You don't have to ride each one for a hour or longer everyday. I know there were a few times this year that I think I rode my horses for a total of 10 minutes each during one of my daughters long naps but at least I got out there and worked with them and I do notice a difference in them even if I only get to spend a small amount of time with them. I think you just have to learn to prioritize and stick to a schedule. Also, I often find myself talking to myself saying "How bad do you want it?" If you want something you will make it happen no matter what. So for me I've learned that even if I'm tired or its raining or its getting dark if I just go out there I can accomplish something. I hope that helps :) And crockpots are wonderful things :) | |
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 Firecracker Dog Lover
Posts: 3175
| I don't. Or I simply can't. I have a husband and son who are not into the horse thing. I sacrifice and it's why my 6 year old is still high loping the barrels. Maybe by the time he's 9 we'll actually be competitive. In the summers when it's hot I get up and ride before work, now it's dark at 6:30 and I get home at 5:30 so I squeeze in a ride when I can - if I don't have to pick up my son from football practice (hubby and I rotate that). I ride on the weekends, and my house is okay but you know what - the dust bunnies will be there for Easter decorations. Just kidding - really - when it's snowing and blowing and only 15 degrees out I will deep clean my house then. We don't eat dinner before 7:30 on any given night and it's just the way it is. Bottom line - do what you can and don't sweat the stuff you can't - it'll still be there. Good luck to you! I empathize!  | |
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Industrial Srength Barrel Racer
Posts: 7268
| I'm home by 3:00 usually - of course THAT means, I get UP at 3:30 to be at work by 5:00 - SO the evening is cut short - VERY short. I have no kids and I still have no time - and I don't feel like a waste time! Seems I always have something "extra" to do - tonight it is draining all the tanks, power washing them and installing tank heaters. Sometime before winter, I need to take the horse blankets to the laundrymat to wash them, buy heated bowls for the dogs, drain the garden horses, etc. etc. I wonder if where I lose time is that my BF and I COOK - almost every night - it's cheaper and handier - BUT time consuming. | |
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Veteran
Posts: 227
Location: Heart of Texas | Prioritize! Don't beat yourself up when things don't get done. Sh** happens. Weather. Life happens. I find it's easier to saddle them all at once. I don't know why but its faster than one by one. And they all get unsaddled together. I make the MOST out of my ride, cuz it's usually only 20 min long. And sadly I brush very fast. Like mostly where the saddle goes and clean hooves. Brushing manes and tails is NOT important. And stalls used to get cleaned every day but now it's like 2x a week. And then in winter I ride at night. I live in the sand so it reflects quite nicely in the moonlight. Lucky for me I'm married to an electrician so I'm hoping this is the year I get arena lights. I got barn lights last year. Good Luck! | |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 357
Location: Florida | I'm a soon to be mom and one of the biggest time savers I've read it to make your meals in larger quantities so that there are leftovers for the next day. Or on Sunday make an entire weeks' worth of meals and freeze some of the days. Sticking something in the oven or microwave to reheat is a lot quicker than cooking an entire meal each day. | |
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 Owner of a ratting catting machine
Posts: 2258
| I'm not a mom, but I'm working 70-80 hours a week. The very very best advice I can give you....crock pots and hire a good cleaning service. You have no idea the joy of a good weekly cleaning by someone else. They probably do laundry, too. Also, invest in lots and lots of lights. I get by when necessary without lights to ride, but I always always have lights to feed, clean stalls, lunge, etc. For real though, get house cleaners. They have been the key to my happy marriage, happy horses, and happy bosses at work. I just don't have the required 4+ hours a week to jack with something that never ends. | |
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 To the Left
Posts: 1865
Location: Florida | I am a morning person, plus I am tired when I get home from work so I ride before work. Get up 1.5 hours before dawn, feed, come inside and eat breakfast and do chores. I go back out and saddle up so as soon as I can see the road I am riding down it. It just makes the whole day better. Of course I always kept it to one or two horses at a time so I could ride one in the morning and maybe one at night. | |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 788
| jewishprincess - 2014-09-30 11:57 AM
Prioritize! Don't beat yourself up when things don't get done. Sh** happens. Weather. Life happens. I find it's easier to saddle them all at once. I don't know why but its faster than one by one. And they all get unsaddled together. I make the MOST out of my ride, cuz it's usually only 20 min long. And sadly I brush very fast. Like mostly where the saddle goes and clean hooves. Brushing manes and tails is NOT important. And stalls used to get cleaned every day but now it's like 2x a week. And then in winter I ride at night. I live in the sand so it reflects quite nicely in the moonlight. Lucky for me I'm married to an electrician so I'm hoping this is the year I get arena lights. I got barn lights last year. Good Luck!
