Travelling 2 horses together in a trailer

[Darcey22]

Hey all,
My mare is quite happy to travel alone (although she is very vocal especially when passing fields with horses in) and I said that I would take my friend and her gelding to a clinic in February. She doesn’t know what her gelding is like travelling or even loading tbh as he hasn’t done it since she bought him 2 years ago. The clinic is on 4th feb. I suggested that we practice this weekend just taking them round the block together.
What suggestions would you advise to do this in terms of loading and travelling them together.
Should I put hay in for them? If so would they share the same net (I usually put it at the front as my mare is big and it gets in the way if I tie to the side, although she then needs to be on a longer tie rope so she can reach it)
Should I load her first?
Should I tie them up shorter so they can’t reach each other?
Am I being neurotic ?

 

[JBM]

Hey all,
My mare is quite happy to travel alone (although she is very vocal especially when passing fields with horses in) and I said that I would take my friend and her gelding to a clinic in February. She doesn’t know what her gelding is like travelling or even loading tbh as he hasn’t done it since she bought him 2 years ago. The clinic is on 4th feb. I suggested that we practice this weekend just taking them round the block together.
What suggestions would you advise to do this in terms of loading and travelling them together.
Should I put hay in for them? If so would they share the same net (I usually put it at the front as my mare is big and it gets in the way if I tie to the side, although she then needs to be on a longer tie rope so she can reach it)
Should I load her first?
Should I tie them up shorter so they can’t reach each other?
Am I being neurotic ?

My mare is so annoying with horses she doesn’t know! I have to load the new horse first or she won’t let them in the trailer ??‍ absolutely no problems when they’re in there!!
Practicing is a good idea see what the horses are happiest with
I’d also let them get their greetings done outside the trailer if they’ve never met before

 

[Cragrat]

I always put the haynets in front - I hate them spending the entire journey twisting to the side to eat. I tie them in front, then use a gate-lock carabiner to attach to string near the breast bar to pull it in to reach. I give a net each.

I would load your horse first, but as JBM said, let them meet each other first if they haven'y already.

I use trailer ties to the side fixing of the headcollar. Short enough to stop any biting or tangling, but not too short - they need to balance

 

[Peglo]

The first time I traveled my mare with my friend (and first time since I got her) we both put our own haynets in. She walked straight on said hello to new horse and tucked into her haynet. When my friend took her other horse she also walked straight in and they shared my haynet.

it wouldn’t hurt to practice even loading them together. I was very lucky mine was so good. And my friends horses have always been good travellers.

 

[MidChristmasCrisis]

My trailer has a metal mesh divider…which whilst it’s a pain to release to remove the second horse…does mean they can’t niggle at one another during transit and they can have their own nets in peace.

 

[Annagain]

Hay net each, wherever is best for them. When I travel with a friend, Wiggy has his in front and Robin (14hh on tiptoes, short necked cob) has his to the side as he can't reach the front. If you're using the breaching / breast bar settings that aren't at their furthest apart, have one further forwards and one further back so their heads are in different places to avoid squabbling. I'd put the one you know is good on first then the other - although it might be worth leading the gelding through a few times first if he hasn't been on for a while. Put the heaviest one on the right as it balances the trailer better with the camber of the road. Above all, don't stress too much, they can't do much to each other on a trailer, a bitten neck is the worst I've seen...and that was the time Monty (who was 17hh and normally a bit of a bully) shared his trailer with a 14hh Sec D and came off it with a big bite mark and trembling. I felt a bit of movement on the trailer as we were travelling, assumed he was doing his usual and felt a bit guilty that the poor pony was being beaten up. How wrong I was! He still whinnied to said pony when we dropped him off.

 

[MissTyc]

In my experience, many horses become best friends in the whole world within about 3 seconds of setting off in a trailer together. But you've had good advice - practice makes perfect!

 

[Fruitcake]

My trailer has a metal mesh divider…which whilst it’s a pain to release to remove the second horse…does mean they can’t niggle at one another during transit and they can have their own nets in peace.

I have this too. My horse still managed to get his head around the back of it though so OH made an extension which works really well.

I agree it's much easier to keep their heads separate and avoid any fighting.

 

[J&S]

Put the heavier horse on the right hand side. (because of the camber of the road).