Would you pay for a welfare horse visit?

[GHall49319]

Just wanting some feedback and opinions...

Just wondering if you, in an emergency or when you just 'couldn't make it up the yard', would play someone for a welfare visit (quick check, photo, water check, hay drop etc)?

I'm just toying with the idea of setting up a 'Helping Horse Hands' business to provide emergency/adhoc care and visits for DIYers who have no one they can call...

I was thinking £5 for 30mins plus hay and milage...

 

[AmyMay]

No, but then at my yard that’s what the YO was for.

 

[ester]

We would but we have a usual freelancer who would step in, knows the horses and what would need doing. Fwiw we pay more than that for non-emergency services.

 

[Ratface]

No. My horse is on full livery and I wouldn't want anyone else to do him . The YO and her staff know him backwards. He's not particularly easy at times, and I trust them implicitly. I'm a tetchy old crone. Far better for all concerned that we leave it as it is.

 

[ihatework]

It’s called freelancing and plenty of people use those sorts of services.
Just make sure you are insured if going that route

 

[The Xmas Furry]

In an emergency I am fortunate that I can get a friend or so in.
Planned cover is a minimum of £10 a visit, from an insured freelancer.

OP, do think this through as £5 is far too little, are you insured?

 

[chaps89]

I pay £10 a visit for this, for a very local lady, though some visits she poo picks too.
Gives me peace of mind the ponies have had a proper check.
However it’s pre-arranged and she comes a couple of times a week so knows the ponies and routine well.

 

[MuddyMonster]

I think £5 sounds quite cheap?

You may be better upping your prices & offering it as a regular freelance service people can book.

I'd certainly use a freelancer though & love the idea of a photo sent

 

[Melody Grey]

I think there are few people that couldn’t call upon a yard owner/ groom /horsey friend/ non- horsey partner or parent in an absolute emergency (although granted there will be some people with no support).

on a day to day basis, I do everything myself bar one afternoon a week where I have a freelancer who knows the yard and my horses/ routine.

 

[GHall49319]

Thanks for your replies! Lots of food for thought... Its all in the dream/working out ideas stage at the moment but I've searched for a service like this in my local area and not found anything like it. A old friend, who is DIY, contacted me out of the blue to pop up and check on her horses in the field at their weekend as she was absolutely stuck. Popped up, checked up on things, sent a couple of photos of them still breathing and her mind was put at ease... which led to my 9th emergency service idea!

 

[Christmascinnamoncookie]

Something to think about for the future if Beau is still knocking about when we move. This is why I like my yard, I can ask a number of people to feed and they know where the feeds are. I’d want someone who knows the horse, not just a random once in a while person.

 

[Melody Grey]

@GHall49319 if you’re thinking of emergency cover, consider access issues- most people’s horses are locked away behind gates/ coded entry systems. Surely you’d need to have contact with them before the emergency to be able to get access safely? You could be accused of trespass/ breaking and entering if you’re not careful?

 

[planete]

I would not call a complete stranger in an emergency, I have always made sure to have organised back up I could call on wherever my horses have been.

 

[ycbm]

I pay £10 a visit with a small amount of work included, but I'd be unhappy to call a stranger.
.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I can't imagine that there would be enough emergency work available for it to be worth your doing it. Far better to be a 'normal' freeelancer and list emergency cover as one of your services. The only occasion that I can think of when we *might* have used such a service was the day we got stuck at GYS because we had to wait for AA to get onto the showground for us but it was July, the horses were out on grass and they waited happily enough until we got home. Now if I could have got someone to let the Rottweilers out, that would have been useful but that definitely would have had to be someone that they knew and were used to.

 

[WWO]

No

 

[GreyDot]

No, I wouldn't want a complete stranger knowing that I was unable to check on my horses and that (by the fact I had to contact a stranger) that no one else would be around either. Would make me worried horses or equipment would be stolen as they would know no one was around.
I would go down the freelancer route and get some regular customers.

 

[MissTyc]

The problem is that most people who are on yards or at home where they might need support every now and then already have an arrangement in place with a groom or freelancer - so that would be the first person they'd call in an emergency. And if that person wasn't available, they'd nonetheless be highly likely to be able to help if it was an emergency. When I was working as a freelance coach, I occasionally would get a panicked call from a client who needed someone to go check on their horses at home because of e.g. a cancelled flight stranding them unexpectedly. I already had keys, locks, knew the horses, etc. Of course I would always do that as a favour (a paid favour, but nonetheless, it wasn't my job). And on most yards, there is someone else around for that sort of emergency.

If you're interesting in this sort of work, set yourself up as a proper groom with regular clients!

 

[Keith_Beef]

Five quid is so cheap, that I think you'll get people calling you out just because they don't want to go out in sleet with force 8 wind.

ETA: When I wrote the above, I was reminded of a particular story I read a few years ago, and went to search for more details. It's a case related in Freakonomics.

Applied to your business idea, I think that asking a friend or YO to take care of your horse when something unexpected prevents you from taking care of it yourself is like the case of a parent facing a teacher who has stayed back a quarter or half an hour after school to take care of a pupil. There's a sense of guilt about being late.

Paying somebody for the service of "horse care call-out" is like the "fine" inflicted on parents who turn up late. It's not perceived as a punishment for being at fault, but as payment for a service and the parents start to take advantage of it if the charge is set too low.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

Just wanting some feedback and opinions...

Just wondering if you, in an emergency or when you just 'couldn't make it up the yard', would play someone for a welfare visit (quick check, photo, water check, hay drop etc)?

I'm just toying with the idea of setting up a 'Helping Horse Hands' business to provide emergency/adhoc care and visits for DIYers who have no one they can call...

I was thinking £5 for 30mins plus hay and milage...

as said, you need regular clients and a good reputation, plus insurance. Why would you provide hay?

£5 is too cheap, its not only mileage you need to cover but your time travelling. Pet sitting/freelance grooming can bring in some cash but not alot, I know from experience. Get a reputation for reliability and trustworthiness at one or two large DIY yards first f you can.

Personally I'd want someone to have insurance and also some sort of recognisable qualification or proof of experience. I know people scoff at BHS exams but they give a guidance to owners of the groom's level of knowledge and should mean that someone BHS qualified works to safe horse handling standards. Other qualifications are available.

 

[sunnyone]

As a business idea it should be something that you are prepared to do in addition to regular freelancing. Emergency cover cannot be relied upon to earn you a living, they just don't happen enough. £5 would be too cheap too, charging a reasonable amount of say £10-12 would give an air of capability to do the job confidently.