|
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 897
  
| So, I'm driving 13 hrs one way to look at a horse on Friday, and if I like him the vet check is Sat AM. My husband will be driving, but we've never been this long with a horse. Any tips? We have our tool bag in our truck, and just bought a new spare tire for the trailer. As for the horse, any tips? Temp is going to be pretty hot. How often should we stop to walk him, should I give him any electrolytes? We won't be driving 13 hrs straight, so I will need to give him dinner on the road, and probably breakfast. I have BOT front wraps, and PHT front wraps, should I put either on? |
|
| |
|
Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
 
| I wouldn’t wrap on a trip that long, not with BOT for sure- too hot, mostly because you don’t know how he travels - less is more IMO.
I don’t like to unload unless I have a horse safe place to do so, especially with an unfamiliar horse. I think if you could find a horse safe place like a rodeo or fairgrounds then a break for supper and a walk wouldn’t be bad - you guys as drivers could probably benefit too. But if you can’t, I would try and find shady places to park and give him a couple 30min to hour breaks and hammer down.
Once you’re home if you can give him some turnout time to move around, and then the PHT wouldnt be a bad idea to help prevent stocking up. |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 897
| I have a hay net with hay from this winter in it when I took my gelding to an equine dentist..should I change the hay? |
|
| |
|
 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1182
Location: Do I hear Banjos? | Yes...change the hay in that bag. And bring extra in case he finishes it. Bring a bucket and some fresh water to offer him when you stop. Most won't drink on the trailer so I pre-soak beet pulp and put it in a gallon zip lock. At a stop I add more water to it and a bit of his grain (get some of what he is currently eating from the owner). Offer that to help keep him hydrated.
An the hay subject...check to see what type of hay he is used to. We drove 10 hours to get my last horse and he was on orchard grass hay where we only had bermuda. I bought a few bales from the owner to take back home with us so I could transition him rather than an abrupt change. I filled a bag with his current hay for the trip home as well.
Good luck! Hope he is what you want! |
|
| |
|
 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Befor you leave for this trip I would know the route that we would be traveling and see what arenas or fairgrounds are along the way maybe check to see if theres any horse motels and stop and check to see if you can stay there over night since you guys are new to traveling/hauling a horse this far and long. Find out what the owner is feeding this horse. I would not wrap his/her legs since you dont really know this horse yet. Make sure that the horse will load for you if you feel like you want to unload but at a super safe spot away from traffic. Bring buckets for water and feed, if you do stop at a fairground for over night do not let this horse drink out of a water trough there, you never know who had drank out it and if any other animal is sick that did drink out of it. I would also look to see what vets were along the way just in case of an emergency. If you can buy a few bales of hay that the owner has too, Good luck and be safe on your travels 
Edited by Southtxponygirl 2018-06-25 8:50 AM
|
|
| |
|
 Expert
Posts: 1857
| We don't unload, too risky. They get rest from the vibration when you stop for fuel and to eat. We just make sure we stop at least twice for a good 30min or more. We keep water available the whole trip and fill the buckets when we stop. We also use hay cubes in a bucket instead of a net, less dust. |
|
| |
|
 Owner of a ratting catting machine
Posts: 2258
| Yes. Don’t overthink it. Put him in the trailer and go. Give him hay to munch on and offer water whenever you stop. I make these kinds of trips all the time straight through. I don’t unload. 6-8 inches of shavings are good. I like soft ride boots on horses that are going to be working shortly after the trip. Don’t wrap, too hot.
Lock and load! |
|
| |
|
 Take a Picture
Posts: 12838
| USRIDER IS A NECESSITY, PERIOD. If anything happens to your truck, trailer or horse you are covered. In this heat you never know. |
|
| |
|
 Saint Stacey
| Like already mentioned, don’t unload. It’s a new horse. He doesn’t know you. Leave him on the trailer and simply stop to rest him every 4 hours for 20-30 minutes. A horse on the trailer is always moving. They are basically walking the entire time. They don’t need to be off loaded to walk more. Unload and you run the risk of him getting away or not getting back in. It’s not worth the risk.
Put shavings down to help cushion the vibration. We bed trailers deep on long hauls. If it gets really hot, you can get a bag of ice and dump it under him. Make sure he’s tied long enough that he can get his head down to cough and expel his lungs if he needs to.
Have electrolyte paste on hand and don’t be afraid to give him some. |
|
| |
|
 The One
Posts: 7997
Location: South Georgia | You can also take a divider out of your trailer so he has more space. Bed with chunky shavings, I'd ask to take some of their hay so he will eat it, and stop for breaks every so often. I have never unloaded. |
|
| |
|
Go Get Em!
Posts: 13503
Location: OH. IO | Â what is your route through Ohio if you are coming thru? |
|
| |
|
A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Since you are new at this and this is your first long haul just use common sense and dont drive when you are past tired and dont unload and if you do feel like you have to make sure its in a controlled area and like StreakySox suggested look into USRiderÂ
Edited by Southtxponygirl 2018-06-26 10:13 AM
|
|
| |
|
 Own It and Move On
Location: The edge of no where | classicpotatochip - 2018-06-25 11:39 AM Yes. Don’t overthink it. Put him in the trailer and go. Give him hay to munch on and offer water whenever you stop. I make these kinds of trips all the time straight through. I don’t unload. 6-8 inches of shavings are good. I like soft ride boots on horses that are going to be working shortly after the trip. Don’t wrap, too hot. Lock and load!
^^ Don't overcomplicate things. Keep hay in front of him, offer water when you stop. Obviously don't stop in the heat for any longer than you have to. It's really not that big of a deal to make a haul like that.
To keep from going crazy, I tend to listen to audiobooks when dealing with a 500+ drive.
|
|
| |
|
Veteran
Posts: 147
| I would make sure your wheel barrings are packed on your trailer as well. We do ours yearly, sometimes twice a year if we are hauling a lot. |
|
| |
Folks on-line