If you are travelling your horse in hot weather there are a few things to bear in mind so that you and your horse arrive at your destination happy and healthy.
Most of us will err on the side of caution and not travel our horses if the temperature and humidity are high. Doing so can cause health problems either immediately or in subsequent days.
Sometimes though we have no choice in travelling when it’s hot outside. If you find yourself in this position there are a few do’s and don’ts. Read on to find out more.
DO
- Hydration: Make sure your horse is fully hydrated before and after travelling. Using electrolytes can help.
- Time: Keep travelling time to a minimum and plan to take a few breaks over longer distances.
- Ventilation: Open side windows and roof hatches to allow a constant air flow which can help your horse remain cool.
- Prepare: Make sure everything you need for the journey is already inside before you load your horse so they are not waiting around for you to pack.
- Check travel routes: Before you head off check for possible roadworks and other delays so you have time to alter your route so you don’t end up stuck in traffic jams.
- Soak your rugs: If you must travel your horse in a rug, soak it first so that the evaporation whilst travelling helps to keep the horse cooler for longer.
- Park in shade: We’ve all got into cars on a hot day and found they’re often hotter than the outside by many degrees. Keep your box parked in the shade, and plan to have the doors and windows open for a while before you travel so that it is as cool as possible before your horse enters.
DON’T
- Front panels: It may be tempting on a hot day to open up the top front panels when using a trailer. This is not advisable as stones and other road debris can be thrown up by the car’s wheels and potentially injure your horse. If you must open the front panels rather than the rear ones, use a robust mask to protect your horses face: however, again, opening the front is not advisable, and is it really worth taking the risk?
- Waiting: Don’t keep your horse waiting around in the box or trailer any longer than necessary and use a cooling spray liberally.
- Rugging: Decide if you can safely travel your horse without rugs and boots. Travel boots especially can increase the leg temperature which has been linked to potential tendon injuries¹.
- Shade: Don’t park your horsebox in full sun either before you leave, or whilst you’re away from home.
Unfortunately, we don’t all have air-conditioned horseboxes and teams of grooms to cool off our horses. However, using a little common sense to keep our horses healthy and not travelling at all if we’re in doubt is a sensible precaution.
Conclusion
At the end of the day it is up to you as a responsible horse owner/caregiver to ensure that you do the best for your horse’s well-being. Is that rosette/entry fee worth causing distress to your horse? Is that qualifier really that important? Can you alter your entries/plans to go on a more temperate day? Only you can answer these questions, but make sure you’re decision it from the horse’s point of view. Missing out on a rosette or qualification is infinitely preferable to risking losing your horse to heatstroke.
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