Does your horses eat when travelling?

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Vodkagirly

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First trip out in my own trailer today :) Have got a camera fitted as he isn't a great traveller and want to make sure he is ok. The interesting thing I found is that he doesn't eat hay when we are moving, is this normal? he looked fairly relaxed and had a go at the licky thing I hung up and normally he is a pig.
He also doesn't drink at venues. Not to much of a problem today for a half day sj in the cold but in the heat of the summer eventing, I would like him to have some liquid. I figure if I need to down a couple of bottles he must need something to. How can I encourage him to drink more?
 
Hi - I am certainly no expert but don't panic! One of mine - an ex 3* eventer NEVER eats while travelling (won't even eat a carrot once loaded) and the only time i have got him to drink at any event is when it was nearly 30 degrees! My other horse never stops stuffing his face. They are all different. With the non-drinker i have tried numerous products to entice him but to no avail...others have had more success with Horse Quencher so might be worth trying? otherwise if he eats once you arrive at an event - soak his hay? Good luck!
 
Neither of my 2 will eat whilst travelling. They will only eat on the trailer if stopped for a long time.

As for drinking, they don't do that either. If I'm worried I will get a clean damp sponge and smear it round their lips - they invariably take a little on that way!!
 
most, a high percentage will not drink for the first 4/5 hours of a trip despite being offered. A lot will not eat while on the move and nearly all will not pee un till stationary. As a rule as transporters we try to stop for a coffee every 4/6 hours if only to let them pee!
 
Pidge will eat hay when travelling quite happily. But I had great problems getting to drink, especially when eventing as out for long periods but still wouldn't drink away from home.
Now use this http://www.horsequencher.co.uk/index.html make it when I get there so it sits for a couple of hours, and touch wood he drinks this every time we're out.
 
My TB won't touch a haynet either when travelling, or even when he's tied up to the trailer once we get to the venue. He's not the keenest of travellers so maybe that is why.
 
Our cob will eat happily enough when travelling and at events but wont drink.

At one day shows it doesn't really matter, I let her eat a bit of grass and squirt water into her mouth from a drinks bottle.

It really became a problem at the three day championships.

The only thing I could get her to drink from a bucket was sugar beet water. I could still squirt water from a bottle too. Strangely she was happy enough to drink from the hosepipes (she does that at home)
 
my boy wont eat whilst travelling, waiting in box or stood tied up out side, nor will he drink, he turns his nose up at mints/apples/carrots when we travel.

sloppy sugar beet seems to work though so i now take this and offer him a little inbetween classes if there is a long wait and at the end of the competition whilst we have something to eat before heading home.

It doesnt overly worry me if it is a couple of hours but last week we left the yard at 1pm and didnt get home till after 7pm, & in the summer with showing and jumping we can be away all day.
 
Mine stuffs his face travelling but then he's a pretty cool dude in the box. My old horse Herbie never used to eat, he was a perfect traveller but I just think inside he was feeling excited about going to a show so he wouldnt eat. My late mare would eat when she was with another horse but if she was on her own she wouldnt eat as she was a little more nervous on her own.
They were all good travellers :).
 
Mine eats when travelling, and I like to make it as appetising as possible for them TO eat when travelling, as not can be an indicator of a sore tummy due to the stress of travelling....mine has chaff before she's onboard, to make sure she has something to "buffer" her stomach, and is actually a good eater whilst travelling and will eat hay/hayledge freely. My old horse didn't eat much when travelling, and was a suspected ulcer sufferer, and so he used to have a second breakfast when we got to shows to keep feed going through him.
 
He stuffs his face when first on board . . . but for the first 20 mins or so of travelling, he is too busy looking around and calling to whoever might be out there to eat . . . then he settles down and eats.

Honestly, I wouldn't worry about whatever your boy does . . . he won't starve ;).

P
 
Nice to know other horses don't eat when travelling, not sure it makes me feel better though. He isn't a good loader and I feel like if he was going in for a good munch he would be a bit better.
Looks like I need a bucket of sugar beet for the next outing, thanks
 
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