Cost of shipping to show

[erinmeri]

$1/mile is indeed cheap for a trainer to ship to a show.

Shipping is expensive, as others have mentioned. A trainer I know is considering getting rid of her truck and trailer because she loses money on it.

I paid $350 two weeks ago for my mare to go under 16 miles round trip to the vet. At least one direction, she was not alone on the trailer. I didn’t expect a discount because she wasn’t. I accept that the rates are what they are because the person is doing me a service, putting wear and tear in his rig, is accepting liability to ship my animal, etc… but most of all because it is a BUSINESS and he has to make a living.

[SLW]

@Scribbler

@dr5627

Actually, it is a barn in the middle of nowhere and only 2 other clients are interested/capable of showing rated aside from the trainer who wants to show her own personal horse at the rated shows too. 2 USDF shows per weekend allows us to qualify for regionals in 1 weekend in theory (or just show rated for the USDF medals), but the nearest show is still 300 miles away. I’ve been thinking a lot in recent weeks and this thread confirms that I will just be focusing on furthering my dressage education with my horse vs trying to show or earn medals.

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.

Agreed.

[SLW]

Oh gosh, that $350 for a 16 mile round trip vet visit is breathtaking. Did the shipper have to spend half a day there waiting for the appointment to conclude? Always fascinating to see how cost vary based on location.

[candyappy]

@dr5627

To sum up a little where I’m coming from: I told my trainer recently I decided I can’t afford to go to the next show (over 2 months away, by no means a last minute thing) and she is guilting me/pressuring me about changing the plan for me/my horse. My single biggest expense for showing is hauling and I was curious what the going rate was.

You’re all right, I cannot afford to show my horse and I accept that, it was my trainer pressuring me that had me second guessing if it was realistic to talk to her about her shipping rates. I see now that she is being very reasonable with this and I absolutely should not ask her for even cheaper. I simply cannot show and I am perfectly fine with that.

I think your trainer was wrong to pressure you. If it isn’t in your budget she should respect that. She might have been a bit miffed about losing her $1 a mile and now has to pay for her own gas

[candyappy]

@erinmeri

I paid $350 two weeks ago for my mare to go under 16 miles round trip to the vet.

Just my personal opinion but that is insane for 8 miles each way. If you can pay it and are happy then that is all that matters, I guess.

[erinmeri]

I hear you, @SLW and @candyappy. It made my eyeballs bleed. Sadly, it was a last-minute trip, my trainer was out of town with her rig at a show (so I didn’t have a choice), and I am in the NYC metro area.

[candyappy]

@erinmeri

I hear you, @SLW and @candyappy. It made my eyeballs bleed. Sadly, it was a last-minute trip, my trainer was out of town with her rig at a show (so I didn’t have an choice), and I am in the NYC metro area.

Well I am glad it isn’t a normal occurrence

[SLW]

@erinmeri

I hear you, @SLW and @candyappy. It made my eyeballs bleed. Sadly, it was a last-minute trip, my trainer was out of town with her rig at a show (so I didn’t have a choice), and I am in the NYC metro area.

A friend’s son runs a horse transport business in CA, close to LA. Hauling to shows and cross country shipping are part of his business but his primary work is doing local day hauling for owners. It’s fun to hear her tell some of his stories.

[erinmeri]

As a total aside, I was riding at a high level in the late 90s, and I was paying a LOT for shipping. I was casually dating someone who made a crap ton of money hauling horses in a short amount of time. So I went about getting my Class C permit, but nobody would let me use their rigs to get practice in, in order to get my commercial license. So, I never got to get my class C. But I did pass the test my first time. I could have made a killing. Le sigh…

[SLW]

@erinmeri

As a total aside, I was riding at a high level in the late 90s, and I was paying a LOT for shipping. I was casually dating someone who made a crap ton of money hauling horses in a short amount of time. So I went about getting my Class C permit, but nobody would let me use their rigs to get practice in, in order to get my commercial license. So, I never got to get my class C. But I did pass the test my first time. I could have made a killing. Le sigh…

I met a guy this summer at a horse event, cowboy type with real using horses. He pulled in with a semi truck and aluminum GN horse trailer. He needed to replace his regular 1 ton truck a few years ago but the prices were too high. The semi was less expensive so he bought it, got the appropriate license and now does hauling. He loves it, says the visibility is so superior to the truck!