Advice wanted on travelling yougsters

tabithakat64

tabithakat64

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A girl at the same yard as me has a yearling who she wants to practice loading and travelling on short journeys. What protection should she use on her legs as she has been given lots of conflicting advice?
The yearling is happy to wear a short softish pair of travel boots, but her owner feels these might not offer enough protection and that long rigid boots might be better.
What about bandages? (although the owner has no experience of bandaging and personally I would be more concerned about her causing problems by bandaging incorrectly)
Also, she would like to put overreach boots on all four feet (I've never heard/seen a horse with them on all four feet
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All the horses I've had have travelled in soft travelling boots so they are protected but there is some flexibility so I'm unsure of what to advise her.
 
This is my personal opinion, everyone does it differently and I stand to be corrected. I think because the horse is unshod and the box will be safe for the horse harming itself, plus I image you will put some straw down, there is'nt really much else you can do. I think by putting rigid boots on a young horse may be a little restrictive, in that she is'nt used to wearing them. I would leave the horse bare.

Also I would load the horse, avoid standing around and set off nice and slow around the block, come back and immediately get the horse unloaded. A gradual build up to standing in the box. The less fuss the better because they pick up on it.

When the box is moving the horse will be concentrating on balance and have little time to do anything else, so the importance of not standing around and fussing for the first few go's helps an awful lot.

I have watched at the sales rings, yearlings being loaded and unloaded in the racing world and they tend to bandage or leave the legs bare. If your friend is not good at putting on bandages, and if the foal has little skinny legs, it is hard to get it right when you are not experienced.

Good luck, I am sure you will get loads more advise and be able to make a considered decision on what people tell you.
 
Filly, I have no clue if theres straw down in her trailer, I will ask. She has brought herself a singe trailer to practice with for the time being and seems more concerned about the pony jumping or slipping off the ramp and injuring herself.
 
I would have to agree with filly, Yyoung horses are better withough too much on them, if it were shod then I would say front over reach boots, and to be honest from having travelled hunters for so long, I only travel in their exercise boots, the competition ponies that I train have short soft leg wraps which are good but can slip alot.
 
My horses are all older but I travel them in 4 over-reach boots and knee/hock-high bandages. For a youngster I would be inclined just to put the over-reach boots on as it may panic more in boots/bandages if it's not used to them. Another alternative could be brushing boots which would provide basic protection.
 
For what it's worth I reckon your friend can do whatever she would do with an adult horse, the key with youngsters is to build up to it gradually by doing a tiny step further each day, in the yearling's comfort zone.
The only word of caution is bandaging - I worked in a rehab yard, and most tendon injuries we saw were down to bandages being too tight! If in doubt, use boots, or get bandaging lessons.
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I have been travelling my 10 month old filly with nothing on at all. She has been left untied in the trailer and she has been fine.
Like others have said, with her being unshod it is unlikely she will damage herself whilst travelling. I would think that if the horse isnt used to being travelled and being travelled with boots/banadges on it is more likely to be upset and possibly harm itself.
 
Unless the yearling has been fully adapted to wearing boots, bandages, what else, then there is no way I would be using them; that is an accident waiting to happen in my view.
I agree with everyone else that has said not to boot or bandage. She might be concerned about her faffing about on the ramp but as long as she takes her time, does not expect an instant result, there should be none of that at all. We used to travel horses, usually mares and foals, youngsters, worth hundreds of thousand pounds and many times, in fact can only think of two - and they were showjumpers! - that ever had anything on their legs! It wasn't that the owners didn't care at all but the thought that if they got too hot or uncomfortable in them, then they would start being a problem, so better without anything.
If it was my one and only horse going hundreds of miles then I would bandage, I won't have a travelling boot on the place, I think they can be very dangerous, especially in the wrong hands. I do have to say, I am appalled at the comments that people can't bandage nowadays. It is such an easy thing to learn, it only takes patience to get it right; it is also so easy to practise, on a pole or similar for starters if you haven't a horse! Years ago, if your bandaging wasn't up to scratch then you'd be out of a job so you soon learnt the right way, pity the same standards aren't reached today. What on earth do people do with an injury, get the vet to bandage all the time, what a waste?! Half the time, they are no better at it than a novice anyway!
Sorry, I'll climb off my soapbox now and slink away!.....................
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Have to say haven't read previous posts but can only tell you my experiences. Have moved 3 yearlings individually and two were in a trailer. Have removed partition and have travelled them loose with no bandages. Same with one in lorry. All travelled extremely well, (one travelled looking over trailer door, to great amusement to other road users). sometimes less is more. Go at a steady pace and they will be fine. xx
 
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