Traveling With Horses Safely

By Author: Kerrie Tishcher
Total Articles: 4762
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The best time of the year for riding is here! It's time to hitch up the trailer and head out for a trail ride, show, rodeo or other fun destination with your horse. Here are a few helpful reminders to keep you and your horses safe as you travel.

1. Inspect your trailer before loading, making sure the tires have adequate air pressure and tread, that the floorboards have no weak or broken places, and that the emergency tools are complete with spare tire, jack, fire extinguisher, and caution signs.

2. If you're traveling for many hours, you will want to have hay bags for your horses, and offer water every hour or so when you stop. It is not recommended to unload horses at roadside stops. Keeping them loaded will lessen the chance of them spooking or running loose. Just let them stand in the trailer for half an hour to rest awhile before continuing on a long trip.

3. Research has shown a lower heart rate in horses that travel facing the rear of the trailer, and leaving them untied is usually more comfortable for them as well. If you must tie them, make sure the lead is long enough so they can lower their heads ...
... to rest and clear their air passages by snorting.

4. Add rubber matting, sand or wood shavings to the trailer floor. This reduces the stress on your horse from scrambling to stand still on slippery flooring. It also cuts down on the amount of vibration through the floor, which further reduces the stress of the horse.

5. Do not feed grain to horses on long trips; it increases their chances of dehydration and colic.

6. Make sure the trailer is well ventilated and the inside temperature is not extremely hot or cold.

7. Use reflective material on the back of your trailer in case you lose trailer lighting. This will help others see you even if you have an electrical failure.

8. When pulling a trailer carrying horses, the number one rule is "think ahead". Drive carefully; make slow turns, gradual stops and accelerations. Allow extra stopping distance between you and the vehicle ahead. Avoid driving into small spaces or areas that will require backing up. If you do have to back the trailer, it is always best to have a person outside the vehicle watching at the rear or corners where you may hit something.

9. Even if it means driving on a flat tire and possibly ruining a good wheel, never stop on the side of the highway or an unsafe area if there are any other options. While a wheel can be replaced, stopping on the shoulder can risk the lives and limbs of you, your horse and any emergency worker that stops to help.

10.Lastly, it is a good idea to have a Travel Kit in your horse trailer. A Travel Kit should have most, if not all, of the following items:

- current health papers and negative Coggins tests for each horse
- fire extinguisher
- equine first aid kit
- extra halters and lead ropes
- sharp knife
- wire cutters
- jumper cables
- flashlights and batteries
- duct tape
- cell phone and contact info for your veterinarian

There are a few more things to remember about horse trailer safety once you reach your destination, such as never tying a horse to an unhitched trailer. The horse could spook and actually move the trailer, causing injuries. When tying a horse to a trailer, leave only about an arm's length of lead rope between the two. The most common accidents involving trailers and horses result from tying horses long enough to allow them to graze; the horse gets tangled in the rope and then panicking.

When feeding from hay nets, make sure you hang them about eye level for the horse; hanging them low could result in the horse catching a hoof in them. It is also unsafe to leave halters tied to the trailer hanging low enough to catch a horse's hoof.

Following these tips and using a little bit of common sense will help you and your horse enjoy several happy years together!
About Author:
Kerrie Tischer is the owner of Livery Stable. If you're in the market to sell or buy a horse, this is the place to start. They offer horses for sale as well as detailed information on riding, selecting a good horse and much more. Visit online for more information.