I posted my listing in mid-May and have invited over 120 potential sitters for October 2026 with no match yet. Many of the invites say that they really like my posting but are unavailable or not wanting to sit here. I live in a small town in New Mexico with 3 horses, 2 dogs, and one cat. I am very disappointed. This is the second time I have tried THS with no success.
What’s probably working against you:
• Small towns often lack enough attractions and public transit. Are you able to address this by highlighting why folks might want to visit and whether you can help with transportation?
• You have more pets than many sitters want to care for and many people might worry that they lack horse experience. Are you able to get someone else to care for your horses?
@Ch00ch, welcome to THS Forum.
THS does not publish data on average pets per listing. But 3 horses, 2 dogs and a cat seems significantly more than average. And caring for horses may likely require expertise and attention that is beyond most housesitters.
Housesitting requires a fair trade. Lack of applicants may suggest that prospective housesitters do not perceive a fair trade.
We’d agree with pragmatic comments from @Maggie8K. If you were to somehow have the horses cared for by someone other than the housesitter then this may increase the pool of willing applicant candidates.
Housesitting typically works best when pet parents create an attractive listing and housesitters apply. While you have invited 120 potential sitters then this tactic rarely works. Suggest look afresh at your listing. Look at other listing in your area/state. Ensure that photos are attractive, content is complete and opportunity is inviting.
Under Amenities you have not listed any wifi. Do you really not have wifi or is that just an error? Anyone filtering for high speed wifi won’t even see your listing.
Anyone filtering for family friendly also won’t find it. If you’re really not open to hosting families, that’s fine, but you’re limiting your sitter pool as it’s often families who have the interest and manpower for multi-pet sits like this.
You mention that food shopping is 30 miles away, apart from a dollar store that is in walking distance, so if you offer a car that could help. Car rentals are pricy and it seems a car is necessary to function properly where you are.
As you have no applicants, consider deleting and then reposting your dates to bring your sits back to the top and to notify anyone who has saved your listing. (After you’ve corrected the wifi, if you do have wifi.)
Hi @Ch00ch,
Welcome to the forum!
You have already received some good advice, perhaps you could get more specific feedback if you link your listing to your forum profile.
October is fantastic in New Mexico! How far away are you from Albuquerque? The Balloon Festival is a major event - actually we may be there this year - if you can arrange for a sitter to get there for a day or two (maybe have a neighbor look in on the pets for that short time?)
October weather is just beautiful in New Mexico. How far would it be to White Sands or Carlsbad Caverns? It would be more enticing to craft your listing to highlight all the great reasons why a sitter would want to come to New Mexico.
A car would be needed so if you can offer one, that would help. Also how much work would the horse care entail? That may be putting off applicants that have no horse care experience.
I specifically filtered my search for horses, dogs, and cats. I have read where sitters have cared for up to 15 horses! The people I invited would be familiar with caring for them.
Because I have everything streamlined, the horses take about 15-20 minutes in the mornings and 20-25 minutes in the late afternoons. I mentioned that in my posting.
Yes, the Balloon Festival is during the time when I will be away. Albuquerque is about 1-1/2 hours away.
Hello my name Ondrej and I travel all over caring for many pets and have skills with horses.
I will supply many review but I do have a question as to are the horses available to ride or just be cared for?
It’s still a lot of animals for an unpaid sitter who needs their own transport. Making it family friendly is a great idea and if not, you may have more joy finding people on workaway than on THS and you can supply food alongside the offer of free board. #betterfit
Presumably, if your approach was working for you, you wouldn’t have posted about not getting any bites despite two+ months of listing and sending many invites. You can of course keep on with that, or you can try to improve your odds by taking advice from folks who are seasoned sitters.
I would highlight the Balloon Festival and add a photo or two (can download from the web). And try and figure out a way a sitter could be away for a full day or even two, to go see the balloons. Either cover with a friend or neighbor or a paid sitter (or both, maybe a neighbor for the horses and a paid sitter for the dog/cats).
My horses are 33, 29, and 26. Because of their ages I no longer ride them.
I’m trying to find your listing to help you but I can’t find it 
Can you send it to me?
I think you will have difficulty as many will be fearful of the care that horses require.
Horses of those age designations can be ridden if health allows but only you know that.
(Member’s listing has been added to their Forum profile by the Forum team)
This seems to be the trend for many homeowners. As a longtime member and advocate for THS, I sure hope this changes soon. However, based on observations, feedback from others, and interactions with active sitters/applicants over the last year, many/most sitters now expect payment. I didn’t think sitters were allowed to ask for payment but was told by my last one that it is now what always happens. She said people pay her a minimum of $40 per day and she requires 50% on arrival and 50% on departure.
@Jules7774 You are correct in that sitters are definitely not allowed to ask for payment. That sitter is telling lies and should be reported to Membership Services as they are violating the T & C by asking for payment.
Personally, I would not be at all bothered by the horses but if as others mentioned, you don’t have WiFi, and sitters have to provide their own transport, that will be very limiting.
Overall though, your care asks aren’t that demanding as you don’t appear to need the dogs walked..it’s just feeding/watering/mucking out.
We were booked in to take care of two horses (one rideable), a cat and a dog, but a car was provided, we could bring our own dog, and it was possible to work remotely as they had a strong WiFi connection. It was also within an hour or so drive to a major city which was all called out in the listing and family friendly.
It’s important to keep in mind that the perks of your space need to be clear as this is meant to be mutually beneficial.