For those of you who work full-time

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CobsGalore

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For those of you that work full time, what do you do about vet visits?

I'm lucky to have a good friend who will get him in for the vet/farrier for me, but I always feel guilty about asking her.

I'm guessing lots of you have a yard manager or owner that will help out, but what about those of you who rent fields or keep at home?

How understanding are your work if you need to take time off for a vet visit?
 
Hi CG I've got mine at home. Tend to try and ask to time off in advance but have been turned it down before is really frustrating when I have to rearrange. My OH is great with helping out but his job won't always let him be around plus he doesn't really like the handling side he prefers to help mucking out. So I guess the answer is u work around work and if ur unlucky enough to be turned down then re arrange however I have also been known to call in sick when I know it's really difficult to find cover but horse needed seeing to. Only done that once though and was an emergency.
 
I have been lucky in the farrier doesnt mind doing my horse on his own and i trust him to do so and the vet is livery at same yard
 
I am self employed so fairly flexible, but we tend to all help each other on our diy yard, we can get the farrier to come saturdays or very late pm(summer) so it generally works out well.
 
I have to take leave for vets visits, most other visits can be arranged for evenings and weekends (denist, bodyworker, farrier etc)
 
I either take the afternoon off, work from home and pop out or ask the YM to vet-sit. I could also ask OH to do it depending on day. Which one I do depends on reason for vet visit and current workload.
 
Should add - have been lucky enough not to have had an emergency call out that has impinged on working hours. Have, however, had to have emergency callouts on New Year's day, just before due to meet up with old friends who I don't see very often and when en route to a theatre production which was a gift to my Mum...
 
Always been lucky that my YM/OH or friend have been able to see to the farrier if I can't get down, or if vet is needed. Work has always been good and on the rare occasion I have needed to be present with my horse let me take the day off (only the once so far, touch wood!).
 
I normally book either a half or a full day of annual leave for vet visits and dentist, although the other week I was unable to take time off as was very busy and so the yard manager attended to the vet for me.

Farrier visits are normally dealt with by the yard manager although I do occasionally arrange annual leave to coincide with a visit so I can be there.
 
I don't have a YO as such, she isn't horsey but just owns the place.

If i need a vet i just tell work vet is coming out (i don't have kids, we (me and work) have a kind of unwritten agreement that if horse needs anything they will be flexible provided i make the time up).

I'm quite fortunate that i only live (and yard) is about 15 miles from work and i drive to and from
 
Lately I have been lucky in that I work from home and can arrange vet/farrier visits around that. But for the last 30 years I have had to take annual leave/pay some one to be there/as in the last 10 years get a farrier that I trust who sorts out my horse without me being there all the time.
 
I work full time and we keep the horses at home, I take annual leave for planned visits from vet/farrier etc and will take annual leave as an emergency for unplanned visits. I arrange my own diary at work, so except for days when I am on the Mental Health Act rota I can work round stuff.
 
Take time off or work from home for planned vets. For emergency just do what I need to & take the time. Farrier tends to be early Saturday mornings; same for physio/massage (for horses not me!) Horses are at home and OH/daughter also work full time.
 
With routine vet stuff like jabs I use my practice's free call out but they can't confirm a time til the day before so I usually book the day off work. I do a lot of weekend work too so accumulate a lot of lieu time. Farrier is fab and will come out at weekends and not charge extra :)
 
I work 8-4 mon-fri and my bosses are not understanding at all. To be quite honest I simply say I have an appointment - I manage to arrange anything but emergencies as a 4pm visit (the latest I can get) and leave work about 3.30 - I do go in half an hour early tho so work aren't losing any time at all.
If there is anything that is an all day thing then I pre-book annual leave and use that for it.
Farrier wise our farrier runs our yard so does them on an evening for me :-) I do also trust him to do them without me there everytime alhtough I like to be there on a regular basis
 
Farrier visits I book 1st thing then work my lunch break. Same really with vet visits if it's prebooked. I only work 2 miles from the office
 
My daughter finishes work at 3.30pm so can usually be around for vets visits although my vet lives fairly local to me and will normally schedule a 6pm visit if needed. My farrier does my horses on a weekend.
 
I work very long days full time, so have to take vet/farrier visits as a half day's leave. Which is a shame as I've used up all my "holiday" this year on the horse being broken!!
 
I work flexibly and always book my farrier for 8am on a Friday so I can get home and start work by 10am at the latest. Core hours are 10-3 but over the week the minimum is 37 hours.

Other days when travelling for work I leave home at 5.30am and get home at 9pm but only get paid for 7.4hrs so flexi-time is easy to build up and I use this mostly for vet appointments, physio etc. or I take annual leave. I manage my own work and my line-manager is ok as long as the work gets done.
 
Now I have a YO who will do stuff like vet and farrier but when I was DIY I arranged the farrier for the weekend and for the vet either take a half day or make up time or get the husband to go.
 
I can't take any time off during term-time, so I try to schedule farrier visits for half-term. The farrier just trims Ginger's hooves without me there which is perfect, but unfortunately he can't do that with my mare! Have a problem this half-term as it's a long one, and she's due the week before Christmas hols. So I'll have to pay someone to watch her - I feel like I am forever having to ask for favours like this from friends which makes me feel awful (even though in reality it's about 4 times a year).


For vets, I would either pay extra for weekend callout or get latest appointment which is about 4.30, and then I run away from work at 4pm! Boss is usually understanding but if there's a meeting or similar - even a last-minute, arranged-lunchtime-that-day meeting - then I have to rearrange vet.
 
I've never heard of vet coming out on a Saturday unless its urgent. One off visit, I leave with yard, as my horses always have been on full livery. Sometimes I will book a day full off stuff ie dentist saddler and physio in one go, then I will take a day off work.
 
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