Long journey advice

Michen

Michen

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I am taking my 3 year old gelding on what will be a 14 hour trailer drive (we are stopping overnight of course). Trailer is a totally enclosed but large, slant load.

Other than omeprazole the day before and days of and day after travel, and a syringe of electrolytes, is there anything else I should be thinking about?

I could probably fill a bucket half full and clip it somewhere so he has constant access. Good or bad idea?

We will need to do 7 hours each day. I’ll probably need to refuel every few hours anyway so he will get a break then, and I’ll offer water if I don’t clip a bucket up. Do I need to be stopping properly for any length of time to let him rest or is a couple of 20 min breaks over 7 hours ok?

Last time pony travelled was a similar distance and all in one go no overnight stop, but he was in a box stall travelled loose so it would have been an easier journey for him. I’ve never travelled a horse this far before so a little unsure on how to go about it!
 
I would stop every 3/4 hours and feed chaff for 10 mins and a sloppy tasty water - even with ad lib hay it’s useful to add a matting to the stomach. Mine don’t eat half as much when they travel. Lots of bedding so they can wee and if at all possible I wouldn’t tie up and would give them space to move round and feed from the floor so they can keep draining their sinuses. Kind of like a bit of a loose box. The horse can then put themselves in a comfort position for them.
 
LEC said:
I would stop every 3/4 hours and feed chaff for 10 mins and a sloppy tasty water - even with ad lib hay it’s useful to add a matting to the stomach. Mine don’t eat half as much when they travel. Lots of bedding so they can wee and if at all possible I wouldn’t tie up and would give them space to move round and feed from the floor so they can keep draining their sinuses. Kind of like a bit of a loose box. The horse can then put themselves in a comfort position for them.
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So chaff doesn’t actually exist here! But I can make him something sloppy.

I could remove the partition and travel him loose but I had heard that people don’t recommend that if you don’t have “air ride”, some suspension thing, on your trailer which mine doesn’t.

I’d also then need to be careful opening the ramp which is a sideways swing door as he could come charging out.. I don’t know him very well! Similarly could make loading tricky to get him on and then shut the ramp before he decides to come off.

So pros and cons I guess… hmm.

Thank you!!
 
I did 7 1/2 hours this summer down to the new forest, travelled tied up as normal with a net and stopped around 3 1/2 hours and gave her a recovery mash and a new net. Amber was fine and happy when we got there, she was turned straight out so could get her head down.
I took a better route home, which was 4 1/2 hours, and to be honest, we did it in one go as she seemed fine on the camera, and we were so close to home it didn't make sense to stop.
I'd ask the locals for advice as they're all used to travelling longer distances than we are in the UK.
 
I’d try and bang out as much time on the cold side as possible, the warmer it gets outside the better it will be to stop for water breaks etc maybe
 
Can you soak a net? When we take the horses to holkham on holiday granted only about 3 1/2 hours ish, we soak hay nets so they get liquid from that as they do not drink when we stop half way 🤷‍♀️
 
Don't tie up, travel loose if possible.

Feed a sloppy mash (a handful is fine) little and often (I like triple crown senior) and give the only chaff I know of in USA Triple Crown Alfalfa Forage Blend too.

I'd offer water at stops if possible vs hanging a bucket.

You can talk to your vet about possibly tubing him with water/lytes/epsom salts before travel also if he's a stressy sort (we routinely did the long travel TBs)
 
Yeah I just don’t know if travelling him loose is safe? Or do you mean just loose within the partition. Not sure I can do that as there’s quite a big gap that a determined horse could climb under. I feel like trailers with box stalls are properly reinforced and goose neck I don’t know. But the trailer is steel so guess it’s pretty solid…

Unsure if it will cause sway etc if he moves around too.. it’s a bumper pull. And it’s a big two horses warmblood size one so he’d have a lot of room to move around.

I’d hope his manners are good enough that I can open the swing door a crack to get a halter on him without him barging out but I’ve never travelled him so really don’t know how he will be. He was pretty chilled when he got here though.
 
Carry plenty of water and hay with you for emergencies, not just what you need for a 7 hour trip. As others have said, sloppy mash of some sort.

