Travelling alone

[Remi'sMum]

What contingency plans do people have who routinely travel their horses on their own? On their own as in, no other person with them?

I'm getting out and about a bit more, sometimes there will be people I know once I get to where I'm going, sometimes not. But more often than not there isn't anyone who can come with me so I'm travelling alone regardless of whether there will be familiar faces at the destination.

What safety contingency plans do people have? In a dark moment I imagine falling off and being injured and nobody at the venue knowing where I've come from or what to do with my horse.

Contact details in hat or on armband? ICE details in phone? Sheet in windscreen of box with emergency contact numbers? Would the hi viz Locata pouches be frowned on as an addition to tack at a competition? Any other ideas?

Thank you!!

 

[PorkChop]

I often travel and compete by myself.

I must admit that it is only when I event that I do anything extra, partly because I am more likely to hurt myself and partly because events are often far from home and it would take my husband some time to get to me!

I inform the secretary that I am competing alone, I leave my car unlocked and have a sheet of emergency contact details etc in the front windscreen.

With regards to eventing, it is such a friendly sport that I have never known a situation where people well help someone who needs it.

If I am doing dressage or showjumping I am generally much closer to home and would be familiar to the organisers so that my husband would be contacted.

 

[FfionWinnie]

This did happen to me. Lying in a broken heap on the arena floor I phoned my parents who were too far away to be of immediate help and a friend who came and got the horse. They knew where the keys would be so were able to unhitch my trailer and take it on their vehicle. The staff at the show untacked and loaded my horse while I got carted off in an ambulance. The key to this being not too difficult considering the circumstances is that my horse is very very well trained and anyone was able to handle her without an issue. Since this happened and I was incapacitated for a significant length of time, my parents have got a lot more involved with the horses and my Dad comes to most lessons and definitely any big things like the BE80 I've somewhat insanely committed to do this year.

 

[Shay]

Pork Chop is absolutely right. Tell the secretary that you are competing alone and what your registration number is. Leave the vehicle unlocked and a laminated sheet of emergency contact numbers in the windscreen. I also seen people personalize that with an image of themselves and the horse which can be useful. Leave a blank square you can write your competition number in too.

Make sure your emergency contacts know where you are going and roughly when you expect to be home. Make sure your phone is charged.

 

[MiniMilton]

I had an eye opener. I travelled to a distant show. My husband knew I went to a show but didnt know which one or even what county. I knew nobody. They didnt know me. They only had my name on the entry, no other info. I had a horrific fall and by some miracle both me and my horse managed to limp away.

My car keys werent on my person, I had them hidden under the car. My phone was dead. I had no wallet or contact details in my car even if they managed to get into it. I drove myself home even though I was incredibly sore. And then the reality hit about how flippin stupid I was. Definitely taking some of the tips mentioned on this thread if I get my competing mojo back

 

[Pie's mum]

I have a sheet I put on the dashboard of my lorry. I also make sure my husband knows where I am going and he expects to hear from me when I'm finished. I text him as I'm about to go & warm up, when I'm done, when I've loaded up to leave and when I get back to the yard. That way my last location is known!
If the people in either side of my lorry are friendly I also mention to them that I'm in my own.

 

[Apercrumbie]

The key to this being not too difficult considering the circumstances is that my horse is very very well trained and anyone was able to handle her without an issue.

This is very important for those who compete alone. If your horse is tricky to handle/load etc then it would be irresponsible to compete completely alone as someone else could get hurt.

Otherwise, I would wear an armband with emergency details, inform the organisers of your number plate and the fact that you are alone, and perhaps put an information sheet in your car for the organisers to find in case something actually does happen.

 

[Remi'sMum]

Thanks for replies all, definite food for thought.

FfionWinnie - are you doing the Wobbleberry Challenge?

 

[Tidy_rabbit]

It's so difficult, I go pretty much everywhere alone and thankfully no major disasters, but I did once have my car robbed when I had locked it and hidden the keys, so be careful if you leave it unlocked.

 

[windand rain]

There is always quite a few of but if I did go somewhere on my own I would do as others have said but I would also add the number of someone who is insured and legal to drive my car and trailer home. My biggest fear would not be for myself but for the horse and towing or lorry driver. So if you have transport of your own you need to know someone legally allowed to get it home. leaving that transport in a muddy field with the return of the cattle etc that use the land usually would worry me

 

[AdorableAlice]

Always have full rescue and recovery for the lorry.

 

[gunnergundog]

I now wear an alertid bracelet http://alertid.co.uk/

A couple of years ago I took a fall off a youngster XC schooling; the air ambulance arrived and apparently I was totally coherent, answering all their questions etc etc so was allowed to wait for the road ambulance. There were no physical injuries, just concussion. This meant that when the air ambulance crew asked me various questions I was able to reply, apparently totally coherently, but the information that I delivered was c 30 years out of date.

Alertid allows you to log contact info for your pets, who has a key to your house, next of kin etc etc. It was something that BE advertised many years ago but which I have kept up with as it has morphed and changed. For a single person on their own it now gives me comfort and security and a degree of freedom that otherwise I may be reluctant to exercise.

 

[Dubsie]

Also consider what would happen if your vehicle broke down or was in an accident.
Current horse is likely to be in a flap if something untoward happened, and would definitely want 2 people around.