Making time for a second horse

[LadyNeon01]

I have been contemplating buying a schoolmaster-type as a second horse that I can learn the mid- to upper-level movements on. This idea would allow me to make more progress on Criss, as I seem to be stuck in the training/first level circle.

My question is this: how do you find the time to ride two horses as an ammie with a full-time job and husband at home? Mr. Neon’s main concern is me wanting to blow off social events with our friends in order to ride both horses. And I can understand that concern. But so far, I haven’t really done that with just the one horse so I’m apt to believe I won’t do it with two horses. Money isn’t an issue, as I can comfortably afford the second horse.

Of course, this is all prompted by my trainer who sent me a very intriguing horse for sale while I was on vacation last week. :lol:

[CFFarm]

Why not just take lessons once or twice a week on a school master if $$ is not an issue?

[Nestor]

@CFFarm

Why not just take lessons once or twice a week on a school master if $$ is not an issue?

Exactly this. But unfortunately, finding an upper-level schoolmaster-type horse to take lessons on is difficult. OP, do you have access to a schoolmaster to take lessons on?

[TheHotSensitiveType]

If the OP is in an area like me, there are no dressage schoolmasters to take lessons on… None.

@LadyNeon01

My question is this: how do you find the time to ride two horses as an ammie with a full-time job and husband at home?

This is a hard question with so many variables… Is your current horse time consuming to get ready to ride? How long are your rides? Is there a lot of after ride care necessary? These would be my same questions for the schoolmaster.

My mare is fairly uncomplicated. She doesn’t need any ground work or lunging before I get on and doesn’t need wraps, boots or anything like that. Also, she is pretty lazy so our rides usually are ~30 minutes to keep her happy about work. I restarted a friend’s horse over the last year, and he is quite complicated… Working with him takes ~1 hour sometimes more! My barn time had drastically increased as a result of working that horse, and I got home late to the family as a result. Not fun!

Now that I am not working him anymore, I replaced the ride with another boarder’s uncomplicated horse and going to the barn is so much more enjoyable and less time consuming! I get home at a more reasonable time!

[Nestor]

To answer your question… I found having two horses to be hard. And one of those was semi-retired and only being ridden 3 days a week. I never felt that I spent enough time with either, and for that I felt guilty.

Would you be riding both horses full-time? Or would your trainer be schooling one or both for portions of the week so that you don’t have as much pressure on your schedule? I assume that if you’re riding training/first, then you would want your trainer to keep the schoolmaster tuned up for you? And perhaps riding your current horse to help him progress along? If money is no issue, does your farm have grooms (or a knowledgeable person looking for extra money?) who can tack and untack for you? Even if it’s just to do back-to-back lessons and the groom can have the second horse ready for you and take the first horse to put away.

Just some ideas…

[Pocket_Pony]

Like the person above said, it depends on how much time it takes to get a ride in. I can do about 30 minutes on both my horses on weekday mornings before I have to go to work. Of course I’d love to do an hour each, but that would require me waking up earlier. On the weekends I have as much time as I want or need so I do both on the weekends for longer rides or trail riding. Or sometimes I mix it up and give one the day off and have a longer ride on the other and vice versa.

But mine are at home so I can put off other things that aren’t as important and do those on the weekends as well. I don’t remember, do you board or is yours at home?

If you don’t mind waking up a bit early or eating dinner late then you can squeeze more time into your day. I am not a fan of waking up early, although I have done it in the past.

If you’re getting a schoolmaster and you would need to learn the ropes on him/her, then you are bound to have longer rides. Also, if the schoolmaster is aged and requires a bit of maintenance, you may have longer warm-ups and cool-downs. And if you need more lessons on schoolmaster (or why else would you get one), then that is going to take up more time.

I’d figure an extra hour and a half into your barn time for a schoolmaster…

Sounds like fun if you can make it happen!

[mmeqcenter]

Could you lease a schoolmaster instead of buying?

Personally, I find it too difficult to work two horses with a full time job and social life. So I don’t have a social life :lol:

[slp2]

I love having 2 horses----but clearly, I do spend more time at the barn than when I only had one.

To keep up with riding 2, I basically ride every day (unless I have to travel for work). On work days, I usually only ride one (alternate days that I ride each horse) —then I ride 2 each day on the weekend. I have some flexibility with my work schedule on Friday afternoons too—so I can usually fit 2 rides in on Friday as well. Or lunge one and ride the other. And I am little bit obsessed with keeping my horses in regular work (my goal is that they get worked about 5 days a week)—but there are lots of fellow boarders that only ride a few days a week and their horses do just fine with that workload. A school master might do great with 3 days a week in work—although if they are older and a little arthritic, keeping them moving (even a short ride) will be better than giving them more time off. I do find that I keep my rides a little shorter, and more focused, if I know I need to hop on my other horse too.

