I would be over the moon if shippers showed up at 10 pm vs between midnight and 4 AM.
10 PM is very reasonable for a long haul. I would have slipped BO some cash to be more accommodating.
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Yet another person who thinks 10PM delivery from a long haul is very reasonable. I assume you (OP) will be at the barn waiting for the truck too.
I can not imagine wanting the shipper to hold your horse over for one more day just because otherwise the horse will arrive at 10PM.
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Iâve had two long-haul shippers arrive in the 1:00â3:00 am window for either pick-ups or drop-offs.
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I thought all horses were delivered / shipped in between midnight and 4am. In my experience that is always rings true.
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Iâve had two come from Canada to California this year, both arrived at 1 am. Iâd be thrilled with 10 pm!
If youâre worried about your barn owner⊠bottle of wine, Starbucks gift card, etc would probably be appreciated but I am certain she has dealt with a late PM arrival before.
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Oh, this is a smart idea.
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I donât think Iâve ever met an actual horse shipper during daylight hours. Starting to suspect that they are all vampires.
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Iâve met two! Both horses going from Ontario to western Canada. Both were empty at the time of pickup. My ex had a long distance drop off that was late at night (canât remember the exact time, I was home sleeping), ex was there to lead the horse in off a busy road, rig was too big for the driveway. The BO was fine with it, especially since he didnât have to handle the horse coming in.
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Unloaded a 16.3h 2 year old shipped from the breeder at 2 am (supposed to be an 11 pm arrival). It took us 20 minutes to get him off the trailer. Luckily the predicted thunderstorm for that night had moved through already.
If this barn owner has owned this barn or had any horse experience for any amount of time he/she KNOWS that horses do not operate on a schedule.
Would she refuse an emergency vet call at 1am if a horse was colicking because âthe barn is closedâ? I donât think so. Shipping long hauls is tricky and time can vary widely due to horse issues, road/traffic issues or weather. Any horse person knows that shiping in or out is an extenuating circumstance to normal barn hours.
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Seriously. My gelding reacts to vaccines and I can tell you I have had to make a number of trips between midnight and 4/5AM to check temp and give meds. Iâd MUCH rather my horse got âkicked outâ at 10PMâŠwhich is far from middle of the night btwâŠand be at her new home, then bouncing around for another day when she could start getting settled.
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My last horse arrived at 1:30 in the morning. I didnât mind but then again, we have our own place. It was a very long haul, and the shipper still had a long haul ahead of them.
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10 pm is a great time! I always just assume horse shippers ONLY pick up/ drop off between midnight and 4 am. If your BO is shocked/ upset by this I would start to think sheâs not a very good or experienced BO.
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Around here a 10 pm arrival means the driver very likely avoided the worse stop and go commute traffic which is usually 3 to 7 depending on direction. On Fridays it is an all day affair
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She arrived at 1:30 backed the horse out of the trailer on the public street handed me the lead so âI could walk her around a bitâ next thing she is driving off and I was left to walk a quarter mile north to the entrance and a half mile south to the quarantine stall.
I had expected the shipper to deliver the horse safely to the stall. Every other pro did.
This is also pretty standard. For the most part the giant rigs canât fit down most driveways. Iâve been handed many a horse to walk down a 1/2 mile driveway in the dark/ice/snow/rain.
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Itâs not uncommon for them not to deliver the horse to the stall. Sometimes their rig canât fit or go down certain driveways and/or private roads. I donât know who âEvery other proâ is, but maybe use them again then? Although it sounds like this was your first time working with a shipper.
Your experience was quite standard. If the horse arrived healthy, sound, and alert, then it wasnât a bad experience.
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After a long haul, that was a good thing - the walking for getting her kinks out; being out in fresh air again for some mental adjustment time. Plus, she got to look around a bit and get the lay of the land. I just donât think this whole situation was unusual or unprofessional.
So glad she has arrived safely and best wishes for an uneventful settling-in to her new routine.
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Agreed. Good point re the walking. Thatâs not a bad idea post long haul.
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