Do you own transport? What do you do in emergencies?

[julesjoy]

Sorry for the long title. I'm contemplating selling my towing vehicle and trailer and buying something with better fuel economy. I only really have it for emergencies. So does everyone with a horse have their own method of transport? If not, what plans do you have for if you need to take them in to the vets in an emergency, like 3am on a Sunday?

 

[HappyHollyDays]

My trailer hasn’t moved for a year due to human injury but I will never sell it. I had to do an emergency trip in the small hours with a pony that needed emergency colic surgery. Horspital is at least 30 miles away and without it pony probably wouldn't have made it. It might cost me to insure and store but I wouldn’t be without transport now.

 

[ihatework]

I don’t really need horse transport.
For what I do with mine I could easily hire a3.5T or borrow from friends.
But I can’t quite let go of the whole ‘emergency’ thing.
Therefore I’ve kept hold of my trailer

 

[Tiddlypom]

There's a local 3.5t hire facility that does 24/7 call outs for breakdown or emergency vet visits, but I can't bring myself not to have my own trailer.

Can you downsize the trailer to a single so that you can still downsize your tow car?

 

[MuddyMonster]

Having transport was great when I did but now in an emergency I have friends with transport or could an emergency hire.

My bigger issue would be that mine isn't a good loader or traveller when he hasn't done it regularly - which he hasn't done for a while.

 

[Squeak]

I hate it when the horsebox is away for repairs etc as always worry what I would do in an emergency but I also use it a lot.

Hopefully there should be other companies that would do 24/7 transport as TP mentioned. Maybe have a search and see if you can find one locally and even make contact to give you peace of mind that they could be there if needed.

 

[Alibear]

I have my own transport and so does the yard owner and several other liveries so someone always helps out in an emergency.

 

[meleeka]

I have a few friends that have transport and would help. I’ve seen loads of posts on the local FB page when someone has an emergency and I think there’s even a pinned post should anyone need it.

I find that people are incredibly kind when needed.

 

[Gamebird]

I find that people are incredibly kind when needed.

They are and they aren't. I've been the vet standing there waiting patiently for hours whilst owners desperately try to beg, steal, borrow or hire transport in an emergency situation. I've been doing this job for 25 years and I can probably count on one hand the number of times that someone has been able to borrow transport in a straightforward and quick manner. Lorries are 'temporarily off the road', and not insured for the right people to drive, trailers are available, but no-one has a tow car or a towing test, people are away at a show with the transport, or people are asleep or at work with their phones turned off. Often you can hear a flimsy excuse and read through it that the person with the transport really does not wish to lend to the person asking. It is infuriating for me, and very upsetting for the person with the emergency. And obviously definitely no fun for the poor horse.

All I can say is this. Have a cast iron plan. Work it out before you need it. Then have a back up plan. Keep a list of 24/7 numbers for local transporters. With several options. And have a back up plan for your back up plan. A lot of emergencies are perfectly fixable in a hospital situation. But not if you can't get the horse there.

 

[julesjoy]

Thank you for the thoughts. Will do some research. Kind of glad I'm not the only one who keeps transport for the thankfully rare emergencies. Downsizing is certainly a possibility, as I only have mini shetlands. I wonder if I could convert a box trailer? *not entirely serious question*

 

[Widgeon]

Thank you for the thoughts. Will do some research. Kind of glad I'm not the only one who keeps transport for the thankfully rare emergencies. Downsizing is certainly a possibility, as I only have mini shetlands. I wonder if I could convert a box trailer? *not entirely serious question*

Depending on how big they are, could you do something with a small farm trailer?

 

[Winters100]

This is one of the reasons that I am currently arranging for my own transport. Up until now I have kept a towing vehicle, with an arrangement to use a friend's trailer, which is kept at the same yard, in an emergency (I have BE license). Events in Ukraine however have made me pause for thought. I am located not so far away, and while I do not believe that it will over spill I want to be prepared to move the horses if it is necessary.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Would mini Shetlands fit in a sheep trailer?

 

[bouncing_ball]

They are and they aren't. I've been the vet standing there waiting patiently for hours whilst owners desperately try to beg, steal, borrow or hire transport in an emergency situation. I've been doing this job for 25 years and I can probably count on one hand the number of times that someone has been able to borrow transport in a straightforward and quick manner. Lorries are 'temporarily off the road', and not insured for the right people to drive, trailers are available, but no-one has a tow car or a towing test, people are away at a show with the transport, or people are asleep or at work with their phones turned off. Often you can hear a flimsy excuse and read through it that the person with the transport really does not wish to lend to the person asking. It is infuriating for me, and very upsetting for the person with the emergency. And obviously definitely no fun for the poor horse.