You didn’t mention whether you keep your horses at home, or board them. I should add that I board–so most of the barn work is done by the barn. Obviously, it’s much harder to fit this all in if you have to do the barn work, and maintain the arenas, etc. So that makes a huge difference.

One of my horses is older and more experienced, and I have a youngster. It is so helpful to be able to ride my more trained and confirmed horse while bringing along a green horse. My riding benefits from it a lot, as well as my riding fitness. However, I still workout on top of riding two. So I juggle that with a full-time, demanding job, and hubby. I should add that he does ride too, although he only rides a few days a week—but some of the time, we are both at the barn. And, because he rides, he tolerates my ridiculously time-consuming hobby/sport because he has an appreciation for how much time it can take.

So as far as social events----there is none of that during the week (because I’m at the barn every day after work). I still have time on the weekend if we want to get together with friends. Although, admittedly most of my “social” group outside of work—ARE horse friends. So, if you have a busy social calendar, and that’s a big deal breaker for you to having 2 horses–then it might be better to just take lessons on a school master when you can fit it in.

[Sancudo]

It’s difficult. I have two full time, I’m the sole rider, and usually do one before work and one after right now… when it gets darker earlier is the timeline for selling the project pony as I have no lights or access to any arenas with lights (apparently no one in this town is a working amateur rider…)

The problem I frequently see is this: The upper level schoolmaster will quickly revert to what ever level the rider is at very quickly- weeks even. So if you have a trainer that can continue either the progression of the horse’s training or at least maintain it and the fitness and flexibility needed to do so and train you as well, then it’s a win-win! Less riding time needed but more advancement and less confusion.

[LadyNeon01]

@Nestor

OP, do you have access to a schoolmaster to take lessons on?

Oh how I wish I did! It was my trainer’s trainer who seriously put the schoolmaster idea in my head when I took a lesson with her a few months ago (side note that I need to get back to her for another lesson).

To answer some of the other questions, I board Criss. He’s 5 minutes away from my house. No grooms at the barn, and I rather prefer it that way so I really get to know my horse. All told, I usually spend 2 hours at the barn. My ride time is usually 45 minutes to 1 hour. Thankfully, we’re to the point where I don’t have to lunge him before getting on. I usually go ride after work, which puts dinner at 7:30pm or so.

I’ve ridden some mid-level horses in lessons, but that was 14 years ago and I’ve obviously lost that feel. I realize that I’d have to have more lessons in order to keep up the training on the schoolmaster.

If it were just myself, I’d have no issues giving up whatever social life I have right now. I much prefer to hang out with the barn crew!

[MysticOakRanch]

I did it for a while. My schedule was Monday - lunge both horses, start at 5:30 a.m. Be at work by 8:30. I ate breakfast while I drove to work. Tues - Fri, ride a horse each day (alternating horses). Weekends, ride both horses. Sometimes I’d take Sunday off of riding. It was exhausting to be honest. I had a job that was usually 45 to 50 hours weekly, sometimes more. I’d ride in the morning because I KNEW I would be exhausted at night, and I often got caught in a late afternoon project or nighttime meeting.

Now I work part time - and it helps a LOT! I can do 2 horses and not feel too exhausted. I work LONG hours 2 or 3 days a week, and part time from home the rest of the time - and that is very doable.

IF you have a trainer that can ride the horses a couple of days a week, it will not be too bad, but if you are doing it all on your own, I think you’ll start to resent the riding.

As for leasing a schoolmaster - I am always curious - ARE there areas where this is a possibility? I’m in a huge dressage area (California), and there are no schoolmasters available for lease or lessons. It just doesn’t happen. You can sometimes find a 2nd/3rd level horse for lessons (and even that is rare), but higher then that?

ETA:
I’m curious since some people are saying they can ride 2 horses in an hour and a half… How long do you ride? It takes me 3 hours to do 2 horses - that includes basic grooming, tacking up, untacking, warm up/cool down. And I’m fairly efficient. I can’t imagine doing two in half that time. Maybe this is a different thread - but is it really possible to do them that quickly?

[TwoTrickPony]

I always ride two horses. I think it doesn’t take much more time to ride a second by the time you get to the barn. It seems to me to be more useful in time to ride two than just one. Depending on the day I ride both in the arena, go on a trail riding one and ponying one and do arena work, just ride on the trail riding one and ponying the other (switching off each time), or possibly maybe lunging one and riding one.

I think if it takes you an hour to ride one, it can take an hour and a half to two hours to ride two, so it seems more efficient.

And as for leasing a schoolmaster, there are possibilities. I lease my PSG mare to two people because I want to. There are a few other I know of that do, but charge about four times as much. If you have enough money, I think they are out there.