Its really funny you said that lol my horses tails get brushed like once a month unless they get notty. I figure they just don't care if their pretty lol
Thanks for the help guys! And I have thought about a cleaning person but I really cant afford it right now, maybe one day!! lol
Im workin on the lights, I used to have some and the bulbs went out so its just the matter of getting the hubby to take the time to fix them. I usually just deal with darkness and figure it will help my riding ability if I can keep from fallin off! | |
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 Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9992
Location: Kansas | Stay up late, and wake up early!!! I have a 2 year old who keeps me on my toes!!!
I get off work at 4:30, but have an hours drive home...so I'm not home until 5:30. I pick my daughter up from daycare, come home...cook dinner, do dishes, pick up the house, feed the horses, give her a bath, lay her down around 7:30pm...once she is laid down...that is my "down" time to either fold laundry while watching tv or just to relax. | |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 449
| It is HARD to say the least!! I work four 10 hr days so my day starts at 5:30 and I don't get home until around 5:30 at the earliest and those are on days I don't have soccer practice, baseball practice or some sort of school function with my son who is 6. I have the time to ride when I get home in the evenings, right now, until the time changes. But, there is still housework, laundry, dinner, spending time with my family, etc that needs to be done and needs attention. Sometimes I get super tired and frustrated with trying to have time for everything. My house is usually what suffers the most....lol. I don't haul to many barrel races right now because of my sons sports and games being on Saturdays. Every time I think I may go to a local race during the week, something either comes up and I can't go, or I think about how late I will get home and be so tired the next day. I don't get to go or ride as much as I want to, but I am content. Especially right now with my young son. He is most important and I won't get these years with him back so I am choosing to be a Mom!! | |
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 Warrior Mom
Posts: 4400
| Well im fortunate to be able to be a stay at home mom and not have to work outside the home. But ive got 3 kids and a household to run and 3 horses to keep going. Now that my middle child started kindergarten. I load up my youngest child in the mornings whenI take my other two to school after I drop them off I go straight to the barn and ride BEFORE I feed. That way im done with all my barn/horse chores by 10am-11 then its household chores time before picking up kids from school at 2:40. Gives me time to grocery shop, clean and laundry. After 3pm its chaos in my home with homework suppers baths etc etc... im absolutely exhausted by bed time but ive got it down to a pretty good schedule. Only time I get thrown off that schedule is if hubby calls wanting to meet for lunch or breakfast lol! My youngest boy entertains himself pretty well at the barn while im doing my thing. | |
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 Good Grief!
Posts: 6343
Location: Cap'n Joan Rotgut.....alberta | i dont have kids  .....i get home a bit after 5 and i feed the dogs and head to the barn...i feed the horses and saddle some of the cold backed buckers (i have 2 of them...lol) and i go to the house for a quick bite and head back out and start riding i have 4 on the go right now and starting this weekend i have to put a month on my 2 yr old, one thing i make sure to get the younger ones rode first and them i ride the older ones in the dark...................
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1094
Location: Idahome | Some days are harder than others, but for the most part if your doesn't get rode that day it won't kill him. I have only 1 daughter right now and no family where we live, so it is just hubby and I. I don't like asking friends for help except on the rare occasion when we need it. We get home around 4:30 most days. Some days he stays inside with my daughter while I ride and then we switch. When it is his turn to ride, I will usually be driving the 4-wheeler to pull the dummy around or I go in to fix dinner (if I didn't start something in the crockpot that morning). We have 4 horses total, 2 good horses and 2 colts. Our daughter is almost 2 1/2 half now and is really good about entertaining herself most of the time, so on a good day she will play with her toys so that we can both ride at the same time. We get all of our laundry done on Friday and clean the house. We keep it pretty clean, so doing a deep clean on Friday doesn't take long. I usually vacuum every other day in the morning before work too so that helps. This winter the horses probably won't get rode as much since it is dark so early, but we can ride on the weekends. It really is not impossible, but you have to find a way to make it work. | |
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 The Worst Seller Ever
Posts: 4138
Location: Oklahoma | You could....
Saddle all the horses when you get home, ride, then do all the "inside stuff" after it starts getting dark.
I get home around 6 every day, and it is dark by 730 now. I get home, change, get my kid, saddle the horses, then ride one and pony one. I really need to get 2 rode a night, but that doesn't always work, so I switch out who gets ponied, or let my little one ride one of mine and pony hers (she thinks she is grown when she gets to pony one).
