Why horse crazy mums should never ever give up on their dreams…
Are you a mum who loves horses? Or a mum-to-be, who loves horses, and worrying about whether you will have time for them after the baby arrives? Have your kids already sapped your time and your energy, and forced you (until now) to put your horsey passion to one side? Are you considering even selling your horse, and giving up on your horse riding dreams all together?
Well STOP! I'm here to encourage you to NOT stop believing in your horsey dreams! It is possible to be a mum AND have horses!
I am a mum of two kids. I run a very time consuming small business, 6 days a week. AND I have horses. My kids, are now 6 (Oliver) and nearly 3 (Sophie). Both of them never slept and never stopped screaming as babies. 24 Hours a day, 7 days a week, they were what I call 'high-maintenance babies and toddlers'. For the past 6 or so years, I put MOST of my horsey dreams slightly to one side, whilst I got through the early days of baby hell. But I still kept my horses. I couldn’t bare to part with my horses, nor give up on my dreams. And they (my horses) still kept my sanity! Even during the times when all I managed, was a quick pat and a cuddle, when I managed to tear my babies off me, for more than five minutes at a time.
It was tough going, and often with our nearly three year old (hyperactive and super clever daughter), it still is!
These days though things are getting easier! Now, I am finally getting back to doing what I love to do, and that's to RIDE HORSES! I steal time where I can, to indulge in my passion. Because without my horsey time, I am just not ME.
And since opening our local country saddlery and stock feed store full time 12 months ago, I have met many more lovely and amazing horse crazy mums, just like me. I get to hear their stories, entertain their kids where I can (with our resident bikes and toy corner), whilst they get two minutes of peace to shop. In fact, talking horses all day every day, actually helped re-ignite my spark and passion for horses (that I had been trying to put aside due to lack of time).
Because before we opened our little shop, I was a 'corporate career mum'. I worked in the city, basically full time, with two little kids who went to childcare. It took me 2.5 hours to travel to work, each day. I left home at 6.30am in the morning, and didn't get home until 8pm at night (generally to two screaming kids who were tired from childcare!). My husband worked most weekends, so there was no break there. So horses just had to take a back seat. And I was pretty miserable!
What kept me going throughout this time, was the fact that I had a big dream and a big goal. I worked so hard, so my husband and I could finance the building of our beloved saddlery shop. And it worked! I now travel just 15 minutes between our rural property to run our local shop, in our lovely country town of Smythesdale. And now, I get more time to ride!
And I really have realised lately just how much riding and having horses really means to me. Quite simply - it makes me happy. But it also keeps me active, and therefore fit, healthy and strong. Having a good ride, on a nice horse, allows me to ‘de-stress’. Achieving a training goal with my young horse, makes me feel POWERFUL. It re-invigorates my spirit, gives me energy, and makes me more patient with my kids, and therefore allows me to be a happier, BETTER mum.
The horse-kid-work-husband-LIFE juggle, will always be a challenge. And I realise not all horsey mums get the opportunity to run their own saddlery(!). Us busy horsey mums know that time is not our friend. We never have enough of it. But I'd like to think I could encourage mums to not pack it all in, and not give up their horses. To set themselves horse and riding goals, and to do whatever it takes, and hunt down the support you need, to find the time to get out to the paddocks and just DO IT!
It's worth it, I promise...And there ARE WAYS of making it work.
Recently, I began to think that perhaps I'm not the only horse-crazy mum out there, who is trying to achieve horsey goals, with one or several screaming kids in tow. So I have created a Facebook support group, for mums like us. It's called the 'Horse-A-Holic Mums Survival Network' - and we would love you to join us. It's still in it's early stages, but if you want to join in, introduce yourselves, and your kids and horses, then we would love to see you there. The only two requirements, are that you are a mum (or an expectant mum!) and that you love horses. Hopefully we can create a space for some much needed venting, encouragement, laughter and a little bit of healthy craziness…
Sarah
The slightly eccentric horse crazy mum, and Owner/Manager of One Stop Horse Shop :)
P.S. Make sure you stay tuned for some great horsey-mummy juggling tips and tricks to come! But in the meantime, make sure you keep cuddling your horses, and keep your sanity intact :)