It is important to plan ahead when you are going to be transporting your horse. Especially in warm weather horses can easily become stressed when being transported. Your prime consideration must be your horse’s health and safety.
Outward signs of distress caused by being transported are not evident with all horses. It’s important, therefore, that you monitor the horse’s behaviour and heartbeat. Since horses are intelligent they are capable of remembering things. Remember this when your horse doesn’t seem to want to enter the trailer.
If you bully your horse, it will not forget and so will associate horseboxes with unpleasant memories. If your horse is new to travelling, you want to get them used to the idea gradually. You need to have a lot of patience, encouragement and consistency.
It’s essential to realize that towing a horsebox is not something that anyone can do. If you passed your driving test after 1997, then you must take a test to legally tow a trailer or drive a horsebox. Consider professional training if you have no experience.
You should always get used to the box or trailer when it is empty. Especially tricky is reversing a trailer so you should make sure you are confident in doing this before you decide to try it with a horse inside it.
You have to make sure that there is proper ventilation in the horsebox. It’s essential that air circulates as much as is possible. Be prepared for sudden stops and swerves. You need to have first aid equipment for both you and your horse. Having your vet’s number to hand will be very useful should you experience an emergency. It’s also a good idea to have your horse insurance documents in an easily accessible place in case your horse should need immediate veterinary treatment following an accident.
When travelling make sure that your horse isn’t short of drink. Such encouragement will reduce the risk of impaction colic as well, of course, of dehydration. Your horse’s health will be assured by frequent stops for water.
Try to avoid travelling when it’s very hot; horses don’t like it. You want to make sure your horse is getting plenty of ventilation. Also, avoid travelling in the heat of the day and allowing any build-up of muck in the horsebox. If the climate is hot and humid, your horse will sweat more so make sure you offer water frequently. You want to keep the trailer as clean as possible, because ammonia build-up can cause respiratory problems for your horse. The cost of an unexpected visit to your vet can be surprisingly high – especially if your horse insurance provider denies liability on account of your alleged negligence.
Unfamiliar water can upset some horses. Encourage your horse to drink whilst travelling by adding a bit of Gatorade to their water. Thus, when on the road you simply add a splash of Gatorade to their water. This makes the water more inviting to your horse.
Don’t forget to ensure that all the details required by your equine insurance company have been kept up to date just in case the worst should happen and you were unlucky enough to have a collision. If you plan ahead and make sure you have everything you need for your horse, you can have a pleasant trip instead of something that is dreaded.