who looks after your animals when youre away???

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Foxyeventing

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Quick one really, any of you be interested in nvq qualified and referenced dog, horse, cat any other pet sitters??

For instance you have a couple of horses at home, who looks after them whilst youre away??

Would you let at first a stranger, but you would soon get to know them, look after your animals in their own environment??
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I have a combination of a very good friend who gets a large pressie for looking after my lad and 2 cats and pay a lady who offers house sitting/pet looking after services.
I would always look to have someone recommended to be honest and they would need to have hands on experience of horses...not learnt through books or courses...someone that owns or has owned horses themselves.
 
During Winter when my horses are kept at home we usually use a friend who lives local to us, although she doesn't own her own horses she is very experienced.

During the summer when mine are living out they get checked on by the yard owner whilst I am away.
 
I haven't been on holiday for years but if i did my mum would look after my horses and dog. i look after hers when my parents go away.
I would only let someone i knew quite well look after my animals. we put our dogs in kennels when i went away with my parents years ago, and we said we wouldn't do it again.
 
On our yard we have a 'policy' where when someone is away everyone chips in and looks after their horses. Some people can do more than others but it seems to work really well. It also means it doesn't cost me any more in livery when I go away.

My dog would either come with us or go in a kennels and my cats would go to my mums
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My parents normally or sometimes my farrier has my mare if I go for longer than a week
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I have a couple of friends who I can ask too
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We are going away on Tuesday for two weeks!
never been away for that long before and sorting out the animals is more hetic than thinking about what to pack.
Daughters pony, going to a friend to keep ticking over as she is in area pc competitions this summer plus camp is just as we get home.
Mare and 6 week foal are staying at home and one of my liveries and my parents are going to do them.
2 dogs are going to mum and dads.
As is the Snake ! much to my mothers horror !
2 fish are at home good old mum and dad again going to pop in and feed them.
Not sure what we would do without them.
Thats all happening Sunday
Monday going to pack for 2 children and more than lightly hubby! and of course myself.
Hoping that i do pack my underwear this time as last year forgot and shops were shut when we arrived and had to wear hubbys boxers lol
 
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I have horses, therefore i do not have holidays! Or haven't had one since 1999. But if I did i would only leave my horses in the hands of somebody who I knew and trusted

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Same, plus I have four house cats, two of whom are elderly. My neighbour won't come into my house while we are away and the cats won't eat outside. Horses are slightly better as I could truck them to our friends farm for a holiday BUT I don't trust said friend's horse care skills - he horrified me yesterday when he told me that he didn't know laminitis was a feed issue. Explains why his horses are out 24/7 on lush cow pasture and look like elephants and he seems unconcerned
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I would never let anyone other than my Mum or my OH look after my horse. If we were absolutely desperate and none of us were here, she'd go to my SJ instructor's yard (he found her for me in the first place). But although our yard has a lady who comes in to look after any horses whose owners are away, I'd never want her to do Ellie - I just couldnt trust anyone.
 
We've always had friends look after mine. We're lucky in that a family friend enjoys "home sitting" sometimes so she stayed at ours to look after the horses / cats etc. Id only consider properly paying a professional if I had no other option and they'd have to be recommended!
 
I've been away for the last 2 christmas's with my mum (first time we've been away together for about 15 years!)
We used a locally based house sitting company recommended by a friend both times to look after 2 horses, 2 ferrets, 2/3 dogs and a cat. They have been very good, and come with references. A piece of mind to know that the house is occupied as well. The first couple came recommended and the lady was a mounted police officer and her husband a fireman, so we were happy to leave all in their capable hands! Unfortunately last christmas they weren't available, so we had a slightly less competant couple, but came back to find everything in one piece anyway!
I suppose any other time of year we may have had more options of friends and relatives help, but not at Christmas!
 
[ QUOTE ]
I have horses, therefore i do not have holidays! Or haven't had one since 1999. But if I did i would only leave my horses in the hands of somebody who I knew and trusted

[/ QUOTE ]

+1

When I am away for the weekend my OH looks after the 'kids'. When she is away, it's my turn. I can't remember the last time we went away together
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The only people who look after mine if I cant for whatever reason are, two people from the yard who i trust, my sharer and my husband and no one else.
 
my mum or i have a super friend accross the road and i do the same for her, i spose i might look into a professional but i would imagine they are rather costly
 
I dont go away much but when I do a very very good friend does mine when I am away. It works out well though as I do her horses for her when she is away. I also look after her house and dog as he doesnt settle in kennels.
Its easy enough for me though and gives me a break from me being at the parents.
 
My dogs cause me more stress than my horses, I don't mind who looks after the horses as I only go on holiday when they are living out so the person doesn't have to do much except check them and poo pick daily. My friend has always done this in the past and I trust her totally to turn up no matter what.

I can't bear leaving my dogs in kennels and would love to have somebody to live in while we're away, but I am terrified of the person deciding they don't like it here or whatever and just abandoning them, or not liking them and bullying them. I would love to leave the dogs with the friend that does the horses but she wouldn't like it here as it is very isolated and is quite spooky at night - I know she'd hate it, plus she works and the dogs can't be left for more than 3 or 4 hours.
 
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