[mmeqcenter]

@slp2

You didn’t mention whether you keep your horses at home, or board them. I should add that I board–so most of the barn work is done by the barn. Obviously, it’s much harder to fit this all in if you have to do the barn work, and maintain the arenas, etc. So that makes a huge difference.

Interestingly, I (usually) find I have more time to work with two, now that I have my own farm, than I did when I boarded. But, I had a 30 minute drive to/from work, AND a 30 minute drive to/from the barn (45+ if I went straight from work).

[phoenixrises]

So I have two. One is my dressage horse and one is a Mini driving horse. This is what my schedule looks like:

Sunday
Ride Presley (dressage horse)
Drive Mini

Monday
Cross Fit - horses day off

Tuesday
Ride Presley
Longe Mini

Wednesday
Cross Fit

Thursday
Drive Mini
Longe Presley

Friday
Ride Presley
Mini -day off

Saturday
Cross Fit
Ride
Drive

I have two kids (13 and 8). A husband. And a pretty demanding job. The mini is young and wasn’t even halter broke in May but unlike Presley doesn’t mind more days off. Presley does NOT like resting and two days off in a row are a no go. She’s pretty high maintenance.

I’d say with a second horse, just make sure it’s ok with more down time. YOu really can’t have two that require 5-6 days a week work. Or at least I can’t.

[netg]

I have two. I chose to take the luxury of having them in full training (or me in full lessons) so when I have to work extra we’re still ok, and if I get sick or can’t ride (a huge portion of this spring I was stuck indoors due to lung issues) they still get work. Unfortunately, that luxury comes at the cost of approx 2 1/2 hours of driving on workdays, and at work 9-10 hours/day. It means I only can ride one on weekdays so I alternate and my trainer rides the other. I’ll admit it helps keep progress going in the right direction. With our heat, I’ve only been riding one on weekends, too. I will probably start taking lessons on the older one and trail riding the younger one on weekends so I get to ride both that day, at least.

[hopashore1]

On days that you add in the 2nd horse plan to double the amount of time you normally spend there. When I’ve been riding more than one a day (or mucking stalls/teaching lessons) my husband knows I either leave the house at 5 AM to do both before I have to be at work or that I won’t be home until 9 pm. Fortunately he’s very supportive (and the 2nd horse I ride/extra work I do is generally income, not an expense on my end :lol:) and is fine with 90% of my/our socializing being with barn friends!

It also makes a difference whether the horses are in stalls when you get there or out in the pasture, whether they’re the type to get disgustingly dirty at every opportunity or not, whether it’s hot enough that they need hosing down/sponging/scraping to cool down after a ride regardless of what you do or if they can get by with a curry/quick sponge of the girth area, etc. As others have said, I try to do two on weekend days and alternate days during the week if I can, or just make one a lunge/short hack if I’m pressed for time.

[4wdNstraight]

I also have two horses. They are 3 and 4

[xQHDQ]

I’m glad I’m not alone having trouble balancing 2 horses, full-time job, husband, dog, friends, gym, grocery shopping, house cleaning…

I’m having to carefully schedule everything. Horse #2 is a baby, so is being ridden by my trainer, but I’m assisting, so I’m really on her schedule, and since the barn is 30 min away, I try to schedule riding Horse #1 before or after trainer works Horse #2. Horse #1 is leased BUT his lessee is a dead beginner, so I have to help her each time she wants to ride, so we have to schedule that together (hopefully she’ll become more self sufficient soon). Then I schedule my weekly lesson on Horse #1 based on my trainer’s availability (at least that’s pretty much set). And, of course, there’s my work schedule filled with meetings and deadlines. Oh, and I have a neighborhood dog walk also scheduled each Sunday and take an exercise class 4 days a week, so I’m fit enough to ride.

I now bring my work laptop to the barn. In between horses, I do a little work.

I can’t do this long term - it’s driving me crazy. It’s driving my husband crazy because it’s often his time that gets cut short, and the dog is nuts b/c she’s not getting as much exercise as she should.

[xQHDQ]

Oh, and to add: I did a conference call (internal not a client call) from horseback yesterday . I kept it on mute.

[joiedevie99]

I have two. One is certainly easier, and there is no way in the world I could manage three. Two works for a few reasons: 1) my wonderful groom, and 2) the proximity of my office, barn, and house.

My groom has the first horse waiting when I arrive at 7:30. As I’m getting out of the car, he’s walking to the mounting block. Then he tacks up the second and we swap at 8:15. I’m out the door by 9:10, in the shower at my office by 9:25, and at my desk by 9:40.

When I have a lesson in the morning, I either start a bit earlier, or only ride one horse that day and let my trainer ride the second later on in the day.

On the weekends, I get to spend time with them. I don’t have that luxury during the week.