Horse Hauling

Jim Hamilton, DVM

It has become commonplace to trailer horses everywhere. A short trip to the park for a trail ride, a lesson across town or an appointment at the vet clinic hardly seems worth the effort to take precautions...or does it? Traveling three states away for a horse show or field trip or traveling south for the winter used to be a big deal, but not any more. Horses are traveling more than ever before and because it's done all the time, it's easy to forget that trailering is a source of anxiety for the horse.

The very nature of the horse makes it stressful for him to enter a small, enclosed box that will speed down the highway at 65 mph. The horse is a creature made for open spaces, where instinctive flight responses can be life saving. A modern horse must learn to control the natural tendency to flee, and as responsible caretakers, we must take precautions to lower stress levels so he will not do harm to himself and others.

Most of these problems can be avoided just by taking suitable precautions. Some horsemen like to boast about how many successful trips they have taken without "all the fuss", but those same horsemen who have finally been out there - on he road - with a sick or injured horse never forget the hard earned lesson.

Any time the horse is loaded into a trailer, whether for short or long haul, these fundamental measures should be taken:

This is by no means a complete list of precautions but rather subject areas for you to consider. I have gone to the extent of writing a handbook on the subject of trailering horses because it is a topic many new (and not so new) horse owners know nothing about. Take the time to learn how to do it right; your horse need not suffer for his owner's poor judgment. Happy trailering!

e-mail Dr. Jim Hamilton, DVM
Southern Pines Equine Associates
Phone 910-692-8640    fax 910-692-1142

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