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How I make it work: juggling two jobs with owning a horse, plus yoga in the park to unwind
Natalie Sejnowicz, 25, works part-time in equine insurance sales and service for Petplan Equine. She’s also the yard manager at Ruislip Park Stables. Natalie says there’s no such thing as a nine-to-five job as she’s on the yard even on her one day off a week.
My working day…
I work part-time for Petplan Equine as a sales and service representative. The office is based in Brentford, West London, and I also run a yard called Ruislip Park Stables in Pinner, near Harrow. On a Petplan Equine day (Mondays and Wednesdays), our call centre is open from 8am to 8pm and I work a shift between these hours. I get up to feed my horse, Little Alf, at 5am and usually skip breakfast to save time. The office is a 20-minute drive away from my home in Greenford and a quick commute makes everything that little bit easier. When I finish, I head home and do a little yoga in the bedroom or in the local park. I only have time to do yoga on Petplan days and it helps me unwind and relax.
What my job involves…
I started volunteering at the yard when I was 14 and joined permanently as yard manager when I finished my A levels. Just after that, a position at Petplan Equine was advertised and, as they mostly recruit horsey people, I had the right credentials. I’m a first point of contact for people interested in insuring their horses. We don’t cold call, so everyone I speak to is looking for insurance and I provide them with any information they need. It means I’m picking up the phone a lot. You need to have a good horsey knowledge to understand the terminology involved when people want to insure their horses. I normally manage to squeeze in an hour’s lunch break and eat something prepared at home that morning.
When I’m at the yard…
The trekking centre has 21 horses and ponies. It backs on to woodland where we take people hacking. I normally help out with lead-rein rides and pony parties, but it’s very much an ‘everyone chips in’ sort of place. It’s run by myself, my partner Shane and his mum. We also have several volunteers aged between 10 and 16 who help us at weekends. I typically take out one or two hacks a day plus five or six children on lead-rein rides. On yard days, I get up at 8am and arrive at the yard by 9am. I fit in a lunch break around client bookings. It can be hard to find time during busy periods, as things get manic, but I try to make it a priority as it’s important to eat properly so that you stay energised, especially when working with horses. I usually finish yard work at around 5pm or 6pm. Fridays are my day off, although I usually spend them at the yard, too.
Fitting in my horse…
I’ve had my ex-racer, Little Alf, for six years. He’s 16 and we do some low-level eventing on weekends when I’m not needed to cover
“I jog to the park and do yoga on the grass. It helps me relax and unwind”
client bookings. I also enjoy hacking. It’s harder to find time to ride in winter when the days are shorter (who doesn’t find that!), as we don’t have an all-weather arena so it’s either muddy woodland hacking or roadwork. I’m lucky my horse is an athletic type and he holds fitness well. I don’t have time to ride on Petplan days; it’s only on yard days that I try to squeeze in a ride during my lunch break.
Managing my stress levels…
I have a lot going on, so finding a moment of spare time is rare. Getting up early is key to fitting everything in. I wouldn’t manage it if I didn’t start at 5am. I go to bed quite early, around 9pm, so I don’t feel like I miss out on sleep too much. After a day at Petplan Equine, I’ll often put a mat down in the bedroom and find a yoga video on YouTube — preferably one that’s good for riders. Yoga is great at helping me chill out after a long day at work. Other times I jog to my local park and do some yoga on the grass. Shane laughs at me doing yoga in the bedroom, so the park is the best place for it.
My support system…
I met Shane when I started working at the yard and we’ve been together for eight years now. He doesn’t ride, but he’s great with horses and hands-on with every aspect of running the yard. I also have an eight-yearold Boxer dog called Lola. She lives at the yard in the summer and then stays at my house when the weather is chillier.
Being organised…
I use the calendar on my phone to record my work commitments and horsey plans. So, for example, if I’ve got a show coming up or there’s a pony party booked in, my phone buzzes and reminds me. I also use it for planning social commitments, so that I don’t forget. I have a few non-horsey friends who are great to hang out with because it’s my time to switch off from horses. That said, though, I wouldn’t change it for the world.
NEXT MONTH The equestrian fitness trainer juggling clients and three ponies
At Petplan Equine we understand most horse owners have to balance working and family life with caring for their horse. With a team of equestrian enthusiasts, we ensure we offer customers straightforward cover that you can rely on, which gives you complete peace of mind.* Visit petplanequine.co.uk.