Set Up a Horse-Sitter for Success

If you care for horses on your own property, you know well the effort involved in planning an out-of-town trip. As travel plans gel, look for a reliable horse-sitter to care for your animals. If possible, run through the entire roster of chores with the sitter, so she has a feel for the routine. Careful planning on your part will make for an easier getaway and a more relaxing vacay. Consider these points.

• If your sitter is unfamiliar with your horses, identify each one clearly. If they look similar, outfit each with a distinctive halter or put name tags prominently on blankets. Label each stall, even if it’s only temporarily using duct tape and a Sharpie marker.
• Draw up comprehensive feeding instructions for all horses, including exact amounts of hay, feed, and supplements. Make sure all feed bins, bin lids, and supplement containers are labeled clearly. All feeds and supplements should have the correct scoop or measuring tool.
• Premeasure supplements and medications when possible to reduce the likelihood of error; use plastic bags or small tubs and label each one with the horse’s name and time of feeding.
• Specify a turnout order to prevent congestion at the gate. In general, those at the top of the pecking order should be turned out last because fieldmates will naturally move away from the gate in their presence.
• Convey behavioral idiosyncrasies. What’s normal to you might be a head-scratcher to the sitter. Example: “Checkersplotch may ignore her feed when you first bring her in, but she’ll eat it during the night.”
• Communicate any special turnout needs, such as fly masks, fly sheets, or boots. Stow away an extra of each in case one gets lost in the field, and let the sitter know where to find them. Provide an extra halter and lead rope.
• Leave a well-stocked equine first-aid kit in an accessible spot.
• Post the farm address and any other identifiers, such as a fire gate number, in plain sight. Include phone numbers for the veterinarian and farrier, and add other numbers as necessary. Cellphones make communication easier between you and the sitter, but backup plans should be in place in case you cannot be reached. Designate a trusted friend to make decisions in your absence if needed, and give your vet a heads-up as to the arrangement.
• Sketch out a map that details the turnout areas and water sources for each paddock or field. Discuss with the sitter how often to check waterers and what to do if a waterer is on the fritz.
• Provide training on how to drive any equipment necessary to get the job done. Even if the sitter feels comfortable with tractors and ATVs, a test drive is always a good idea. While you may find your old tractor’s quirkiness charming, the sitter may panic when she can’t move the manure spreader.
• Agree on a schedule for the sitter outside of planned visits for feeding or turnout, if applicable. For example, if you own dogs, do you expect the sitter to spend time with them as well? Is the sitter expected to care for the orphaned fawn that just arrived at your farm?
• Work out payment beforehand. Reliable help can be hard to find, especially during certain times of the year, so take this into account when negotiating a fee. Be prepared to pay well for experience and reliability.
• Take care to not overwhelm a sitter. Part of the joy of owning a farm is being able to care for animals in the manner you wish. However, when it comes to a sitter, keep nonessential requests to a minimum. While Corky may relish sliced apples and carrots mixed into his grain meals, consider whether this is worth the sitter’s time. If those treats jump-start Corky’s appetite, the answer might be yes; if it’s just an everyday nicety, the answer might be no.
• Resist any temptation to nitpick. You’re bound to find something amiss when you arrive home: straw caught in the tines of the pitchfork, errant pieces of baling twine, halters hung sloppily. If the horses are happy and healthy, and all of the chores completed, consider the job well done!