Long journey advice

[neverenoughtea]

Hi there, we have qualified for a couple of exciting BE champs in 2022 but they are a lonnnng way from us in Edinburgh. The first is in Solihull in February. Approx 300 miles. The second is Badminton in May, approx 360 miles. I have a 28 year old IW HB401 and a 2008 BMW X3. Both are very well serviced and do us well but I’m sure you can probably by now appreciate my quandary…

Do you think this is too far to travel with the set up I have? If you were to travel this far how long would you take to make the journey, how many breaks and how many days to recover before competing would you leave? Solihull is the Arena Jump Series and Badminton is the grassroots eventing.

I’m (unfortunately!) not in a position to buy a new gig, and I don’t have my 7.5t licence.

Horse is a nice 16.1hh sports horse and is happy to travel alone but this will be the longest he’s ever travelled on his own.

Any advice very welcome!

 

[Merry neddy man]

£300 ish to hire a 3:5 ton box for the weekend as an alternative.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

Some eventers drive all the way to spain with their horses, I can't imagine it will be an issue - it's approx 6-7 hours all being well for 300 miles.. I would just make sure to offer the horse plenty of water along the way and a load of hay. You could always ontact a venue or a big livery yard halfway and ask whether you could unload and leg stretch/hand graze him en route..

 

[chaps89]

If you’re worried about your set up I’d echo the suggestion of hiring a 3.5t. Maybe hire beforehand for a local trip so you can get used to it and check horse travels ok.
Or make sure car and trailer are freshly serviced and if neither are normally prone to issues, go with what you have.

I understand the point that’s pros travel a long way, but they and the horses do that a lot and will be used to it, so I do think it is different for us normal horsey folk.

Personally I’d maybe aim to get there so you can both have the day before completely off and again have a day off after competing before then travelling home, as well as a day or two off once back. But I am quite cautious so others might well just crack on!

 

[Britestar]

You'll be absolutely fine. Solihull you can do in a day, maybe Badminton you can stop overnight somewhere on the way down.

I've been making similar journeys for years. ( Bury farm from Aberdeenshire). The horses settle well, as long you drive normally. We try and arrive a day or two before the competition to give them plenty of time to recover.

Refuelling/ toilet stops, always offer water. We'll often pull into a carpark area and remove the worst of the muck too, then top up haynets.

 

[MidChristmasCrisis]

My pony club friends hire 3.5t to travel down to competitions in England/Ireland…I would prefer that to trailering but breaks need to factored in anyway.

 

[sunnyone]

Some thoughts (I've done a lot of miles with and without the horses).

Take another driver with you so that you can share the jobs out, and go off to the loos without worrying if everything will be safe whilst you are gone.

Use the best roads available, even if they aren't the shortest for your route.

Do not rely on puncture kits to get you out of trouble, carry spare wheels for both car and trailer.
Make sure your breakdown service will cover you if need be.

When driving plan to take a break every couple of hours or so.Also keep a cold drink for yourself handy.

 

[GreyDot]

I'd definitely look into hiring a 3.5t. If the weather is against you on the day, a van drives a lot nicer than a car and trailer. The only issue is if you are not staying on site and at a local B&B or hotel, make sure they have accessible parking for the van! But I would definitely think about hiring one for such a special occasion.

 

[J&S]

An idea from another angle: I took my coloured mare to the Rc Champs in Lincoln from Devon some years ago. I was the only one from my club so I teamed up with another club and we hired a really big lorry. I met them at an arranged convenient point with my own transport, transferred and on we went.
Could you team up with any other qualified people?

 

[rara007]

I’m used to long travel (Did 850 miles each way in October, 435 each way in July as my longest this year but have done 1200 each way before (All of these in a 3.5 or 4.5 tonne) 332 including a ferry crossing so still a long days travel being my longest in 7.5 tonne and 1100 in a HGV. I wouldn’t do that far in a trailer- I used to limit it to 150 miles but my pony was mid teens at that point. I’d look a hiring a box if at all affordable, one with living would seem ideal.
I break roughly every 3 hours but only for short periods- offer water (with mash in if unlikely to drink), and human refuel.
Check what times the stable field is open, Id look at travelling overnight if you do need to use the trailer.

 

[neverenoughtea]

Thanks everyone. Thoughts on hiring a 3.5t over taking my car and trailer - what is the reason for suggesting this? Is it more comfortable for the horse?

 

[neverenoughtea]

An idea from another angle: I took my coloured mare to the Rc Champs in Lincoln from Devon some years ago. I was the only one from my club so I teamed up with another club and we hired a really big lorry. I met them at an arranged convenient point with my own transport, transferred and on we went.
Could you team up with any other qualified people?

This is a possibility I’m looking into too!

 

[neverenoughtea]

Some thoughts (I've done a lot of miles with and without the horses).

Take another driver with you so that you can share the jobs out, and go off to the loos without worrying if everything will be safe whilst you are gone.

Use the best roads available, even if they aren't the shortest for your route.

Do not rely on puncture kits to get you out of trouble, carry spare wheels for both car and trailer.
Make sure your breakdown service will cover you if need be.

When driving plan to take a break every couple of hours or so.Also keep a cold drink for yourself handy.

Great advice thank you

 

[neverenoughtea]

My pony club friends hire 3.5t to travel down to competitions in England/Ireland…I would prefer that to trailering but breaks need to factored in anyway.

Do you know if she hires from bear Edinburgh?

 

[PeterNatt]

I would make sure that you not only have two spare wheels on board but also have full breakdwn insurance cover from a reputable company such as The Organisation of Horsebox and Trailer Owners. If you hire then make sure that that has the above as well.

 

[irishdraft]

I travelled a horse about 380 miles approx in my trailer iw510 and my ancient land Rover defender . All was fine we stopped at the services but horse was fine and he came off the trailer at journeys end with no problem . He was a young ID I was selling he had only travelled in my trailer so I decided to deliver him myself rather than put him on a share horsebox which the buyers wanted to do bearing in mind he was 18.2hh and very green so was very pleased I had stuck to the set up he was used to .

 

[neverenoughtea]

Do you know if she hires from bear Edinburgh?

*near

I travelled a horse about 380 miles approx in my trailer iw510 and my ancient land Rover defender . All was fine we stopped at the services but horse was fine and he came off the trailer at journeys end with no problem . He was a young ID I was selling he had only travelled in my trailer so I decided to deliver him myself rather than put him on a share horsebox which the buyers wanted to do bearing in mind he was 18.2hh and very green so was very pleased I had stuck to the set up he was used to .

that’s really good to hear, thanks

 

[AmyMay]

Thanks everyone. Thoughts on hiring a 3.5t over taking my car and trailer - what is the reason for suggesting this? Is it more comfortable for the horse?

Yep.

 

[Sossigpoker]

Yep.

I wouldn't travel long distance with a trailer as the horse will feel more movement in a trailer than in a decent lorry so will be working really hard to balance. If finances allow , I would really recommend hiring a decent 3.5T and if the horse loads and travels well, maybe organise a comfort break or two where he can come out , move around and have a bit of grass.
Yes the professionals drive to Spain etc but they won't be doing that with a trailer.

 

[rara007]

Between the axels on a lorry is best.

 

[LEC]

Or borrow a trailer with suspension. Not all trailers are equal. I have a cheval herringbone and there is a big difference into how horses come off that vs a ifor. I do have an ifor but it’s only used for short journeys.

 

[MidChristmasCrisis]

Sorry neverenoughtea left the iPad….possibly as Stirling based..I actually never asked…