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| Author |
Message |
    
Dawn Gottschalk (Dawng)
| | Posted on Tuesday, Jan 16, 2001 - 3:00 pm: |   |
Greetings All.
We're planning a cross country move in the late summer and are wondering if we should haul them ourselves or have them professionally trailered. If we were to opt to do it ourselves, how long can horses be trailered safely? We were planning to stay at various equine bed and breakfasts so that they could be in a "regular" stall at night, with an opportunity to really get out and stretch their legs. Any advice and opinions would be appreciated.
Dawn |
Heidi Hocker (Heidih)
| | Posted on Wednesday, Jan 17, 2001 - 4:02 pm: | |
Hi Dawn,
I moved across the country last Summer, from AZ to WI. There is a discussion about this topic somewhere, from last year. Let me answer a couple of your questions with my own experience. I trailered my 2 horses myself and stayed at Bed and Breakfast stables each night. I planned my trip to take about 10 hours each day, including scheduled stops during the day. I had water with me and offered the horses water each time we stopped.
At night, I think that they really appreciated being able to get out and move around and stretch. As long as both horses could see each other, I didn't have any problems.
My older mare wouldn't drink in the trailer, so she may have gotten a little dehydrated during the day, but she made up for it at night. (She never drinks in a trailer, so I was expecting that.) I carried my own feed with me, so the horses wouldn't have the stress of changing food sources.
I was very happy with how my trip turned out. I was comfortable that my horses were being handled properly and weren't stressing. After a 4 day trip (3 overnight stays), they arrived in WI in good health, both physically and mentally.
I would definitely recommend hauling your own horses, if you are comfortable pulling a trailer. I have had a horse hauled across the country, and worried the whole time, since I didn't know how she was being cared for or if she was stressing or anything.
I hope this helps.
Heidi |
Bonita (Bonita)
| | Posted on Thursday, Jan 18, 2001 - 8:00 am: | |
Hi Dawn,
Heidi is right - there was/is an in-depth discussion somewhere on site re: long-distance trailering that you might want to search out and read.
The only thing I would add is that if you decide to use a professional shipper, take the time to interview them thoroughly and try to get some references. I shipped my horse from Long Island, NY to Northern Virginia and interviewed every shipper I could find (most were listed in the back of The Chronicle of the Horse) before settling on Hudson & Sons. They were great - huge, brand-new, air-ride 9-horse van; double-stalls with shavings; gorgeous alfalfa hay; and polite, professional personnel. My horse arrived in Virginia a lot fresher than I did driving myself down!
Also - my NY vet advised that I avoid any shipper who made scheduled stops at any quarantine facilities. And it's a good thing he told me this, as one shipper I was initially considering did just that, and wasn't going to volunteer the info until I specifically asked! Better safe than sorry!
Good luck with your trip, regardless of whether you do it yourself or go pro (doing it yourself does sound like more fun!)
Bonnie |
christine i. high
New Member
Username: Cihigh
Post Number: 1
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, Jan 14, 2003 - 9:35 am: | |
I was thinking of hauling a weanling from K.C. MO to Phila. and I have never done any hauling longer than 3 hrs. I live in the Phila area and have driven the highways to the breeder. Usually I put up in rest stops. Are we allowed to unload stock to stretch at rest stops (or will anyone care if we do, is another question)? I am not thrilled with some of the roads or the prospect of taking a little one in Sept. or Oct. on my stock trailer through a "cattle shute" in a narrow construction area. Rain or heat could be factors. She would have a flymask and blankie as needed, and the trailer modified to a box with plywood, I guess. Not sure of feeding or hydration schedules. I read posted fear-and-loathing stories about pro haulers and don't know if they would be right for the foal. |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Moderator
Username: Dro
Post Number: 7589
Registered: 1-1997
| | Posted on Wednesday, Jan 15, 2003 - 5:47 am: | |
I do not know of any rules that prevent it Christine but wonder if it is the right thing to do: a scared weanling in unfamiliar area, just off the highway, with nothing but a rope and halter and you to restrain it. Be sure the tack is perfect and the weanling is very well halter broke. If the weanling has the whole stock trailer you might consider allowing the foal live in the trailer until home.
DrO |
