True question here. How do you find time and manage to take a vacation while owning and caring for horses?  I am not in a boarding situation so would need someone to "farm sit", but I'm just curious of how other people manage to get away for family time.

We dont...... When we HAVE to, we do have a family down the road who comes and tends to things and never been longer then a weekend.  I have everything set out, portioned, in front of pens/stalls in so all they have to do it feed and I dont have to worry about porportions.  The kids ride here so we trade lessons/arena time for their help.

We are also are an open facility that has boarding/training horses.  We offer "vacation board" for those who do go on vacation and can't find a sitter for their horses.  Maybe check some of your local boarding/training facilities if they have a pasture to put your horses in while gone.

It ain't easy but I make it a point to go away, just me and my husband, at least once a year for a minimum long weekend. Double bonus points for a week or longer. The farm is a LOT of work and it's so easy to get caught up in the never ending chore list. 

I rely really heavily on friends and I would be lost without them. I pay good and often provide baked goods and presents. I know it's a pain in the neck - I do it every day. We just got back Saturday actually. This time, I hauled my two high-maintenance horses (the barrel horses) to a friend who stuck them in her back pasture and made sure they got fed and medicated, etc. etc. etc. A friend of my husbands stayed at the house and fed the cows and the two retired horses. If they missed a meal or didn't get quite the right thing, it really didn't matter that much. He was more there to make sure everyone stayed upright and breathing.

Our dogs went with us this time but we have a phenomenal dog sitter, a friend's mom, who loves our dogs. Even the grumpy old lady heeler likes it at Mama T's house. 

It can get a little pricey and the prep work that involves is a pain but we come back refreshed and happy to be home. 

I have a few friends that I trust, we take turns "farm sitting" if any of us want a little vacation.  But we are usually not gone more than 2-3 days at a time.  There may be some people in your area that offer that service. I know lots of people offer pet sitting,  it's different, though, with horses and multiple kinds of animals involved.  Maybe a boarding facility offers vacation boarding or the vet clinic?

Also, my husband and I take at least one seperate long weekend a year - him and his guys and me and some girlfriends - that way one of us is at home.

We don't. We leave around christmas and maybe 1-2 other times just to visit family or travel to the doctor. We have a good neighbor that does the feeding for us when we leave. we are gone 4 days max usually its 2-3 days. Its just too difficult for us with all our animals and the way its set up

If I had it to do over again I would have given up horses much earlier in life in order to enjoy life and vacations without animals to hinder my doing what I want to.  I've never wanted to ask my friends or family to deal with these critters so I've missed out on a lot.  I would like to see Mt. Rushmore and Yellowstone National Park.  Maybe lay on a beach in Florida or Hawaii.

Get out and enjoy life!  Like others have said find a way to make it work.  

My parents and my sister are around, and my best friend is across the street so they help out. 

I remember as a kid we usually went on vacation after the cows were out for the summer and before we started haying. In the winter we'd feed ahead and have someone go open gates and check on things. 

It's rare all of us are gone at the same time anymore, but we have good neighbors and friends that will help when needed. 

Vacation !!!!!!!   What is that     If we get any vacation, we have to take it seperatly cause one of us has to take care of the horses & cats. I'm hoping I can get away with my girlfriend & go to colorado with her at the end of the month. We were suppose to go last month, but hubby broke his hand, so I had to stay to take care of him & horses 

We have an extremely reliable farmhand who cares for our two horses when we leave the farm.  The only other animals we have are two cats and a close friend looks in on them.  We intentionally reduced our animal population in order to have freedom as retirees. My best friend lives a little over an hour from me and has several horses.  We keep her horses for her when she travels -- she drops them off with us.  Sometimes we keep them for two weeks!  They love having time with us here at the farm -- no riding, just lots of pasture and great stalls -- LOL!  

We do try and get away at lest once a year.  We rely on friends and family to do our chores.  We’ve gone to Texas for a week 2 years in a row and we’re going to the Denver Stock Show this year.  When/if my niece qualifies for high school finals in WY we plan to make that a pretty significant trip - I’ve always wanted to see more of that area.  

Its tough but we also don’t have kids yet so we want to make sure we do some of these things.

Being part of our 4H program for 20 years i have found a few of them who start adulting to be great house/critter sitters.  We dont have to many special needs and i only put things in their competent hands.  My niece and sister are always good backups to since i board for them.

It is tough---pretty easy to find someone to stop and feed the cats and dogs---little but harder to find someone "competent" to take care of 40 horses. Last vacation we had was three years ago.

Yes!  I have 4 horses and board % outside horses.  I pay a lady to come out and feed while I'm gone.  I make her a list, very specific, and i make it as easy as possible for her and the horses. We vacation several times a year and are gone on some weekends.  If I didnt get away from here I'd never get a day off!  Its stressful getting everything ready but its soooo worth it!  HIghly recommend it!

https://www.facebook.com/bill.swan.104

We don't because we live fourth miles from town and the place is ran off solar and has to be tended too

For the last several years, my husband and I would go away for a long weekend in the fall to celebrate our anniversary and our favorite time of the year. We lived really close to my mom and brother and they would come by and let the dogs out, or they'd come with us. The horses would be pretty self sufficient - they had a huge pasture, didn't get grain, and just needed some hay and checking the water, and I'd throw a round bale out or several square bales if needed. 

But, we moved last year, and everytime we go away, my husband says he'd rather have a staycation and stay home and spend the vacation money on a house project. We have so many things we want to do and now that this house is OURS, it's an investment in our place, so it's worth it. I do get away a couple times a year with my mom for a girls trip and hubby stays home and cares for all the critters while I'm gone, which is what he prefers.

