How far would you take a horse in a trailer

Flicker51

Flicker51

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A friend of mine is contemplating taking her pony on a long journey - 160 miles ish - and is considering using the trailer. I think for that distance a box would be more comfortable for the horse but she thinks it will be ok as he travels well and its mainly motorway mile. What do others think [ nb - I didnt say 'discuss' :p
 
The longest I've done Doncaster to Hickstead 250miles ish with the pony in the trailer. It took just short of 7 hours though because of an accident on the motorway. Ours didn't mind but he's a very good traveller xx
 
I've done a journey of 100 miles each way (same day) in the trailer without issues.

I also know of someone who drove from Perth to Malvern (three counties show ground) in a trailer too!

I do agree that they travel better in a wagon, but if the horse travels well, and its mainly motorway you should be ok.
 
I don't think it's too far at all :confused: If I had the choice of using a lorry or a trailer, I'd choose the lorry every time, but if all I had was a trailer, it wouldn't stop me travelling.
 
I much prefer to travel horses in my ifor 510 trailer than in a horse box. They seem to travel better and it is much smoother, the ramp is less steep and the discovery I use to pull it is incredibly smooth running. It is impossible to jerk the trailer about. One of my liveries had a big horse box, and the horses used to bounce around all over and get sweated up in it. Put me right off the larger type of horseboxes. Though it may have been her driving.
 
Thanks to everyone for your replies - would you normally rest after 2 hours or so - pony a bit special in that he cant eat hay on the move [ dont ask !!]
 
That's nothing. I drove my Friesian from Friesland in north Holland back to Brussels which is a good 4 hours and friends have driven horses back from Germany to England in a trailer :confused:
 
Flicker51 said:
Thanks to everyone for your replies - would you normally rest after 2 hours or so - pony a bit special in that he cant eat hay on the move [ dont ask !!]
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Yes, if the horse could not eat on the move then I am sure it would be more comfortable if you stop for 20 minutes or so and offer it hay and water.
 
I probably wouldn't rest for that sort of journey, but it depends on the horse. Mind would get impatient if we stopped & they were standing on the trailer, so I'd probably keep going. Mine don't eat when they're moving either.

If the journey was going to be 4+ hours, then yes I would stop.
 
I wouldn't worry at all about 160/miles- that's only around 3 hours travelling.

We've taken ours 250 + miles in the trailer and not ever had an issue.

I wouldn't bother to stop for a 3 hour journey either; generally we only stop if going 5 hours +.
 
Longest journey I've done with any of mine have done was 1,300 miles. Left at 3am, arrived 20 hours later. Made 3 or 4 stops on the way. Many of my others have travelled further but in a box rather than trailer.
 
my friends competition horse recently had very bad pneumonia and many visits to the vets and very heavy duty treatment. her specialist vet was discussing travelling and advises you do not travel the horse with a haynet, she says the horse has to breathe in whats coming out of the net because he can't get away from it, my friend said what about if he's travelling a long way, and upto 4 hours she says no hay, she alao said people get hung up about the horse constantly eating and she says it doesn't eat constently for 24hrs he will stop himself and rest. She also told her to keep the wagon as dust free as possible.
Oh and my friend either soaks or steams all her horses hay and vet still said no!!
I have a horse who has had ulcers and I have always travelled with a net, for the reasons above he now doesn't and he is actually fine and it does not worry him at all. Actually don't think he eats while travelling, usually waits till I stop. So wouldn't worry about the hay unless there is some other serious reason he needs a net, even then it could be given right upto leaving and as soon as he arrives.
 
mjcssjw2 said:
my friends competition horse recently had very bad pneumonia and many visits to the vets and very heavy duty treatment. her specialist vet was discussing travelling and advises you do not travel the horse with a haynet, she says the horse has to breathe in whats coming out of the net because he can't get away from it, my friend said what about if he's travelling a long way, and upto 4 hours she says no hay, she alao said people get hung up about the horse constantly eating and she says it doesn't eat constently for 24hrs he will stop himself and rest. She also told her to keep the wagon as dust free as possible.
Oh and my friend either soaks or steams all her horses hay and vet still said no!!
I have a horse who has had ulcers and I have always travelled with a net, for the reasons above he now doesn't and he is actually fine and it does not worry him at all. Actually don't think he eats while travelling, usually waits till I stop. So wouldn't worry about the hay unless there is some other serious reason he needs a net, even then it could be given right upto leaving and as soon as he arrives.
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this!
also youcant se in a trailer if the horse is choking or eating fine. not worth the risk for just a couple of hours. He wont die if he doesnt eat for a few hours, he might if he does.
As for stopping to give hime food, you are just prolonging the journey - increasing the time spent in the trailer which was the concern in the first place!
 
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I am also facing a longish journey (2.5 hours) in a trailer with a horse who is at best an OK traveller.

Re the hay, what I have decided is to have a small net of haylage (she gets a small amount every day) - I have noticed that if we get caught in traffic she may have a quick 'snack' and it keeps her calmer. I always think that haylage is more dust free and less dry. Thats my compromise!
 
Regularly used to go from Central Scotland to the West Midlands - about 350 miles with one or two in an IF. No problems at all, if it was very hot (as it was on one trip) stopped about every hour and give them a sponge down. Always gave a haynet of soaked hay or haylage, and although the trip would regularly take 7 hours (taking into account stops of about 20 minutes every 2 hours) the net was never finished.

One memorable trip involved going to Central Scotland from West Midlands just after Hogmany one year with horse on one side of trailer and a double bed on the other! Got all the way there no problem despite snow forecast, until 200 yards from yard which was up a very steep hill and there was a snow drift across the track - horse had to back out of trailer which he had NEVER done (and therefore it took about 20 minutes to persuade him) and then get him to walk through 3 feet of snow! He went out in the field next day and had a great hooley round in the snow!
 
For many years, I used my single Ifor to take my Arab the 350 mile round trip to Malvern from Central Scotland. Night travelling is much better than day, especially in summer, and certainly regular stops with a chance to drink and have some well dampened food and some fruit/veg means no dehydration. Good Luck.
 
took my 2 in trailer from epsom to aberdeen mare was about 28 at the time, as both good loaders and travellers took them out and walked them round at 3 spaced out stops helps to know the route / motorway services with picnic areas! i travel without bandages as i feel they can flex and rest ther legs better without constriction, advice work out when the heavy traffic is and avoid it nothing worse than getting stuck in a jam and stop start travel is no fun for you and the horse
 
I've travelled my tb over 350 miles in a day before now when going to a new loan home.
He travelled in a trailer with no partition but cross tied (he was a bit special and freaked with a partition, fine without). Because of the distance and to check and swap drivers we stopped every 2 hours of so for about 15 minutes each time, gave us a break and a chance to offer water etc.

I do give haylage when travelling, never hay and I tie it at chest height, never about their withers so that they don't have the dust coming down and into their lungs - travelling with dusty hay tied at head height can cause pneumonia from inhaling the dust.

Have travelled 120 miles several times with sick horses and even they coped fine.

I would use a lorry if possible out of preference but they travel fine in a trailer so long as its not massivley windy
 
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