Do's and Don'ts for the first time long distance traveller?

[EMC]

We're picking up Fred the pointer on the 25th May and wondered if anybody had any travelling tips?

I know he will load into a large horsebox as he has raced but I'm unsure if he will load into a trailer and his owner isn't sure either. Also I have only ever travelled a horse with a trainer, only ever in a lorry and usually to a race only a short distance away.

We contemplated having a horse transport company pick him up but the costs were a bit too high so we will be hiring a trailer and towing it ourselves.

This will be a first for both of us but financially its either that or he travels with other horses en-route which could take even longer to account for other drop offs. Also this way we can take our time loading etc (all weekend if necessary!) just incase and I like the thought of us both being there to reassure him.

The journey is 3 and a half hours by car so this will be quite a long hike for the poor boy.

So......what do you recommend? Calmers/stops/comfort etc???

Thanks all, really appreciate all the advice I've had on here so far.

 

[GeeUp&Go]

Mine is used to travelling 1.5hrs to shows as there are none local. This weekend he travelled 5hrs on his own, no prob at all. As long as he is a good traveller and can shove his head in a massive haynet for the whole time and you drive steady, shouldnt that be enough?

To be fair, i havent heard of anyone using calmers etc at all, for any circumstance, so i dont know if they work

 

[CrazyMare]

I'd just keep going. If its hot I might stop to offer water once but find mine don't want it anyway.

Would damp the hay or give a bit of haylege

Mine are quite used to doing long journies and don't seem to bother at all

My only criteria is they must wear a leather head collar not synthetic

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

I would say lunge him first so tired him a little.

1. Maybe a little sedaline to relax him
2. check the tyre pressure before you go in the towing vehicle and the trailer
3. make sure he is booted up and a good tail guard as he will be pressing with his bum on the rear ramp.
4. take it nice a steady no sudden movements or braking if you can help it .
5. don't drive more than 50 on the motorway.
6. keep in the inside lane where possible
7. when you see a large vehicle overtaking hug the rumble strips as you will feel the suction less when they pass.
8. go nice and slow round roundabouts
9. careful on hills
10. try not to get too close the hedgerow in lanes as the noise could scare him.
11. make sure all the partitions etc a firmly locked in position

hope this helps


good luck .

 

[tinap]

^^ agree with what others have said. I wouldn't stop, I'd just do it in one go & make sure he has a big haynet & is booted up. I would also make sure he isn't too hot if the weather is nice .we have a skylight thing on our trailer roof I tend to open if travelling far on a warm day aswell as a back top door although some don't like the noise of the traffic behind them.

Ours has travelled 7 hours in a trailer. We stopped once to offer water & on arrival he came off just as calm as he went on.

Have a safe journey xx

 

[rara007]

With the physical effort travelling is to them I'm not sure you'd want to lunge him first? A days travelling is the equivelent energy for the horse to a days hunting, apparently.
For 4ish hours I'd only stop if I needed to refuel, or coffee With only 1 in the trailer it'd be easy for you to offer him water, so I don't think there'd be much harm in that? I'd use minimum (none or brushing OR) boots and rugs, again most likely none. This is what all the pro transport companies advise and do if you use them, to make sure they don't get hot or pull boots down and slip or hot legs.