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Regular
Posts: 60
| With school starting back I am trying to figure out how to get it all in. How do those of you who work Monday-Friday and have school age kids get homework done, the horses worked and a healthy dinner on the table at a reasonable time? This is new to me as I was working 12+ hour shifts 4-5 days a week so the horses just got pushed to the side. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 629
 
| I don't have kids, but I have worked full time, 12-15/semester of credit hours of college courses and 2 horses to keep worked. The biggest help to me was meal prep ahead of time.
At my bridal shower my MOH made a recipe box, and I've continued to add to it since. When we find a recipe we LOVE, and could have often, I make sure it's in my recipe box. Every Sunday I go through the box and pick out what I think we'll feel like having that week. I pull out my cards, make my grocery list and head to the store. When I get home, I write my meal plan for the week on a chalkboard in the kitchen. I plan to have super quick/easy things for nights I have a meeting, or a big project due, or the night I want to haul out to ride. I plan things that take longer for when I'll be riding at home, or not riding.
I'll be honest, its just the two of us, but in the summer we eat a lot of salad (I'll get a rotisserie chicken from the store, or cook up 4-5 breasts and shred them to put in) and in the winter we have a lot of crock pot meals. I am not quite so organized that I pre-cook and freeze whole meals so that all I have to do is throw them in a crock pot or pan to thaw/warm up. I'm not certain I'd make it taste good. Oh, we also have breakfast for dinner, often. Pancakes, eggs and sausage links. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1857
| I find my self riding in the dark a lot! I usually start dinner and work on homework with the kids at the same time, while they eat I go saddle everyone, then I'll come in get dinner cleaned up and put in the fridge and kick the kids outside while I ride until 30 before bedtime, get kids rounded up, showered, teethbrushed and in bed. Then go back out and finish riding. You work the young ones first and those that need pattern work and those that just need legging up can be done in the dark.
I also, my husband says I'm crazy, run in the morning and usually have a horse or two jogging with me. I get up early and go to bed late.
This isn't something that can be done everyday because it'll run you in the ground. I jog everyday and I at least get everyone rode 4 days a week. Saturday and Sunday they all get worked no matter what, it's my day off not theirs, haha! Where there's a will, there's a way! |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1034
| I work long days and have four kids 18-1. We are also building a house. I have come to realize I don't have time for colts. I got my first finished barrel horse this week (yay me!!) so all I have to do is keep her legged up and go run on the weekends. |
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 "Hottie"
Posts: 1373
Location: Okemah,OK | I don't have a typical 9-5 job but we own our own business so while my schedule is flexible, there's no one else to rely on so often I work til the wee hours. We had a baby 6 months ago and I have 7 head that range from weanling to 15 years old. I swore I wasn't gonna sell my horses just because we had a baby..... Oh how ignorant I was lol. I only have a sitter 3 days a week for about 5 hours a day. I haven't been on a horse since May! I recently sold my yearling gelding. It killed me. He's the last baby out of my now retired broodmare but it had to be done. I'm keeping 3 geldings that are all finished or at least loping the pattern and I'm keeping three mares that are all 2 & under & don't need much right now (I had someone put 30 days on the 2 year old). Plus, I'm getting a little more daycare but not anything full time. I hope it frees me up to ride again, I desperately need it!!!! |
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"Hottie"
Posts: 1373
Location: Okemah,OK | As far as meals, we often have to eat late but the best thing we've done this summer is the thin cut steaks from the grocery. Tonight, we had those, grilled mushrooms, Uncle Bens Ready Wild Rice and frozen garlic veggies from Sams. It was ready in 10 minutes and pretty dang good! We do a lot of crock pot (spaghetti, roast, ribs, etc), stir fry (I have great sauce recipes I found years ago), grill pork chops, I put baked potatoes in the oven in the morning and set the timer, etc |
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Veteran
Posts: 160
| No sleep! I get up at 5:30 and ride. Then kids and work. Its extremely tough! Definitely make ahead meals look on pinterest. If you make a half decent meal then yout family will be happy. Somethings gotta give and for me that was not always having a spotless house. Its ok and everyonr is happy. If you are able to ride 3x week you are doing great! |
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 Chicken Chick
Posts: 3562
Location: Texas | I don't have horses at the moment but we have a pretty hectic schedule. We have our own business that I run and my husband is the foreman for a huge crew. We have a 1 year old and an 11 year old. Until recently I was working 8am - 8pm 6 days a week, my husband was working 7am - 7pm 6 days a week. The best advice I can give is get on a schedule and stick to it. We would be scrambling to get everyone fed and bathed and in bed by a decent hour, once we had a system the kids knew what was coming next and put up less of a fight. We have hired an employee now so I get off at 4 o'clock go to the store and by the time I get home it is about 6... gives me a little more time to get everything done. My 11 year old has really been so much help to me. To be honest he was quite lazy before we started our business. Now he will clean the house (like spotless), or one day he will decide to clean the garage... I didn't ask where all of the boxes went, I was too scared of what the answer would be lol. He helps with his sister so much also. He has really grown up a lot in the last 6 months.
You may not have time for everything, you just need to figure out what the most important things are and try to squeeze everything else in when you have the time. At one point I was trying to be super mom and get everything done for everyone. All I got accomplished was wearing myself completely out and really had nothing to show for it. So we cut back on some things until I could get my hours changed. My son didn't get to play baseball this spring, or play on the traveling soccer team he was invited to be on. Which sucks but at the time we just did not have the time, I had no way to get him there. Tackle football is starting up though and we will have time for that, and then soccer this winter... baseball in the spring lol.
Oh as for dinner, we ate a lot of crock pot dinners. Make all of the meals up one day, freeze them in gallon baggies so in the morning you just put a bag in and that is it. That evening you can cook the sides or whatever but it is much faster.