All I can say is this. Have a cast iron plan. Work it out before you need it. Then have a back up plan. Keep a list of 24/7 numbers for local transporters. With several options. And have a back up plan for your back up plan. A lot of emergencies are perfectly fixable in a hospital situation. But not if you can't get the horse there.

Gosh this shocks me. I’ve been on standby and not drinking on a night out because yard owner was away, and I was the only other person with transport at that yard. And another livery’s horse was colic-ing. The livery wasn’t a good friend. But it’s what you do in times of need.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

Local equine vet hospital has its own transport and there are hires about. If it came to it, they could go in a cattle trailer and tractor but neither of mine would go in for colic surgery, anything else would be decided then and there. It does slightly worry me, I’ve not had transport for three years now but there’s plenty of other things to worry about.

 

[PeterNatt]

I got rid of my horse box years ago.
I have an Emergency List which has the names and contact details of all the local vets, transport companies and friends who have horseboxes/trailers on it.

 

[Gallop_Away]

We have our own trailer now but when we didn't have our own transport previously, we had numbers for several local transport companies, also friends that would have helped in an emergency xx

 

[Dru]

I've been thinking about selling my trailer to downsize my car. I only use it maybe 4-5 times a year as horse is a knob when taken anywhere.

This thread is putting me right off! I like knowing it's there 'if needed' but the cost of diesel is making running a 4x4 eye watering. Can't really downsize car any further as already only capable of 2000kg.

 

[asmp]

I won’t lend my trailer out but have on numerous times taken other liveries ponies to the vets in an emergency - sycamore poisoning and most recently a 31 year old Shetland who had colic (he was operated on and came home some weeks ago ?). We’re a small DIY yard and one of us with transport would always try and help the others. I couldn’t say no if a horse was in distress.

 

[julesjoy]

That's just it Dru and my car is the same capacity! Although I don't need too high a towing capacity with tiny ponies so might have other options.

 

[HashRouge]

My YO would take us in her trailer if needed, or the girl I used to share a field with. They are the sort of people I know I can trust completely in an emergency (I have seen what my YO has done nursing another livery's horse through sycamore poisoning!). The only time I have taken an emergency vet trip, I was 14 and we had no transport and didn't know anyone who did. My mum drove to the local equestrian centre, walked up to a bloke parking his trailer, and said "excuse me, could I borrow this?". He said yes! Our friend drove us, as neither of my parents had a towing vehicle.

 

[EventingMum]

I'm amazed at the number of people who don't help out others in an emergency. Years ago my vet phoned us at 10pm on 25th December asking if we could help getting a colicking horse to hospital, luckily I hadn't had anything to drink and Mr EM and I set out. We struggled to load the horse and the owner was an elderly lady who couldn't help, eventually, we got home around 3am. It certainly wasn't the end to Christmas Day we wanted but it wouldn't have occurred to me to refuse to go.

 

[scats]

We’ve always had our own transport, even when I was a child. The thought of not being able to throw a poorly pony on a wagon or trailer and get it to hospital is not something I want to consider.

I’ve also done middle of the night hospital trips for friends horses.

 

[SO1]

The only person on our yard who has their own transport is YO who has a large lorry.

The vets have a list of emergency transport places and because non of us have transport most of the liveries have the numbers of horse transport places to take them to shows or vets.

YO lives on site and does late night check at 10pm.

 

[nagblagger]

I have a trailer parked up about 3 miles from you that you could use anytime, along with my ancient 4 x 4 (if you don't mind the embarrassment of a dirty, inside and out, old vehicle).

 

[GG13]

One of my biggest fears with the horses is not being able to transport them all in an emergency and therefore I make sure I have sufficient transport to take them all in one go.
I got close to being over capacity when I had 7 but that was only short term and I could have made it work if absolutely necessary. I’m now down to 4 which is much more manageable!
I’ve also helped out people in emergencies too, either to get to the vet or they’ve broken down and had no way of getting home. I would like to think if I needed help they’d repay the favour

 

[irishdraft]

I actually did have to transport my horse in an emergency to the nearest equine clinic over an hour away 6 weeks ago . I was so thankful I could just hitch up and go immediately . First time in 40 years x

 

[ester]

We haven't had transport for 7/8 years now. Several local friends who do and would and the numbers of 2 local transporters that do emergencies. Albeit F wouldnt' be going anywhere now anyway at his age.

 

[julesjoy]

Oh gosh, I'm not sure I'd fit all of them in at once!

Ah, thank you nagblagger that's very kind as long as I have mine obviously the same applies to you!

Ironically despite my trailer, it was mid refurb with no floor when I had an emergency last so still had to beg for help. Talk about timing!

 

[Sealine]

I have my own transport but fellow liveries are aware I’ll always help if I can in an emergency. I did send my non horsey husband to help once when I wasn’t available.