TAMMY WHYTE’S TIPS FOR HAULING / TRAILERING
The first thing I do when hauling is always put the horses comfort first on the list. I have a check list that I go by for different trips but for every trip my list consists of:
1. Check your rig over and be familiar with where your tools are so if you get into a jam you are not shook up looking for what you need. 2. Vet box and supplies 3. Bring fresh water along. 4. Bring hay/grain along 5. Fresh bedding 6. Make sure buckets are loaded 7. Know your trip, make plans/bring maps/know where you will be stopping for your lay over if possible 8. Pack winter and summer sheets 9. Manure fork 10. My gear list/ make your own list of items you need to ride all the horses you have on board and some extra 11. Finally your clothes/boots/hat and necessities for yourself
When hauling I will load my horses according to how they get along best and which horses need special stalls.
Bring your own water and you will find that your horse will drink more and it is easier on you not to have to look for it. I also like to have it on hand if I break down.
Hay: I like nice clean grass hay and I feed small amounts the whole trip. This keeps things moving in their system and breaks up the ride for the horse. Always pack extra hay in case of the unexpected.
Graining on the trailer: I try to keep it about the same feeding times as I would at home. This gives the horse the normal feel and they look forward to that meal. I will also break that feeding up if necessary, if the horse is not drinking well or riding well they may not need grain in large amounts.
Bedding in the trailer: I feel this is important for safety and comfort. Use enough bedding that it keeps the trailer dry, but do not overbed, thinking it will be easier on their legs. Too much bedding is hard to balance on, also as it will pile up unevenly under their feet. Some may have a comfort ride floor in the trailer and the majority of us have a regular floor which can be backed up with nice rubber padding to stand on. Large flack bedding works best for the trailer, so it will not be so fly away and get in the airways or eyes of the horses.
As for leg gear I am very flexible with what I do. If I am hauling with a bunch of horses I know and they all get along well, many times I will leave them totally natural. If I am hauling with strange horses that I do not know, I will wrap or use trailer boots to protect in case of kicking. If you have a horse that tends to stock up, you may want to put the support wrap on to make him more comfortable when you get where you are going. I always use the No Bow bandage wrap with a standing wrap on top of it. The No Bow wraps are very safe and comfortable, I really recommend them.
When on the road I like to water at least every 2-3 hours if it is nice out and I will stop more often if it is very hot.
I unload to clean trailer and rest the horses every 5 hours if I am going very far. I like to rest 15 to 30 minutes. They need the clean environment and rest and many horses will drink better when unloaded.
When blanketing in the trailer you want to be careful. It is important not to keep your horse too hot by putting a heavy blanket on them, and putting 4 head on the trailer, without open windows. Make sure the air flow you are giving them for the number of horses and the amount of blankets you have on. I know we spend a lot of our hauling in winter weather in the north and it is difficult to gauge at times. I also have had trouble being too lenient with open windows and lower temps. The back horse will tend to get more of the air and be chilled.
After hauling this past winter/spring and putting on many miles on my rig, it is so important to know your destinations for you and your horses’ safety. There were a couple of times that I got caught not having things go the way they were supposed to and it ends up costing your horse more hours on the trailer and then a strange place that no one knows to lay over at. I used the Horse Motel guide and it works very well when in places you do not know. I like to only plan to put on 2 full days of travel at most if possible and then at least have one day off for rest. It will do you both good!
Well this is a simple routine that I like to follow and I hope it helps with your hauling plans!
Happy Trails, Tammy Whyte |