People with no transport how do you manage to compete?

[mudmonkey17]

As title really.

After being let down by transport yet again it has got me wondering how people manage it?

Desperately saving for a wagon so that can get horse out and about but getting frustrated with having a talented horse fit and ready to go and not being able to go anywhere.

Nearest place to hire a wagon is around an hour away and with my shifts just not practical to go and collect and take back within a day.

Thanks for reading if you got this far

 

[fidleyspromise]

I've moved to a competition yard otherwise I had to hack 2 hours to compete.

 

[Squiggles on Paper]

I use horse transports services Unfortunately we have no one who can drive any sort of trailer or horse box (atm, im working on it ) so I go to every show (be it RC, PC, BSJA etc) in a horse taxi. If I go to stay-away shows we have to use horse transport but we've found ways of keeping mucking out equipment and shavings and hay in the car

ETA: we use horse transport with a driver - very helpful!

 

[milliepops]

I don't get out very often! it's one of the reasons I gave up eventing and switched to dressage. I hire a box a few times a year, have to just use up holiday to factor in the extra time needed to collect it.

 

[nat_cal]

With great difficulty!!!

I compete BS and was previously on a yard where there were 3-4 of us that all competed, so worked quite well as we all shared transport to shows.

I have now moved 2 1/2 hours away so am on my own!! I still go to away shows with the old lot (as long as it's somewhere on the way in the south west!!!).

For day shows I am on my own so have to plan very carefully as each show costs me almost £100 in transport (i hire a 3.4t with driver) plus classes on top!

It can be done but does involve planning ahead and budgeting!

 

[Sussexbythesea]

Since I sold my lorry - virtually bog all. Used to go out at least every other week to a comp and off training etc. in between.

I occasionally borrow a friends but she is not local anymore so not very practical.

Now trying to decide whether I can now afford it again.

 

[EllieandGeorge]

I use horse transports services Unfortunately we have no one who can drive any sort of trailer or horse box (atm, im working on it ) so I go to every show (be it RC, PC, BSJA etc) in a horse taxi. If I go to stay-away shows we have to use horse transport but we've found ways of keeping mucking out equipment and shavings and hay in the car

ETA: we use horse transport with a driver - very helpful!

If you don't mind me asking - how much does this roughly work out at to go to a show, say, an hour away?

Sorry for hijacking your post OP! I will write a proper reply

At the moment I don't have a horse or transport! I ride/share a horse, and have some very nice friends who take me to shows. One who is on the same yard as said horse and another who is at my old yard, and both are extremely generous with lifts etc. I pay towards diesel and try and do them favours around the yard etc as well. However, I don't compete compete, just play around with lessons/unaff local RC stuff!

 

[~ Clear Light ~]

I gave up and bought a horsebox! Was so annoying having to book boxes months in advance and paying at least £100 with driver (not brave enough to drive someone else's lorry) I actually use my box more than I'd imagined, took it out twice yesterday with 2 different horses and now can't imagine not having it as I really struggled before.

 

[Foxford]

I'm so fed up with not having transport I've pretty much decided to live off fresh air and beans on toast so I can afford it!! I have a job that pays ok but I bought a house last year and have been skint for years saving up for that and then I had to buy all the furniture etc... Horse has taken a back seat because I just couldn't afford to do much more than hack him out - lost motivation to school due to no lessons!
So roll on the autumn when I just about think I can (not really) afford it! I figured there are a few people on my yard who would like to do similar events to me (RC & unaff) so I'm hoping to be able to take one of them and split the diesel cost.

 

[SO1]

I am lucky as there are a few shows I can hack to at RC's but I have ended up doing dressage as this is mainly what is on offer within hacking distance. I probably would do more jumping if I had the choice.

I have hired a lorry to get out to some of the bigger shows but the main problem is availabilty as it gets very booked up. I think more people are using horse transporters as it is so expensive to buy and keep a lorry if you are not using it every weekend.

 

[strides-eventing]

I feel your pain!!!! I have no transport and it kills me!

