Traveling Rehab/Care Services

[OceansAway]

Hi everyone,

A friend and I were recently discussing how horrible it was to rehab my horses from various injuries over the years while working multiple jobs, rough boarding, and having children to care for. This made me realize how much easier the process could have been if I had access to affordable rehab services, instead of very fancy expensive rehab facilities that were way out of budget. I never needed anything fancy- it was the time that I lacked.

So I began to wonder how much demand there would be for traveling services for horses in rehab or simply those who have daily medical needs. I used to have a pet sitting business when I was younger and working as a vet tech, and I am wondering if I should rebrand my business with the focus on offering these services instead. I was thinking of things such as hand walking, longing, hydrotherapy, icing, leg wraps, hoof soaking, wound care, medication administration, using BEMER therapy products, meeting and holding for the vet, etc. Additionally, I would be open to taking on small jobs that are not veterinary related, such as grooming, baths, meeting the vet or farrier, or exercise rides on safe horses that I know (no rehab rides due to inherent dangers.) However, I would require a meet and greet to ensure the horses are safe to handle, as I would be selective in avoiding horses with behavioral issues that pose safety concerns. I really do not want to be utilized as a training service or be hired because an owner doesn’t want to deal with their horse’s behavioral difficulties with any required care. This meet and greet would also double as a time for the owner to demonstrate what they want done, and how. Definitely would be licensed and insured.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this idea, especially regarding demand for this type of service and pricing structures for these various services—whether per visit, in group packages, or long-term arrangements. To my knowledge, no one else is currently offering these services in my area. Perhaps there’s a good reason why not .
Please be kind, because I have had a lifetime of family criticizing my every move, which was very damaging. Thanks so much!

[endlessclimb]

If I didn’t have the time to do those things, I’d be sending my horse to a facility that specializes in it.

Even the best behaved horse is going to [generally] be a fruitloop for handwalking if they’re on stall rest.

[OceansAway]

Understandable! If I had the money I would have too. This is assuming there are more people in my boat. Also, my experience with horses on stall rest has been generally good. Most have been good eggs with only a few fruit loops. I have been giving these services for many years, just not as a formal business. More just for personal friends and such.

Any feedback for any of the other services? Hand walking for horses on stall rest wouldn’t be relevant for the other things I mentioned, like if a horse had an abscess that needed soaking and wrapping, eye medications, wound care, wrapping.

[endlessclimb]

That would all be stuff I would handle myself, personally, no matter how inconvenient. I can see how some people would like that, but I’m going to guess that those people already employ a trainer who would likely step in.

[OceansAway]

Interesting. Most trainers I’ve had, except for one, would not do these things because it cut too much into their training and show schedule. People always had to pay others at the barn or outsource. That’s how I ended up doing so many of these jobs. Also, in my area, many people do rough board and don’t have a resident trainer. That was part of my problem, as my trainer didn’t travel or offer these services.

[mmeqcenter]

Hmm.

I question if it will be worth it for you, as you’ll be having to charge low enough rates for those concerned with the cost of a full-time rehab facility to be interested in such services. Say a rehab farm is $1600/month. $800 of that being regular board, $800 including the rehab services you’ve described - handwalking, icing, wrapping, etc. And they usually include multiple times per day of those services. So let’s say the rehab barn is including handwalking and bandage changing just twice a day. If you charge $25/visit, and someone needs the service done every day but only once a day, they can do the other time each day, that’s $175/week and $700/month for you to just visit the once a day, on top of whatever their regular board is. We’ll say, $600 for their regular board, assuming a less “fancy” facility offering less amenities and services. So, $1300/month, saving only $300/month and having to do half the rehab themselves, and without having rehab-experienced eyes on the horse the rest of the day. But to get two walks/bandages per day, they’re at $2000/month, vs $1600 at the rehab facility.
And that’s at $25/visit, which is already pretty low. Would a trip be worth it to you for $15? Unlikely, since you have to factor in your drive time and such. Also, would you set a mileage limit, or charge more for miles outside of xx radius?

But, for horses needing short-term rehab or the horse owner needing only occasional help, such as with the eye meds and stuff you mentioned, I see the value in your proposed services. I think if you’re in a very horse-dense area, particularly near major show grounds (such as Ocala FL, Columbus OH, etc.) you might have a reasonable amount of interest.

[OceansAway]

Excellent points! Yes, that sort of service seems it isn’t realistic unless they person only needs a couple of days a week or maybe once a day here and there. When I was envisioning this, I wasn’t thinking of a daily need by the same individual. More like fill-ins for when an owner couldn’t be around, like working late, weekends away, certain bad days of the week. I will certainly have to calculate the numbers. Thanks!

[NaturallyHappy]

A question I would have is how to protect yourself if things go south… for example, you wrap a leg and the horse comes up w a bandage bow somehow. Or, you are handwalking the above mentioned fruit loop who comes undone, gets loose, and further injures himself.
Does one carry insurance if one is doing this as a business? Or, does one have the customer sign a release of some sort?? I don’t know the answer but that would be a concern for me.

