Questions about travelling a horse??

S

Stella

Well-Known Member
Joined
18 May 2003
Messages
1,084
Visit site
My mare seems quite happy travelling in my box. She loads easily, doesn't sweat up and is quiet. However, she doesn't eat on it, not even a tip bit! It bothers me, should I worry?

Secondly, although I've travelled her a fair bit to trainers etc, I have only just begun taking her to shows and I find myself wondering how long its reasonable to ask a horse to stand on a box after a class (e.g. whilst grabbing a drink and waiting for scores etc). They have so little option for movement in that position, that bothers me too, should I worry?
 
if she's hungry enough, she'll eat, i wouldn't worry about that.
as long as she can see a bit of what's going on, and has a haynet in case she gets peckish, i wouldn't worry. she'd stand still in her stable or in the field for hours, without you worrying.
although... if she's on her own in your box, is it possible to remove the partition to give her a bit more room if she has to stand there for ages? just a thought. i used to give my old mare the whole (3 horse) box when she went alone to events, and leave her loose when we had to wait for prizegivings (sometimes for about 4 hours!)... all fine until we got back once and realised, from the bedding on her rugs, that she'd obviously had a roll... eek!
 
Dont worry about the eating thing my mare doesnt eat at all in the box either. I dont know about the standing in the box though my friend lets hers stand about half an hour whilst she checks the classes and registers and stuff so im not sure!
 
My old boy was like this but he also wouldnt eat hard feed for about 24hours after travelling to shows when he was younger. We think he suffered from travel sickness but more likely it was stress although he didnt sweat up travelling. We just used to turn him straight out into the field when we got home and feed him in the morning. It felt really cruel but it was best for him! I actually found he was better if I lunged him for 10 minutes before I travelled him. he grew out of it but if he ever got really stressy at shows he wouldnt eat till the following evening and then he would only pick at it! I suppose I just got used to his quirks.
 
Mine don't eat when travelling - and I think that stands for most horses. However, they eat the moment we stop - even at traffic lights sometimes! I wouldn't worry about it.

Also, I think its fine to leave your horse in the box. Stables are pretty confined anyway and most horses dont do much movement in them. At events, particularly when its raining, all the horses tend to stay in the box and even be studded in there just before coming out and being got straight onto. Those with multiple horses have theirs waiting inside fine all day! So in other words, I wouldnt worry - although maybe you could widen the partition to give more space if your very concerned?
 
thanks for the replies, it does help to hear about others experiences and realise its not that unusual for her not to be eating. dozziesmum - Its not just while we are moving though, she won't eat anything at all on the box! I've only done one show so far and I let her graze in hand for a while after my class. She was very happy doing that! Then I loaded her and left her on the box for about 30 minutes. It will probably need to be about 1 hour tomorrow. I wouldn't leave her more than 90 minutes though because the space is more restricted than in a stable and I won't leave her in that for more than a few hours due to chronic severe lymphangitis (she is out day and night and it keeps her healthy). I do have the partition on the wider setting because I only carry her. She is 650kilo and I only have 800 kilo payload after fuel and water! As its the Renault Master 3.5 tonne side loader, I can't leave her without a partition when waiting as I couldn't shut the botton door and she would be a bit too 'out there' for my peace of mind!

You have put my mind more at rest though, cheers
smile.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top