# people that own over 10 animals



## Norah (Feb 16, 2012)

Hi ,

Fot those of you that have many animals , be it horses , cats , dogs or all ,* AND* dont have help caring and cleaning up after them* AND* work full time to support your animals ....how do you cope with your stress.how do you deal with the little stuff that adds up day after day , like the cat scratching the dog, the horse limping one morning when you go to feed , or a pipe breaks in the stall and floods it after you finished putting in new bedding , or your new batch of hay has mold, my list could go on forever , but you all catch my drift ... I am wondering if some of you would like to share your coping skills . I know we have all felt overloaded, how do you get through the really tough times and keep calm. NOW ,I am not talking about the wealthy people that have never seen the inside of their stalls , or had to touch poop , or clean a sheath . I am asking you people that do all of this yourself , maybe you are also a single parent , divorced , or your hubby isnt interested in your animal "hobby" , and everything seems to fall on your shoulders. Want to share your secret to keeping yourself centered and balanced, you you can continue being a good "mom". Or if you dont know how you deal with it , share your worst day at the barn, a day where everything you touched went wrong ; )


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## Shari (Feb 16, 2012)

How to say this..... you should have the number of animals that don't cause you stress.

Sounds like you have too many animals.

Right now I have two Icelandic's, one Mini, two Nigerian goats, one sheep, three cats and will have 25 chickens soon. This is the max animals I can deal with now.

When I was younger, I had a lot more animals but never so much to cause me stress.


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## Field-of-Dreams (Feb 16, 2012)

You just grit you teeth and soldier on. Right now we are dealing with horsey flu/colds, and it is a PITA. Drugs for this one, pills for THAT one, blankets on, blankets off, crush the pills, mix the applesauce...etc. Took me two hours doing chores last night, normally a 45 minute process.

They are still worth all the hassle, though....


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## cretahillsgal (Feb 16, 2012)

What Shari said. Sell some so that your stress levels are better. Sure, you are gonna have issues come up every now and then. But when it gets to the point that you no longer enjoy them, that is when its time to change something.

I know how you feel. This summer I had 32 horses, 10 goats, dogs/cats, and 2 elem age kids to take care of. By myself. My husband drove a truck and was usually only home one day a week. I also have a 8-5 job. It got to be too much for me and I have since sold down to only 10 horses. I just couldn't do it. It was getting to where I almost hated to go out and feed. Seemed like there was always "something" to deal with. It is MUCH better now that I have fewer to care for. And those "somethings" that come up and need special attention are not such a big deal now.


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## MindyLee (Feb 16, 2012)

Oh heres one for ya!






8 minis (3 in foal)

2 swans

6 netherland dwarf bunnys (9 babys with 1 prego doe)

25 bantam cochin chickens (4 chicks) (16 eggs due next week)

1 dog

1 cat

1 hubby

pay the eletric, gas, cable, my cell phone, trash, new horse trailer payment, insurance on trailer, all our food, all the critters food, and take care of the chores & 12 acres of property!

ALL ON 1 part time job! I do farrier services on the side which defently helps!

Oh then I do show some of my minis!





















HOLY MOLEY HOW DO I DO IT!

LOL


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## Norah (Feb 16, 2012)

Shari said:


> How to say this..... you should have the number of animals that don't cause you stress.
> 
> Sounds like you have too many animals.
> 
> ...



actually my animal dont make me stressed Sheri ... my job does that ; ) animals keep me centered , I love caring for them


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## Norah (Feb 16, 2012)

MindyLee said:


> Oh heres one for ya!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


good for you ... that a full plate .acutally my topic was not about me , it was about all of you guys... Kids stress out parents all the time , and people usually dont tell others to sell them ; ) I love caring for my animals, I love saying good moring to them .. I work a 12 to 14 hour day , that I dont love every morning. I see people all the time stressed out about their horses , especially at shows ...


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## ErikaS. (Feb 16, 2012)

Coping skills? Ha! Every once in a while, I just explode into obscenities.

I have:

16 goats, 6 are pregnant... 5 are due next week;

3 Minis;

6 cats... one pooped by the front door yesterday;

3 dogs... one strained her knee on the ice two days ago;

2 kids... 5 and 1 1/2 years old (these are people kids, not goat kids );

a husband who does not fully support my animal hobby, but does help pay for it;

And I take care of my elderly neighbor 6 days a week.

