Crazy uncle coming with horses from Ireland - help!

[roz84]

Not sure if I'm being really judgmental here as I know people have different ideas about what is and isn't 'proper', but here goes..... my uncle is planning on going to his Olive farm in Spain (can I point out, terraced land, no grass and no fencing!) and taking his 2 poor horses with him for the winter. He lives in Ireland and is planning to drive over there in a lorry with the two of them. I just can't help feeling completely horrified by the whole idea!

The horses are a 16hh mare and 6 month old foal, he is planning to stop in Cardiff and graze them for a night, drive to cornwall and graze for a night, then onto the ferry at plymouth, over to france, stop there for a bit and then off over the mountains to Spain. My uncle is not a 'horseman', I imagine the horses are well cared for but as far as I know he knows nothing about horses as such - if he did maybe he woule realise how awful the idea is?

He's always been a bit odd, but this all beggars belief - the poor horses! He wants me to help find him some grazing on the way and I'm finding it difficult to tell him how I feel about the whole thing. Maybe knowing that some forumites share my opinion will galvanize me to tell him I want nothing to do with it!

 

[EffyCorsten]

I understand you don't want anything to do with it but you might actually be able to help his horses by helping him more importantly advising him on how to properly care for and travel his horses or advise him.that perhaps he should.leave them behind. If he's really caring and just a bit clueless he should listen. If he refuses to listen then I'd be coming down on him like a ton of bricks.

 

[Arizahn]

Hmm, maybe ask if he knows yet where he will keep them in Spain, and point out the various travel related costs compared to livery and care costs for leaving them in Ireland? Are there quarantine issues he needs to consider, especially on the return trip (rabies, etc)? It would presumably be cheaper to leave them behind - is there a mare and foal livery set up you could point him towards? Good luck! And if he does move them, I hope all goes well