Going on holiday and leaving the horses...

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TwoStroke

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If you wanted to go on holiday, and had 2 horses living on their own at a small private yard, would you be happy to move them to a livery yard for a week and go away?

I'm considering a week away this summer, but can't help but feel I'd spend the whole week worrying that the horses aren't settled, or aren't being looked after to my exacting standards :rolleyes:.

If they were already on a livery yard I wouldn't think twice, but moving them just for a week and not being there to handle any problems? The idea makes me nervous. What do you think?
 
Could you not get someone to visit your yard twice a day while you are away to look after them?

I would be reluctant to move them for such a short time, esp as ours take a while to settle, but we have two ladies who are amazing and do occasional evenings and mornings if neither of us can be back from work in time, wouldn't hesitate to trust them totally should we get away for a short break.
 
If I were you I'd get someone to come and look after them at home? Do an advert on Yard & Groom, will probably be cheaper in the long run? I've met some great grooms from there :)
 
Yes, that's another idea... but how do you find someone reliable if you can't watch them work - do they usually have references? As there would be no one to check up on them, so they could do what they like for the whole week.
 
I take horses on holiday livery. I have 7 coming next month, all owned by the same person. I give any short term liveries their own field/paddock so they do not have to integrate with other horses. I always ask owners to move their horses to us a couple of days before they leave just as a precaution. There's never been any problems though and the horses have all been fine and no trouble. If you're worried to move them then ask a horse friend to come and horse sit for you. I personally wouldn't use an unknown groom but then I do have a fair few more horses than just two so when I go away I use the groom who has always stayed at my farm for the past 8 years. She doesn't do things the way I do them but she does them well enough and I never worry as I know she will get in touch with me should anything happen.
 
You should defo be able to get references. I'm a freelance groom and I provide them if asked (where abouts are you?)

That aside, I moved my horse for a week once. I had him at work and I had a week off and went home (an hours drive away). I took him with me as was summer and I wanted to ride plus had an event planned. He coped very well and did very well at the event. BUT it does depend on the horse, he settles everywhere very fast. I wouldn't do it with my mare who takes ages to settle.
 
Get a free lance groom and leave them where they are.
But be sure to get a friend to check them a few times as well if you don't know the groom well.
Or barter with a friend and get the friend to do them in return for something you can do for the friend , I love barter .
My friend always used to put her ponies in livery when she went on holiday now she gets a free lance groom to do them at home and I look in as I pass.
 
I'm Chew Valley area, north zummerzet.

I think together the horses would probably settle ok, but if I'm wrong I won't be around to sort it out. I think I'd be a lot happier to do it if I knew the yard and yard staff where they were going.

Oh, that gives me an idea! I'll ask at the yard on of my friends is at, that way they could keep an eye on the ponies for me.
 
We have horses at home. When I've had a really good weekend groom, I have had them do the horses. Our current groom is great for a day, but when we left her in charge for a week, there was a lot more mucking out than usual when we got home, so I don't bother asking if its for more than a weekend.

I've tried to find a good local freelance, but they are a bit unreliable around here. So, for the last couple of times we've been away I have sent them to my friend's 5* livery, where I know they are going to be looked after to perfection and I don't worry at all. It might work out a bit more expensive, but I would rather have peace of mind that the horses are ok.

The horses adapt fine, if thats what you were worrying about. I take my own feed up as its different to what the yard uses, and its not worth upsetting their systems for a week.
 
I'm in Royal Deeside in Aberdeenshire and we have a couple of brilliant local freelances - so much so that I think the horses think they are a lot better than the normal service :-))))

Have a look at local Facebook groups and riding club websites or noticeboards at tack shops. Any good one will be able to provide several references for you to follow up and also will prob want to come up before first sitting to go through everything.
 
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