Like you, my critters help keep me sane... but SOMETIMEs they drive me bonkers. Sooo... I do what I can with what I have. I figure out what is the most important thing to get done on a particular day, do it, and leave the rest for tomorrow. Everyone gets fed and watered and petted (even the husband and kids), but there is only so much of me to go around. Just remember, you're really not alone.


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## mini horse mania (Feb 16, 2012)

I actually left my $15 hr job....i had to...with 12 minis,400 chickens,15 hogs,42 goats,ducks,and all.i asked ti get off afew hours early two days a week,boss said fine,we can work with,that,,,,next thing I know he hired in a replacement and offered me $11 per hour to work part time...oh well...im trying to open small store. It is hard,plus I have a 2 year old son...it,was too much..my advice is to either,sell down some,or if you can afford to,go part time...i couldnt bear not to have any animals....i was staying outaide till dark feedimg up...some mornings id get up,find a goat or another animal,hurt,in labor,etc....and didnt know whether to call in late,leave the animal or what,...then the bottle babies....lordy,you cant work a 8_5 job and care for them...i would get up at 6:30 take my son to daycare,go to work get off work,feed up,cook supper,shower,then bed.....it was just unreal...i didnt have a life.


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## Magic (Feb 16, 2012)

Well, I don't have an outside job anymore, but when I did, it was definitely the horses and dogs that kept me sane and the job that drove me crazy, lol! That's why my husband finally told me to quit my job, save my sanity, and be there for our two daughters.

These days we have more horses (37 currently), and four dogs, one of which is my beloved geriatric Great Dane who needs a lot of special care. I do all of the caretaking myself, with some help from my husband; mainly he hauls hay from the hay barn to the horse barn for me, and helps with some stall cleaning from time to time, and he helps me take pictures of horses for registrations, etc. I do the bulk of the day to day feeding, all of the grooming, training, etc, and it can get tiring, but I just love it. I love taking care of my horses and being out with them, even when it's below freezing like it is today. I bundle up.



The only times I've felt like I oculdn't take any more was when I'd had newborn foals that I nursed through long days and nights and still lost them, or the time I almost lost a mare due to a dystocia from an abortion and we couldn't get the foal out (until finally we did, still waiting for the vet to arrive). Or when we lost an awesome stallion to colic. And yet, caring for the remaining horses kept me going. Even when I'm a walking zombie from lack of sleep during foaling season, or recently when we had some major flooding from a freak rain storm in January and we worked non-stop to keep the barn and horses dry,taking care of my horses brings a smile to my face.

Very simply, I count my blessings, I don't focus on the losses or the problems. Those are just little challenges to overcome. I look at the "big picture" instead of focusing on the little flaws in it.


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## Reble (Feb 16, 2012)

I do know we did have to cut back years ago, was becoming a job not an enjoyment.

We wanted this to be our hobby not something we had to do and did not enjoy.

So have learned to say NO to other things that do not make us happy.

That can and does put stress on me and my husband.

Now, we do join and do things we want to do not what we think we should do.

Make a list and just be happy in what you have done each day.

Do not try to do too much, somethings can wait for another day.

We went to pellet bedding which makes it so much easy to clean the stalls.

We went to hay cubes where we do not have to worry where to get our minis their feed each year.

We buy our vaccines on line so it saves us money.

Have downsized so we do not get over whelmed with chores.

When things happen, and has had for us, lost animals we loved and yes, was close twice now with our own life, we look around and see our blessings and say to myself, this too will pass. Think Positive...

You can only do so much, somethings have to wait, when things go wrong, take a deep breath, and listen to your inner self.

When we find we are not happy with what we are doing, than it is time to stop.

Yep life can be overwhelming but sometimes we add to it..


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## Tab (Feb 16, 2012)

I absolutely agree with Shari. If you are so blessed that you're stressed you need to downsize. Oh, I don't work



full time



, I'm just a stay-at-home mom and wife who owns 7 minis a big pony, 2 cats, and a bird. While they are blessings I get overwhelmed when I am not managing my time right. I know that I need to downsize come Spring and work at managing my time more effectively. I understand how you feel





Even when things are going well I tend to pray my way through life


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## Norah (Feb 16, 2012)

all great ways to cope with stress. My biggest stress relief , is being with my horses ..I have 5 , its not a lot , but with the work load its a lot . I recently took in that was in terrible shape , my energy towards getting her healthy has paid off . My brother is very sick and is in the hospital and i live on the other side of the world , and cant be there to hold his hand . all i can do is pray that he wont die . This is the stresser right now that I cant seem to deal with . I will take a day off tomorrow , and sit with the ponys , I know they will make me feel better.


