Sweating when travelling?

[asaun05]

Hi all, just here seeking advice about my boy. He’s a black cob gelding and gets VERY hot and sweaty when travelling in the horse box. He travels impeccably and calmly, and all the windows are open so there should be enough air flow for him, but he always comes out of the box very hot and sweaty! At the moment it’s not that big of a deal because our outings are only a half hour away but we’re taking him to the beach in Norfolk in a couple of weeks which is a few hours away. He will be with a friend in the box to Norfolk, which he isn’t normally, so if it’s somehow an anxiety thing it should help. Though, for the past couple of weeks, he’s been hard to get in the box (travelling alone) so it may be that after all. But he unloads excellently and is awesome to handle and ride on outings themselves!! Weird!! Anyone experienced similar?

 

[View]

Oh there could be so many things going on here.

what size of lorry?
Forward/rear facing or herringbone?
Side or rear ramp?
Do you travel him on nearside or offside?
Does he appear to be struggling to balance?
Is he leaning against anything?
Have you checked the floor/walls/partition of the box?
Is the floor plain rubber or some bedding on top?
What type of suspension is on the biz?
When were the tyre pressures last checked?
When was the box last inspected and serviced?
Does it creak or rattle?
Does he have a haynet?
Do you put travel boots on?
Do you rug?
Is he tied up too short or too long - just feels different to him?

 

[asaun05]

Oh there could be so many things going on here.

what size of lorry?
Forward/rear facing or herringbone?
Side or rear ramp?
Do you travel him on nearside or offside?
Does he appear to be struggling to balance?
Is he leaning against anything?
Have you checked the floor/walls/partition of the box?
Is the floor plain rubber or some bedding on top?
What type of suspension is on the biz?
When were the tyre pressures last checked?
When was the box last inspected and serviced?
Does it creak or rattle?
Does he have a haynet?
Do you put travel boots on?
Do you rug?
Is he tied up too short or too long - just feels different to him?

 

[Bradsmum]

i have exactly the same scenario. Loads well, travels well and comes off the other end calmly but hot and sweaty. I've never found a reason for it and as we only travelled short distances I lived with it. However I travelled him from Surrey to the west of Wales, I was much more apprehensive than him but he was a star. Still sweaty when he came of but no issues from the longer journey. Perhaps some horses just do. Should add that I have tried various small changes over the years and never rug but it is always the same.

 

[asaun05]

Oh there could be so many things going on here.

what size of lorry?
Forward/rear facing or herringbone?
Side or rear ramp?
Do you travel him on nearside or offside?
Does he appear to be struggling to balance?
Is he leaning against anything?
Have you checked the floor/walls/partition of the box?
Is the floor plain rubber or some bedding on top?
What type of suspension is on the biz?
When were the tyre pressures last checked?
When was the box last inspected and serviced?
Does it creak or rattle?
Does he have a haynet?
Do you put travel boots on?
Do you rug?
Is he tied up too short or too long - just feels different to him?

- I don’t know the size but fits 2/3 horses or 4 ponies.
- Herringbone
- Rear ramp
- What do you mean? His partition is closest to living area so I can check on him regularly.
- He seems to balance fine, he doesn’t lean on either side partition unless it’s a sharp bend.
- Walls have windows so he can look out and see where he is, we use straw on the floor so it’s more comfortable for him, the partitions are sturdy and stable.
- I don’t know what that is.
- We have the box checked regularly, and nothing to be concerned of.
- We live in an area with quite bumpy roads, we travel slowly for this reason but it can get quite bumpy in the box, but nothing suggests that he gets stressed about it.
- Yes, he has plenty of hay in there every time we travel.
- No, he’s never liked having boots or anything around his legs (he used to be very sensitive about his legs) and I know he would get very stressed if he travelled with them on.
- We used to rug but he started getting hot and sweaty, so we stopped, and he’s cooled a bit but not enough.
- We’ve always tied him at the same length when we travel, so he has space to turn his head, eat his hay etc. He’s not restricted.

May just be because he likes having a friend in there, I’m pretty sure we’re taking one of our others on our next outing to test the theory.

 

[ownedbyaconnie]

Is he relatively fit and balanced? It’s a hard core workout travelling, bit like us standing on a bus without holding on.

 

[Nudibranch]

Mine sweats something awful in a box. No problems in a trailer. I think it's the difference in ventilation.
Incidentally, I would always give electrolytes afterwards as mine colicked due to the dehydration despite being well watered.

 

[asaun05]

Is he relatively fit and balanced? It’s a hard core workout travelling, bit like us standing on a bus without holding on.

we’re currently working on his fitness, as he isn’t extremely fit but isn’t unfit either if that makes sense?? And he’s only 5 (6 in a few days) so he’s still finding his balance but he’s a big stocky sturdy chap so he copes well.

