Travelling with tack on

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ponymadclo

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Hi all,

I was just wondering on your views of travelling with the horses tack on? Have any of you ever done this? I was just wondering whether it would be safe to travel my pony with just his BITLESS bridle on, it has NO bit therefore I don't know if this is safer than having one with a bit in. My pony wouldnt have his saddle on it's just he's all too excited once he's come out the horse box that it's hard to put his bridle on however I'd rather that then find him hurt if I traveled him with his tack on. Thanks :)
 
We travel in full tack to hunting and they are fine. You could put a rug over the saddle to protect it and to stop stirrups possibly catching.

If you have trouble putting the bridle on when you get him off the trailer/lorry, why don't you put it on in the trailer and then get him off..
 
I never do it, it's my pet hate!

This time of year I go to hound exercise with a friend and it's a very early start ( I'm talking loading about half 4 in the morning ) and I still make extra time to tack up when I arrive. My friend however travels fully tacked every time and always moans at me for not doing so because she could get an extra 5 minutes in bed :)

I can never travel in a saddle because my girl would shift it during the journey but the one time I travelled in a bridle she managed to break her throatlash.

I know a lot of people who do travel fully tacked, and do it regularly, but it's just not for me. I'd rather make enough time to do it on arrival than risk at best damaged tack and at worst an injured horse.
 
I think it's personal preference but personally I wouldn't do it. Would worry tack would get caught and horse would panic.
 
I don't understand the time thing - it takes X amount of time to tack up wherever you do it, so the time you get up is the same, surely?!

OP - people do it all the time. Is the bit less bridle leather? I'm not sure I'd want to travel in something webbing unless it had breakaway points.
 
SpottedCat said:
I don't understand the time thing - it takes X amount of time to tack up wherever you do it, so the time you get up is the same, surely?!
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A few horses who got quite excited for hunting, was easier taking them tacked up than tacking them up excited and ready to go when you got there :) So a few minutes tacking up quietly before you go...to say unpredictable amount of time to tacking them up there. Especially if on your own etc.
 
I used to travel with saddle on to go hunting, with a blanket so the stirrups didn't get caught and I wonder how I did it, because I look at my trailer now and think that my current horse wouldn't fit in with a saddle on as well - or at least it would be a tight fit and I think it might panic him. I used to do this as horse was excited when he got to the meet and the thought of having to put on a saddle with a twirling horse was too much to bear.

I always put the bridle on, and the headcollar back on over the top IN the trailer when I get to a show or anywhere so there is no danger of him deciding to push off half dressed!

I wouldn't travel with a bridle on as well, although I know people do, just in case the bridle got caught up and was broken.
 
Travel often with just saddle on and put bridle on after unloading. Wouldn't do it for more than short journey and never travel back home with tack on. I don't hack from home due to horrible road, so shove them in the lorry (fully booted :D) with saddles on and go from about 5 minutes drive away. Not good for the ozone layer but our safety more important imo!
 
I travelled to meets tacked, with saddles covered. Hard enough trying to get them to stand still to get on. [I am no good at games where you have to chuck something onto a moving target!]
 
Saddle yes, bridle no. Horses are the one animal that can catch their tack or themselves on something that is not even there, more than having a strong stance on the subject, I am just paranoid about a part of the bridle getting caught on something and anyone that has ever had a horse panic and go down in a trailer or lorry will agree that it is not a good thing to have to deal with.

I have never had a problem with a saddle being on and a rug over the top.

I also just put the bridle on in the trailer, but I would say if your horse gets too excited, just allow extra time :-)
 
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