Then I go in and cook dinner, do dishes, laundry, ect.
I do give myself one day a week to come home and not lift a finger! That is a great day. LOL | |
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 Veteran
Posts: 242
| I keep a schedule and follow it. I rotate usually allowing a couple days off for each horse a week. Usually I can get two rode on work days and 3 rode on weekends rotating which ever horse needs a break. In my schedule I always allow for a trail ride on Sunday mornings. If I don't feel good, I will lunge in the round pen! I am up early and in bed late, but to me its worth it. To keep them rode and spend adequate time being a mother it is challenging but it can be done if you manage your time. | |
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Regular
Posts: 82
| Have a schedule, stick to it, and don't sit down! I don't multi-task, but I don't waste time either. Horses stand tied for an hour or so before getting ridden while we eat. Crockpot handles the cooking and I know that morning what I am putting in it because I planned the week on Sunday. Laundry, dinner list, and all shopping is done Sundays. Only things that have to be done on weeknights are ride, eat, kids homework, and get everyone to bed clean. We don't ride much during sports seasons. It is too stressful for all of us. | |
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Veteran
Posts: 276
| The minute I get home from work, I go inside the house only to change clothes and head to the barn. I get home around 5:20. My husband and I ride anywhere from 2 horses(usually on a Monday after a weekend full of rodeos/jackpots) to 6 horses. Usually when it is too dark to see anything we start putting horses up, feed, and get in the house always at least an hour after dark. We eat fast dinners, especially in the summer when it is so late. Not much time for housework or anything else really before we crash, so I save that for a possible Sunday that I might be home, or I will do a little here and there to keep above water. I will hire someone to clean if I get too behind. I hate doing that, but sometimes we just have to. Horses and rodeo are passions of ours and we know we have to work extremely hard to reach our goals! | |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 507
Location: Lost in the corn of Iowa. | My days are super busy as well, and have been for as long as I can remember. My schedule doesn't allow for more than 1 horse for me though. But, here is what I do on a weekly basis. I look at the family schedule for the whole week, horse shows, school functions, any dinner dates or get together with friends, pretty much anything that requires my time and plan my riding around those days and times. On rainy days I cook freezer meals so that I can pull something out and just heat it up. I also have had to cut back on my riding days and only ride about 2-3 nights a week because it was affecting my family life, so I had to make a choice. Hence why I also had to cut down on the number of horses I have. But I have established a good routine so that my husband and kids know that on nights when I ride that I'm not cooking that night. I work M-F and am either home at 3pm or 6pm depending on the week. It's tough but it can be managed. Good luck!!  | |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 507
Location: Texas | I have a routine that seems to work for me. BUT I did have to come to the realization that I will never ride like I did before. Horses are not my number 1 priority but they are still my sanity. LOL!
5:00 pm - leave work and head to day care to pick up my son
5:30 pm - arrive home and start dinner & eat
6:30 - 7:15 pm - play with my son and do some picking up (I do have a cleaning lady)
7:15-7:30 - bath time
7:30-8 - unwind and get him ready for bed and in bed by 8
8:05 - head to the barn to ride!!!
I do have to be pretty dedicated. In the winter I never get to ride in the light of day during the week. I ride one and pony the other and the next day I switch. My horses usually only get ridden 3 times during the work week.
My husband works really odd hours so I never know when he can help or if he is working or sleeping. I do have a baby monitor that reaches to my arena so if I am home alone, I can hear if my son wakes up while I am outside.
May not be the ideal situation but it has allowed me to stay in the game! :) You will find your way too.
Edited by barrels1 2014-09-30 3:45 PM
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 Ima Fickle Fan
Posts: 3547
Location: Texas | Here is what I do, partially for sanity, partially cause as a mom I have LOTS of crap to do and I'm OCD about what I eat. (Background for ya: I have two boys-5 years old and 7 months old, work full time, finishing my doctorate, and am on a committee outside of work and family.)
Lists - if I don't write it down, I don't remember and it won't get done. Plus, it helps to see stuff crossed out. Then I feel like I've accomplished stuff.
Planning - I plan EVERYTHING. Again, if I don't plan, it doesn't happen. Winging it doesn't work when you function as "we" rather than "me." I plan everything from all meals to what errands are done on each day. My iPhone also helps me remember when I have appointments, etc.
