Overheating when travelling

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HelenPassfield

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My horse has a tendancy to overheat when travelling, he has always done this to an extent but seems to be getting worse. He is an experienced traveller (generally goes out about twice a week during the summer and extensively prior to me owning him) and does not seem to get distressed, I rarely hear him moving about or making any noise and he happily eats his haylege on the way. He did slip once a couple of months ago but never before or since. When we arrive it doesn't really matter what we're doing whether it be a lesson, clinic, beach ride or event for example it doesn't seem to affect his performance in any way.

This happens whatever the season and I have tried various combinations or rugged/ unrugged/different types of rugs/ coolers etc but to no avail. At the moment he is hunter clipped and reasonably fit considering the ground and weather conditions just now. When he is travelling with companions they will arrive cool and him still overheated.

He is a 16hh angolo arab gelding and is 20 years old.

He travels in a 3 horse lorry in the middle partition with rubber matting and a covering of shavings.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.
 
Try playing around with the boots. My youngster was overheating when he started to travel and I changed his back boots to stable bandages on the basis that he might be stressing about the boots..it worked!
 
Thanks for the replies all.

I think I will give no boots a go, or perhaps try something like thermatex wraps that will be breathable.

I wish I could do something more with the ventilation in the lorry. I travel with all windows open as far as possible but that's all there is. I am thinking of having the lorry refurbished a bit this year as I've had it a long time so this is something I will ask about when it goes in to see whether anything can be improved.

Thanks again.
 
Interesting you say he is an Anglo Arab. My Arab x pony always gets warm when travelling even though he is very relaxed about it all. I've never had an arab/part arab before, but he definitely feels the cold far less than my others including my very hairy sec A. I travel mine without a rug and give him a chaser clip even if he isn't doing much in the winter as he just gets too sweaty on the odd time he does go somewhere (he looks like he's been throwing himself around in the lorry even though I know he hasn't moved a muscle while travelling!).
 
That's very interesting and my horse sounds very similar. Although I've had him about 7 years and have never had another part or full bred arab, he does get hotter than any of my others even a small hairy pony belonging to my daughter. He also gets hot when ridden even when fit, hunter clipped and in winter.
 
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