Heat will add extra stress to both the horse and the horse owner. There are several simple tips you can consider when you are vacationing with your horses this summer! A successful trailering experience may lead to several great vacations in the future!
The first tip is to travel in the early morning so that you have reached your destination by the heat of the afternoon. If you have several days of driving, this will not work, but you can plan your road trip to start early, break in the afternoon and let the horses out, and then continue your traveling once the heat has subsided in the late afternoon. Traveling overnight may be another great option to prevent trailering the horses through the heat of the day.
Secondly, plan many stops! While you may feel that your horse is just standing there in the back of the trailer, the physical demand on the horse is very tiring. Balancing in the bumpy, rocky trailer is more work that you can imagine, and the horse may become tired and the muscles may start to cramp. If the horse has not been trailered often this is especially important. Try to find a place that you can take the horse out of the trailer and walk around a bit. Good horse friends can help you find stops along your trip that will have access area for your horse.
Thirdly, provide an adequate layer of bedding in the base of the trailer. This bedding will absorb and fecal material from the horse and prevent damp conditions. When you stop be sure to clean out the trailer and lay down new bedding. The smells from the urine and stools of the horse may make for a very uncomfortable condition for the horse. A great tip to prevent the bedding from blowing and creating dust is to simply water the bedding after application. Take along a watering can, and sprinkle the new bedding just enough to prevent blowing and excess dust.
Another great way to keep your horse cool in the trailer is to increase your ventilation. Open all windows throughout the trailer so that the wind may blow through. Fans can be installed to move the air around inside the trailer as well. You won’t want to place your horse right in front of a window as the wind may be too harsh for its face. Tie the horse close enough that if he wants to place his head in the wind he can, but that he can get away from the wind as well. The circulating air will help the sweat evaporate quickly from the horse’s skin.
The last and maybe the most important tip to trailering in the heat is to keep your horse very well hydrated. This starts prior to even placing your horse in the trailer. The few days before you head out, try to encourage plentiful water intake. Place extra water around the pasture for easier access. While traveling, be sure to offer your horse clean, cool water to maintain body moisture. Horses may sweat up to 4 gallons an hour during very hot conditions, so this is extremely important! Feed your horse moderately; be sure not to offer too much food so that your horse overeats out of boredom. Offer less than you would at home so that the horse doesn’t get motion sick while traveling.
If your horse seems to be struggling throughout the trip, be sure to meet his needs. No trip is worth the declining condition of your horse. A happy vacation starts with a happy horse and ends with a happy horse and owner!
