ARRRGGGHHHH! Horsebox problems - now can't send my mare to stud

[amandathepanda]

Last year my beautiful grey arab mare was covered by Thethingaboutitis, scanned in foal and unfortunately lost the foal before she was two months gone but was too late in the season to recover. At the end of last year my horsebox failed it's plating really badly (cheapest quote to fix was 800) which I couldn't afford to pay at the time as I had to cough up 2K for vets bills for a fractured splint bone on one of my other horses. I had worked out how to scrape together enough now to get my box up & running until I got it back into the garage to be done - who then informed me that it had corroded badly over the winter and is now going to require approximately an extra 500 in welding to make it safe & legal bringing the total to 1300 to get my box back on the road

I am now in the position where I have a free return to Thethingaboutitis for my mare but unable to use it as I can't get my mare from Cheltenham to Wolverhampton

I can't afford to pay for a proper transport company to move her at the moment as I really need to get my box up & running and it will likely set me back a good couple of hundred if I get Gina moved by a professional transporter which I should be putting towards fixing my own box. Really not sure what to do now - the friend I would usually ask for assistance broke her ankle badly last year and as a result hasn't bothered to get her box re-plated either. Bit gutted really as I'm so broody for a baby foalie but it looks like I'm going to lose my free return for Gina (inserts crying smiley). Ever felt like everything is going against you? This is just a temporary cashflow blip until I start my new job next month but it's going to really set me back on my horsey plans

Anyone got any wonderful suggestions on how to get around this problem?

Huge icecream sundaes for anyone who has read this far!

 

[LCobby]

Canyou do a one day mid week hire of a self drive 3.5 tonner for about £100?

 

[SpottedCat]

There's a new self drive horsebox company in the area - flier appeared at our yard the other day, IIRC it's well under £100 for the day....

Called Blue Pony Horse Transport or some such I think.

 

[amandathepanda]

[ QUOTE ]
There's a new self drive horsebox company in the area - flier appeared at our yard the other day, IIRC it's well under £100 for the day....

Called Blue Pony Horse Transport or some such I think.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks for that! Any chance you can get the number off the flyer for me please? Whereabouts are you - would they be fairly local to Cheltenham?

 

[amandathepanda]

[ QUOTE ]
Canyou do a one day mid week hire of a self drive 3.5 tonner for about £100?

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't know anyone around here that lets you do that or I would

Since the operators licence laws came in for transporters, most people who used to hire their boxes out no longer do it aroung here

 

[LCobby]

There are loads of hrosebox hire places as self drive 3.5 tonne does not need oeprators liceince, its just van hire,

 

[amandathepanda]

[ QUOTE ]
There are loads of hrosebox hire places as self drive 3.5 tonne does not need oeprators liceince, its just van hire,

[/ QUOTE ]

Unfortunately not around here! I've been looking through the yellow pages & it is all professional transporters but if anyone can suggest anyone in Gloucestershire i would be very grateful

 

[Persephone]

Hire a trailer?

 

[amandathepanda]

[ QUOTE ]
Hire a trailer?

[/ QUOTE ]

Nothing to tow it with either unfortunately

 

[Shilasdair]

Do you have a friend with a 4 x 4 and trailer you could borrow - you could give them your car as transport in exchange?
Or would the stud not do AI? I had one of my mares AId at home...it was all gloriously simple, and she took first time.
S

 

[amandathepanda]

[ QUOTE ]
Do you have a friend with a 4 x 4 and trailer you could borrow - you could give them your car as transport in exchange?
Or would the stud not do AI? I had one of my mares AId at home...it was all gloriously simple, and she took first time.
S

[/ QUOTE ]

Unfortunately I've tried all my friends with transport - the ones with boxes have all got them out of action at the moment. To be honest I'm not really happy about using a trailer anyway even if I could tow it with something - the mare I need to travel has had a tough time of it in the past as she came from a similar situation to the Jamie Gray set up in Amersham and I wouldn't want to get on the M5 only for her to panic in the back of a trailer. She travels well in a lorry and I feel happy about her being in a lorry as it is more enclosed and 'safe' if that makes sense?

 

[Shilasdair]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Do you have a friend with a 4 x 4 and trailer you could borrow - you could give them your car as transport in exchange?
Or would the stud not do AI? I had one of my mares AId at home...it was all gloriously simple, and she took first time.
S

[/ QUOTE ]

Unfortunately I've tried all my friends with transport - the ones with boxes have all got them out of action at the moment. To be honest I'm not really happy about using a trailer anyway even if I could tow it with something - the mare I need to travel has had a tough time of it in the past as she came from a similar situation to the Jamie Gray set up in Amersham and I wouldn't want to get on the M5 only for her to panic in the back of a trailer. She travels well in a lorry and I feel happy about her being in a lorry as it is more enclosed and 'safe' if that makes sense?

[/ QUOTE ]

And the stud doesn't do AI then? That would solve all your problems - and be cheaper.
S

 

[WoopsiiD]

http://www.millenniumhorseboxhire.co.uk/
might be a bit out of the way though...geography not too great!

 

[amandathepanda]

Shilasdair, I will check but I don't think the stud is set up to do AI. It is a very small stud and I'm pretty certain they aren't geared up to cope with semen collection. Good suggestion though!

 

[Bounty]

You know we'd happily lend you our lorry - except that it is in the same situation as yours

If you do decide on a 4x4 and trailer, give us a shout.

Hope you find a solution soon though

 

[amandathepanda]

Pudpud that one is very interesting, thanks for that!

 

[Shilasdair]

[ QUOTE ]
Shilasdair, I will check but I don't think the stud is set up to do AI. It is a very small stud and I'm pretty certain they aren't geared up to cope with semen collection. Good suggestion though!

[/ QUOTE ]

They must be, surely, otherwise how would they check sperm motility etc? AI isn't quite rocket science...
S

 

[amandathepanda]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Shilasdair, I will check but I don't think the stud is set up to do AI. It is a very small stud and I'm pretty certain they aren't geared up to cope with semen collection. Good suggestion though!

[/ QUOTE ]

They must be, surely, otherwise how would they check sperm motility etc? AI isn't quite rocket science...
S

[/ QUOTE ]

I am absolutely certain that they don't offer it on the stallions stud card. Not sure how swapping to AI would affect my mares free return either, however it is certainly worth a phone call!

 

[oliviacharley]

Have a go with this one - lovely hire boxes and you dont need a lorry licence to drive it either - just a car one is fine...you can hire it for 1.2 day or a full day if needed.
Wishing you lots of luck in finding someone..I would take you for sure but had to sell all my trailer and 4x4 when I went to uni last sept :0(
http://www.henryhorseboxhire.co.uk/
http://www.equineadvertiser.co.uk/horsebox_hire.htm

 

[sallyellis]

Why dont you PM Vici J Price as she transports horses and has quoted me to take my mare to stud.

 

[henryhorn]

Look on here, www.findhorsetransport.org someone might be willing to do you a cheap deal.
Your best bet is to hire the 3.5, you can do it there and back in a day, but the diesel will cost a fair bit too, so finding a space might be easier.
Try asking the stud if they have anyone going back to them or delivering a mare from past you or your area, you never know until you ask.
Have you tried asking the stud if they will defer the offer until next year?
perhaps you will be better off financially by then.

 

[lilpinkdonkey4]

Henry have stopped i believe, their lorries were all up for sale a few weeks ago. (although maybe worth checking)

 

[appylass]

QR

I hired a box from someone in Ross on Wye a couple of weeks ago. £60 for the day. I'm not sure if that is too far away from you. I'll pm the number..