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Conference noted::equitation

Title:Equine Notes Conference
Notice:Topics List=4, Horses 4Sale/Wanted=150, Equip 4Sale/Wanted=151
Moderator:MTADMS::COBURNIO
Created:Tue Feb 11 1986
Last Modified:Thu Jun 05 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:2080
Total number of notes:22383

1797.0. "Transporting a very young horse?" by SOLVIT::BRIGGS () Tue Sep 07 1993 17:16

    Hi,  I need some advice on the best way to transport and 4 month old
    filly down to Concord NH from Bangor Me.  It's about a 6 hour ride and
    I don't want to cause undo stress on the recently weaned filly. I like
    to spend as little as possible in the process.
    
    Options I am currently looking at are:
    
    	Take trailer up and pick her up, ride back unattended.
    			or
    	Have another horse in the trailer to be company on the way back, it
    	would be too long of a ride for the other horse?
    			or
    	Hire a transport company to do it? (how much?)
    			or 
    	Have the vet give a mild tranquilzer, to lessen the stress.
    			or 
    	Have someone (a person) ride in the back with the filly.  Don't
    	know how this might work. 
    			or
    	Find a way to get in touch with a horse family coming down this
    	way with their horse from Maine, and pay for some of thier gas to
    	bring her along.  This way she would have a horse companion.
    			or
    	???????
    
    Thanks for suggestions.
    
    
                                                  
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1797.1TOMLIN::ROMBERGI feel a vacation coming on...Wed Sep 08 1993 10:5014
>    	Have someone (a person) ride in the back with the filly.  Don't
>    	know how this might work. 
 

Legally, this is not an option.


A few other questions:
How long ago was the filly weaned?  
How quiet is she?  
Does the trailer have solid back doors (above the ramp) or a rain curtain, 
  or nothing?
How much trailering have you done?
Has she *ever* been a trailer before?
1797.2Looking for prior experiences.SOLVIT::BRIGGSWed Sep 08 1993 12:332
    Thanks for the addtional questions, but I was looking for suggestions,
    what would your choice be, and why? 
1797.3What we did - your milage may varySTUDIO::PELUSOPAINTS; color your corralWed Sep 08 1993 13:2015
    I started trailering my foal before he was weaned.  My friend
    who breeds does as well (she's transported a lot of babies).  
    
    What I did was make sure the entire trailer was enclosed (had to have
    someone weld me up some top, back doors), took out the center
    partition, threw in lots of shavings, loaded the baby and off I went.
    He has not shown any stress, and in fact looks forward to going places.
    
    Now, as a weanling, I would again do the same until he gets a little
    taller and I can be assured he won't get hung up un the chest rails
    or center partition.
    
    This is my experience with my baby, and may not be suitable for yours.
    My baby is exceptionally trusting and level headed for his age, I have 
    been able to introduce new things to him without any difficulty.
1797.4Time duration?SOLVIT::BRIGGSWed Sep 08 1993 13:482
    Thanks very much, that was extremely helpful, what was the longest trip
    duration you took with him?
1797.5TOMLIN::ROMBERGI feel a vacation coming on...Wed Sep 08 1993 14:2017
My choice would be based on the answer to those questions.  For example,
if your trailer doesn not have a steel curtain, I would get someone else
who can totally securely enclose their trailer to do the hauling (or borrow
their trailer).

Other questions:  does your trailer have a chest bar or a manger?  Does the
filly tie?

If your trailer has a chest bar, you may want to 'solidify' the front with hay 
bales, so she can't slip under the chest bar.  If she doesn't tie, you have to
be doubly sure that she can't turn around and bounce out the back of the 
trailer. A canvas curtain is not sufficient.  (Also, if you don't have a full
partition, you would want to pack the other side of the trailer so she doesn't
slip underneath.

You might also consider calling a professional trucker such as Blue Chip to 
see if they have any comments on the matter.
1797.6Baby ridesSALEM::ROY_KWed Sep 08 1993 14:4813
    I have moved several babies around and some for long periods of time. 
    We have had success with leaving them loose in an enclosed trailer, we
    have a stock trailer that partitions all the way up and we just left
    them loose and checked periodically.  Every baby that I have moved has
    been extremely quiet and level headed.  The last baby had only been
    weaned about 2 weeks so we brought an old pony with us who stood in the
    other stall (was very crabby).  It was about a 3 hour ride and the baby
    was bushed when he got home.
    
    Hope it helps.
    
    Karen
    
1797.7POWDML::MANDILEmedium and messyWed Sep 08 1993 14:483
    
    I'd go with hiring a professional to move her, since they have
    the know-how.
1797.8STUDIO::PELUSOPAINTS; color your corralWed Sep 08 1993 15:346
    .1's (Kathy?) questions are key.  I'm sure the last thing you want 
    is for something to happen to the weanling and never have it trailer
    again.
    
    If you hire someone to do it, make sure they have plenty of experience
    dealing with foals.  
1797.9ThanksSOLVIT::BRIGGSWed Sep 08 1993 16:444
    Thanks very much for all the input, it has been extremely valuable in
    helping me to understand the potential issues.
    
     
1797.10TOMLIN::ROMBERGI feel a vacation coming on...Wed Sep 08 1993 18:255
Just another thing to consider is whether you were planning to wrap the 
filly's legs or not.  Leg wraps are a funny thing.  With a baby, I would 
probably ship them unwrapped, and not give them something else to fret about.
(Not to mention trying to get wraps to stay put on pencil-thin legs!  If they
slip at all, they're bound to scare the baby.)
1797.11my 2 centsBRAT::FULTZDONNA FULTZFri Sep 10 1993 08:4216
    
    
    	We had the same questions when we moved Max about 3 years ago.  We
    rented a trailer that the back was closed in.  Blocked the front with
    hay so that she couldn't slip under neath.  We didn't wrap her, would
    have been impossible any way - she was a slippery little devil.
    
    	Left her untied - I was nervous reck the whole time but, she
    	handled it fine.. I check with a vet and he said drugging was
    	not a good idea becuase they will have trouble keeping there 	
     	feet underneath them.
    
    If you have never trailerd a horse before - I wouldn't start with a
    baby.  
    
    	Tell us how it come out.. donna