Holiday care - what do you all do?

[fatcob]

We are lucky enough to have our own land next to our cottage, so haven't got anyone else to fall back on to check the ponies whilst we are on holiday (going away for 2 weeks at the end of July). My mother-in-law will keep an eye on them whilst we are away for weekends (we are caravanners), but can't expect her to do this for 2 weeks. I have been advertising locally for someone to come over whenever they like during the year - I am really busy (and also looking for another pony to do endurance on etc - Laurel prefers quiet hacks to serious mileage!), so it would be great to have someone else to come and fuss the ponies/ride as much as they want etc, etc. Haven't had a single phone call - which surprises me, as surely there must be people locally who don' t have their own pony and would appreciate the chance to hack out. Have widened the search (will be putting postcards up in more local shops, ringing riding schools, the local riding club etc), but just in case I am now panicking! Does anyone know anyone in the Pembrokeshire area who would be willing to come in once/twice per day to check water/fences/feet etc??

[Miriam]

I guess we are pretty lucky as we have a pet nanny in our area (in fact she is on our yard) and I know in the past for a fee she has looked after peoples horses whilst they were away on hoiday.

I have a fantastic friend on the ayrd who looks after Rhi and Genm looks after Kito :D

[shandy84]

I have some lovely neighbours who love horses and they come down at other times and fuss the ponies with their childrean I couldn't do without them though.

My last resort is that a local saddlery offers holiday livery for £5 a day per horse they have lots of grazing but give no horsecae so as I said they're my last resort.

Have you tried posting on the net sites as I know people are always after rides?

[Dartmoor_Ponies]

I have exactly the same problem here in Lincs! So I don't go on holiday - it is as simple as that! LOL!

I don't think I've been away on holiday for about 15 years!

[HairyCob]

I'm lucky enough to keep HC at my friend's farm, so when they go away I look after theirs and when I go they look after mine.

Have you checked your local tack shop for 'small ads' for services offered? Ours has a folder full of people offering to do pretty much everything including teenagers looking for 'work for rides' and 'holiday carers'.

Of course you could always advertise it as a free holiday for someone who is knowledgeable about horses and has references..... they get to stay in your house for free for a fortnight in return for looking after the neds..... surely there must be someone who would love a holiday in Pembrokeshire?!

[~Perdita.M~]

Originally posted by HairyCob

Of course you could always advertise it as a free holiday for someone who is knowledgeable about horses and has references..... they get to stay in your house for free for a fortnight in return for looking after the neds..... surely there must be someone who would love a holiday in Pembrokeshire?!

Me! I'd love a holiday in wales:D Is your house big enough for a family of five?:D :p But seriously, i think thats a great idea. I know there are companys that do this, and can provide references etc. I think there is one called housesitters?

Here it is.............

http://www.housesitters.co.uk/default.htm

Not sure if they do horses, but might be able to point you in the right direction:)

[fatcob]

Thanks for this advice - will check with local saddleries to see if they have had people asking about ponies to ride/sharing etc. I suppose a lot of people without a pony wouldn't visit a saddlery very often. Also going to put an advert in our local papers and vets surgeries.

Regarding a holiday in Pembrokeshire - yes, our house will sleep 5 (4 beds, plus cot and camp bed) - BUT we have already let the house out through a holiday cottage agency for the fortnight we are away. Our accommodation whilst we let the cottage out (our caravan) is coming with us to Scotland! However, if either the cottage or caravan is available (or you can bring your own caravan/tent during that fortnight), then you are welcome to come for a free holiday and be FatCob's slave at any time (he loves as much attention he can get - but don't tell everyone, he gets embarrassed!). Single accommodation could also be available at my in-law's farmhouse (nextdoor to us).

[Sidesaddlelady]

Might be worth trying "Animal Aunts" or a similar pet sitting company. Check the advertising pages of equestrian magazines or "Country Life", etc. Not cheap but better than an unreliable local arrangement with teenager who puts her boyfriend before your horse.

Alternatively could you come to an arrangement with a local (recommended) yard providing full livery?

BTW insist on seeing evidence of insurance from anyone you use, professional or otherwise.

[galadriel]

Would the people renting your cottage be interested in looking after the Fat Cob in exchange for a discount, perhaps?

In my immediate area everyone has some land; three of us here have horses. I've been approached by one neighbor to see if I would be willing to swap holidays occasionally: I watch their horses while they're gone, they watch mine. I suspect the other neighbor would also be interested. Do you have anyone around you who might be inclined toward that sort of thing?

[KarinUS]

I don't want to go on holidays. :(
It's only May and I am already telling OH that I refuse to go visit the in-laws for Christmas because the horses will be here by then.
We have neighbors with horses but I am too paranoid to put them in charge of mine.
I've seen them handle theirs... :o since they used to keep theirs on our land. They left them there in a strange field way past dark and feeding time so my horses getting fed on schedule would be highly unlikely. We also have a wooded lot and they like to keep the halters on the horses which I consider a major safety hazard.

So: NO, nobody is good enough to care for my ponies.
Hopefully I will convince OH in the next 8 months that I need to stay. Unfortunately that might mean the terrible kids will come to visit us instead. They are rather unruly and have nearly made cripples out of their guinnea pigs. Nobody tells them off or teaches them to be gentle. I can only imagine what they have in store for my poor pets. Last time they were here I didn't have the dogs here yet so all they managed to destroy were all potted plants in the house....

[galadriel]

Originally posted by KarinUS
Unfortunately that might mean the terrible kids will come to visit us instead.

Ugh, I know what you mean. About two years ago my dad came to visit, and invited his ex-girlfriend who was kind of close by to come visit at my house too, with her horrid little kids. (Yes, EX girlfriend, and yes, MY house.) I have one dog who's terrified of kids; for some reason that was the only dog they wanted to play with. They chased her all over my house and yard, despite being told to leave her alone, and me trying to keep her out of their reach.

I caught them doing all sorts of stupid things. They fed french fries to my horses, cheese to my dogs...and I don't know what it was they gave him, but the day that they left, one of our dogs got terribly sick and had to have a vet visit. I tried to just keep the rotten little things away from the animals, but there was nowhere that I could safely stash the animals where they wouldn't go--one of the rotten things kept following me into my bathroom! Oooh, it was horrible. (They also did such delightful things as screaming without cease, flipping light switches on and off repeatedly, and scattering card decks and board game pieces all over the house.)

...I suppose what I'm saying is that you might be safest finding someone reliable to petsit, if it means that horrid little kids won't have access to your four-footed friends.

[KarinUS]

Actually I was thinking of sending off OH by himself!:D

Well, I still got time to think about it. Your dad's ex's kids sound just like OH's nieces!

[artemis]

My friend & I never take hols at the same time & look after each other's horses. Works very well. I look afer some other friend's horses as well.