Whats the going rate for hauling/trainer fees?

[NanO]

What seems to be the average rate for trainers hauling to shows, both long haul (500-1000 miles) and short (100-300 miles). Also what are the average trainer fees for services at shows. I'm sure it's different in different parts of the country, I'm in Texas. Thanks and gig 'em!

[SmokenMirrors]

I am having a Percheron mare transported from Houston to Northern VA where I am at for $600. I am getting a bit of a discount as the shippers I am using are already going to TX and my friends who currently have the mare were willing to meet them in Houston so that cut a bit of money off for me. The folks I am using are here in VA, they transport all over and the lady I spoke with was very nice, they have their own horses and they do call you along the trip to let you know how your horse is doing.

If you want their name and web site, let me know, I will pm you.

[findeight]

Varies, nothing is normal.

My barn it's 85 cents a mile with an $85 dollar minimum. Some barns it's less, most barns are more up to around $2 a mile.

At some barns it can vary based on how many horses/owners are splitting the costs. At others, like mine, it's a flat rate but they will not go at that rate if they cannot get at least 4. You wanna go with less, you need to make up the difference.

[RedTahoe]

Without a discount, haulers are charging (on average) between $2 and $3 per mile down here unless you can get in on an already-scheduled trip.

[MHM]

What RedTahoe said: 2-3 dollars a mile.

That's pretty standard. If you sit down and do the math for owning, operating, and maintaining a rig, it's not unreasonable.

You also have to recognize the difference between a shipper, who only makes money from the horse's transport, and a trainer, who will presumably make money off the horse once it arrives at a show. The trainer may be able to charge less for the shipping as a result.

[NanO]

I' really looking for what trainers charge for hauling 3-6 horses to shows. Alos what some of the other trainer related show fees (expenses, training at shows etc)
Thanks

[RedTahoe]

I' really looking for what trainers charge for hauling 3-6 horses to shows.

$2-3 per mile per horse, unless the trainer wants to cut a deal with the owners. As I have no experience with being a trainer at a show or having a trainer at the show, I can't comment.

[ESG]

What's the going rate? Whatever your trainer wants to charge. :p

Seriously, if you don't have your own rig, you're pretty much at the mercy of whomever is available to haul your horses where you want them to go. Don't like that? Buy your own rig, and you won't have to worry about it. Of course, if you're hauling 3-6 horses, you'll need a 4-6 horse trailer, the appropriate hauling vehicle, insurance on all, and to pay to maintain it.

Makes the $2-3 a mile sound a bit more appealing now, doesn't it? :winkgrin:

[Sonesta]

I'm easy, so I charge (here in Houston) $1 per mile (but round trip miles). At shows, $75 per day coaching. No day fees for feeding, etc. Students come and help set up the stalls, so don't charge for that either.

[meupatdoes]

I pay a buck a mile in central NJ.

When my horse came back from his winter off, the shipper drove her four horse for 75 miles (an hour and a half in the trailer), loaded him up (in a box stall), came all the way back with just him in the four horse, and dropped him off for $138, including tolls.

Other shippers quoted me $300 and $600 for the same trip.

I have also been quoted $50 to hitch a ride to a horseshow 3.5 miles away with someone who was going anyway, and declined.


Basically, you have to scout around.
Some people will treat you like their ATM, other people won't.

I do have to wonder how the first person, who is a professional and ships as part of her job, can do it for $1 a mile and come out ahead and others feel the need to charge double or triple.

[Moderator 1]

Welcome to the forums, NanO!

We try to avoid crossposting threads here to avoid duplication and save space, so we combined your two threads.

I also tweaked your thread title to reflect your interest in getting more info about trainer fees from the folks here in H/J.

For future reference, if you want to edit your thread title yourself, click on "edit" from the lower right corner of your first post in the thread, then "go advanced." From there you can change the title to reflect an update or new question, etc.

Enjoy the board!
Mod 1

[NanO]

ESG, I realise how much a truck/ trailor rig costs, I've priced them and can't afford one. My trainer is new to this area and we were trying to figure out what is the common charge in our area. I don't begrudge a dime for any charge she has, I'm lucky to have found her, she's been wonderful to me and my daughter and I can only imagine how hard it is to survive in the horse business these days let alone make your living from it. I'm struggleing to keep my horses myself. We don't show now because we can't afford it. It seems she's being taken advantage of by some of the other boarders that do show and do gripe about charges and I was just trying to help her do some research into what other professionals charge. You are obviously a professional. Not all of us are trying to get something for nothing or take advantage of our trainers, I was just trying to help.

[forward ride]

i jsut paid 2.50 per loaded mile (ended up being $195 to bring horse back from clinic, and same going up).

i had a trainer who charged a lot more than that. it was a 20 mile trip and she charged me $250 i think.

im in so-cal though.

my old trainer in upstate new york charged $1 per loaded mile 6 years go.

[wyldhorseb]

here in va, we pay $50 to ship anywhere instate to shows. Local and interscholastic are $35 for coaching and aa shows are $50-$75 per day.

[findeight]

I do have to wonder how the first person, who is a professional and ships as part of her job, can do it for $1 a mile and come out ahead and others feel the need to charge double or triple.

Well, they don't make anything at a dollar a mile.

The only way you get that rate is if you can find a commercial hauler already with a load with the same pick up and drop off that has a spot or they happen to be looking for a back haul from one drop off point to the next pick up point and you happen to be smack on that route. In other words, they are moving the truck anyway.

Trainers do not charge much because if they cannot get their clients to shows, they kill their business. They get you on the other charges but want clients to go horse show. Alot.