Cooling trailer in this heat - HELP

Antw23uk

Antw23uk

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Now I'm not complaining ... but yes I am having a whinge about this weather now! I was reminded yesterday that it was only a few months ago that I was sobbing about the rain never stopping .. so in true British fashion I am going to moan about it being too hot now!

Does anyone have a genius way of keeping there horse box or trailer cooler in these temps? I am reluctant to use my new (old) trailer and I've been so excited about getting mobile but now Im just worried about travelling in this heat. I am happy to hold off travelling BUT with RC camp coming up this Friday and no let up in the weather I will be travelling my mare about 1500 in the afternoon Friday and Sunday and thats currently very very warm here!

Any genius thoughts? Gadget hacks? I could stretch to a battery operated fan if someone has something in mind but bit late in the day to think rewiring to accommodate something!
 
I bought two battery/mains 12 inch desk fans from amazon for my dog crates a couple of years ago-they are very quiet but only last a couple of hours on batteries though. they have a USB connection that plugs into my lighter. is there such a thing as a battery with USB ports? maybe a solar charged one?
 
If it helps I travelled my mare at similar times this weekend in an old rice Richardson trailer 2hrs each way. I have a video baby monitor that also tells me temperature, before moving it was a horrid 29.9 C but once on the move it rapidly dropped to 25-26C. Stopped in traffic it did start to warm up rapidly but thankfully we were moving again before it got past 30 and quickly went down and I mean in less than 5 mins of moving. I think its perhaps best to stick to bigger straighter roads where you can hopefully keep going; as I noticed on small slow roads of 30mph and under it started to creep up slowly. Someone was posting about small box fans from amazon that have a usb connector and you can connect up to a usb battery bank. Apparently they were magnetic to so if you can trust it to hold they might help. I'm travelling again this weekend and I think I'll just get on with it .

This was the fan I saw, I haven't bought one yet..
https://smile.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07CN...olid=2XG3GM38V7DOY&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it
 
Thanks both. Alibear thats good to know, I also have an old Richardson trailer and the journey will be max an hour if all goes to plan. I dont often do the whole horse worrying thing anymore but I've not had my own transport before so I guess I will worry about this for a while :)
 
Mine stood in my trailer for approx 11am - 1pm at Barbury yesterday. It was baking hot outside and whilst not cool in the trailer, certainly cooler than outside.
Horse didn’t break a sweat even though he was dripping having been ridden for 30 mins prior.
I’ve got a white Bateson so I can only image it reflected the sun quite effectively.
 
We have been taking out one that does not travel as well as I would like, 2 things that have really helped him stay cool and hydrated are having well soaked hay at all times and hosing down to cool before loading for the outward journey, he obviously gets washed off after competing but going cold and not getting so hot has made a huge difference to him, he also goes with nothing on other than a headcollar.

A journey of a hour would not bother me and a trailer can often be cooler than a lorry especially if you do get stuck in traffic.
 
In this weather I have been hosing the fly rugs prior to putting them on the horses before they go out in the field. If you did the same but travelled them in a fly rug the evaporation of the water from the rug cools them down. You could also hose the inside and outside of the trailer down just prior to loading them (with a spray setting rather than a jet). This will cool the air in the trailer for the first few miles until you get on a faster road creating a through draught.
 
Can't you just leave the top doors at the back and the top part of the front door open. It's a channel for air to flow through. If you park in the shade and, depending on where you are you could leave some of the doors open. It should be ok.

I'm also sick of this weather. I haven't complained about it up to now but I hate this humidity:mad:
 
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The Fuzzy Furry said:
Mule, its not a good idea to travel with a front top door open on trailer, for any reason.
Have seen injuries by debris thrown up, from branches on narrow lanes, and it's also possible you could be pulled over as it's dangerous.
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Hadn't thought of that. Must stop doing it.
 
I'm refurbing my old Bahill. its been 30 degrees by midday most days I've been working on it. I go and sit inside to cool down when outside gets too much. Its significantly cooler inside the trailer than out, even stationary in direct sunlight.
 
ihatework said:
Mine stood in my trailer for approx 11am - 1pm at Barbury yesterday. It was baking hot outside and whilst not cool in the trailer, certainly cooler than outside.
Horse didn’t break a sweat even though he was dripping having been ridden for 30 mins prior.
I’ve got a white Bateson so I can only image it reflected the sun quite effectively.
Click to expand...

I have a Bateson and apparently the paint is heat-reflective. I certainly think it stays cooler than other trailers.
 
Rugs off, bell boots only if you wish and open as many windows/vents as you can. Pick a route where you won't have traffic hold ups, better to go a longer way and still be moving than a shorter but stopped. The air coming in from the ventilation works most effectively when the trailer is moving. Make sure the horse is hydrated, feed electrolytes in the lead up (should be daily anyway if it's hot) and check their temperature regularly when you arrive. A good hose down and then into the shade, and they should be fine.
 
It was 34C here yesterday in California which is not unusual, and I trailer my horse in bell boots only. If it's going to be very hot, I hose him off with cold water before getting on the trailer to pre-cool him. I have also been known to wrap reusable picnic ice mats around each leg (or ice boots for after a workout) and secure with a travel boot to drive home. They will last for 45 mins to an hour and legs remain cold.
 
Great - a horse sliding around on ice!

There are solar powered vent fans available. Attach the solar panel on the trailer roof and mount the fan inside the trailer. (where teeth cannot reach).

I trailer horses in the VERY humid south USA. Do not travel in the heat of the afternoon or when traffic is heavy, have all available windows open, and remove the rear top doors. Stop often and offer water to horsey. My horses travel completely naked - no wraps.
 
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Equibrit said:
Great - a horse sliding around on ice!
Click to expand...

I'm not exactly suggesting they cover it with water and freeze it to make a rink... Hence the 'fairly thick' layer of shavings, and a 'big bag' of ice.

If they stand on it the ice cube will just crush, as would tend to happen with a 600kg animal vs 2cm chunk of ice, the smaller chunks will melt pretty quickly and they'll then be standing on shavings.
 
Thanks all, have ordered a fan although fear it might be a silly small size but hey ho! I wont travel with front door top opened, was always told you mustn't and I dont travel in boots anyway (I rarely use boots or leg protection for anything to be honest .... I know, shock horror, lol!)

Will continue with the rain dance .. apologies to those enjoying all this heat but I want some rain now, lol :)
 
As a native Autralian having to travel horses in sometimes 40+ degree days in summer, we simply bought bags of ice and put them into haynets. These where then tied up inside just under the ventilators at the front the the trailer thus cool air onto the horses. Also used to hose down the outside of the trailer just prior to loading the horse to get the heat out of the metal. Never hosed down the horses prior as we found if they we already hot then they would seem to be to be 'steam fried' once they got into the trailer. Horses were always travelled naked and seemed to cope fairly well. On arrival at their destination then they were then cold hosed, scrapped off and hosed again and left to cool off for a while prior to riding.
 
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