I always carry a sedative when travelling one of mine as he's a numpty. It's mainly there just in case we have a breakdown and he has to off load and onto a strange vehicle at the road side. Do you have any break down cover or number to call in an emergency?

Make sure the air pressure is correct for all the tyres including the spares for both the vehicle and the trailer. Especially if you don't have breakdown cover, have a jack for the trailer incase you need to change a wheel and a long wheel brace that can actually undo the nuts. I had a lot more punctures in the US than the UK. Luckily someone always stopped to help me which was heart warming but also a little worrying as they were strangers.

My youngster was travelled loose when I bought him but the Eric Gillies lorry was specially designed for that. I wouldn't do it in my trailer, apart from anything else they can potentially turn round and stick their head out the back :eek: but your trailer will be different to mine.

Overnight put hay on the floor, one of mine arrived with a nasty infection (loosely called shipping fever) when travelled from Germany, you can reduce the chance of this by encouraging the head to be down over night so the sinuses can drain.

Good luck!
 
Sedative incase of breakdown is a great idea thanks I have just text my vet for some.

I am going to buy breakdown cover before we leave! It’s different here though, they just tow you with your horse on board I think… at least that’s how the only horsey coverage company I can find reads.
 
I fairly regularly do 8 hr trips.
I stop when I need fuel, then offer water and check they've enough hay/ haylage.
I don't unload, but will poo pick if it's safe to do.
Offer carrots as well.
They really don't bother that much.
As long as they have a nice stable to overnight in, they are quite happy.
 
Michen said:
Yeah I just don’t know if travelling him loose is safe? Or do you mean just loose within the partition. Not sure I can do that as there’s quite a big gap that a determined horse could climb under. I feel like trailers with box stalls are properly reinforced and goose neck I don’t know. But the trailer is steel so guess it’s pretty solid…

Unsure if it will cause sway etc if he moves around too.. it’s a bumper pull. And it’s a big two horses warmblood size one so he’d have a lot of room to move around.

I’d hope his manners are good enough that I can open the swing door a crack to get a halter on him without him barging out but I’ve never travelled him so really don’t know how he will be. He was pretty chilled when he got here though.
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Tie him as loosely as possible so he can put his head down. Or maybe open up the partition at stops and let him put his head down to drink/eat for 10mins? Feed from the ground at your overnight and for a few days after?
 
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druid said:
Tie him as loosely as possible so he can put his head down. Or maybe open up the partition at stops and let him put his head down to drink/eat for 10mins? Feed from the ground at your overnight and for a few days after?
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Yeh I think the issue is a determined Atlas if too loose could climb through the gap in the partition. Or I could put him in the end space as he’s unlikely to try and climb further in to the trailer, but it’s very roomy and he could try and turn around.

Hmmm! I mean I think he will be sensible but I don’t know him well enough nor have I ever trailered him.

Sounds like a recipe for disaster doesn’t it. I’ll definitely get his head down as often as possible to clear his lungs out.
 
Michen said:
I am taking my 3 year old gelding on what will be a 14 hour trailer drive (we are stopping overnight of course). Trailer is a totally enclosed but large, slant load.

Other than omeprazole the day before and days of and day after travel, and a syringe of electrolytes, is there anything else I should be thinking about?

I could probably fill a bucket half full and clip it somewhere so he has constant access. Good or bad idea?

We will need to do 7 hours each day. I’ll probably need to refuel every few hours anyway so he will get a break then, and I’ll offer water if I don’t clip a bucket up. Do I need to be stopping properly for any length of time to let him rest or is a couple of 20 min breaks over 7 hours ok?

Last time pony travelled was a similar distance and all in one go no overnight stop, but he was in a box stall travelled loose so it would have been an easier journey for him. I’ve never travelled a horse this far before so a little unsure on how to go about it!
Click to expand...
Can you take the partitions out safely? use masses of straw, and travel loose? Sounds like a really good space (Wearing a halter, top doors definitely closed, is often safest / less stressful for youngsters and ferals, he’ll soon balance up and lower his head)
Plenty of soaked hay, stops to rest for sloppy mashes and water are better than hanging water, because likely get spilt or splash up pony’s nose if he tried to drink from it.
Spare fodder/ equipment, rugs and coolers as necessary, in case of emergencies.
ACP sedative on standby, but if he’s already stressed out, sedatives don’t always help as you might want.
Basic first aid kit, emergency contacts as per usual trips, you might be more worried than him!
Sounds potentially scenic, have a good trip
 
If I do a journey that is over 4 hours, I plan to stop and allow them some time to head down drain their sinuses. For an experienced horse that may mean planning to unload somewhere safe and a few minutes to pick at grass/pee. For a youngster I'd just have bedding for pee and feed a sloppy feed from the floor whilst hand holding the rope.

