When a horse willingly steps into the trailer, he has no idea how long the trip will be. He’s simply putting his faith in you that you’ll take care of him every mile of the way. Photo by Betsy Lynch.

You probably think nothing of loading your horse in the trailer, shutting the doors and taking off down the road. For most trips across county lines, the haul is uneventful. But when you’re traveling long distances, you need to think and plan ahead.

The stress and anxiety that your horse experiences simply by stepping on board your trailer can be greater than you think. When that stress occurs for an unusually long period of time, your horse becomes susceptible to health complications such as dehydration, colic, physical injury and pleuropneumonia (shipping fever). But with proper preparation and forethought, and a solid travel plan, you can reduce the inherent risks of hauling horses long distances.

So How Long is Long?
“In my opinion as a horseman, anything more than 12 hours is a long haul,” says Kurt Lange, who is with Brookledge Horse Transport. “Anything over 10 hours—a horse should be in a box stall.”

Lange travels to sales and expositions for the Oley, Pennsylvania-based equine transportation company, a 60-rig operation that ships horses throughout 48 states and Canada.

Dr. Todd Shaarda, a veterinarian with Equine Medical in Lowell, Michigan, defines “long” as a bit shorter period of time than Lange.

“Five hours is the beginning of a long haul,” Dr. Shaarda observes. “Anything under that and horses should be able to handle getting on the trailer and going straight there. However, anything over five hours and you should make a half-hour stop.”

Make Safety Number One
No matter how long “long” is to you, everyone wants their horses to make the trip without incident. Wrapping legs is one of the most common things people do to prevent injury while hauling horses.

But while the idea of trying to protect your horses’ legs is admirable, it may create more trouble than protection. Many horse owners insist on wrapping legs with quilts and polo wraps, or heavy shipping boots.

Rules of the Road • Train your horse to load and unload easily without worry or stress. • Practice hauling your horse around home prior to making a long trip. • Make sure your trailer has ample space. Your horse will need room to spread his legs to keep his balance. • Clean out manure and urine to reduce toxic fumes in the trailer, and provide ample ventilation. • Untie your horse’s head so he can put it down to expel foreign matter. • Stop every five hours and turn off your engine for at least 30 minutes to give your horse time to eat, drink and eliminate. • If you can stop somewhere that is completely “horse safe,” it’s also a good idea to unload your horse every five hours.

In regard to wrapping with polo wraps, Lange explains, “Wraps fall down and the horses urinate on them, then they get stepped on. Eliminating wraps eliminates trouble,” he suggests.

However, Dr. Shaarda sees a flip side. “I’m not a big fan of wrapping, but many of the wounds I’ve seen from trailering horses could’ve been prevented with wraps, especially in young horses,” he says.

If wraps are improperly applied, they can “cord” a tendon, which means too much pressure from the wrap can cause a minor inflammation at one spot in the tendon. Horses usually recover, but it tends to create a permanent thickening and damage to the tendon. If wraps are too loose, they slide and flop around, and get horses kicking. Then the horses damage themselves from kicking.

“Shipping boots may be the safest,” the veterinarian suggests. “They can’t be applied too tight, and they provide decent protection,”

Dr. Shaarda notes other safety tips to reduce the risks of leg injuries during transit: Make sure your mats fit your trailer properly so feet and legs can’t get under them. Also, put shavings down to keep the mats from becoming slippery from urine.

Hay bags are another common source of trouble in the trailer, Dr. Shaarda warns. “Tie the hay bag high enough and safe enough so the horse can’t get caught up in it,” he advises. If you use a rope hay net, it shouldn’t fall below a horse’s shoulder when it’s empty. The vet says he prefers the solid hay bags with the center hole to the rope mesh nets, because they’re not as easy for a horse to stick a leg through.

Hauling Into Different Climates
Climate is an important consideration when transporting horses. During most of the year, differences in regional climates shouldn’t present a problem. But several things should be considered if you have to ship a horse through different regional climates during winter months.

