Whether you are taking your horse on a short trip to you local arena to school or halfway across the state for an afternoon trail ride, always be sure you have what you need and know how to handle common mishaps that could occur.
In addition to a thorough pre-trip check on your rig, your phone charger, and some extra snacks; the below includes a list of important things you'll want to have on hand and tips to make sure you remember to make your next road trip a successful one.
- for finicky drinkers, bring source of water from the horses location of pick-up
(5 gallon jugs can be found here and are great on the road https://www.farmandfleet.com/products/140306-reliance-aqua-tainer-fresh-water-container.html)
- a clean bucket or two to put water in for on the road
- Emergency Travel Kit: band-aids, hydrogen peroxide, Phenylbutazone (bute), Banamine (and syringe if necessary), duct tape, bandages, super glue, see Blog Post titled "What's in your First-Aid Kit" for full list)
- Breakaway halter and 8" lead (if you don't have a breakaway halter, you can create the same safety breakaway option by tying a piece of bailing twine around the bottom ring of the horses halter and clipping the lead to this loop)
- for long trips, offer water as often as possible, check hay nets frequently, I always recommend cleaning up the trailer the best you can as at stops to keep everyone comfortable as well.
- ETAs are a guessing game, whether you are getting a horse hauled to you or hauling one yourself, rarely can we ever predict every scenario on the day of transport. keep an open mind, remember, the big thing is that everyone arrives where they are going safely.
- have your paperwork in order, know what is required not only for your destination, but also for any states that you will be traveling through as well. current negative Coggins and recent health certificate are mandatory to cross state lines and at a traffic stop, you will be asked to provide this documentation.
Whether you are seasoned horse transport personnel or taking your trail partner out for their first outing, research and preparedness trump all.
Happy Hauling!
