Are You Ready For A Long Haul With Your Horses?

The majority of cowgirls, at least once in their lives, haul their horses a long distance. Some do it every weekend, others only in a blue moon if they move across the country.

It's no lie that it's no easy task driving long hours, let alone with horses in the back. To make the journey a little bit easier, here are a few preparation tips!

Train Your Horse to Trailer

Lots of horseman get their horses out of the trailer to walk and stretch about every 4-6 hours. It will be easier on everyone if you can trust your horse will load easily every time, not including how much stress it would take off your shoulders!

Desensitize Your Horse to Road Noise

If your horse is confident around cars, semis, and other road noises, they will 1) handle themselves in a trailer better and 2) be able to load from anywhere without worry of what is going on around them.

Talk to Your Vet

While you are getting your coggins and health certificate to travel with, discuss how often you should stop, how your horse will handle the trip, and anything else with your vet! Trust me, you will feel much more confident after that conversation!

Water and Electrolytes!

Offer your horse water as often as you can! If you know they are not a good drinker, give them electrolytes before and after the trip. You can also haul water from home because horses tend to want to drink water they know.

Pack Hay Bags

As you drive, improve your horse's comfort by providing hay bags. Nothing like road trip snacks!

Bring Extra Feed

You never want the worst to happen, but you want to be prepared for it. Always pack extra feed, just in case. If there's a snow storm and you're stuck an extra day at the horse hotel, having feed is one less thing to stress about!

Map Your Route

Print out maps of the route your taking and highlight where you will be going. While on the road, service is not always promised. To be safe, have your route planned and in a printed copy!

Check Weather, Construction, Etc.

The more you know what to expect, the better you can prepare your horse! Change your route if there is standstill construction or bring a blanket if you are hitting bad weather!

Have a Checklist Ready

Before you leave, have a checklist of everything you can think of needing! You can find a checklist here! Check your lights, oil and trailer brakes.

Now you're all ready for your trip! Happy traveling!