Tips for travelling long distances???

[MrsMagoo]

Got the long trip to Lincolnshire in September and wondered if there were any tips from you guys - when to have a break, what gear to have on her etc etc...

when we travel to local shows i only put travel boots on her but thinking would be a good idea to be a bit more prepared for long distance!!!

 

[AmyMay]

How many hours will the journely be?

 

[MrsMagoo]

Prob about 5-6 hours pending traffic....ergh

 

[AmyMay]

Ooo long old journey.

I would travel in the gear the horse is used to. Make sure you have plenty of water and hay on board.

With regards stopping - well presumably the driver will want a break at some point, and that's the ideal time to offer the horse some water.

I know that some people advocate getting the horse off for a leg stretch - but the service station of the M?? isn't really the place to do that - and our horses are never taken off, it simply isn't safe.

Horses cope so well with these kind of journeys - and brilliant way to get them to drink on route is to use sugar beet water. It's a natural electrolyte as well, so helps to replenish lost salts as well as rehydrating them.

 

[MrsMagoo]

excellant thanks

 

[RunToEarth]

We travelled 6 down to hickstead a couple of weeks ago in two boxes. We didnt boot we bandaged, I was told by the vet to do this, if your horse doesnt usually travel with a rug on dont put him one on, we had to take cob's off because he was very hot with all the other breathing on him

We stopped once, for a water break, they each had a haynet, and us girls travelled down in the living so we were able to check on them every 15mins anyway

 

[MagicMelon]

Long journey? Try 11 hours!! lol.

Personally I would bandage her (over those travel gamgees) but really as long as your boots are decent ones which dont slip or get too hot then you can just use those. I would definatley put on a tail bandage (as loose as possible, NOT tight!!) with a tail guard over the top. Wouldn't rug her as they can get pretty hot.

Otherwise, just make sure you offer her loads of water, if she's picky about water then offer her sugar beet water (or even the beet part as long as its quite wet). And make sure they have a full haynet the whole way. I would stop maybe at the 2 hour stage to give them a break for 20 mins (open up all the doors to get some fresh air).

 

[piebaldsparkle]

I personnally would bandage, to horse a bit more support. Feeding soaked hay help keep horse hydrated.

 

[lizzie_liz]

Our horses regularlu travel 4-5 hours depending on traffic and we just give them a haynet and travel them in what they normally travel in so in our case travel boots, cooler (unless warm) and tail bandage/tail guard.

I also tend to give them electrolytes in their feed the night before and the morning and in for the following day.

We stop once so the mum can have a break and then we check on them, but they are always fine.

Don't think taking them out the box is worth it as service stations etc are dangerous places.

 

[wench]

where abouts in lincs are you going?