[OceansAway]

I would have insurance, like when I used to pet-sit, and I would also have a contract. I’d also imagine I’d have to document each visit, like take a picture of the wraps, horse receiving hand walking, hoof soak, etc. Same as I did when I had to take care of people’s medically compromised pets. Some needed insulin or fluids, or wounds wrapped. I have become more worrisome over the years, and this part does really scare me.

[Bluey]

Talk to local vets, they may have ideas for you and even help sending clients to you?

[Groom_amp_Taxi]

I think it’s a very interesting concept, but given the level of client selectivity you want to have, it might be tough to find the niche where it’s profitable for you. Maybe best targeted to large-ish “recreational” boarding barns where you might have owners who need the services, but the barn staff is basically just stall cleaners?

[OceansAway]

So to follow up, I researched one of the only rehabilitation facilities in my state and in the surrounding areas. Board around here is about $1000/month on average and theirs is almost $2000 a month, and that includes hay, turnout, and grooming only. Each hand walk per session is $15. Each ride is $75. They have dozens of therapies and services and they all range from $25/session to $75/session or higher. For example, things like laser, cold therapy, BEMER, magnetic therapy, heat therapy, treadmill, etc. They offer a lot more than that, but I just mentioned some more popular options. It comes out to $2400 per month just for board and one hand walk per day, no extras like wrapping, hosing, icing, medication administration. So, someone might very well rather save several thousand per month and have someone come out daily. However, that actually wasn’t my original expectation, at all. Also, I’m sure there are some boarding facilities that offer “rehab services” that aren’t rehab facilities, that are probably much cheaper. I’ll have to do some more investigating. But I’m pretty blown away by these prices.

[OceansAway]

Right, I agree. While I did have good luck years ago offering these services outside of a formal business to fellow boarders and friends, my circle has changed somewhat over the years. I don’t know if the level of selectivity will ultimately turn people away, or if there are enough easy natured beings out there that still need medical attention to offset that factor.

[mmeqcenter]

Jeeeeeeeeeze. Sounds like you’ve got good potential then!

[Bluey]

This is one in our area that has been there for decades and has a very good reputation.
Vets sent her clients all the time.
We used her services with a show horse that had a serious injury and they did very good work:

Equine Sports Therapy - Running T Farms - Canyon and Amarillo Texas

[Libby2563]

Interesting concept! Would you be willing to do other farmsitting-type services as well like drop hay/grain, turn out horses, blanket, etc? I’m thinking if part of your market is people who keep horses at home or in rough board situations, they’d prefer someone who would do everything they need. That might affect your advertising, fee structure, and potential market.

I imagine it would be helpful if a vet were willing to provide a reference for you. Personally I think I’d struggle with hiring a stranger to do meds/rehab.

Probably a lot of whether it’s worth your while would be how dense your area is / how far you’d have to travel.

[TheDBYC]

There’s at least one person who does this or something like it in my area. They also do horse ambulance service and medical transport. I feel like a goof ball because I was literally standing there last Friday reading the side of their trailer, going “Huh. That’s good to know. Must remember this in case we’re ever in a pinch.” And now I’m completely blanking on the name of the company

We currently keep horse at a full-service barn with a trainer who is more than competent and willing to handle as much or as little as each individual owner wants. There were numerous times in the past – when my kids were small and it was just me wrangling my own horses and the odd pasture puff boarder – when reinforcements in the form of another horse savvy, semi-adult-sized human being would have been uhh-mazing. For the safety of the horses and humans involved some situations really are a two person job and not everyone has a friend who can help out. That might be something to explore. Another idea that comes to mind is short-term emergency or on call care. e.g. - horse owner is hospitalized for a ruptured appendix and is temporarily unable to take care of their animals.

[Amberley]

A few people do that around here. They are busy enough that they are all referral only.

People doing the math on rehab board are forgetting that you are also paying to hold your stall at your home barn.

[OceansAway]

I would definitely consider doing those smaller tasks. I have disc issues in my spine, which is why I need to be careful about the horses I work with regarding their behaviors, and unfortunately it limits me from doing things like dumping heavy wheelbarrows, moving hay bales, grain bags, repetitively lifting heavy water buckets, etc. I can usually only manage a few stalls before the pain is debilitating. That’s the reason why I don’t just offer farm sitting services. It really depends on what the person needs!

[OceansAway]

There is a man nearby who does emergency medical transport, but that’s it. It’s a great service to have nearby!

I know how you feel about wishing there was another competent horse person around, just for the extra hands. My trainers would be fine doing small things here and there, but always made it clear they couldn’t cater to anything on a regular basis. The boarders would always pay one another or bring in a friend. Sometimes barn staff or the barn owner would help. The real killer was during rough board. Everyone was too busy caring for their own horses, and were already spread thin. The barn owner was a cow person and knew little about horses. I had to recruit my husband to help as much as possible and the stress levels were out of control. For that reason, I would always help my friends for free.

I was actually basing my idea more around sporadic care- injuries, working late for a period of time, issues with childcare, etc, rather than a regular 5 day a week schedule type of arrangement. However, I’m sure there would be some that might need that, too. I know I could have!