ETA: One more thing about the crock pot dinners. My husband found liners that go in your crock pot while you cook. So after you are done you pull the bag out and throw it away. If it did have a leak in it there is minimal cleaning you will have to do on the crock pot.  I have found a lot of people don't know about this amazing idea lol. We find ours by the aluminum foil and stuff.
Edited by pinx05 2015-08-06 12:22 PM
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 929
| I am trying to figure this out, too. I have a 6 month old baby, a full time job, own my own tack and apparel customization business, a husband and 11 year old stepdaughter, and 3 horses, one of which I would like to be a 2017 futurity colt. We recently moved (not of our own desire) and now my commute to and from work is about 30 minutes, so I have less time to spend with the horses, cooking, etc. I have found that only tuning on my 2 finished horses 2x per week and letting daughter and hubby ride them the rest of the time is working out best. That way I can focus on my son and my colt. The crock pot and meal prepping is my new best friend- we plan our meals for the week and write them down on a white board. I am going to have my stepdaughter start assisting with meal prep. Also, she knows the rule is she does her homework while she waits to get picked up from school/aftercare or she doesn't ride. I still need lots of help in this area...I saw a spreadsheet on barrelracingtips.com that I am going to try to use and do my best to stick to it as much as I can. It is at least nice to see that I am not the only person struggling with this and that there are others who have been there and can help us out.  |
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Expert
Posts: 1314
Location: North Central Iowa Land of white frozen grass | And everything that has been said above is why the full time trainers and riders have horses that are in the 1d all the time. Its not that the rest of us have horses that are not as good or talented as them. Its that life gets in the way to keep ourselves and our horses legged up to run to the top of our game like they can. It is amazing what you girls do trying to keep everone in your lives happy. I hope your husbands and boyfriends apprieciate all that you do. |
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 Texas Taco
Posts: 7499
Location: Bandera, TX | My hat is off to you all. I have a very stressful full-time job, but get to work form home. That gives me a bit more freedom than an office would. I am also very organized and structured in my live. I have to haul out every day to ride my horses. My days are packed full though, and I am tired and exhausted all the time (mainly the job's fault).
I honestly don't know how I would fit children in my day - you ladies should all be very very proud of yourselves!!! |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 959
Location: Borger, Tx | My little one is only in pre-k but having already raised my step son, I can tell you, LOTS of CROCKPOT meals and also on Sunday's cook a pretty large home cooked meal that you can have leftovers for a day or two:) Lots of riding at dusk and dark as well. Right now I either saddle up at 6pm and ride right away or feed as soon as I get home then run in and try to cook something or eat whatever was in the crockpot then go back out and ride when it cools down. Granted right now I only have 2 to ride but back when my step son was growing up I had several and still worked to. I'm as guilty as the next one by saying "there's no way I can do it" but truly if you want it bad enough there's always a way. Make the most of the time you are able to ride, may not be more than 20 mins a horse but 20 mins is better than nothing
Good luck! |
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 Professional Amateur
Posts: 6750
Location: Oklahoma | Crockpot - the crockpot is your friend. I also will do meal prep on Sunday's (if I am home) to try to make things easier during the week. During the summer - I grill quite a bit and grill enough for extras.
When the kids are younger - it's harder. You have to work around their schedule. I remember mornings at 4:30 a.m. to get horses worked before the kids had to get up. Now that they're older. . I still try to get up and get some worked in the mornings and ride in the evenings and it's a "family thing" for us.
Mornings - I throw a load on laundry in the washer before I go outside. Throw it in the dryer when I come in. If I don't get it done that way - throw a load of laundry in when I get home from work. FOLDING? That's optional.
Most importantly, you have to find what works fro you. If you have help in the house - you divide and conquer! I have calendars on the fridge. Reminders on my phone. Organization is key, but my house is organized chaos! 
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 Jr. Detective
Location: Beggs, OK | I love the new place where we are living, but dearly miss my arena lights.... When I get home I try to spend as much time as I possibly can with 15 month old twins, cook supper, and get them to bed. Then my husband and I go to the barn. My 13 year old and 6 year old daughters have usually gotten their horses worked, unless they're working on something that they want me to watch. We all ride and work as many of our horses as we can....and then we all clean stalls, wrap legs, and get the horses situated for the night. It's hectic, but we all love it and are very fortunate that it's a family lifestyle. My girls ride whether I'm home or not and whether I ride or not. They have horses that are age appropriate and truly enjoy them.
I'm learning that lesson myself. I have a gelding that I adore, but he's not as user friendly as I would like him to be with my limited amount of time. My husband recently bought me a very nice 3 year old who is exactly what I need. He's pretty and started as a reiner and fun... I love the ones with speed to burn, but at this point in life they aren't practical. My new one will be a nice one, but not likely a barn burner....just safe, and pretty, and fun |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 629
| RodeoCowgirl4u - 2015-08-06 10:55 AM
I saw a spreadsheet on barrelracingtips.com that I am going to try to use and do my best to stick to it as much as I can.
What was the spreadsheet on? Riding time or food? LOL. Would you be willing to share? I'd love to see it! |
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  Twin Sister to Queen Boobie
Posts: 13315
Location: East Tennessee but who knows?! | Latest blog post talks about finding ways to implement working with your horse into your daily feed/turnout routine. Helps when you're short on time. http://cowgirlswithcurves.com/
Crock pots, getting up super early, dictating chores were the only ways I got anything done when I still had kids at home. |
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Regular
Posts: 60
| I admire all of you that can do it all. I appreciate all of your advice and tips. I started hitting Pinterest hard last night. Ready to get organized and horses back in shape. |
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