So if you can't do the horse, who will?

I'm on a farm with only a few of us. Farmer isn't horsey & would only know enough to chuck hay & water to wherever they were, & probably chuck clean bedding over if they were in. One lady I'd trust in an emergency, she's perfectly capable, but the routine she has for hers wouldn't suit mine, so I'd only ask in a real emergency. I've got plenty of local horsey friends who'd help last minute, & anything longer term I have another friend who'd take over. Friends teenage daughter would be the one for anything long term, I've left her house/horse/dog/cats sitting whilst I've been on holiday, with an older friend of mine who would provide back up if she was ill, or if important immediate decisions had to be made. My daughter is 8, & she can actually do both herself, she can & has done both with a non horsey adult to accompany her & do anything heavy. Age 5 she did both one night with non horsey boyfriend following her instructions.
 
Littlelegs said:
I'm on a farm with only a few of us. Farmer isn't horsey & would only know enough to chuck hay & water to wherever they were, & probably chuck clean bedding over if they were in. One lady I'd trust in an emergency, she's perfectly capable, but the routine she has for hers wouldn't suit mine, so I'd only ask in a real emergency. I've got plenty of local horsey friends who'd help last minute, & anything longer term I have another friend who'd take over. Friends teenage daughter would be the one for anything long term, I've left her house/horse/dog/cats sitting whilst I've been on holiday, with an older friend of mine who would provide back up if she was ill, or if important immediate decisions had to be made. My daughter is 8, & she can actually do both herself, she can & has done both with a non horsey adult to accompany her & do anything heavy. Age 5 she did both one night with non horsey boyfriend following her instructions.
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That is one very well trained daughter, Littlelegs!
My horse is on full livery, and my friend who excercises him x3 in the week would also make sure all was well. The YM and her team are very knowledgeable and reliable, know and love horse, so feel reasonably sure he would be ok. Livery all paid up a month in advance, which would buy time for any further planning/action needed. Arrangement with above friend to take over ownership if I'm disabled or dead. Dog and cat have similiar arrangements with their daily staff - dog walking ladies who also check up on/top up food,water/open/shut windows/doors for madam cat as demanded! Vet and YM, small animal team and same vet all have written permission to do anything necessary for each animal's welfare to be prioritised. Money set aside to make sure all bills paid. Instructions as above in Will also in wallet if information needed by police/ambulance in "what to do in event of death/hospitalisation". Hope all bases covered in this way. Have no family or OH, so need to be this organised - just in case . Do a rather dangerous job, so could get dead/damaged more than usually likely.
 
What interesting solutions people have, and how wonder ful to have friends who stepped up when things were really bad and filled in for months.

However when you keep them at home it is not just the ponies, we have cats, dog, geese and hens who all need feeding and sorting!

I am usually fine with two horsey sisters, and a OH who will do as asked (provided it is written down so he does get routine right!!), but last year whole family went away for a week for special occassion, and a friend I have known since our pony club days (nearly 50 years ago) kindly came and did the lads for me for the week, he really enjoyed playing with them and it was a relief, I have other friends from pony club days as well who would help.

I felt really guilty when on a recent trip to see daughter and family abroad we had all that bad weather and my poor sister had to walk in and out in order to look after our animals, the snow was just too deep to drive to our house. On on the plus side she said walking up our hill so often got her a lot fitter.
 
Not well trained, just pony mad! She's actually only done them a couple of times without me there, its not like I make a habit of it, although it gives her such a sense of importance she'd like to do it more often.
 
I have between 40 and 50 horses at any one time. Thankfully I have lots of really great friends who help out if asked. For longer term I have a wonderful groom who comes and lives at my house and looks after all of the horses, dogs and cats when I go away. If I was unable to do the animals for whatever reason for a long term, she'd either live here or come daily to do the animals. I live in a predominantly farming area where people are really friendly and are more than happy to help their neighbours out so it's not difficult to get people who could do any jobs around the farm if I was out of action.
 
My OH or mum would do him. If that failed I have a friend on the yard who will do them in an emergency.

Although when I go on holiday in May, my boy is going to the event yard I used to work at because I don't want to put him on my mum for a week plus he needs to be kept in work
 
I rent a small yard, just me there. My Mum can do things such as just bring in/turn out/feed, but nothing else, and I do worry about her handling Titchy as she can be a bit bolshy on occassion. I would trust Genie with her 100%. The owner of my yard lives at the top of the land and she has helped me once or twice as well, for example when I went to Olympia.
 
No-one. That is why I had to ask the Mark Davis Injured Riders Fund for help when I broke my wrist last year and they were fantastic - paid to get local help for a couple of months. I have contributed by Standing Order every month ever since, but had to stop now due to funding for the rescues running out so I need to fund them out of my own pocket. If you would struggle to find help, they are a very worth while charity, worth supporting just *in case* you ever need them.
Otherwise I cannot afford to get ill, especially in winter.
 
My oh although very in horsey has become brilliant. He won't change tb rugs but other than that he's happy to have a go! In case of snow my dads trained for mornings as he can walk to the yard. Otherwise the house up the road have a groom who I have asked before now (paid) so that's very handy.
 
