Would you charge for this?

[EternalVetBills]

This is probably going to sound a bit silly, but I've got a gas powered hot wash for at the yard.

A couple of the liveries have seen me using it and asked if they could borrow it sometime. I have absolutely no problem with this as it's fairly sturdy so not worried about it breaking, but gas is very expensive now so was thinking of asking people for a contribution towards gas if they use it. Is that fair? If so how much would you charge people? I was thinking like £1 maybe? I haven't ever really bothered to work out how much gas it uses per bath, so not really sure how much it actually costs to run

 

[JBM]

I would charge but no idea what you could charge as I have no idea about the price of the gas you’re using, size of the tank and how much is used a wash

 

[ponynutz]

I think you should but I personally wouldn't as I'm too shy to ask for people to. I think some might take offence but honestly with the price of gas these days it seems a really sensible idea.

 

[EternalVetBills]

That is a valid point .
I'm not really sure what the gas would cost right now as I bought the current one about a year ago. I'll have a look what they cost when I get petrol later

 

[Katieg123]

If its constant people at the yard can you have a list of who uses it and how many times (including yourself) and when you buy a new canister split the cost between times used? That might be the fairest way! I'm not sure if it might get complicated though...

 

[LEC]

Why wouldn’t you charge unless they do things for you that are worth the trade like catching/turning out for you etc

 

[Widgeon]

Absolutely I would charge, you can't make a loss every time someone borrows it. I would work out how much gas it uses per bath (and how long a bath should reasonably be) and then charge that plus a little bit to make up for the hassle of more frequent gas purchases and increased wear and tear on the item.

 

[MereChristmas]

My yard asks for £1 if you use the hot water horse shower. I think that’s fair. I haven’t used it yet as it frightens me. When I was shown how to use it I didn’t have enough thumb strength to fit the connections tight.

 

[AmyMay]

I’d absolutely charge a £1 a use.

 

[OrangeAndLemon]

I don't usually use warm water to wash my horse but after colitis he needs a tail wash and to make the shampoo more effective,

I'm going to borrow a friend's hot wash. I fully intend to pay for this. I was thinking about offering £2.50 to do an intensive tail wash (probably similar amount of use to a full pony bath)

 

[EternalVetBills]

My yard asks for £1 if you use the hot water horse shower. I think that’s fair. I haven’t used it yet as it frightens me. When I was shown how to use it I didn’t have enough thumb strength to fit the connections tight.

That is a bit of a worry of mine! There are a couple of the older ladies that have asked to borrow it that both have arthritic hands, I'm a bit worried they may not be able to fit everything correctly! But I also don't think they'll be able to move it on their own, so will probably only use it when I'm there to help.

Actually, having thought about it now, I might make that a rule for those two not to use it on their own. Too much risk of one of them setting the yard on fire I think

 

[MereChristmas]

That is a bit of a worry of mine! There are a couple of the older ladies that have asked to borrow it that both have arthritic hands, I'm a bit worried they may not be able to fit everything correctly! But I also don't think they'll be able to move it on their own, so will probably only use it when I'm there to help.

Actually, having thought about it now, I might make that a rule for those two not to use it on their own. Too much risk of one of them setting the yard on fire I think

So you don’t ruffle old lady feathers and to make it more simple might I suggest you make the rule that no one is allowed to use the gas washer when there is no one else at the yard.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I wouldn't let just everyone use it all the time though I think people are a bit cheeky sometimes, it's the sort of thing if the yard doesn't provide it and you want one you buy your own, it's still being used so wear and tear is a consideration and what if someone breaks it.

Maybe I'm just mean but I have had let people use and borrow stuff and it gets broke or lost so I am wary of it.

 

[Widgeon]

I wouldn't let just everyone use it all the time though I think people are a bit cheeky sometimes, it's the sort of thing if the yard doesn't provide it and you want one you buy your own, it's still being used so wear and tear is a consideration and what if someone breaks it.

Maybe I'm just mean but I have had let people use and borrow stuff and it gets broke or lost so I am wary of it.

I was thinking the same - if it's going to be for the use of the yard is there at least some chance of getting tax relief on the purchase price, or is it too late for that? If it's your personal item you'd be well within your rights to say you'd prefer not to loan it out.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Think very carefully before you let anyone else use it. If there is the remotest possibility of someone breaking it through misuse, it will happen.

I have learned the hard way not to loan my stuff out, be it my trailer, my clippers etc - it always comes back damaged.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

This is why I stopped lending my clippers they got dropped and teeth broken on blades, so if I was ever asked I said no but I would clip the horse for a small fee as long as it wasn't a nutter, although now I would say no as there ain't enough money you could pay me to clip other people's horses now

 

[FinnishLapphund]

Definitely not a silly question with the current cost of gas.

I don't know if that was for a specific brand, but I read somewhere that gas powered hot showers should only be used in max 30 minutes in a row, before you need to give the machine a little break. In an H&H article about hot shower devices, under the Eccotemp L5 Portable Tankless it said that an 11kg gas bottle would give you up to 28 hours of hot water.
If each shower lasts 30 minutes you get up to 56 showers. But I presume most washes are quicker than that, so then you would get more showers per 11 kg gas bottle.

Perhaps on sites that sells these things there could be similar numbers mentioned for other brands.