For safety, I'd travel in the normal way, tied up so they can't get in a tangle.
 
I used to have to travel from one end of the country to the other for work and also took ours from Poole to Spain with overnight stops.
The rules at work said stop every 2 hours or so. Why? Because your concentration goes and your muscles will start to ache , you also need to rehydrate properly. If you personally arrive fresh and not exhausted then the horse will almost certainly be as well.
I would also suggest you ensure you have a travelling companion, preferably another driver. You do not want to leave a trailer alone at anytime,(too many chance thieves around) let alone with a horse inside; nor do you want to do as I did, I slipped and cracked my elbow whilst reloading the horses and found I could not hold a steering wheel with 1400 miles to go.
 
Michen said:
Yeh I think the issue is a determined Atlas if too loose could climb through the gap in the partition. Or I could put him in the end space as he’s unlikely to try and climb further in to the trailer, but it’s very roomy and he could try and turn around.

Hmmm! I mean I think he will be sensible but I don’t know him well enough nor have I ever trailered him.

Sounds like a recipe for disaster doesn’t it. I’ll definitely get his head down as often as possible to clear his lungs out.
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Get him used to taking apples and carrots in water, it gets them to take water on board
 
So I'm imagining US travel is like Aus. You get on the motorway and just cruise, smooth and straight (in general) which is much easier for horses than English stop start, turning drives.

In Aus I'd do 5.5-6hrs in 1 go with a stop for fuel and for the car engine to cool. Horse always travelled fine (he was a good traveller) and seemed fine at the other end. It was a straight load trailer with the partition on a full angle and he'd spread his back legs for balance and lean back on the padded rear full width breastbar (rump bar?) and that was him set, he not shift till I lowered the ramp at the end of the journey (trailer had a big front window so I could see him I'm my rear view mirror).
I'd tie him up loosely so he'd have lots of room to move his head and neck (sideways and up & down), but wasn't loose. I wouldn't unload when you stop because of the dangers of getting loose/not loading again. Also if he's got himself comfortably braced you might upset that.

On your slant/angle load can you shift the partitions to make the space wider? So he's still securely between partitions but has more room to shift into what he finds most comfortable and spread his legs for balance?

I'd offer water at stops but he'd never drink but would eat a few juice apples.
At hot times of the year I'd travel overnight or leave well before dawn to beat the heat.

I always carried a strong hydraulic jack that would lift the car or trailer, with horse on board, if I needed to change a tyre (maybe don't try with a horse likely to fidget/rock the trailer).

Then there us the obvious (maybe?) stuff like carry plenty of food and water for both of you, and some water for the car radiator. First aid kit, high viz jacket, sunblock or extra thermals and rugs (which ever applies).
 
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No food while travelling,can cause choke
Feed and water on the ground for a few days,aids drainage of lungs etc
We travel horses all over Australia,rarely have any issues.
 
Could you get a camera installed so you can check on him as you drive? I found it really reassuring and made me realise that I was worrying unecessarily about how mine travelled.
 
Wow I’ve never heard of the choke thing. Have always travelled horses with a haynet. Can’t imagine leaving him with no food that long!

Re camera I don’t have time to get one properly installed but my stable cam may work if it hot spots off my phone, I’ll work that out!

Decided I’ll defo keep partition in.

Thanks everyone for the advice have taken lots on board!!!
 
Michen said:
Wow I’ve never heard of the choke thing. Have always travelled horses with a haynet. Can’t imagine leaving him with no food that long!

Re camera I don’t have time to get one properly installed but my stable cam may work if it hot spots off my phone, I’ll work that out!

Decided I’ll defo keep partition in.

Thanks everyone for the advice have taken lots on board!!!
Click to expand...

We feed the TBs on long journeys routinely, including flying!
 
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