_{House sitting can sound like a perfect job.}

A few days in the Cotswolds, a cottage in the Yorkshire Dales, a farmhouse in Norfolk, a country home in the Scottish Borders, or perhaps somewhere tucked away in the Welsh countryside.

In many ways, housesitting sounds great.

You could find yourself waking up to beautiful views, walking through open countryside, feeding animals as the sun comes up, and enjoying the peace and quiet that comes with being miles away from a busy town or city.

But rural house sitting is very different from simply looking after someone’s home while they are away.

When animals, land and a working rural property are involved, house sitting often comes with a considerable amount of responsibility.

Rural House Sitting Can Take You to Some Beautiful Places

One of the attractions of countryside house sitting is the sheer variety of locations available across the UK.

You might find yourself staying in a cottage on the edge of the New Forest, a farmhouse in rural Suffolk, a converted barn in the Peak District or a property surrounded by fields in Northumberland.

Other opportunities could take you to the rolling countryside of the Cotswolds, Exmoor, Dartmoor, the Yorkshire Dales, the Lake District, the Scottish Highlands or the rural areas of Wales.

For someone who genuinely enjoys country life, animals and being outdoors, it can be a fantastic way to work.

But the important word here is work because even though it’s described as house sitting, there’s not much sitting to do.

This Is Rarely Just House Sitting

Someone living in a rural property may have far more to leave in your care than their houseplants and post.

There may be horses to feed, turn out and bring in.

There could be dogs that need walking, feeding and medication.

You may have chickens that need letting out in the morning and shutting away safely at night.

There might be cats, sheep, goats, ducks, geese or other livestock.

Some homes may have kennels, stables, paddocks, barns and yards that all form part of the daily routine.

That means someone taking on the house sit may need a much wider range of skills than a traditional house sitter.

Equine Experience Can Be Essential

If horses are involved, the owner is likely to want someone who is genuinely experienced around them.

That might include:

• Feeding and checking horses
• Turning out and bringing in
• Mucking out
• Filling haynets
• Changing rugs
• Picking out feet
• Checking water
• Administering medication if agreed
• Recognising signs that a horse may be unwell
• Following individual feeding and turnout routines

Horse owners can be understandably particular about how their animals are cared for.

One horse may need a certain rug while another may have to be turned out separately. There could be a horse that requires medication at a specific time while another horse must have a particular supplement.

These details matter.

A good rural house sitter does not simply know how to handle a horse; they alsounderstand the importance of following instructions properly.

Dogs Bring Fun As Well As Challenges

Dogs can also make a countryside house sit considerably busier.

Some rural homes may have several dogs, including working hounds.

They may have different feeding routines, exercise requirements and sleeping arrangements.

You may need to understand gates, kennels, secure exercise areas and recall.

Some dogs may be allowed off lead in certain places but absolutely not in others.

Then there are also the dogs that require careful management around livestock as well as the ones that are banned from the feed room.

Looking after one elderly Labrador is very different from caring for several energetic dogs accustomed to spending much of their day outside.

That is why the owner needs to know exactly what experience you have before agreeing to the booking.

Animal Husbandry Skills Can Make You Invaluable

The more animals involved, the more useful good animal husbandry skills become.

Being confident around animals is one thing, but being able to notice when something is not quite right is another.

• Has a horse stopped eating?
• Is a chicken unusually quiet?
• Is one of the dogs behaving differently?
• Has an animal escaped from where it should be?

Someone experienced with animals is far more likely to spot a potential problem early and know when they need to contact the owner, vet or another designated person.

That experience can make an enormous difference when the owners are hundreds or even thousands of miles away.

Expect a Routine

Most countryside homes with animals run to a routine.

When the owners go away, they expect that routine to continue, and that means early starts.

• Horses need feeding.
• Chickens need opening up.
• Water needs checking.
• Horses need turning out.
• Stables need mucking out.
• Dogs need walking.

Later in the day there could be another feed, horses to bring in, rugs to change and animals to check.

The exact routine will vary enormously from one home to another, but it is important to understand what you are agreeing to before accepting the booking.

There May Be Jobs Around the Property Too

Rural house sitting can also involve practical tasks that go beyond caring for animals.

You may be asked to put bins out, accept deliveries, water plants, collect eggs, check gates, keep an eye on fencing or bring parcels inside.

You might also need to monitor heating, security systems or water supplies.

If the property is very remote, you probably also need to think about things that people living in towns rarely consider.

• What happens if there is a power cut?
• Where is the stopcock?
• Who do you call if a horse gets loose?
• Where is the nearest vet?
• Is there mobile signal?
• What happens if the house becomes difficult to access in bad weather?

A thorough handover before the owners leave is extremely important.

It Isn't a Free Holiday

This is probably one of the biggest misconceptions surrounding house sitting.

Staying in a beautiful country property might look like a holiday from the outside, but if you are responsible for several horses, dogs, chickens and an entire property, you are very much working.

There will often be a fairly substantial list of jobs that need completing before you can sit down with a cup of tea, and if something goes wrong at 2am, you will be the person there to get it sorted.

Rural House Sitting Suits a Certain Type of Person

The best rural house sitters tend to be independent, practical and confident.

They genuinely enjoy being around animals and do not mind getting dirty.

They can follow instructions well, and they are comfortable spending time on their own.

They are responsible enough to deal with problems rather than ignoring them and, importantly, they understand that the animals always come first.

If you love horses, dogs and rural life, this kind of work can be incredibly rewarding.

But if you are imagining spending the entire booking reading beside the fire while occasionally feeding the cat, some countryside house sits may come as quite a surprise.

Ask Plenty of Questions Before Accepting

Before agreeing to a rural house sitting booking, make sure you understand exactly what is expected.

Find out how many animals there are, what their routines involve, and how many hours of work are realistically required each day.

Ask whether any of the animals have medical conditions, behavioural issues or particular handling requirements.

Always get a list of emergency contacts who will be available while the owners are away.

There should be no surprises on either side.

Your Experience Has Real Value

Looking after someone's rural home, horses and animals is a considerable responsibility.

You are not simply providing someone with a presence in the house; you are allowing them to go away knowing that the daily routine they normally manage themselves is continuing in capable hands.

For experienced equine and animal freelancers, that combination of house sitting and animal care can become a valuable service to offer.

Owners, finding someone with genuine horse, hound and animal husbandry experience can mean the difference between worrying throughout their holiday and actually being able to relax.

So, after the horses have been fed, the dogs have been walked, stables have been mucked out, and the chickens checked, you can have that cuppa and enjoy rural life.

And for the right person, that is exactly what makes it so rewarding.

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