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## Riverrose28 (Feb 16, 2012)

At first I wasn't going to respond becuase I do have paid, part time help. Plus my daughter and her husband are now living with us, and he helps some, like with the evening feeding, and bringing in firewood. Husband is my biggest helper, he puts up the hay, built all our barns, put up all the fencing, and does farrier work on our horses. We have three retired arabs, all elderly from 26 to 30. Thirty minis, although we are trying to downsize, with that many it is hard to give them all the individual attention that I would care to give. Five dogs, four cats and two birds. Sometimes my grand children come on the weekends to help with grooming and other chores, my favorite times, and sometimes in the summer my 11 yr. old grandson stays a week or two. He's the one that shows.

I do know all about stress too. My father-in-law passed and I had to care for my sick Mother-in-Law for 10 yrs. until she passed. Then we had a few nice yrs., then last year my oldest daughter was diagnosed with breast cancer, and had to undergo chemo for what seems like forever. Hubby had spinal surgery last year and was down for a while so it was stressful just trying to keep up. But with that being said the animals are our life and we couldn't live without them. If I ever get down, I go in the woods and pray, then go hug a few horses, that always makes me feel better!


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## MountainWoman (Feb 16, 2012)

I don't have any help. Care of the animals is all on me and I guess there are days in the winter when I have to head out to the barn and it's 15 below and I wonder why in the heck I do what I do but then I get there and hear all those welcoming neighs and it's all worthwhile. Summers are easier for me because the geese and poultry are out free ranging during the day and I don't have as much coop cleaning but then there is the extensive gardening I do that also keeps me busy. I work with all of the horses and my dogs and donkeys individually every day (clicker training) and it's a labor of love and I wouldn't have it any other way because it just fills my heart with joy but I do admit by nighttime, I'm exhausted and these old age bones of mine ache. But next morning, I get up ready to do it all over again and I wouldn't change one thing in my life with my animals.


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## LAZY J MINIS (Feb 16, 2012)

ITS JUST ME AND MY HUBBY,DOING THE WORK HERE. WE DON'T CONSIDER IT WORK JUST LOVE. WE HAVE 29 HORSES,4 GOATS,1 ALPACA,2 DONKEYS,24 CHICKENS,3 GEESE,6 DUCKS,2 PEACOCKS,2 GUINEAS,7 DOGS,12 CATS, AND A MOMMA DOG W/PUPPIES IM FOSTERING. AND SOMETIMES THE NEIGHBORS GOATS AND COWS COME FOR A VISIT. AND AS FOR THE REST OF THE INSANITY I PANIC FIRST THEN I TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM AND THEN THE BEST PART I GO HUG AN ANIMAL OR 2 OR 3 YOU GET THE IDEA. BUT SOME DAYS I FEEL I'M GETTING TOO OLD FOR THE FUN. I WOULDN'T CHANGE A THING.


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## chandab (Feb 16, 2012)

Well, my husband and I raise Red AngusX cattle, so taking care of animals is our job. The minis are all my idea, so all my responsibility, so I do 99% of the work for them. We worked cows today, so I'm exhausted (and I think there may be poo in my hair, but I'm too tired to shower).


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## Marty (Feb 17, 2012)

A few years ago I had to take a step back and ask myself what I was doing and try to rationalize it. The day came where I was too tired to enjoy my horses because all I did was work for them and by time chores were done there was nothing left of me. I was working full time in the family business, raising a few foals, adding to the program and fussing over every little hair out of place. I didn't really want help because I wanted things done my way. Health issues got involved and I began to sell down slowly. Its no fun when you are overwhelmed with constant worry, suffering from exhaustion and spending money like it grows on a tree. It was a nice ride while I was younger, I have no regrets, learned much, but I know my limits now. So I say to the OP, start asking yourself the important questions and you'll know what to do by your answers.


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## Leeana (Feb 17, 2012)

I kind of like it, it keeps my body and mind busy. Now, I do have help..my father does do his part, but I rather do most of it myself. We have about 16 ponies, all of them for the most part are 40" plus. I work midnights (mostly), so I like that I have the day available so if I am needed, I can be there. I get home around 8:15 every morning and can feed/clean stalls....sleep...then wake up at 4:00pm go feed/clean and then go back into work around 11:30pm. Its kind of nice, although believe me, I would rather be sleeping right now.