I am fortunate, however, that as I'm studying at Hartpury College I keep my horse onsite here so have access to some of the competitions... But I am desperate to get eventing and go xc schooling! As a student paying for this livery doesn't leave a lot for cash for horse transport either. I looked into it and it would have cost me £90 to be taken to the nearest XC course, then I'd have to pay course hire and its getting to +£100 just to go XC schooling! Absolutely kills me!

I have (or well my mum does) a truck and trailer at home but that's in cornwall and its not really justifiable for her to drive all the way to gloucester, pick me up and take me somewhere and then drive all the way back.

I'm dying for one of those little lorries, a little 3.5t that can be driven on a normal license... think i'd rather one of those than a normal car to be honest!

The most I can suggest is seeing what your friends are doing, if they have transport you could offer fuel money to go with them somewhere, or see if they could come with you and share horse transport costs? Maybe if it's really that bad moving somewhere close enough to hack to venues, or as mentioned above a competition yard.

It is a nightmare when you have a fit, talented horse and struggling to get out and compete, but stay strong! Something will come along!

Hope you get out and get competing, maybe see you out! Good luck!

 

[Evil_Cookie]

We hire from a friend, who's an hour and a half away. - the journey time is the reason why we only travel for eventing, its too much bother for a 5 min dressage or jumping round. We're lucky to have a xc course within hacking distance. However... This arrangement is no longer feasable as my mare travels so infrequently she has become dangerous in the box - she doesn't panic, just decides she wants out, so starts placing her front feet up and over the nearest obstacle. She's a clever bean, stubborn, attention seeking... I know this behaviour would diminish if traveling became a normal thing rather than a big event... So alas, we've bitten the bullet and are a getting a 3.5 ton built for us- building works out cheaper, and because of her Houdini tendencies, we can get it built in a way which is safe for her.... I've spent 4 years with her hiring and keeping her at competition yards, but nothing beats the freedom of having your own transport. Sorry, not exactly constructive, but we've found hiring to be expensive. Days when she's been a pain to load, or jumped out - we've not been able to get to the event but been left 200 pounds out of pocket. And event cancellations are difficult as hire has already been organised...

 

[Squiggles on Paper]

If you don't mind me asking - how much does this roughly work out at to go to a show, say, an hour away?

Sorry for hijacking your post OP! I will write a proper reply

At the moment I don't have a horse or transport! I ride/share a horse, and have some very nice friends who take me to shows. One who is on the same yard as said horse and another who is at my old yard, and both are extremely generous with lifts etc. I pay towards diesel and try and do them favours around the yard etc as well. However, I don't compete compete, just play around with lessons/unaff local RC stuff!

An hour away costs about £110/£120 but if you think about it the way we do, all in all it actually costs less per year than it does to buy a trailer (or horse box) and that doesn't include diesel or anything. So in the long term it's actually cheaper even though it seems like a lot initially.

 

[wench]

For me no transport = no competituon

 

[NaeNae87]

On the other side of the fence for this one.

A friend and I both compete and I have a float (trailer/horse box) she doesn't have one, so I take her.
If we go to bigger competitions and have friends with spare bays in their floats or trucks, to save taking extra vehicles, we just get lifts to events with them. I did that this weekend. My boss was only taking 2 horses in his 6 horse truck, so GK went with him in the truck.

Do you have friends that go out to the same shows that you do? Could you ask someone to take your horse for you?

 

[mudmonkey17]

Thanks for those replies think may have to hold out until can afford own transport. Can get lifts with others from yard and have done in past which is great but as one now has a 3yr old horse and other competes at higher level they don't go to same comps.
Is brilliant when get offered lifts s may just make the most of that and do some online stuff then hire a box for the bigger stuff like be though the problem is we are short of practice x

 

[vallin]

I don't! Very occasionally have managed to hire a transporter, but these days a lot wont do the shorter journeys. Am currently having a massive ball ache trying to get a transporter to take two horses (one of whom is 17.1 ) to Somerford Park so we can do the fun ride. Have found a lady that will do it, but box only has 1.3t payload and am not convinced that, even if I drive all the stuff down separately, it'll be enough

 

[starryeyed]

I'm not (dead lorry and the hunt for a new one has been going on for what seems like forever) It's so frustrating!!