to diyers - if u go on holiday in summer what do you do to make sure yoru horse is ok

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narkymare

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We are talking holidays here - are planning on going for one week in july (normally 2 but i couldnt survive without my boy that long!).
My horse is on diy, in july he will be out 24/7 - what would you do to make sure he is ok?????
- im going to ask a fellow trusted livery to keep an eye on him, put his fly cream and pick his feet every day but im thinking accidents, illness etc - do you leave a blank cheque, his passport with yo?
Basically im asking what i need to do or arrange or do before i fly off to make sure he is ok - how do you diyers do it???????
 
I generally get a friend to keep an eye on them and leave a letter with them for the vet to say that I am away and X will deal with them and then I'll settle my bill when I get home.
I'd keep hold of the passport, vet won't need it unless pony needs PTS and then I'd deal with it when I got home.
 
Me and a lady at my yard share the workload pretty much all year round with our two girls. And when either of us go on holiday we have always taken care of one anothers. Both our girls live out happily all year round as long as they have food they are happy, they are both lovely low maintenance cobs really. Have never thought about leaving passport or blank cheque but its a good idea really
 
Im quite lucky as my best friend keeps her horse at the same yard so we both know how we like our horses looked after. We always make sure we work our holidays round each other so that we're not away at the same time.

I usually leave passport, insurance docs and vets numbers, but I trust her 110% and know that she could deal with something if something happens.
 
I am at a yard with a large group of friends, we all look after each other when someone is ill/unavailable/on holiday.
 
put a trusted friend or relative on horse watch.(p1) they have passport and a list of numbers eg vet, farrier and other horsey friends such as other liverys or riding instructure that they can get help from.

the other person who looks at the horse does hoof picking is enough of a check as long as its at least once a day but maybe if they just looked at your horse again each day. (p2) they need to be told that if anything goes wrong to talk to p1

then if P1 and p2 have contact say twice in the week just to say everything is ok at least youll no everything was checked.

you dont need to leave a check as if you have insurance and or are registered with the vet you will be able to agree to pay after. just let the vet know your away if you are really worried

hopefully that makes some sence
 
Sanolly said:
I generally get a friend to keep an eye on them and leave a letter with them for the vet to say that I am away and X will deal with them and then I'll settle my bill when I get home.
I'd keep hold of the passport, vet won't need it unless pony needs PTS and then I'd deal with it when I got home.
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I may be wrong - probably am lol - but i thought there were some medicines a vet couldnt give to a horse unless it was logged in passport?
 
Same as some others - I keep my horse on the same yard as a friend and we both know each others exacting standards of care and how we/the hrose likes things doing. We also share yard duties int he week so we're not up everyday in the winter using petrol. I am thinking of moving mine closer to home and the only thing that stops me is my trusted cover!!

I too leave a letter to the vet with her and send one to the vet in advance of my going away. She's the same as me - if it's anything horrific then have him put to sleep unless he can be kept relatively pain-free until I got home and if I can get home before I'm due then I would. Luckily my other half is a Director whose mobile phone is on 24h/7 for work so she has his number in case of an emergency as in the past I have forgotten to take my charger or left phone on silent and then can't find it!
 
This subject came up with my vet last year when I had to go away. I left my mare in the very capable hands of an experienced friend. Had no worries at all about her care. What my vet said was I had to make sure the person looking after her knew what my thoughts were in cases of emergency for example colic surgery. Just in case I couldn't be contacted.
I gave a list of emergency numbers to my friend in case anything came up that she needed to talk over with someone else before making any decisions.
 
I use the same vet as my friend who oversees the care of my horse when i am away. I have her named on my horse insurance as being able to liaise with them if required in my absence. I always leave both my mobile and my husbands mobile number with her. My mum also has the details of where we are staying and she is in contact with my friend. I trust my friends judgement absolutely and know she would do the best for my horse if i was not around.

and yes, if things were bad i would come home early from my holiday although i am sure my husband would be furious!!!
 
You keep your horse with a softie like me who looks after them for you!

I began to realise I was a fool when, this Christmas, everything went pear-shaped. One livery had told me she was going to India for a month. But the day she left Livery No.2 went down with swine-flu, and Livery No.3's car died. I ended up looking after 4 horses for a month on my own, right through the bad weather. Every Christmas party I went to someone said "You look so tired....."

In theory my liveries try not to have holidays at the same time. But in practice, I'll always look after the neddies. Doesn't please OH greatly, but that's life!
 
We leave a comprehensive list of "instructions" including contact details for vets, farrier, trimmer and back lady. I also include what our preferred euthanasia is should anything terrible happened and "that" decision had to be taken. Long list of emergency contact numbers provided etc.

If I could I'd bundle all the horses up and take them all with us whenever we go away!
 
I would ask one person to check/feed them but tell them all that I am going away so that everyone can keep a watchful eye.

I must say that I have never left my passport with anyone but I have not owned a horse for 11 years so things have changed a lot.

I would make sure the friend knew of my insurance details and the vet's number and then go away and enjoy myself....
 
I ask the YO to keep an eye on mine if I'm away. In summer she's out full time, so only needs a check a couple of times a day. If anything went amiss they'd be able to bring her in and get the vet for me. I'd pay extra but it would obviously be worth it.

Where this isn't possible I move my horse to a local stud where they look after her for me for grass keep charges.
 
I'd get a friend who I trust to keep an eye on mine, and if any vet-type decisions have to be made, my parents will do it.
 
I keep my boy at home and that is miles away from anywhere and there is no-one else here with a horse who could keep a close eye. My sister used to come and horse/dog sit but as she now has a baby........

I pay for livery at a yard which although not local (about an hour's drive) gives me peace of mind. I wouldn't be able to lie by a pool (or whatever) on hols and relax because in my case, even if he was checked twice a day, there isn't anyone passing who could raise the alarm if anything happened. So he goes to "horse hotel", my holiday costs a lot more but I know he'll be OK.

Worth mentioning to insurance company about who's looking after them as they can be tricky about data protection issues. Also, I believe passport has to be with the horse?

HTH
 
My YO is a treasure and looks after mine. It's in my contract that if vet treatment is needed and they can't reach me, they can get the vet out - so covered there with that.
It also helps that we use the same vet and farrier so we have a good rapport with both.
 
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