​

Anyhow, unless they give you a lot of free help back, simply just say that Due to the current cost of gas, you need £X contribution if they want to use it.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Maybe just send them a link where you bought it from

 

[ycbm]

Think very carefully before you let anyone else use it. If there is the remotest possibility of someone breaking it through misuse, it will happen.

I have learned the hard way not to loan my stuff out, be it my trailer, my clippers etc - it always comes back damaged.

This I'm afraid. I wouldn't lend it out. I agreed to lend a friend my clippers once to finish a clip she couldn't complete because hers had stopped working. She got to the end then promptly started trimming dirty fetlock hair with my new clipper blades!
.

 

[sunnyone]

Like others above I don't loan, or do favours like transporting ponies for others now, because of unexpected damage. Just best not to.
If you charge aren't you liable to need insurance of some type?
My solution would be to let them have 1 free trial of the shower,. If they like it then they have to get their own. That way you have been kind and also set clear boundaries.

 

[Jenko109]

It would be a no from me, unless it was a close friend, but for a close friend, I wouldnt be charging anyway.

 

[SEL]

Can I ask what brand it is? I need something like this!

 

[EternalVetBills]

Can I ask what brand it is? I need something like this!

It's an Ecotemp L5 I believe, but I will double check when I'm at the yard. I bought it second hand from a lady that had given up horses. She'd had it about 4 years and used it at least once a week, I've had it nearly 3 years now, have also thoroughly abused it, and it still runs beautifully.
I hadn't used it for almost a year, just because I haven't really needed it, I dug it out the othe day a bit worried whether it would work, and it started up like a dream. I would definitely highly recommend them.

ETA: as I said in an earlier reply, it's probably not for someone with weak hands as it can be very tricky. My poor mum can't use it on her own, so always has to have me on hand if she wants to bath her pony, but if you've not got any mobility issues, it's an absolutely fab bit of kit.

 

[Suncat]

Like others above I don't loan, or do favours like transporting ponies for others now, because of unexpected damage. Just best not to.
If you charge aren't you liable to need insurance of some type?
My solution would be to let them have 1 free trial of the shower,. If they like it then they have to get their own. That way you have been kind and also set clear boundaries.

Good approach I think

Unless it was someone I knew very well and trusted implicitly to be careful and trustworthy if they accidently damaged anything I'd be very wary to loan my gas shower out. I think my shower (Ecotemp from Shower King, would recommend) might be a bit more fiddly to maintain than yours! But there's a real risk of it getting broken or someone hurting themselves by not using it properly, I think too often it'll end up with a difficult situation/upset people instead of the nice, helpful situation you'd hope for. It's kinder all round not to get into it.

Also, if I put my cynic hat on - something as useful as this might lead to a lot of people asking to use it and you feeling pretty put-upon as the tool you invested in get a lot of wear... and its broken/hasn't been returned just when you need it.

I really like to help and be helped, but I just loan things that are hard to break, or I can afford to do without for a bit.

 

[Christmascinnamoncookie]

Think it'd be a hard no to anyone across the board. What if someone uses it, breaks it and just puts it back without saying?

 

[Aperchristmas]

I would allow them to use it but only when you are around to supervise and that there should be something in exchange - either a contribution towards the gas or a good favour - e.g bringing your horse in one night if that's useful for you.

 

[ihatework]

Actually I wouldn’t charge.
Good friends could use it for free.
Regular liveries off limits.
The likelihood of it getting broken and liveries not fessing up isn’t worth the £1 hassle

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

This is probably going to sound a bit silly, but I've got a gas powered hot wash for at the yard.

A couple of the liveries have seen me using it and asked if they could borrow it sometime. I have absolutely no problem with this as it's fairly sturdy so not worried about it breaking, but gas is very expensive now so was thinking of asking people for a contribution towards gas if they use it. Is that fair? If so how much would you charge people? I was thinking like £1 maybe? I haven't ever really bothered to work out how much gas it uses per bath, so not really sure how much it actually costs to run

I wouldn't lend it if I were you, as it is your machine, your gas, and your bill for the entire thing if someone's horse kicks it or breaks it your maintenance if it goes faulty. There are enough videos on you tube for them to view and see how they work.


Just like some one getting a free ride in your horse box, yet you pay the bills. I lent my horsebox to someone to try get their horse to the police as it was not fit for her use but police wanted him. Up and down the ramp he went, off the sides, jumping to the side of it, pawing it standing on it on uneven ground. This took over and hour the reared over the gate and got stuck straddled it. Cut the gate in half to get him off, reversed into bard toi limit escape rounts, . In the end the vet had to sedate him way past travel safety and horse take by , who ever they called.


Next day I opened my ramp and it would not lower properly, £ 700 pounds or so later I found my ramp support at the top had been pulled out the wood at the top.


I don't lend anymore unless I know a horse is gd to travel with me driving.

You got to think.

Can I afford to repair it if it gets damaged. Can I? want to/ give people free gas. Will others then want to use it, will some one use it when I wasn't there then not tell me
a) if gas runs out
2) that they damaged it/broke it.


Then make your decision.

 

[Squeak]

I'm another that unfortunately just wouldn't let others use it. Although it's robust for you it's amazing how things can get broken when others use it, we're coming into summer (supposedly!!) so cold baths aren't so bad at this time of year anyway.

 

[ROMANY 1959]

I would ask the people who share it to contribute to next time you buy a new gas bottle. If they don’t want to horses get cold wash. Just my thoughts. In these trying days we can’t afford free loaders can we