What is the going rate for a trainer hauling client horses to a show - not a commercial shipper?
Most shipping companies are at 1.25 or 1.50 or more per mile, so you’re getting a deal here. It’s not just the cost of time and travel and gas, but the cost of the truck and trailer and upkeep as well.
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Well, I would say most trainers keep up with shipping companies or maybe a little less. I still think you’re getting off light if you’re only paying $1.00 a mile. Most trainers I know locally are charging $1.50/loaded mile.
A quick search of show barns local to me lists the following shipping prices, for ones who list them:
$1.50/loaded mile
$1.50/loaded mile
$2.20/loaded mile
$1.75/loaded mile
I know for a fact that most of the other barns just use shipping companies.
I am in central VA, so obviously your location will make a difference, but these are pretty standard rates.
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I would have to go pull an invoice to tell you exactly how much I pay but $1/mile sounds reasonable to me. And I assure you that, if a proper accounting is done, your $1/mile is not coming close to covering the transportation costs. The only reason you get away with paying that low amount is that the cost is shared by multiple horses.
This may sound harsh, but it’s very simple. You’re being unreasonable. There is no “middle ground.” This is how much it costs. Going to rated horse shows is expensive. If you can’t afford it, then you can’t go. Period. The end.
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Yes, but she will be relieved of having to listen to you whine about how she’s overcharging you, which is probably well worth the loss of your “contribution” to “her” expenses. 
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I think $1/mile is a deal. I don’t know what my trainers fee is now, since I have a rig now, but it did not matter if she took her own horse or not.
You could use your own truck and horse trailer.
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Man I always miss the good stuff…
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Meh. Without editorializing: OP wanted to know common practices and/or rates when a client ships/trailers with the trainer’s personal horse to a common destination. Her example was a horse show, but it could have been a clinic, trail ride, etc.
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Thank you @Displaced_Yankee for the summation.
I think the referenced price here is pretty darn cheap. I know I paid that ($1/loaded mile) 30 years ago.
If you think that is too much, go price what a truck and a trailer costs now days. Then figure out how long it would take you to pay for that truck and trailer at what you are paying the trainer to take you places.
You will quickly learn that $1/mile is crazy inexpensive and worth every penny.
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@dr5627, changing the title of something to deleted is begging more people to read the thread.
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Not to mention when something unexpected goes wrong with the truck or the trailer. (Trans on a diesel? 10k+. Injectors? 12k. Suspension related? 5k+. Even simple like brakes - 1k.)
Or annual maintenance on both. (Tires - ~2k. Repacking bearings - 0.5k)
All that’s not even counting insurance and registration.
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You’re welcome. I think the sticking point was that the trainer was taking their own horse to that show as well.
Either way, an extra horse is wear, tear, time, gas mileage, etc that should be compensated. Not to mention insurance, registration, property taxes, maintenance and repairs that the client is not on the hook for.
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When I just take my buddies trail riding they pay me big chunks of cash for the gas. Absolutely a second horse is wear tear weight strain and risk to the rig owner. Absolutely it’s nuts to think someone is going to give you a ride for free, and if you get a free ride from a friend and don’t offer to overpay gas, you aren’t getting a second free ride.
A trainer taking you to a show should charge something consonant with commercial shipping charges for the same service.
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I was wondering how a question about being charged a $1 a mile for trailering could result in a delete thread but there must be so much more going on her? I missed it too.
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And to me that trainer taking their own horses is why it is ONLY $1/mile. Because the trainer is covering a portion of the cost too.
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Well, I guess I’m the one who chased the OP off. I got a little ticked off by her attitude. It was the same old thing we see all the time here when people start complaining about how much things cost. You know, “I can’t afford it so they must be overcharging me” and “She’s already doing [whatever] for her own horse(s) so just doing it for mine, too, shouldn’t be that big a deal.”
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Sounds like the OP needs to buy her own rig.
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Showing is a big revenue source for trsiners with extra coaching and day fees as well as good exposure and advertising, so they are going to push for that. If it’s a show centred barn it might not end up being a good fit for you long term. Trainer might prefer a client with deeper pockets bringing in more revenue.
Now that gas is $2 a liter in Canada or $4 a gallon in the US (half the cost of Canada), and knowing how a big truck drinks gas I’d say $1 a mile is very reasonable. My friends pay more than that voluntarily to trail ride with me.
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OP, I was in your shoes in college. However, I was able to work out grooming in exchange for hauling / coaching at the shows. Heck, there was one week that he paid my show bill since he felt like I was owed more. Talk to your trainer, but with the thought of what you can do for them.
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30O miles is a huge trek for horse and people. I’ve gone 300 km for a big deal 5 day clinic with coach which is 185 miles,.6 hour plus mountain drive.
I’d need to be really committed to something to go 300 miles.
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