Travelling foal/yearling for first time...

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MrsMagoo

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Hi Guys, just some advice please on travelling Ron for the first time?? We have a small 3.5tn lorry which I will start practising loading him in but when it comes to actually going out to first show say May time, what will be the best way to travel??

Should i take a good traveller with him as a companion??
should he be tied up?
normal paritions or loose?

May seem like silly questions but just thought id check
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Thanks all x
 
i travelled mine last year for first time she was about 18months old, we put her on the trailer loose with a good straw bed and she was fine. i did keep all the doors closed while travelling her.
 
I always travel them loose as foals and weanlings then travel them conventionally as yearlings (mainly because they are sporthorses so quite big). If they are used to being tied up anyway and they get used to going for short trips in the box then all should be well.

The only thing I would say is depending on the temperament of the yearling a companion can sometimes make things worse, if the companion is to be shown too as some do not take kindly to being left on their own, but if the comapnion is only there to babysit then it should be ok.

In general, all our foals travel with their mums to stud and back and I also feed them inside an old trailer as weanlings and to date have never had any travelling problems with the babies touch wood, all good loaders and travellers.
 
I picked Jupi up from stud when he was 10months old. We have a large 7.5t lorry. he was tied up, with a haynet, in the middle section with the partions closed. No problem at all and travelled perfectly (we have cctv so i could see what he was doing and he was just happily munching his haynet!)
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[ QUOTE ]
Hey B, Precious is out. x Ron on the road excellent!

[/ QUOTE ]

Hey S...how is the fatty? Did he go bucking across the field haha
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x yup watch out Rons on the move lol....x
 
I travelled my yearling tied up with a haynet, as I would a horse. I didn't take a companion, as I thought it best to start as I meant to go on. She travelled fine, a little sweaty the first time, but fine after.
 
I travel them loose if they are young, once they are yearlings and used to being tied I travel them cross tied. Small ponies I generally take the partitions out and leave loose purely because my trailer isn't set up for them.

If I am delivering weanlings I take my mini with them as a companion.
 
When i got my now 10/11 month old filly as a weanling i travelled her loose in a 510 with loads of stray as she had such a long journey ahead of her! But, once i got her home, i tied her up each day to change rugs etc a few weeks later i just walked her into the box and tied her up like an adult horse with a haynet and she never cared took her for a run and then she walked out again, perfect! If they are used to being tied up it doesnt seem to bother them! If you take companions it just makes them stressy when the companion isnt there!
 
We took our two year old to her first show last year, took a companion and he was an absolute git and caused far more problems (always had exemplery behavious before then!) than it was worth. If we take our weanling to a show this summer, he'll be going alone, then there is two of us to handle him, get coffee, do the entries etc.

The filly did travel well, we had practised before, and borrowed a friends new 510, she tied up and accepted it just fine.
 
I travel mine from weanlings tied up (although they do tie up before travelling!!!) ours are used to going in the lorry with mum so all load and travel well from being tiny people.

I do find if you take two to a show they are clingy to the other but if they go on their own you have very little problem as they look to you as support.
 
I never travel foals or yearlings stalled or tied, just a nice big box full of comfy straw which makes it like a travelling stable for them, no need to worry about them falling about as long as you drive steady. The first travelling experiences are so important and it is so easy for a young horse when they are nervous to suddenly feel trapped when they are tied or stalled and go into a panic! older horses 2yrs upwards are mature enough to work out that they are stalled and cannot go anywhere.
 
Ditto above, I think you will find the loading is the hardest part. Try and do it up alongside a wall, or where I parked. xx
 
I am taking mine out for the first show easter weekend and having trouble deciding what to do
My colt is on his own with companion in field so for the first time he is going to the show (only local) with friend and I will travel in half of horse box loose

Then I will prob start to take him out on his own as he has quite a posh show in May and need to keep all my attention on him

mine is not a stress head so I dont think he will be bothered either way - my issue was getting him off once loaded as my ramp is quite steep (waited hours the first time!)

Good luck
let me know how you get on and what you decided
 
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