 

[asaun05]

Mine sweats something awful in a box. No problems in a trailer. I think it's the difference in ventilation.
Incidentally, I would always give electrolytes afterwards as mine colicked due to the dehydration despite being well watered.

we always give him electrolytes after he travels and works on outings because of the heat and sweat. We’re thinking of trying him in my aunts trailer (with and without another horse) to see how hot and sweaty he gets after. Trial and error I guess? ?

 

[zaminda]

One of mine gets very hot when she only travels occasionally, but when she travelled daily she improved. She also seemed to sweat less on longer trips, as she calmed down, but she really enjoys her outing, and literally tows you up the lorry ramp. So I think my question is, how often do you travel, and is it always for something fun?

 

[asaun05]

One of mine gets very hot when she only travels occasionally, but when she travelled daily she improved. She also seemed to sweat less on longer trips, as she calmed down, but she really enjoys her outing, and literally tows you up the lorry ramp. So I think my question is, how often do you travel, and is it always for something fun?

We used to travel more than we do now, we’ve obviously not gone on outings for a while due to covid. The outings are always for comps or pony club, and I always enter him in things that I know he’s more than able and comfortable to do, especially due to his young age. He really loves being out and always behaves well, and he is the best horse you could ask for to handle on outings, also especially due to his age! Maybe he’s not a fan of the horsebox, or just needs more time to get used to it, as we got it in lockdown so he’s not really used to it yet

 

[bouncing_ball]

Plastic mirror in the lorry?

Have you tried travelling in the back? Any strange vibrations or noises? (My lorry roof vibrates over 40mph but my horses are used to noise.

 

[planete]

My old horse used to sweat buckets until I used a lorry where he faced the rear.

 

[Goldenstar]

It’s very common ,it sounds like he just gets hot and anxious
I clip mine all year usually just a chaser clip from now onwards
When you take him to the beach take water of course to give when you get there but I would take some well soaked grass cubes to rehydrate him .
I would arrive early to give time to cool off give home water and the cubes as soon as you arrive .
Haylege has a higher water content than hay so we always give that for travelling .
After the ride take loads of time to cool him off and give soaked grass cubes and water .

 

[PoniesRock]

My Connie used to be a bad traveller and used to sweat buckets. Would be sweatier when she got out the box rather than when we had finished whatever we were out to do. But as times gone on she’s settled and ‘outgrown’ it. She now travels fine and no longer sweats up. Her bad travelling was caused by a scary incident and it’s just taken her time to settle and realise it’s all okay.

 

[Red-1]

Most of the baby horses I used to train would start out a bot sweaty travelling. I would just break the travelling down so it has less anxiety attached. My current horse had a lot of anxiety, but has, since Good Friday, been eating a net on the lorry while I muck out, one when he comes in while I poo pick and has been on several short journeys, some of just 1 mile long!

As time has gone on, he has become less anxious. I am now building up his stamina for actual travel, just come back from a 4 village drive, where he didn't even get off, before breakfast.

I have found that most become acclimatised and stop sweating, both because they are less anxious and because they become more travel fit, which I think is a combination of skill in knowing how to balance efficiently, and also muscle fitness.

This all presumes the box and driver are fit for purpose. I live near a show centre and cringe at the way some boxes are driven. When I travel a horse, I don't expect to hear a single foot move. I hear the hay net being clunked around and that is it. My box is also big enough, that is wide and long and tall for the horse. Also airy, windows open. Also relatively quiet and comfortable.

 

[oldjumper]

Hi all, just here seeking advice about my boy. He’s a black cob gelding and gets VERY hot and sweaty when travelling in the horse box. He travels impeccably and calmly, and all the windows are open so there should be enough air flow for him, but he always comes out of the box very hot and sweaty! At the moment it’s not that big of a deal because our outings are only a half hour away but we’re taking him to the beach in Norfolk in a couple of weeks which is a few hours away. He will be with a friend in the box to Norfolk, which he isn’t normally, so if it’s somehow an anxiety thing it should help. Though, for the past couple of weeks, he’s been hard to get in the box (travelling alone) so it may be that after all. But he unloads excellently and is awesome to handle and ride on outings themselves!! Weird!! Anyone experienced similar?

Given your description and the time of year, I think it’s unlikely to be temperature related. Almost certainly stress. First thing I would try is removing partition/s. It’s amazing how many horses I’ve known - all good quiet travellers - who have been so much more relaxed (and less sweaty) unconfined.
If, against the odds, he is just ‘running hot‘ there are v good fans on the market.

 

[humblepie]

the first time took mine out - we opened the ramp to a white foaming horse with puddles on the floor and that was after ten minutes to a school hire. He had raced for seven seasons so was expecting far more excitement than trotting around an arena. It has taken a long time for him to relax about it. My other horse travelled miles rugged and bandages without a sweat on him so not the lorry. That said did put extra roof vents - the ones that swirl round tom try to help. He only wears over reach boots unless really cold then a thin sheet