Those who transport to lessons / arena hire

[LadyGascoyne]

Does anyone not have their own transport? How do you manage it?

I feel like I need a horse taxi for Mim. Even if I were to buy transport, I would not have the time so I’d want someone else to take her to her lesson with our rider, and drop her off at home afterwards.

 

[Ample Prosecco]

Before I had a trailer I did hire a trailer with driver occasionally. She was absolutely amazing. She took me to my first ever ODE and stayed for the day, helped change tack over - even had a spare bobble and took pictures! She was driver, mentor, groom, photographer and cheerleader. So they do exist.

 

[nikicb]

Yes, they definitely exist. I know of a couple near/South of Newbury, but probably wouldn't go up to where you are without it costing a fair amount extra (without seeming stalkerish, I know which yard you are on from the pictures you posted when Mim moved). Ask in one of the Oxfordshire FB pages - I am sure someone will be able to recommend.

 

[throwawayaccount]

ive never had transport so used to hire a transporter, usually the local farmer, to go to clinics, once a month as it was costly in total even though transport itself was fairly cheap.

when going to shows it was more expensive again, so I'd always try and share with a friend if possible to split the cost of transport.

I'm very lucky where I am at the moment has regular clinics, so I won't need to venture far for the moment.

 

[HappyHollyDays]

Contact Gillian Anderson Transport in Enstone.

 

[LadyGascoyne]

Thanks so much everyone. Mimosa will probably come home in a few weeks for a holiday… and I might possibly maybe potentially need her stable at livery for another four legged creature. But don’t want to jinx things so not counting my chickens etc.

I might still want her to go for schooling once a week though so horse taxi sprung to mind.

I know it’s not cheap to do it that way but I also wouldn’t have time to do it myself even if I were to buy transport - which is still a long term plan at some point.

 

[MuddyMonster]

I hack there and back - we're in a hackable distance of a few schools (some just to hire & some hire out and run clinics and/or events). But appreciate not everyone has the time or desire to hack to these things

I've had transport & also had friends with transport happy to give lifts in the past, which worked well.

If mine was a better traveller I'd hire transport more frequently (he does load and travel but he needs regular trips to keep his confidence up since an accident travelling) but that becomes costly to do it regularly enough and I feel we do enough to keep us both entertained!

 

[Palindrome]

I did once and I was in the same area as you. The lady was fab, she came with her little daughter who was very good all along. I don't remember her name unfortunately, that was a few years back.

 

[I'm Dun]

Theres a few near me, but for a round trip of 15miles plus an hours wait you'd be looking at £75 a time. Possibly more now as fuel is so expensive so I imagine they have put their charges up

 

[LadyGascoyne]

Embarrassingly, my trip is 2.3 miles. But due to the roads, not safe to hack.

 

[SussexbytheXmasTree]

Before I got my 3.5t box last June I used to only do about 2 or 3 things a year. Since I’ve had my box I’ve been out loads to training and comps perhaps 2-3 times a month. Really you’re talking minimum £80 a time to hire. It was over £200 for box and driver for one day at a show I went to. The other thing is often you need to book months in advance as especially weekends they get really booked up so need to be really organised.

 

[chaps89]

It might be worth looking at 3.5t self drive hire companies. If they’re local, it’s a short trip and not a long wait they might also drive for you (at an extra fee) Or arrange for your groom/rider to pick up the box and pay them extra for the hassle?

I hire a 3.5t once, maybe twice a month to box for a lesson, having sold my own 3.5t box over summer. I worked out it was more economical to hire if it was twice per month than run a box but if I hired twice a month frequently or more than that it was Cheaper to run my own (based on having bought the box outright and it being pretty solid so not needing a lot in the way of maintenance)

 

[criso]

I used transporters to take me and my horse to shows and clinics and the people I've used have been really good effectively acting as helper.

Round here minimum charge is about £70/£80 and waiting time varied from £10 to £20 hour.

If you're on Facebook, ask in local equestrian groups for suggestions but check they are proper transporters as there are a few round here who are just someone with a lorry without the proper insurance and paperwork.

 

[COldNag]

Worth considering a trailer?

If you haven't gota tow car, an old 4x4. I had one cheap as chips, lasted years. Absolutely worth it

 

[palo1]

It might be worthwhile having a trailer and 4x4 at home, with insurance for a very low mileage so that you can just pay someone to take Mim rather than paying for the transport itself. A freelance groom may well be able to do that and a trailer can be extraordinarily useful in itself. The 4x4 is more of a conundrum.

 

[LadyGascoyne]

Worth considering a trailer?

If you haven't gota tow car, an old 4x4. I had one cheap as chips, lasted years. Absolutely worth it

We will definitely look at buying one anyway but I’m not available to do the driving during the week so won’t solve the immediate issue.

It might be worthwhile having a trailer and 4x4 at home, with insurance for a very low mileage so that you can just pay someone to take Mim rather than paying for the transport itself. A freelance groom may well be able to do that and a trailer can be extraordinarily useful in itself. The 4x4 is more of a conundrum.

I have a Defender that I don’t mind anyone driving, and I could buy a trailer.

My freelancer doesn’t have her license yet though.

Long term, this is a great idea though.

 

[Velcrobum]

Contact Gillian Anderson Transport in Enstone.

Sadly this lady did not respond to phone call, text message or email very very recently when I tried to contact her!!