Vacation Planning For Horse Owners
Today I’m writing to you from the deck of the Celebrity Apex cruising back toward the States after a wonderfully relaxing week in the sun. Which was especially nice after the artic plunge we had in Kansas a few weeks back. If you are interested in scheduling your own winter escape, we use Dream Vacations to book all our cruises.
While it’s true having horses makes scheduling a vacation a bit more complicated, with some advance planning, it is totally doable! The first step is to find the right set of horse sitters…
Finding Horse Sitters
Finding the right set of horsesitters is critical to being able to take a planned vacation, as well as, deal with unexpected emergencies. After all, when an emergencies happen (and we all know they will) that is not the time to try and figure out who can feed the horses.
You may be wondering why you would need a set of horse sitters verses just one really good one. In my experience, if you keep horses at home, finding good horsesitters who are not just responsible and reliable but also have experience with horses is not easy. Also, those with real horse experience come in high demand so having more than one person to work with gives all of you more flexibility. For this reason, I believe having a “stable” of sitters to work with is key!
As an example, currently the boys are being taken care of by our neighbor Jacob. He is our “go to” when we are planning long or international trips because he is close by and has the most direct experience handling horses. However, when we first moved last year (and didn’t yet know Jacob) I used Care.com to find Kristen. Kristen lives farther away but also has previous horse experience and watches the boys when we are on shorter trips or when our neighbor isn’t available. Then, there is Connor, who is a local teenager recommended by a friend at church. Connor has the least experience with horses but is close by and mostly helps out for quick weekend trips. Our last line of defense is our family…if we cannot find other help, we would ask a family member to do it.
If you are new to the area and/or your circle of family and friends aren’t really tied to the horse community, it can take time find good sitters. This is where on-line services can come in handy. I I’ve primarily used Care.com in the past, but you could also try Horse Nannies or the horsesitting section of House Sitters America.
No matter what resource you use to find horse sitters, there are two universal rules:
- Ask for and actually check, their references! Sitters are only going to give you references for people who will give them a glowing review…so, ask questions and to see how simmilar the work was; were they on time; did anything strange happen(?)
- Have the prospective sitter come meet your horses and observe both how the person and your horses react! Is the sitter calm and respectful toward your horse? Or, are they stiff/timid? What are your horse’s reactions to the sitter?
- Plan for a trial run before you go. Have the new sitter take care of the horses for a day or weekend while you are there and evaluate how they interact with the horses.
Once you’ve found the right sitter(s) and are confident in their ability to handle your horses, you can relax and enjoy you vacation knowing your horses are in capable hands. Now that you have the sitters lined up it’s time to setup your backup contact list.
Identify Backup Contacts
Backup contacts essentially act as your proxy; making critical decisions for you if you can’t be reached. Therefore, your backups need to be people that you trust and that have knowledge about your horses and, preferably live nearby. For us, this is my parents and my sister who all live within an hour of the house. Be sure to coordinate schedules with your backups as well as it won’t work very well if your backup contacts are gone at the same time you are!
The backup person is your fail-safe; if you can’t be reached, they’re authorized to act on your behalf, particularly for medical issues. So, it is especially critical to identify a backup if your are traveling out of the country or to places where cell service is unreliable (e.g. cruise ships, mountain cabins, etc.).
Your backup contact should ideally work hand-in-hand with your horsesitter. They are your situational wing-person, someone who can double-check that all is as it should be at your barn. If you’re worried the sitter might miss something, your backup contact can be your eyes and ears. For example, when we went away for the first time after moving, my sister came by several times that week to be sure the sitter was doing things correctly and answer questions.
I’d also recommend letting your neighbors know you’ll be away. If they’re horse-savvy, that’s a bonus. While they won’t be your officizl backup, they can offer an extra layer of watchfulness, helping to ensure the sitter is showing up daily and things appear to be running smoothly. It was our neighbor who called us at 2am while we were on a different cruise to say the pasture fence broke in a storm and the boys were grazing in the front yard!
With all your people (sitter and backup contacts) in place, its time to get the barn ready…
Optimizing Your Barn for Your Vacation
To ensure smooth sailing while you’re away, there’s a little groundwork you’ll want to lay down at the barn. First up, let’s talk about safety.
- Make sure you leave everything in tip-top shape. If there are pending repairs to be done on buildings or fences, now’s the time to get those done!
- Double check all your footing and equipment are safe for use and that your barn’s fire safety measures, like smoke detectors and extinguishers, are fully functional.
- Check/restock both your and your horse’s first aid kits — accidents happen, and you want your sitter to be ready for anything.
- Prepare a contact sheet and post on a wall in a gallon-sized zip lock baggie so it wont get wet. This sheet is the communication lifeline between your horsesitter, backup contact, and any other caretaker. It should contain your departure and return dates, your contact information, and crucial numbers for your veterinarian and farrier, so immediate access to professional advice is ensured.
Next, simplify the daily routine as much as possible…it’s all about making life as easy as possible for your sitter!
- Fill all water troughs and roll the hose up next to the spigot. If its going to freeze while you are gone, be sure the hose is not attached to the spigot so it won’t freeze! Also, consider bringing the hose inside, if possible.
- Stock up on hay, grain, medicines, and essential supplements/products so your sitter doesn’t have to worry about running out while you are gone.
- A written feed schedule is incredibly helpful, but if you can prepackage each horse’s meals and label everything clearly, you’re golden.
- Type up detailed instructions for any medications/supplements and post by the feed area. Also, put the horse’s name and dosage on the medication container if its not already there.
- If navigating your barn is like finding your way through a labyrinth, consider tagging each horse’s stall and turnout areas. Label all halters, blankets, and turnout gear, and ensure they’re easily accessible.
By being thorough with your barn preparations, you’re not just setting up your sitter for success, you’re setting up yourself for a worry-free vacation. With the right sitter, a reliable support network, and a properly equipped barn, you can hit the road knowing your horses are in good hands.
Final Preparations Before the Trip
Before you depart, have your horsesitter come over to walk through the routine with you. It’s the perfect time to point out where everything is stored, especially emergency supplies, and reintroduce them to each of your horses. It’s especially helpful if you do this during feeding time so they can see what you do and ask questions. Update your instruction sheets if necessary.
Point out the contact sheet, any medication instructions and where each horses halter/blankets are. Make sure that all of your horse’s caretakers (sitters and backups) have each other’s contact information.
If you are going on a longer trip, I also recommend contacting your vet and farrier to give them the names of your sitters and backup people so they won’t be surprised if either calls. I also recommend leaving a credit card on file to cover any emergencies.
The Round Up…
By taking the time to find the right people to care for your horses and providing clear instructions for while you are away, horse owners can take vacation with minimal stress!
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