Traveling with your horse can be stressful for you and your 4-legged friend, but there are some tips out there to make your journey less stressful and even fun! Once you load your horse onto the trailer, (which can be a whole process in itself) you just need to make sure you are prepared to keep your horse safe and plan to have an enjoyable trip ahead. Before you leave there are some things you can to do to ensure your horse will be comfortable and that you will not be worried about the whole trip. Take some of these tips with you as you start preparing to travel with your horse.
Prepare before you go
By taking the right steps before you leave, you will save yourself a ton of stress and hiccups that could happen. The first step, head to the vet with your horse. Make sure that they get a full checkup done, all of their vaccinations are up to date, and you have the proper paperwork.
After you find that your horse is in tip-top shape, you need to do the same for your trailer. Make sure the trailer has had its maintenance checks done and is ready for traveling. Inspect the flooring, brakes, frame, interior and exterior lights, the hitch and also the chains. One last note is to look for any bee hives or wasp nests that could disturb the horse.
Practice makes perfect for your horses. Load them up and lead them off several times so that they are comfortable with the trailer and will be okay with being in it for long periods of time. Allow the trailer to be near where they spend their time at home so they are not threatened by it.
The last thing you can do to truly prepare for your trip is to map out your route and all of your breaks ahead of time. This way you can plan for meals, water breaks, restocking the hay and allowing your horse to get some exercise in. This will help with their overall traveling demeanor and their health.
Things to do While Traveling
It is important to do things while you are on the road to maintain a stress-free and enjoyable ride. The most important thing to do is to keep your horse fed and watered well throughout the trip. You should take breaks every 2-3 hours and offer water to the horse. It is suggested to bring water from home so they are familiar with the taste and will drink it. You should also bring enough hay (1-2 weeks’ worth) so you can continuously change it out.
In order for your horse to stay comfortable, put down some bedding for them. This will help with joint and muscle strain while they are standing. When you do take these breaks, make sure to monitor your horse’s vitals. Take their temperature, make sure they are eating and drinking okay, and get them moving as much as possible. If you notice something is off, reach out to your vet or have local vets take a look at your horse.
Things to know when traveling with your horse
Traveling can be hard for horses. As they travel, it can greatly affect their digestive health, so you need to know what you can expect and who you can get ahead of it. Here are some things that you can do to avoid your horses’ joint pain, dehydration, not eating, and colic.
-Get them out and moving. Try to keep their exercise schedule up even when you are out on the road. This is why planning your route is so important, so that you have places to go to let your horses roam and run.
-Avoid keeping them in a stall all day. Basically, you do not want to do the very opposite of what they are used to at home.
-Your horse should be offered fresh, clean water, as often as possible and keep them hydrated.
These are some of the top tips that you can utilize to make sure that you are having a fun and safe trip with your horse. These trips can be difficult, but with these tips, you will keep your horse as happy and healthy as possible, and that is the most important thing you can do as a horse owner. Good luck with all of your upcoming trips and we wish you safe travels!
