Articles at Horse Nannies

What to Look for in a Horse Sitter

Whether you’re planning a relaxing getaway or will be traveling for business, the fact of the matter is there are some places you can’t take your horses, no matter how much you wish you could. If you’re like most horse owners, the thought of leaving your best four-legged friends, even if just for a few days, is close to unbearable.

So what’s a horse owner to do? Short of never leaving your barn, the solution is to hire to a horse sitter to care for your pets while you’re away. But as you well know, not just anyone is capable of providing the excellent care that you (and your horses!) expect. Here are a few qualities to look for with searching for the perfect caretaker for your horse.

Experience Working with Horses

Finding someone to take care of your barn is a lot different than asking a friend to check on your cat. Because horses have distinct needs and can sometimes present unique challenges, you’ll want to find a horse sitter who has experience working with and caring for horses.

So how do you go about finding horse-savvy people who may be willing and available to keep an eye on your ponies? You might try asking your vet or farrier for recommendations, or join a site like Horse Nannies and let experienced horse caregivers come to you!

Confidence

Your horse nanny should have plenty of horse knowledge and feel comfortable and confident using those skills. Asking someone who isn’t confident working around horses to watch over things while you’re away, even if he or she has prior equine experience, may not be the best fit.

To be sure that your horse sitter is comfortable with your horses, it might be helpful to schedule an initial meeting at your barn before you leave. That way, you can show them the ropes and get a feel for how well they work around your horses.

Dependability

You’re counting on this person to be there for your animals when you can’t, so make sure the two of you are on the same page about the expected responsibilities. Does he or she have reliable transportation to your barn? Will you be providing lodging accommodations? If this person owns a horse of their own, perhaps you could offer an extra stall to temporarily house their horse as well while they stay with yours. Also, remember to nominate an emergency person in the event your horse sitter cannot attend because they are ill, etc. Horse Nannies International recommends you nominate An Urgent Care Horse Sitter (see the website).

References

It’s also recommended to request a reference or two to make sure that this person will be able to provide the care you want for your horses while you’re gone. Ask for references from their boarding stable, vet, farrier, riding coach or other horse professional to make sure their horse experience and knowledge check out.

This is another advantage of connecting with fellow horse owners and caretakers on a platform like Horse Nannies, as this gives you the opportunity to view the profiles of horse nannies in your area to learn a little more about them before deciding to move forward.

If you are wanting to be a horse sitter, we suggest you apply for a police check, criminal records check or similar from your national or local police authority.

This is a document that can be uploaded to your Profile for horse owners to view and is another piece of information to help reassure horse owners of your suitability to care for their animals.

This is usually a fairly straight forward process with a nominal or no cost. Please bear in mind that you may have to wait weeks for the certification to arrive, so apply early.

Horse Nanny members can access Useful Links to police and criminal checks.