How to Transport a Horse

Horses - and handlers - are often injured loading or unloading a trailer. Here's how to do it correctly.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Leather Skullcaps
• Shipping Wraps
• Horses
• Horse Brushes
• Horse Trailers
• Horseshoes
• Shipping Boots

Prepare Your Horse for the Trip

1. Check that your horse has recently been vaccinated and wormed.

2. Have a veterinarian complete a health certificate and Coggins test, allowing 7 to 10 days to obtain results.

3. Ask your veterinarian what other tests may be required by your state or country of destination, and allow time for results to come in before your trip.

4. Give your horse a complete physical exam before you leave (see "How to Give a Horse a Physical Exam") to check for medical problems.

5. Gather shipping documents needed to accompany your horse, including identification, insurance, health certificate and proof of a Coggins test.

6. Consult your veterinarian for specific health advice if you plan to travel longer than six hours.

7. Provide instructions if someone else is hauling your horse, in case any problems should arise.

Take Precautions in the Trailer

8. Bring a first aid kit in the event an emergency arises on the road. (See "How to Put Together an Equine First Aid Kit.")

9. Learn how to use shipping wraps or shipping boots.

10. Put a leather skullcap on your horse's head; this can prevent serious injury if it rears up and bumps its head while loading or transporting.

11. Avoid traveling during the hottest part of the day, and ventilate the trailer adequately.

12. Provide water for horses regularly and use extra care with young horses, especially in hot weather.

13. Avoid stopping frequently. An immobile trailer may allow heat to build up in the trailer. Unload horses mid-trip in extremely hot conditions, if necessary.

14. Check the horse's physical condition after shipping by conducting a thorough physical exam.

15. Take any post-shipping fever seriously - it can be life-threatening - and call a veterinarian.

Tips & Warnings

• Practice loading your horse in a trailer with someone who's experienced. This can be useful even if you have no immediate travel plans, as it can prepare both you and your horse for loading in case of an emergency.
• Avoid transporting a sick horse unless it's to the veterinarian.
• If possible, avoid administering tranquilizers to your horse. Tranquilizers make horses unsteady. If you must, avoid feeding tranquilized horses in trailers.

[natlog]

on 10/17/2009 Don't turn a loaded horse trailer around on a slope. Otherwise the animals are almost certain to end up with cut legs from their own shoes when they stumble. Shipping boots help, but don't depend on them. Unload the horses first. You don't want to get to that trail head only to find out that you can't ride because of your own stupidity. I've seen it happen.

on 3/23/2006 You should stop every four hours so your horse can urinate. A horse will hold it's urine until it is stopped moving. If you travel too long, you will damage its kidneys. A 20-30 minute break should be considered on trips longer than 4 hours. Plan on extending your fuel refill time and you should be fine. I have found is out as well as many other tips during my 40 year horse career.

on 11/22/2005 If you feed hay to your horse in a moving trailer, be sure to have a fly mask on your horse. The hay chafe can fly into the horse's eyes and cause problems. It is much safer to feed the horse pellets if possible. If you use the pellets the horse will need to drink more water, to avoid compaction.

on 11/22/2005 If your trailer has open or slatted walls, do not bed the trailer with shavings. Do not have any type of bedding in the trailer. Bedding will fly around and get into the horse's eyes, ears, mouth, and nose. Instead, use properly secured rubber matting.

on 11/22/2005 If you are hauling horses in a livestock trailer, put fly masks on the horses to keep debris off the road from injuring eyes or ears.