I'm one of those people too who just rather do it all myself, that way I know its been done..how its been done...and that it was done my way. But I do welcome help if dad offers to fill water buckets or something like that. Every now and then he helps hold a horse when i'm clipping it or something.


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## Jill (Feb 17, 2012)

The animals actually help me reduce stress... but I'm me, and you're you. It's about what each person is able to happily support. I work full time actually owning a business and my husband works full time, too. I do think if not for my husband's help and devotion (to me and the four legged dependents), I'd have to have fewer horses...


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## Katiean (Feb 18, 2012)

A few years ago I had over 150 rabbits just to supply my show string. then I had my 4 horses, a dozen or so chickens, 1 goat, 8 cats and more dogs than I care to say.

The rabbits were sold after my car accident. The neighbors poisoned the goat and our big dog. Got new big dog. Now I have had to move my horses to a boarding facility. I have more stress since the horses have been gone. That is why I am up at 2:30 in the morning on the computer. I am so stressed that I take 2 Prilosec ( generic prescription strength) every day and cant lay down because of the acid reflux that I didn't have when the horses were still home.


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## MBennettp (Feb 18, 2012)

I keep my animals because no matter how horrible my day at work has been, I can walk in the barn and am immediately surrounded by love. I wouldn't trade off any of my animals except some of the stray cats that seem to think they own the place.

I was having a really rotten day yesterday until I got home and went to feed. It's hard to stay depressed when you get all the attention from all of the animals every time you step in the barn.

I am now working way less hours than I used to, I am down to 40-50 hours a week now which gives me more time. If there isn't time to get everything done, prioritize it, do the important stuff and let the rest go until you have more time. I clean the stalls and the barn but deep cleaning is left until the weekend. If I have an animal that has to go to the vet, I take them and then go to work. To me it is having a family member that has to go to the doctor. I fortunately have a job where I can make up any hours that I miss because of taking a horse to the vet but I also don't use my vacation time so if I have an emergency, I can use it.

My hubby is able to feed part of the time but he can't clean stalls or haul hay or feed, that is up to me as well as fencing, repairs, mowing, gardening, and I just had to put up a lean to on short notice for the rescued Haflinger we took in.

I have 7 minis, 1 Shetland, and 1 Haflinger plus 7 cats that live here full time and a whole lot of strays.

If I didn't have my animals, the stress from my job and everything else would kill me.

Mary


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## Norah (Feb 19, 2012)

I took the day off the day before yesterday , and devoted the entire day to the horses . IT WAS AWESOME !!! exactly what I needed to regroup , a day with the friends I enjoy most in my life .... my horses , they showered me with love , affection , and photo oppertunities ... I cleaned their room and shoveled the snow out of their playground ...I dont need to get rid of my horses , i need to spend more time with them , and less time at work . Our winter season is very difficult , with many tourists , the snow , and the extra long hours , just 1 more month to go and i will have 1 month vacation to play with ponys , and fill myself back up !!! thanks for the support , it made me take a hard look at my life with animals , and decide that I want and need those animals , all of them . The new horse that I decided to take in and help , as she was pretty thin , and sick .... is a blessing , she is the most appreciative , and loving horse I have had in a very long time . Her ability to overcome scary issues from the trust we have built in the last 2 month is a very warm , and fulfilling feeling ... I am greatful for these horses , without them I would feel pretty empty : ) spring will come !!! I love the spring and summer


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## shorthorsemom (Feb 19, 2012)

I am married to a dairy farmer. We milk 50 cows and have 50 heifers. We have 6 dogs and 2 housecats and 12 or so barn cats and two mini horses. Up until this past December I worked a full time high stress job and farmed every night when I got home to help my husband until almost midnight and I farmed all day on the weekends and on all my vacation days. Now that I lost my job, I am full time farming with my husband and it still takes just as many hours, but we are happy, and together things are a bit easier to cope with these days...We don't have any help, we do everything ourselves.

Something I would like to share to this string is what we do when we have "one of those days"... like when the heifers knock off a water pipe at ground level and are running around making manure soup and the water is flowing everywhere, and when we are hauling buckets of water to 50 cows while waiting for a plumber after we get the water shut off... When a cow walks through a fenceline and lets everybody out and you are chasing cows in a cornfield in the dark and you finish milking at 1 am because of the time lost.. When your horses get out and you walk the farm with flashlights until 2 am.... Oh, I could go on and on,

you get the gist... For those horrible "over the top" days we walk over to the calendar on the fridge and "cross the day right off the calendar" with a big x and say out loud "glad that day is over". I guess if I ever looked at the calendar and there started to be more x's on it than non-xed days, then we might thing we should be doing something to fix the stress. Animals make me happy and I don't think I could have handled all those years of my high stress off the farm job without critters and a terrific family to come home to every day.

