How much to give for emergency hauling?

[MissusS]

My mare sliced her foot open today and had to be hauled to the vet clinic. My BO/BM currently is having issues with her truck so my trainer stepped in to haul.

Trainer was at the vet clinic with her horses both having appointments for significant things (so therefore a stressful day for her) and when they were done she hauled them home, then picked up my mare to haul her.

Total mileage is not huge (2 miles max between her place and my barn plus another 20 miles maybe to the vet clinic) but the fact of the matter is she came through in a pinch in a big way. It probably was 1.5 hours total of her time. She likely will also haul my mare home in a few days.

I am going to get her a nice bottle of wine, a card, and likely something else like steaks or something for a nice treat/meal, but also want to give her a gift card for our local gas station or similar (it’s where she fills up all the time). I could also give cash but she might refuse it.

In this situation what would you consider appropriate to express my appreciation?

[luvmyhackney]

Card, wine, and cash. She’s probably got vet bills coming with two at the clinic.

A gas card would be lovely in place of cash. It’s wonderful you are thankful and appreciative, make sure you tell her in person as well.

[clanter]

@MissusS

but also want to give her a gift card for our local gas station

“sometimes” local gas stations will carry open monthly accounts for customers, if this one does inquire about paying on that balance

[MissusS]

At my barn there is also a small animal vet clinic (husband and daughter are vets, wife/mom is BO/BM and also works at the clinic) and I happened to be out yesterday at that time because my old dog is having some severe lameness issues. As I was leaving from the dog’s vet appointment the trainer was arriving with her trailer so I helped (ok I stood around) load my mare and thanked her profusely then. I also thanked her via text last night and will DEFINITELY thank her in person when I provide the token of my appreciation.
I also texted my thanks to the vet last night after she and I spoke (and she had texted over the photos for reference before our call).

Does anyone care to share how much in dollar value they think would be appropriate? I’m thinking somewhere between $100-250 (plus the wine and card). I don’t know if I’m off base with that amount, though. We are in a lower cost of living area and 45 minute lesson with the trainer (which often runs closer to 60 mins) costs $80, so I am partially considering that a marker of the “value” of her time. But an hour teaching a lesson is very different than an hour’s time and expertise and use of truck/trailer in an emergency.

[Libby2563]

Have you directly asked her if you can pay her for her time and willingness to step up in an emergency? How did she react? People can be weird about money. It’s great that you’re erring on the side of generosity, but there’s a chance she could be insulted by your insistence on paying her a large amount of cash for something she thought of as a favor or a good deed.

For the return trip I probably would have tried to agree on a rate ahead of time, since there was no urgency. Then you’d have one less amount to worry about and a good benchmark for the first trip. I think your idea of using her lesson rates is solid, but she might balk at $100-250 for a 2-mile trip?

If it helps, a commercial shipper here in a high COL area charges $200-250 round trip to take a horse to the vet clinic 45 min away.

[MissusS]

That does help with the commercial shipper rate!
it was 2 miles from her place to mine, then about another 20 miles from my barn to the clinic. So she would have traveled just over 20 miles loaded and 45-ish miles total.

I have not asked her directly about paying her. I am fairly confident if I asked directly she might say “no, it’s fine!” but if I got her a gift she would graciously accept. That’s part of why I was thinking gas station gift card rather than cash.

ETA- I googled and it’s 20 miles from barn to clinic. I’m in Canada so we use KM and I was doing the mental math incorrectly! Updated my post accordingly.

[NaturallyHappy]

A friend hauled my horse to the clinic in an emergency…I had someone come to her home and wash, wax, and detail her trailer.

[BeeHoney]

Emergency commercial shipping is not cheap. I’d guess in most areas you pay at least $200, IF you were even able to get someone. Hauling an injured horse is stressful and can be risky–loading/unloading and travel issues are more common than in regular situations.

Just a thought here–how do you know your trainer isn’t going to bill you for this service? I mean, I’m thinking she won’t bill you, because otherwise she probably would have stated a price up front, but just throwing that out there.