My mornings start at 6 a.m. with feeding baby. I get ready, lunches are leftovers from the night before. Breakfast is a protein shake with all ingredients sans milk and ice in the blender (do that the night before). I get ready in less than 30 minutes (I shower the night before). My hair lives in a ponytail. Drop kiddos off and then I go to work. I have a fitdesk (think bike with platform for keyboard), so all day I pedal to nowhere. Mommy time is at 10 & 2. During that, I take my laptop and work on my dissertation. At lunch (when I don't pick up the oldest from school), I go to the rec center on campus and do strength training. At 5, I get boys and head home. Then it's feeding time for youngest. Hubby gets home, we eat, and then one of us rides. Both of us will be able to ride when youngest gets older.
My BIGGEST TIME SAVERS:
- Grocery shopping with my entourage is done Saturday mornings.
- ALL meal prep for the entire week is done on Sundays. This may be cooking it all so we reheat, or just chopping up everything so it's ready to go. This also includes washing and bagging fruit and veggies so they are easy to grab. (I'm overboard about healthy eating.) But even if you're not into eating super healthy, meal prepping shortens cooking time if everything is ready to cook during the week with no prep work needed.
- Laundry is presorted underneath the washer and dryer. Hubby built a table for me that the washer and dryer sit on and baskets are underneath. When a basket is full, time to do a load. It's easier to do it throughout the week, so it doesn't all have to be done on the weekends.
- Cleaning - I spend 15 mintues each day picking up, so it's not a huge mess. But I have kids, so clutter is typical at our house. I've learned to let that go. However, the biggest sanity saver is that I have a lady come clean every other week. (Happy wife, happy life)
Edited by aggiejudger 2014-09-30 4:16 PM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1034
| classicpotatochip - 2014-09-30 12:09 PM
I'm not a mom, but I'm working 70-80 hours a week. The very very best advice I can give you....crock pots and hire a good cleaning service. You have no idea the joy of a good weekly cleaning by someone else. They probably do laundry, too. Also, invest in lots and lots of lights. I get by when necessary without lights to ride, but I always always have lights to feed, clean stalls, lunge, etc. For real though, get house cleaners. They have been the key to my happy marriage, happy horses, and happy bosses at work. I just don't have the required 4+ hours a week to jack with something that never ends.
THIS. Get a cleaning service and don't kill yourself on meals. I have four kids and I'm a law enforcement officer (graveyards, court, hold overs, callouts, you get the picture). There is no way in H E double hockey sticks I got time for that.
Also, someone said lists. YES.
And you have to prioritize. You MAKE time for what's important to you. | |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 602
| Some of those chores will slip. I use to do a full clean on my house every saturday. Now its about every 2 weeks. Before I had a kid, I couldnt stand having any dishes in my sink,now days I dont freak out if I miss a day. Life shifts alot after having kids but women are great at multi-tasking. The best advice I have is try not to clean or fold laundry all in one day. Mop the floor one day during the week, fold just one load of laundry instead of 3. Then when tomorrow rolls around finish folding laundry. Just space chores. Plus when you have kids, the scheduling gets more defined. (i.e. From 4-5pm I have time to ride, From 5-6pm dinner and some house chores, From 6-7pm play with the kids/Feed animals, From 7-8pm shower/bed time prep) | |
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 Veteran
Posts: 253
Location: EDGE OF INSANITY | Stay tired all the time? lol. My husband drives a truck and is NEVER home. My day is crazy, and unless its summer time I never get to ride in the daylight, honestly, most of my riding is done in the dark. I work 45 minutes from home and have a 2 and 8 year old. We leave at 6:55 in the morning, drop off at school, drop off at daycare, and off to work i go. I do a lot of my day to day errands on my lunch break (not much eating keeps me skinny lol) Leave work at 5, pick up kids, get home by 6-6:15. This time of year my 8 yr old plays football, so 3 nights a week we are at practice from 6:30-8:30, get home eat (i second the crock pot, or sometimes on sunday i make a big pot of something to last a couple of days) homework(normally its done at afterschool but not always finished), baths, etc. Its usually 9:15-9:30 before i get out to ride. I have 3 to ride so i rotate who gets ridden and always pony one so they are all worked atleast 3-5 times a week. I dont normally get in bed until 11 or 12 and get up at 5:30 to do it all again. I am literally exhausted and consume WAAAYYYY too much coffee lol. Somedays i dont know if i'm crazy or have major commitment to my riding, sometimes i have to make myself go out and ride, but i'm always happy that i did. With all that said, when the husband is home, i hand over the kiddos and check out (usually mentally, sometimes physically lol) I'm sitting at fb now, praying the coach calls practice early | |
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HOW DO YOU DO IT?? Working mothers or multitaskers come hither!