I did self evaluate not long ago my decision to keep three mini horses and decided I needed to make a change there. My breeder took back one of my boys and found him a great lease home. Now I have more time for the two minis I have... My stable and space and time is really only set up for two horses, so I feel good about my decision... I miss my boy, but know that it was the best decision for all.

A funny story..., right after I declared that I had enough dogs at 5 and would not be replacing my old guys when they passed and right after I told somebody "I could never live with a hound"... a basset hound was dropped off on our farm and became dog number 6. My husband says... "oh well, what is one more...LOL I love my man. Anyway... It really is a personal decision... when your xed out days on the calendar start adding up and out number the good days... then I recommend that you self evaluate and make some changes.





Cheers everybody... be happy


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## Marty (Feb 19, 2012)

I re-read what you are saying Norah and wonder if its your job or something else that is making you feel out of sorts and not your chores at the barn. Perhaps you have job burn out. I had a very stressful job once and did not want to even get out of bed in the morning for fear of what was going to happen there next. I guess I had "pre-anxiety" or something every morning and at night as I didn't get a restful sleep worried about that job so much. When I'm not a bundle of nerves, my coping skills with things that may go wrong at the barn are taken more in stride and dealt with a whole lot better when I'm at peace with myself. Best wishes and hope you find your answer.


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## mydaddysjag (Feb 20, 2012)

Generally, my animals ARE my way to destress. Over the past few months, Ive been getting stressed. I feel like Ive gotten hit with one sick animal after another since September, we spent all of last summer building a new barn ourselves (no contractors), My health problems have gotten worse, and now my nearly two year old son is having some issues that are requiring more and more time for appointments. My husband works 12 hour days, with a 2 hour commute to/from work, so the animals are my deal.

Since September, I had a horse who was very sick, and required meds 4 times daily, special soaked feed concoctions, etc.

As soon as he got better, our new horse arrived, and ended up having the flu and an ulcer on his eye. He hadn't been handled before, so the four times a day of eye drops were miserable for everyone. 40 bales of hay I had delivered ended up with mold in nearly all of them, the hay guy wouldn't return my calls, A few weeks ago we finally had our show stallion gelded, he had violent seizures from the meds, and was in rough shape for a few days, another horse had a bad reaction to vaccines, had a horse go off of feed for a week...

Now that the horses seem to be all in good shape, our cat got sick, in two days racked up almost $400 in vet bills just to diagnose the illness, and send me home with IV fluids and pain meds that he gets 3 times a day, and he needs a $700+ surgery.

So, Im pretty stressed lately. Its not regarding the money, but mostly stressed that I always feed the best feed, I follow ALL of my vets recommendations, All horses are vaccinated against everything the vet recommends, I worm the yearling every 4 weeks, the adults every 8, hooves trimmed every 5-6 weeks by a barefoot trimmer, I feed excellent second and third cut hay, I use pelleted bedding to try to keep my horses living in the cleanest possible environment, I give supplements to those who need it, etc. I honestly take NO short cuts, and am very fussy about my animal husbandry. It seems like the more I do for them, the worse off they are.

That said, there's not one I could "give up" so lightening my work load means sending the yearling off to the trainer. One less horse to clip for shows, and he's the one who needed the most time put into him right now. The others are seasoned pro's, just need fit and walked in the ring.


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## Norah (Feb 20, 2012)

mydaddysjag said:


> Generally, my animals ARE my way to destress. Over the past few months, Ive been getting stressed. I feel like Ive gotten hit with one sick animal after another since September, we spent all of last summer building a new barn ourselves (no contractors), My health problems have gotten worse, and now my nearly two year old son is having some issues that are requiring more and more time for appointments. My husband works 12 hour days, with a 2 hour commute to/from work, so the animals are my deal.
> 
> Since September, I had a horse who was very sick, and required meds 4 times daily, special soaked feed concoctions, etc.
> 
> ...







oh gosh ! what a horrible year for you , and the horses . I am so sorry, and things like this happen, sometimes we have no control over it . I took the day off of work , and sat with the horses all day long .I decided that I loved , and needed each and every one of them for different reasons ...I decided to take more time off work to enjoy my horses : ) I really hope thing get better for you. I think you just had a very bad spell, and I think a LOT of us have been through this . Chin up


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