Balancing

Pardon me while I whine for a moment.  Winter sucks for pony time, because all the daylight disappears.  I typically work 50 or so hours every week, which means I have to carefully balance my time to get everything done in a day.  During the summer this balance isn't too bad.  I can get up early ride and go to work.  Or I can get up early go to work and then ride after work.  I suck at getting out of work at my planned time, so the extra sunlight is very useful.

Friday I had an extra long day (~13 hours) and I went to work in the dark and left in the dark.  No pony time for me.  Today, I didn't go to work in the dark, but it was close to dark when I left.  I lunged him in the mostly dark.  I am trying to figure out how to balance everything.  One, I have to keep working the same so I don't get fired (Half the people that have worked for my bosses have been fired.  For good reasons, but it is a little disconcerting considering it is uncommon for high turnover like that in my field.)  Two, I am not comfortable riding Stinker in the dark or when no one is around.  The dressage ring with the lights is in his pasture, so I am not sure anyone would notice if something major happened.  There are only so many nights I can text S and say hey I am getting on if you don't hear from me by X come check.  I do want her to have a bit of a break from the barn.

So, how the hell do I manage this? I don't have a clue. Especially when you toss Pongo into the mix. Oh and the fact that it keeps raining every weekend. In the last week we have gotten almost 6 inches of rain. I guess that is better than the equivalent amount of moisture in snow form. Gotta love the south. Ok bitch fest over I'll suck it up and figure something out. But if you have any good suggestions please let me know. In the meantime I might be in the corner whining.