Getting the vet when you work full time :(

dozzie said:
Totally understand. I am a teacher too.
If you have to be in school until 6, is that your choice or the head's choice?
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That's just how long our school day is. The day kids don't go home until 6pm either (it's also a boarding school). Some days I can get away earlier, but unfortunately this week I won't be able to.

Anyway, crisis over, the YO just went - "of course I can, I think Tuesday is the cheap callout fee". So I will make an appointment tomorrow. I had the vet when I initially noticed the infection (that was still school holidays) but it isn't clearing up with the prescribed treatment. I spoke to the vet on Thursday last week and they said it might just be a stubborn infection and sent more eye ointment, but I want to get her eyes looked at again, just in case.

For whoever asked - routine appointments such as jabs, dentist and farrier are usually done during school holidays. If the farrier doesn't tie in with the holidays I just leave them stabled and he does them without me there. They are on full grass livery, so I suppose that it was pretty likely the YO would do this for me, I've just never had to ask before as I like being there for that sort of thing.
 
gryff said:
Gosh...we absolutely cannot. All medical and dental appointments must be made out of school hours unless an absolute emergency. People haven't been allowed to children's graduation ceremonies and close family weddings too.
I went straight to school after having my horse euthanized suddenly due to a field accident. I'd have had to lie about being ill and I wasn't prepared to do that.
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How on earth do you get a doctors or dentist appointment that isn't between 9-5?
 
gryff said:
Gosh...we absolutely cannot. All medical and dental appointments must be made out of school hours unless an absolute emergency. People haven't been allowed to children's graduation ceremonies and close family weddings too.
I went straight to school after having my horse euthanized suddenly due to a field accident. I'd have had to lie about being ill and I wasn't prepared to do that.
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And so did I. My school covered me but had they said it had to be unpaid leave i would have accepted it. But they can't deny unpaid leave in these circumstances. They could deny paid leave.
 
dozzie said:
And so did I. My school covered me but had they said it had to be unpaid leave i would have accepted it. But they can't deny unpaid leave in these circumstances. They could deny paid leave.
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Yes they can! I think you need to re-read your terms and conditions. If you were to take leave without permission, you could soon find yourself unemployed.
 
dozzie said:
No they could n't. Not for a 1/2 day. Are you a failed teacher PAS?
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No, I taught in school for over 30 yrs and now work supporting educational professionals to understand their terms and conditions. People who take unpaid leave without permission from their employer will be in breach of their contract, which can result in disciplinary action and could lead to dismissal.
 
One of mine needed the vet at short notice last week. I was working so I rang the vet surgery & explained the situation- mine are kept at home so no YO etc. I just left the horse in his stable and the vet came and inspected, left antibiotics & bute, and he then texted me explaining what to do etc. I rang him later on when I was available & he explained treatment plan. I'm sure if your YO wasn't available you might be able to do something similar?
 
little_critter said:
How on earth do you get a doctors or dentist appointment that isn't between 9-5?
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My sister was a teacher and you have to do all your routine appointments in school holidays. Taking any time off during term time was a complete no no.

My doctor does appointments starting at 7am on a Monday and does late ones on a Friday, so some surgeries offer it. My small animal vets is open on Saturday and Sunday as part of a local group thankfully as I've been in many a time on a Sunday fir something. My horse vets i arrange to come for first apppointment or after 4pm but I'm lucky that I can work flexibly anyway.
 
If I geniunely couldn't take time off work, then I'd be looking to employ a freelance groom to provide this service or livery on a yard where assistance can be paid for.

Thankfully, I have flexibility through work so can always make appointments.
 
I'm on a purely DIY yard and in my previous job have had to book a day/ half a days holiday to be there if it's something I want to be in the know about. Have roped in my brother (and a generous friend once) to hold for vaccinations and if he's not available then the YO will begrudgingly for a fee which I think is perfectly reasonable.
 
I am of a generation that did not take/was not allowed to take time off for anything at all - if your close family died ie mother etc you were given three days compassionate leave then get on with it.
If your horse is on any sort of livery (even DIY) I would expect a well run yard to be able to cope with vet visits/emergencies etc. - for example what would happen if the horses all escaped from their field because a car crashed through the fence? If this backup is not provided by the yard they are not a yard, merely a box rental scheme. The latter is highly inappropriate for anyone in a situation where they cannot drop everything at a minutes notice to deal with the problem.
I have had my own horses at home for over 50 years,but there has always been a family member or neighbour/local horse owner to help cover in an emergency - similarly I have been called out by friends/neighbours when they need extra hands.
If this is not possible you should be paying for full livery.
 
I would investigate the option of having a freelance groom. There are a couple of people in my village who dog walk and freelance groom, and they are invaluable at times like this.
 
A bit hypothetical now, but if I knew it was a one off I think I'd arrange it for as late as possible or as early as possible and say I had an unavoidable medical appointment so I'd need to leave an hour early or arrive an hour late. It's not lying, you've just omitted to tell them the medical appointment is for your horse ;) I'd arrange it for a day when it causes the least disruption.

If it was to become more regular or it was a full work up that was going to take longer, I'd arrange a freelance groom or get the YO to do it.

I'm lucky in that my vet lives 1/2 a mile down the lane. He's happy to see us after I've finished work as long as we go to him, which saves on the call out too.
 
The vet is coming tomorrow. YO is going to hold her and vet should ring me immediately after the appointment.

Just for the record, I DO pay for full (grass) livery for my horses precisely because I work very long hours and can't always go down every day. They are checked twice a day/ fed/ given any medication/ rugs done. The reason I didn't know if YO would hold for the vet is purely because it has never come up before - I have always managed to make appointments for school holidays.
 
sport horse said:
If your horse is on any sort of livery (even DIY) I would expect a well run yard to be able to cope with vet visits/emergencies etc. - for example what would happen if the horses all escaped from their field because a car crashed through the fence? If this backup is not provided by the yard they are not a yard, merely a box rental scheme. The latter is highly inappropriate for anyone in a situation where they cannot drop everything at a minutes notice to deal with the problem.
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No car could crash through the fence onto my yard, so this is irrelevant (we aren't near any roads). As I've said, I pay for full (grass) livery for my ponies, I just generally like to be there for things like vets appointments, hence the stress of trying to organise this. I've never had to ask the YO before as have always done it myself in school holidays. Obviously any actual emergencies she would deal with - she has all the contact details for my vets.
 
When i was on DIY I took AL for vets but I get a lot of holiday & my employersare flexible. It would be difficult if they weren't and having a horse has limited my career choices. I am on part livery now which includes being there for the farrier & vet & dealing with all emergency situations. My Director at work changed a few years ago and on his first day I had to do an emergency yard move due to a case of atypical myopathy old yard. He was really uunderstanding but it turned out he had previously had someone working for him who had horses & so understood. I did tell him I am on part livery though to reassure him that it shouldn't normally have an impact on my job.
 
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