What would happen if you said to your trainer, “Hey, I’m so appreciative of how you stepped up to get my horse to the vet clinic in this scary situation. How can I compensate you for this greatly appreciated service?” I think it might be good to say that, because that puts it right out there that you “get it” that this wasn’t just a nice favor, this was a valuable service.

If the trainer is uncomfortable accepting a flat out payment (as I expect she will be, there are some insurance issues related to accepting $$ for hauling), then in that case I would go with about $200 worth of gift cards to stores you know your trainer uses–the local feed store/southern states/tractor supply or wherever she gets supplies, a gas card, tack shop.

I also really love how you have been so thoughtful about expressing your appreciation. Having a trainer willing to provide this kind of emergency assistance is a huge deal.

I can speak that as a BO/BM, typically when a horse needs emergency transport to the vet per Murphy’s law I’ve got about 10 things on my plate and it isn’t just about the actual time or the use of my truck / trailer (which costs $$$$ to own and maintain), there’s also the cost of setting aside other important things. I’m a BO/BM, so I’m obligated to this, but an off-site trainer is not.

You sound like a wonderful client and I sincerely hope your beloved horse recovers completely.

[MissusS]

@BeeHoney

Just a thought here–how do you know your trainer isn’t going to bill you for this service? I mean, I’m thinking she won’t bill you, because otherwise she probably would have stated a price up front, but just throwing that out there.

I highly suspect she won’t bill because
A) she would have something up front most likely as you say
and B) she is the kind of person who won’t want money for a partial lesson, for example, if when we go to pick up trot mare is a bit off (ask me how I know - we have an ongoing rehab saga with this money eating mare lol). We agree to end the lesson early but I still always insist on paying in full. It should not be on the trainer to be out of pocket when she planned her time according to our arranged lesson schedule… and she also offers very thoughtful suggestions and support when in these kinds of situations.

This honestly is a tribute to our tight-knit community here and I know is nothing like the norm in other areas.

I really like your suggestion of wording it to her for consideration of what she would consider appropriate. I still think she might shrug it off but at least it very clearly puts it on the table.

Thank you for your kind and thoughtful response. Sounds like my mare came off relatively easy considering how badly this could have gone for her. As I say, we have been working through multiple years of lameness (hind suspensory) and then she also likes to throw in one or two emergencies each year. I think Mr Murphy and his eponymous law probably had horses.

[cayuse]

I paid $200 for a 30 minute round trip several times last summer when my mini was having appointments.

[SonnysMom]

I think going rate in my area is $2-$2.50 a loaded mile for hauling.

[Bonnie2]

You could put something on her bill at the vet.

[Libby2563]

Oh sorry, I definitely misread the OP as far as the distances involved. I don’t think your dollar amounts are out of line then! @BeeHoney’s post is excellent, and I also like @Bonnie2’s idea of gifting her something on her vet account if she won’t accept payment. You sound like a good client.

[Xanthoria]

I know commercial shippers charge for the loaded mile, but in other situations like with friends please take into account the time it took to hitch and unhitch the trailer, moving things out of the trailer if it’s used for storage, cleaning the trailer afterwards, the cost of shavings used (a bale per horse on longer trips), and hay unless you brought your own. Never mind wear and tear on the truck and trailer.

I’m always happy to trailer friends horses short distances free if they help muck out afterwards, or split gas on longer trips, because I know they’ll return the favor one day. But until you’ve owned your own rig you don’t realize how expensive buying and maintaining a rig is, or how those other things like shavings and time add up.

[MissusS]

I definitely am taking into account those costs - time, materials, everything! Fortunately/unfortunately my trainer had just returned from trailering her horses to the clinic, so she was all set up to go already. And while we were loading my mare had a poop so I immediately grabbed the shovel to clean it up. She did respond that she has a “typical” rate for hauling to the clinic round trip, but I personally feel it’s quite low so I will pay her that amount in cash but also still provide a card and wine and possibly something else to express my appreciation.

In other news, my mare gets to come home tomorrow! I was just out to see her (the clinic is actually very conviently located to my house) and while she is doing quite well, she will be glad to be back in her normal digs (with her favourite roommate) I’m sure.