Flying horses

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louisem

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A bit of advice,please.
I have a horse staying with me,'in transit' who will leaving around the weekend. He'll have a 3hr drive followed by a 10hr flight and again a 3hr drive (with necessary stops of course!) I had to do all his paperwork etc and all is ready,on a practical note,how can I prepare HIM for his journey, (electrolights etc etc) that he arrives as healthy and happy as possible?
Thanks.
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I have to say most of the distance shippers I've known have said the less you mess with them the better. I'd be a bit careful about electrolytes, especially if the horse will be offered water rather than having it in front of it the whole way. It's unlikely to be a big deal to be honest but better safe than sorry. Same with oil etc - likely won't help, might hurt. Does his owner want him to have anything special?

Is he getting much grain? I have been told to cut horses down before shipping, especially if they've been getting a lot of concentrates. Lots of good hay instead.

Are you sending any water or hay with him? When I've taken horses away I have sometimes doctored their water if I think they might be reluctant drinkers but again, most horses drink what they're offered.

I would make sure he gets out if possible before he goes but travel is tiring so he doesn't need to be stressed in any way. If he can graze a bit that would be best.

Most of the horses that just went to HK walked off the plane and worked almost immediately, even the ones that hadn't done those long hauls before. So long as the shipper is good the horse should be fine.
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Thanks,more or less what I thought,future owner just stressing out I guess!!!
Horsey is in top nick and very fit will give jerry can of 'our' water and a haynet and a big good luck kiss!!!!
 
Well, I shipped PF to Argentina and did absolutely NO preparation at all
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HOWEVER, if I did it again I'd definitely give her probiotics on arrival (she dropped a lot of weight and the diet is quite different here to what she was used to in the UK) and bear in mind weather conditions at destination; will it be much warmer/colder?
 
Choc came over here from NZ with IRT via Syd, Singapore, Dubai (37 hours all in all as mainly standard) he was out and roughed off so he travelled just on roughage - however if this was a fit comp horse I would lessen its protein intake (hard feed) as it wont be needing energy if its in a crate, up its hay/haylage and offer it electros but chances are wont be bothered - basically for flying less is more unless its got to go straight into comp at the other end - no boots/tail guard flying grooms are very good at picking things up and looking after them - Choc stepped off at London Heathrow happy as larry - though little leg weiry as he had been "in motion" for a while - put him in the lorry knee deep in thick straw and no partitions - was fine.
 
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