“Horses are meant to be in the season,” Lange notes. “When you ship a winter horse south, don’t ship with a blanket. At some point you’ll have to wrestle with the horse to get the blanket off, and you could possibly get hurt.” Lange won’t ship a winter horse south, or vice versa, during extreme regional temperature differences, for example, if it’s -10º F in Minnesota compared to 55º F in Georgia during January. In his experience, this scenario increases the chance of sickness.

Dr. Shaarda says, “You can have some climate conditions that are more of an issue when you get there. We see more problems with horses bought in the South and brought north in winter.” In his experience, these horses tend to develop pneumonia, because they’re used to being in the open, fresh, southern air and then come north to a closed-up barn where ventilation is poor and toxic fumes are high. If a horse is being transported from the north to the south, he says, “Be ready to body clip and let the horse adjust.”

Horses being transported from lower elevations to higher elevations also need time to adjust to the change in altitude before being asked to perform.

Responses to Travel
It’s not uncommon for horses to refuse food or water while on the road. And many horses don’t haul quietly—they paw or bang around, especially when you stop for a moment. So how do you know if your horse is really in need of a vet?

The key is to understand that many signs of sickness previously listed can be precursors to more serious complications. For example, excessive sweating can be a sign of dehydration. Dehydration can be harmful in and of itself, but it can also cause other problems, such as overheating. Dr. Shaarda explains, “If horses sweat too much, use an electrolyte replacement (a powder you can put in their water) and watch for other signs, such as depression. You can check for dehydration by looking for wet, slippery,
 pink gums. If gums feel tacky, then the horse is probably 3% to 5% dehydrated. You can also tent the skin: pinch the skin on the neck and it should draw back tight against the body in two seconds. If it stays out, then your horse is dehydrated and you need to call a vet.”

You can also check your horse’s respiration rate.  “While at rest, nostrils shouldn’t be flaring and your horse should be at eight to 12 breaths per minute. If he’s over 22 breaths per minute, you need a vet,” says Dr. Shaarda. A high respiration rate is a symptom of several things, including dehydration, colic and overheating.

Respiratory illness and colic are often the result of the horse’s immune system being suppressed by the stress of travel, making him susceptible to the bacteria and viruses within the closed-up trailer. Pleuropneumonia, or shipping fever, is one respiratory illness that stems from the horse’s head being tied in an “up” position during travel, combined with no stops for rest.

“When the head is tied up, the horse can’t get rid of foreign material in the respiratory track, including the viruses and bacteria that can cause shipping fever,” says Dr. Shaarda. “The horse’s system is going to be stressed. Generally, if the head is down, the horse can expel the foreign material and clear the respiratory track.” 

As long as other safety issues aren’t a factor, such as horses bothering each other, it might be a good idea to go ahead and let you horse remain untied in the trailer so he can put his head down to blow his nose.

If your horse gets sick while en route, Dr. Shaarda suggests having basic information like respiratory rate and temperature for the vet when you call.

Preventive Medicine
There are preventive measures you can take during, as well as prior to, your trip that will help defend against stress-related illnesses. Many times just knowing your horse’s character can help you avoid problems. For instance, some horses won’t eat, drink or urinate while on the trailer. This can cause serious problems if you’re looking at a 15-hour trip.

“Our drivers stop every five hours, check horses, offer water, shut off the engine and let the horses eliminate,” says Lange. “Just shutting off the engine makes a big difference.” Lange says that in his experience, the rumble of an engine is enough to raise some horses’ anxiety, which can make them refuse food and water, and decrease elimination. Simply turning off your truck may make a big difference for your horse, allowing him some time to relax, urinate and defecate, and lower the chances for complications like colic.

Lange also suggests using an immune booster for a little added protection.

“I think all horses should have a current immune-stimulation shot,” he says. “It’s a kind of preventive maintenance for long distance shipping.