I have an extremely tough time finding someone that will tend to all my animals, how I'd prefer it done. I mean, it's not rocket science, but in my experience,  people dont care for your things like you do and I always end up being disappointed and spend my time away worrying if this or that was done ... gates closed and secured , chickens turned out early enough, chickens coop locked securely at night so nothing can get in and murder them... horses having water, fans turned on in the morning and cut off at night,  dogs having water and being fed their food right, separating their feed bowls so one cant hog all the food, the cats need to be fed in the mornings and then put their uneaten food up at night so the raccoons dont start showing up again... do the budgies have water and food and are they properly covered up so the morning sun doesnt get them too hot... ugh... the list goes on... maybe it is rocket science lol!!!

NO No Florida beaches... you get flesh eating bacteria!

I never have taken vacations but next year we are going to Montana to a Dude Ranch. Not sure WHY I am taking a horse vacation but oh well... they look fun, kinda like an all inclusive cruise only with horses!

Oh I hear ya!! I am the same way. But I get told I need to let go a bit, since  I am a control freak... well..... maybe I am a bit... but I just have a specific way of doing things...

And, the bad thing is, the few times we did get to go somewhere and I had someone house/pet/horse sit, for some reason someone ended up with cuts on their legs, or start colicing the day we are leaving.... So call me paranoid... but there is always something.... which makes me feel justified in thinking the worst... 

So if anyone has the perfect solution I would lvoe to hear it!!!

I haven't found a solution other than a stay cation or just getting rid of all the critters lol! I'm a control freak myself but I'm ok with that status lol! My horse chokes on stuff so it has to be soaked... I went away, unwillingly, and left very detailed instructions for the horse... just dont feed him any grain just, hay and alfalfa only,  so no chance of choke while I'm gone... easy peasy right??? Wrong... she didnt latch his stall right or the feedroom door, he let himself out and helped himself to a barrel of alfalfa pellets... she found him in the morning "swallowing funny" and he was in the aisle of the barn... I knew immediately what it was. So called the vet and had a hefty farm call and the horses needed tubing to get dislodged... he got pneumonia after that. Total nightmare 

And here I thought I was the only one!!!!   We leave bags made up for each horse am and pm with supplements included, each one tagged with the babies' names.    Detailed instructions on feeding anyway, just in case.  (This is written out as well as texted. . .)    Note how many flakes of hay and how many piles so Faci doesn't give ugly faces and scare everyone off. . . The girl dogs board, and Luca goes with us (OF COURSE!!!).   Remind that WE feed at same time each day, spray for flies during summer MORNINGS, and leave temperature gauge of when blankets come on and take off.   Water trough cleaned every other day.   However, my barn help (read CHANDLER) always gives me ulcers when we're away with his methods of horse care.  Just don't understand--that's not asking too much is it????   

So glad I’m not the only one! I even color coordinate the buckets!!

I recently went on my first vacation in 10 years, hired a recomended girl to do my chores and watch over the place. 

I'm not ever going on a vacation again until my kids are old enfough to leave home and do chores. I'm still ferious with that girl.

If you hire somebody, check multiple references. I hope you can find somebody good ans enjoy your self. 

We are gone quite often. I used to take the horses to a boarding facility while gone but then my FIL volunteered to horse sit. So he comes by twice a day when we're gone to feed, fly spray, clean stalls, etc. And gets the mail and just checks on things. 

But as he's getting on in years he's not as up to task as he used to be. Especially on the stall cleaning. So I've been looking for someone to fill that role. No luck so far on finding that right person. It costs me $20/head per day to board them. So I've offered that for someone to come by. No takers.

I really want to know what happened lol! 

It was really bad acatully. I'll try to keep it short. 

Lots of issues with my dad calling saying she wasent around, my calves Calling for milk all he time. He did go water all my VERY thirsty animals.

She then showed back up and called me saying I had 2 dead ducks. And then kinda flaked again even though she swares she was there doing chores and only missed the day I cought her lieing. So I decided to come home early. 

Get home at 5 AM, drove 9 hours over night. Get home and do chores. 5 ducks were acatualy dead, 2 bodysuits left in the close to the feed and water, the 2 that had died 3 days prior in hot heat. My chicks were in complete filth, a brand new $300 bag of hau cubes was wet AND full of mould and our old horse got a tummy ake with half his regular brain, so he wasent getting grained at all.

So I wait for her to show up, she knows I'll be home tomorrow night.... at 8PM she texts saying she asked around and farm sitters are getting paid double what we agreed on so shed be OK with just a bit more. I asked her how everbody was and how am chores were and what time she did them, said 8-9 :/ 

I was ferious, I told her I'd pay her what I agreed but it would not be tonight. I was to fing mad. She than had a girl who I was unaware was friends with who's know for drugs, vandalism and theft in the comunity demanding I paid her and the ducks went her falt. To be clear I never said they were, but leaving there there to make my other animals sick and draw preditors was a  issue... 

Anyway I had to meet her at 10:30 at night cuz O was scared I'd get robbed or my animals let out

.  

Oh my goodness!!! That's really bad! Yep, I'm never leaving again 

I know lots of horse people that NEVER get a vacation because they're scared to leave their farm/horses. However, if anyone needs a farm sitter, I am a broke college student with lots of farm animal experience and I would be more than happy to earn some tuition money while someone goes on vacation!