It happens to everyone – days don’t always go as planned. Deadlines come up. A kid gets sick. Projects require extra time to get done. That means a lesson gets cancelled.
Juggling a horse habit on top of work, family and everything else, can be exhausting some days.
We get it. Heels Down is celebrating the adult amateurs who understand the struggle. Life gets in the way of riding sometimes, no matter how much we wish it didn’t. Read on for stories from real riders on how they get it done.
Dr. Brooke Krbec, 38, Boston, Mass.
What do you do?
I’m in fellowship training to be a neonatologist (NICU) physician.
How many hours a week do you work?
It really depends on the month and what I’m doing. I usually work 60-80 hours a week if I’m busy with research or on clinical service in the ICU.
Tell us more about your horses.
I have two young horses, and one older horse in Florida who is leased by one of my best friends. The first is a horse I bought in-utero named Oakley who is an Irish Sport Horse/Zangersheide x Appaloosa cross. He competes in hunters and has started doing derbies. My other young horse we recently imported from the Czech Republic, his barn name is Goon, passport name Gasquet. He is very green but I am hopeful he will be ready for some show experience this summer. The third horse is an older Arabian/Appaloosa mare who I have had since she was two years old and broke/trained myself. She is about 18 now and is living the semi-retirement life just outside of Orlando, Fla.
How often do you ride a week?
Currently I am laid up from having spine surgery. Previous to that, in the months that I had a fairly easy schedule – either research or cross-coverage at night in the ICU 3-4 times a week, I would try to ride as much as I could. This was usually every day or at least 3-4 times a week. When on service, (daytime coverage of the NICU) I usually only get to ride on my days off. Sometimes even after an overnight call – where I would go straight to the barn and ride in the morning after a night shift. Through the pandemic the NICUs have been extremely busy, so with that clinical acuity going on I am often too tired to ride – or am at the hospital too late to be able to get out to the barn.
Tell us more about your riding routine.
I never ride before work, simply because pre-surgery I would be in so much pain afterwards with leg numbness and fatigue I couldn’t set myself up for failure being an ICU physician that needs to be on their game for over 16 hours straight. I ride when I can really. I say to myself, do I want to sit inside and take it easy? Or get out to see my horse? It depends on how winded I am from work for the week. I never really regret going to the barn, the hardest part is getting my butt off the couch, away from the computer and driving myself there. I also try so very hard to not beat myself up about not going – my horses are happy regardless. It has been really hard for me to not carry guilt about getting out to the barn, but I have to remember that it is a hobby and it’s supposed to be fun and relaxing. In the months when I am on service and I know I can’t get out there, I just pay my trainer to ride my guys to keep them in a program.
How do you force yourself to be OK with not getting everything done in a day?
I think medical training has taught me this over and over again. I used to have so many side gigs that I would be out at the barn riding at 10 p.m., but that was when I was in my 20s and my biggest responsibility was studying. Being in the hospital and having to put my own priorities aside for sick patients has taught me that if that ride can’t get done in the day it’s OK. I guess I have the perspective of seeing people who are going through hell every day, and if my one small issue can’t be done it’s not the end of the world. Sometimes when I feel like it is, I stay up late and get it done. I try to make self deadlines to help with this, but often I don’t adhere to them. It just helps keep me motivated.
Any tips on how to better manage your time?
I would suggest first that you realize that life is crazy and you never know what is going to happen. You have to be open minded, accept change and be willing to pivot at the last minute. I think being a horse person helps with this because you never know how your horse is truly going to act on a given day and you have to go with it. If you work from home, you have to set small, achievable goals every week so that you feel like you accomplished something. In regards to riding, I would say determine how many rides a week will make you happy and try to make it happen. For me, it’s usually getting out to the barn 2-3 times a week, then I feel awesome. I think communication with your partner, if you have one, is also key to time management. My husband and I try to be a team. If I can’t take the dogs to the vet he will, so you have to be verbal about your goals with the people you are closest with.
How do you cope with a never-ending work day or week?
Usually having something exciting to look forward to at the end of the week to keep you motivated to get through it. Also, the practice of mindfulness helps, being in the moment rather than outside of it is very important for doing a good job. Don’t forget to treat yourself for a job well done. If you have stuck to your schedule Monday-Thursday, on that crazy busy Friday get ice cream for lunch! You have to reward yourself and others to keep the positive environment alive. I also teach a lot when I am in the hospital. So, if we have had an insane week I will say to my trainees who work with me in the ICU, that we will order food on Friday from whatever restaurant and eat it together and either learn things or have a vent session that stays behind closed doors. Our never-ending work day/week usually means we have a very sick patient or a complicated family situation that sucks the life out of you, so promoting wellness is very important.
Piece of work-related advice that’s always stuck with you?
Never say never, never say always.
This series originally published in the Heels Down Spark newsletter in June 2021. Sign up now for the Spark to read more stories like this first, delivered to your inbox.