View Full Version : Hauling Clients Horse to Vet

Jul. 25, 2011, 10:34 PM
What do you charge (or what do you think is a fair charge for this service) to haul a client's horse in training to the vet clinic? This includes staying through the exam to answer questions etc.

Jul. 25, 2011, 10:41 PM
I charge $50 minimum for hauling up to 50 miles round trip. After than it is $1 per mile. Then I add $50 per hour for my time for anything over 30 minutes wait.

NONE of my boarders has a trailer - they say when they consider the cost of buying a truck and trailer my charges are WAY less for the few times they need it.

Jul. 25, 2011, 11:28 PM
$50 ($25/horse if 2 horses) + $1/mile + $50/hour over the first half hour at the vet's. No complaints. Happy clients. They don't have trailers, so it's a simple, cost effective solution for them. I charge the same if the client goes with me.

Jul. 25, 2011, 11:37 PM
This is kind of a timely thread. I needed to have my gelding taken to the hospital for "emergency" surgery last march. The woman who was leasing the barn (not getting any of my money at all...I was on field board and paying BO) offered to take my horse to the clinic immediately for $50. Clinic was probably 5 miles down the road. I was happy to pay this considering my truck and trailer were at my parents house.

I was recently talking to my SO about this. His dad has a farm and about 7-10 boarders. It's VERY casual. SO could NOT believe that the woman leasing the barn would charge me to haul my horse to the vet. He said that his father would gladly haul anyone's horse to the vet for an emergency at no cost. Well...that would be nice...but they clearly dont understand that this IS a business for a lot of people. His father worked for 25 years and does boarding/lessons for fun and to cover his horses' farrier/vet bills. Works out well, but he obviously doesnt rely on it for a living. Claims that is just "common courtesy" to help someone when they need it. Well dang, we'd all be poor if we did our business for free, out of common courtesy!!

Sorry for the tangent...

I paid 50 for them to take my horse TO the clinic and 50 for them to bring him back a few days later. They had to take time out of their day (cleaning, mucking, training, exercising etc) to take my horse to the clinic and they werent even my BM's at the time. I thought it was nice for them to even do it at all!

Jul. 26, 2011, 04:09 PM
When you say that you charge $1 per mile, is that $1 per mile round trip, or per loaded mile?

For example, if you bring a clients horse to a clinic for an exam and the horse ends up staying at the clinic for tests, so you go back to pick up him the next day, would you charge $1 per mile round trip for both trips?

Jul. 26, 2011, 04:28 PM
I would charge $1/mile round trip for both trips. That's $2/m loaded which is about half of what commercial trucks get on average.

I charge $4m one way to the vet/hospital plus $100 emergency fee if it's not scheduled. It's part of my business so I don't do it for free. I have hauled friends horses around for free (or wine!) - it just depends on the situation. But... my business has to pay my bills and my new rig doesn't pay for itself! Other commercial shippers in my area would charge more than that to come get the horse and take it to the clinic so my owners are still better off with my doing it (plus hours saved bc I can roll out right away).

Jul. 26, 2011, 06:30 PM
I had a pony needed shots and health cert. It was faster and easier to stick him in the trailer, drive 10 miles to the clinic, do his shots in the trailer and drive home, than to try and block out half a day to wait for the vet.
I charged that boarder $20, which is what the farm fee would have been.

I took another boarders horse for a trip to the vet, no charge, she held down the fort at home for me.

Now, if I was taking a sound horse for a vet check or a scheduled appt? I'd charge for the trip and my time.

But that's just me :)