I used Kirsty's Horses - a franchise of horse sitters. The lady in my area is also a local BHS welfare officer. For 3 years I have been able to rely on her to look after my 2 if I was unable to. She has never let me down, always followed my instructions to the letter and would do my horses at a moments notice if I was stuck at work etc. Very reasonably priced IMO and highly recommended. I have moved from private land to assisted livery now though, so if I can't get there, then yard owner sorts.
If anyone needs help in central Beds area, feel free to pm me and I will pass on her details :)
 
I am lucky. My YO refuses to charge for helping out when needed, as w wall domitmfor each other. Nobody keeps score or anything stupid like that. This Sunday for example is her FILs birthday, so I am doing her three for the day...but I am also making him a special 3D golf cake, so she is doing mine Saturday evening so I don't have to pause cake decorating to do the girls.

When I go away, she does mine and vice versa but we all just chip in and get it done. If it is dark and someone hasn't arrived to bring theirs in, one of us will do it. We all do it for each other, we have a few unwritten rules like that. Nobody leaves the yard in the dark and leaves a horse out alone...bring it in before you go. First on yard checks all have hay and water...when they go on 24/7 turnout, it will be first on yard checks all have water and are ok...last on yard checks all have water and are ok.

My OH has, bless him, spent lots of time at the yard with me, learning how to do everything just in case he ever needs to but whilst he does love the girls, he is not at all horsey!

I would honestly hate to have to use a service, but if I did have to, I would rather go on word of mouth than a nice looking website.

Luckilym I live in an extremely horse dense area and we have an amazing network here, so there is not a horse around me that wouldn't have at least 5-6 people knowing what it needed and how to get in to it and find everything for it etc, so we are very lucky.
 
Ive got mine at home, but live alone so If im ill, I have to do them myself, last week I had flu, and it was a struggle just feeding them, just walking down the paddock left me breathless, luckily they live out, so was just a case of having to feed them (3 times a day)

but if I do have a night away or come over to the UK, a friend pops round and does them and the dogs for me... luckily she only lives 5 mins away...
 
I have my own land and non horsey family so if i cant i make feeds and get dad or bf to do it. Iv been in wales the last 3 days but they coped just fine despite my fretting.

I had to coordinate colours so blue bucket for the horse with the blue rug, purple bucket/purple rug and pink for the pony. Oh, and i have to stack the buckets so the blue rugged horse gets fed first, purple second and pony last so Alfie doesnt throw a wobbler.
 
Either my lovely groom would do them, or OH would do them if groom couldn't get to us, and my mother could do them if neither OH nor groom could. The tricky part for me isn't getting someone who can do the yard, it's knowing someone is capable of doing all the riding (especially the schooling) and getting horses ready for competitions etc. Luckily OH, groom and mother would all cope well!
 
if i'm away for the night i get everything ready and my field share sorts out my 2 and if i was ill he would willingly help. i've helped him if he's ill or just needed a hand. the oh is useless and allergic to them but can follow instructions over the phone if you talk him through what he has to do step by step!he did the lunch feeds and checks when pony had lami so will help if push comes to shove!if i can afford a hol (unlikely) i'll pay for a horse sitter because even though field share and another livery would help, i'd feel a burden as they've got more than 1 each anyway.
 
I share my yard with a friend .. we just cover each other - my husband very unhorsey and could manage a chick check over the fence that all legs are in tact but mums a little better and can change etc ... bless her she even went up twice for me to check my pregnant mare as was worried she didnt seem herself ahhhh xx
 
A friend shares the yard with me so she will cover if i can't make it and vice versa. if i was long term unable to do the physical work then OH and daughter would have to step in under my supervision. It would take a limb hanging off to stop me totally lol,
 
Thankfully YM is an absolute star. If I can't get up, she will muck out Ned/check on him and in return I will do the same for her. If neither of us can, there are a couple of other people who can and if they can't YO's husband will have to do it!
 
Hubby is first port of call and is quite happy to do them on his own.

If I know I will struggle to do an evening, I just have to put a note on the board and they will be brought in and fed (I'd get everything done in morning).

If short notice/ emergency, I'd just have to call/ text YO and she and whoever are about would do them for me. I've not had to do this yet, but it's good to know the back up is there.
 
My mums horsey too but usually if I'm stuck at home/ill so is she :rolleyes: the yard I'm on now offers services, but before on a totally DIY yard we all helped each other out :)
 
I am very lucky, the horses are at home with me and OH and my teenage son will see to them if I am unable to. I also have a friend living near by that has horses of her own and looks after mine when we go on holiday, in exchange I look after her dog and occasionally her horses when she goes away. I also have my MIL who will come over to check on them for me and also my parents who check on them over the fence but will not handle them. They are both terrified of horses even my miniatures. Not sure where I came from.:confused: There is also my niece who rode a lot as a child and is very confident so if I am desperate she will come over to see to them for me too so lots of options for me thank goodness.:)
 
if i cant do them then it will be either my mum, my step dad, my step sister or if im very desparate then my brother and if none of those could do it then i have plenty of horsey friends who will do them for me for a small amount of money... if not i will pay for a freelance groom to come and do them :)
 
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