“Some people give bute, Banamine [flunixin], or oil, so the horses don’t get sick, but then those things mask sickness,” he warns.

While Lange doesn’t advocate giving oil to horses prior to travel, some people and institutions swear by it. An article published on the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University website suggests having your vet give your horse a gallon of mineral oil plus water and electrolytes via nasogastric tube about four to 12 hours before the trip to prevent illness.

Dr. Shaarda and Lange both emphasize that horses who are healthy when they depart are less likely to become sick during a long haul. A health certificate verifies that your horse is in good health, and the certificate is required to cross state lines. It can be obtained from any equine or large animal vet.

“Make sure your horse is up to date on rhino, strangles and equine influenza. We also give a shot of an immune stimulator two weeks prior, and again one week prior, to shipping. This boosts the immune system,” Dr. Shaarda advises. 

Since horses can get fickle on the road, it’s a good idea to bring water from home to encourage your horse to keep drinking. Even if he is thirsty and wants to drink, he may not because the water from the roadside gas station smells and tastes different.

“If you’re not taking your own water, you’re running the risk that they may not drink,” warns Lange. “Some people send drink flavoring to add to the water. If it works for your horse, go for it. Owners have also sent Gatorade and electrolytes—some people send along drums of their own water.”

Minimize Stress
In addition to preventive health steps, you can relieve stress for your horse during a long haul in several ways. First, make sure he has ample space in the trailer, preferably a box stall if it’s going to be a long trip. Be sure to clean out manure and urine to reduce toxic fumes in the trailer. Train your horse to haul—practice at home prior to the trip.

Untie your horse’s head so he can put it down to expel foreign matter easily. Stop every five hours for at least a half-hour to let horses rest and relax. If you can stop in a safe location, well away from roadways and hazards, it’s a good idea to unload your horse every five hours. But do not do this if loading and unloading is a stressor itself.

Signs of Sickness
If your horse isn’t traveling well, he’ll show you. Below is a list of common behavioral reactions to stress that may indicate your horse’s health is compromised:

• Decreased appetite
• Decreased water intake
• Repetitive pawing, kicking, licking, scraping
• Biting or kicking at handlers
• A fever (above 101.5°F)
• Excessive sweating and overheating (a temperature of above 104ºF)
• Flared nostrils, coughing and nasal discharge

Dr. Shaarda recommends getting your horse to a vet as soon as possible if you see any of these signs, especially in combination. “If you feel you can get somewhere within three hours for an overnight stop and get a hold of a vet, then get there as fast as you can.”

If you have mobile Internet access, another on-the-road option would be to log on to www.myhorsematters.com and click the Health Links tab, then Government Information Sources link, then the State Veterinarian’s Offices link. From there, you can plug in the state you’re traveling in and find phone numbers and information online for vets in the vicinity, and get your horse to a clinic and checked out as soon as possible.

Dr. Shaarda recommends keeping a tube of Banamine handy during the trip. “Banamine is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory pain reliever. Just follow the dosage guide on the plunger—it works well against stomach pain and cramping. Banamine also suppresses a fever, so take the horse’s temperature before you give it. Your attending vet will want to know if your horse has a fever.”  If your horse is showing signs of physical discomfort, such as kicking at his belly, Banamine will make his trip more comfortable and more manageable until you can get to a clinic in your particular vicinity.

Take No Chances
Common sense goes a long way when hauling horses long distances.

“The same mindset applies to shipping that applies to riding. Look ahead to try and eliminate problems,” suggests Lange. “Try to be proactive. Give performance horses a day to decompress before shipping after a big race or show. The double shot of stress can take them over the edge,” said Lange.

So whether you’re hauling horses for pleasure or business, and no matter if its five hours or 12, you can take many steps to make the trip easier for everyone. And preventing complications, from illness to injury, is much easier than trying to address an emergency on the side of the highway miles away from home.