competing without transport..

MissyThea

MissyThea

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I don't have transport and don't drive so I usually hack to shows or hire somebody. I am very lucky and grateful to now have the opportunity to compete, after not doing so for 2 years due to financial issues.

How do people manage competing without their own transport? I want to go to more 'serious' shows but is it hard to do so on a regular basis, if you have to rely on somebody? The person I use on occasion for local shows is great, but too busy to transport me to shows further afield. Is it cost-effective to keep hiring transport or does it work out cheaper to have your own trailer? I can't drive, so even if I bought a cheap trailer I'd still have to get somebody to hook it up to their car etc.

Any thoughts/comments are appreciated :)
xx
 
I worked out that it costs the same amount to hire a 3.5t once a month (£100 per time) as to own my own 3.5t box (which i did for a while - costs about £1000-£1200 to run a box for a year in terms of MOT, insurance, breakdown cover, the odd repair, servicing etc) PLUS if i hire, the box is far nicer than i could ever actually afford. So I do that now. It's a bit more of a faff but does the job - and if you share lifts and things it works even better as the cost is split.

It does make you realise how expensive competing is though.
 
It depends how often you compete or go places. I go somewhere almost every weekend - on average it works out about 2-3 times a month - so for me it's more cost effective to have a jeep and trailer. When I was paying someone to transport me I would have had to pay them for transport (about £50) but also drove myself (about £20 petrol), and also was usually there for most of the day as we tried to group together for transport.

Separate from my transport costs to shows when I was paying someone to bring me, I was spending approx. £20 per week on petrol including driving to shows. Now I spend approx £35 per week on diesel including going to shows with one horse in the trailer. On the weeks I don't go to a show I would end up spending £25 per week on diesel - very cost effective. But my shows are all around an hour away so not far to travel.

I love the independence of being able to change my mind, decide to go somewhere last minute etc. I am definitely paying a little more in terms of tax and parts to run the car, but I wouldn't be without it.

If I were going out competing once a month or less, then I probably wouldn't have my own jeep and trailer as it wouldn't make sense financially.
 
Morgan123 said:
I worked out that it costs the same amount to hire a 3.5t once a month (£100 per time) as to own my own 3.5t box (which i did for a while - costs about £1000-£1200 to run a box for a year in terms of MOT, insurance, breakdown cover, the odd repair, servicing etc) PLUS if i hire, the box is far nicer than i could ever actually afford. So I do that now. It's a bit more of a faff but does the job - and if you share lifts and things it works even better as the cost is split.

It does make you realise how expensive competing is though.
Click to expand...
I've just sold my box. So when I eventually find a new horse this is what I will be doing
 
Morgan123 said:
I worked out that it costs the same amount to hire a 3.5t once a month (£100 per time) as to own my own 3.5t box (which i did for a while - costs about £1000-£1200 to run a box for a year in terms of MOT, insurance, breakdown cover, the odd repair, servicing etc) PLUS if i hire, the box is far nicer than i could ever actually afford. So I do that now. It's a bit more of a faff but does the job - and if you share lifts and things it works even better as the cost is split.

It does make you realise how expensive competing is though.
Click to expand...

Yes Morgan 123 is completely right!! We always said if we don't compete more then 10-12 x a year there is almost no point in buying a box. We have been renting for 5 years now and found a amazing company that has lovely reliable service and boxes.
But we now need to transport 2 horses to competition one of which is big and a heavy boy so we will now buy a box but hiring is definitely the best of both worlds!
 
I can bd out 2-3x per week as I have three horses doing different things. I can't imagine being without my 4x4 and trailer.

It doesn't feel as expensive as hiring to me, but I suppose with three I wouldn't be able to consider half the things I do without my own transport. In fact, I couldn't actually get to them or to work to pay for them without driving!!!!
 
I have no transport of my own, managed to compete my gelding unaff & affiliated dressage this year, usually competing twice a month, with 2 'big' trips - Stoneleigh park for Trailblazer's finals (2x, 1.5hr each way for drop off & collection) & East Yorks for Regionals (3hrs away). Costs being roughly £100/1.5hrs of travel. Actually worked out a LOT cheaper than self-drive overall as closer journeys were a lot cheaper, I didn't have to pay anything the day I didn't travel at Stoneleigh & I didn't pay any extra for fuel ;) I was lucky that my trainer takes me out some of the time also when she competes, and I now keep Dan at her yard to help too. But, I'm really lucky to have a very very good transporter right on my doorstep. And have got into the habit of booking things well in advance with him as have missed out so often in the past! I've only had to scrounge about for 1 lift this year which was a bit of a last minute affair out of a fair few comps.

For us, owning a box right now isn't practical. We'd have no place to store it for a start, and I'm pretty sure we should get a house first (boooo!) in all reality. It's worked really well for me though doing it this way & not nearly as expensive as I'd thought. I can't self-hire yet anyway, and haven't done my trailer test, and even if I did I'd need a new car & then have to run a bigger car! So I think this way is best for me & I've done everything I hoped AND more this year so can't complain! :)
 
I have an ancient box that I keep well-maintained, mechanics and horse area, and use for local shows up to 30-40 miles ... I go out 5-6 time/month.
It was cheap to buy and get on the road, it is fairly cheap to keep and maintain ...

However I did recently hire professional transport for a much longer trip. As I did so I sat down and did some calculations and realised that it is cheaper for me to keep mine AND hire a pro for 2-3 longer away shows ... than to upgrade it.

The freedom it gives me is priceless. I like waking up and deciding what to do on that day. Or sitting on Facebook in the evening and finding a fun event for the next day.
 
I compete 1-2 times per month on average. I am lucky in the fact that I work for a very nice lady who lets me borrow her box to go to shows in. It is a very old, but well maintained lorry and I just have to replace the fuel I use and pay £20 for hire towards lorry maintenance. My dad either drives it, or a friend does who charges £10 per hour. It's a lot cheaper and more practical than getting my own lorry. I know how you feel though OP as this is the first year I have had regular access to transport and before this I have had to rely on lifts and there being enough events on locally to hack to.
 
i have a trailer, and a discovery. but i cant use the discovery as a daily car as isnt cost effective.
car insurance is approx 800 a year then 290 tax a year and trailer insurance costs me 210 a year.
i kno i dont make the most from it, as i go out about 2-3times a month so does work out fairly expensive, but i cannot sell the 4x4 as it tows my partners trailer so my trailer sitting there costing me 18 quid a month is nothing.
i also like the fact i can decide when to go and i dont have to worry about booking somone.
i just need to do my towing license and then i can take myself out.
 
I don't have transport...can't afford it.

I used to hire for £100 a time, competing once a month at the most, on my own. Now my friend's horse is back in action we share the cost, and we now can hire a little lorry for £60. Between the two of us it's more affordable and we go out about twice a month.
 
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