doing a favor, horse care?

[88beast]

ok i may haul a horse for a friend as a surprise
what care they need for on the trip?
its az to pa
what do you do over nite?
how often do you let them strech/>?

[Believer45]

That is a pretty good haul, I would suggest you surprise your friend with the announcement well ahead of time and have them tell you in detail how they want it done.

Overnight there are campsites and such that offer horse accomodations that you can use, also contact horse operations on the route to see about stall space and such for each night.

As for stops, 4 hours is a pretty good stretch to not be able to move much for any animal but, again, this would be a call for the horse owner. You will need to carry water, hay and grain for the trip and many folks suggest carrying a tranquilizer in case the horse gets worked up about anything. I have never hauled a horse that kind of distance but these are general tips I have come across over the years.

Hopefully others with more relevant experience will chime in as well.

Dave / Believer45

[barrelhorses]

Personally, I don't like to get my horses off the trailer unless it is a pretty secure environment. I do usually stop about every four hours and let the horses rest on the trailer for a while if I cannot get them off the trailer safely. I have hauled horses up to 14 hours without getting them off with no ill effects.

I usually also hold any grain during trailer trips. I just keep plenty of hay in front of the horses at all times. I offer water at every stop. My horses generally don't drink much while on the road. I always carry water from home so that it is not a taste issue. I have occassionally soaked the hay in water just to keep some fluids going in. If the horse doesn't drink much for three or four days, it could result in some major health problems such as dehydration and colic.

AZ to PA is a heckuva trip. I agree with Believer. You'll need to map out your route and find good stopping places that can accommodate horses. I have never hauled that far, but I would imagine the trip should take about 3 days. You'll definitely want to get the horse off the trailer at the end of each day.

[Dualie]

The horse sleeps standing up so it can take a fair stretch in the trailer before needing to move around. I personally NEVER take horses out of the trailer unless im somewhere for them to be over night or the destination im heading for. I Probably have over 300K+ miles under my belt with horses in tow.

usually try and water horses every time we stop for fuel. Flying J's usually have water available at their RV islands and loves does a pretty good job of having hoses near the fuel islands. If all else fails look around back of the store for a hose bib never really had a terrible time finding water.

I usually throw 2 big flakes of hay in the feeders then after 6 or so hours I will add another flake if they have emptied their feeders. Feed them when I get where im going and usually if im overnighting the horse motel will throw them all flake in the AM.

MY Longest hauls were from Orange County, CA to Lexington, VA. with two drivers we ran 24 hours strait stopping for Fuel/Food every 4 or so hours but did go for an 6 hour stretch several times.

WE ran 24 hours from O.C. to Oklahoma City, unload the 6 horses hand walk around barn twice and put them in stall for the night. get hotel room and good 8 hours sleep then jog horses on a lounge line for 10 min each with two people that was an hour process. then load them up then drive another 24 full hours in to VA. The trip home was just the reverse of the ride there.

ALL this applies to dead broke show horses. but I still carried some GOOD tranquilizer in my "Vet" box for one that got really unhappy in transit.

all In all they tend to be low maintenance in transit just monitor them for any signs of distress. Also some places might have water that the horses wont drink. Some horses wont drink until their comfortable.

if your not particularly horse savvy which im getting the impression that you might not be. Not knowing how broke the horse your picking up is I would best leave this to a professional horse hauler.

[88beast]

well ill either be bringing the friend or ill be taking her sister who has the horses now and a trialer i think it may be cheaper on my part now to leave it to a pro but im still considering it

the horses are (as im told) well behaved and they are broke well

[bugman]

Nobody has mentioned it yet but what kind of hoops do you have to jump through at the weigh and check stations. I know in a lot of states if you are hauling any type of livestock you have to stop and have them checked. What kind of paperwork do you need?

Jim

[Dualie]

coggins certificate and a 30 day health certificate is all your required to have.

[LMJD]

Speaking for the welfare of the horse, you had best leave it for someone with experience, especially on a long trip like that. Although I know some guys that do, you don't zip around sharp corners and curves, slam on the brakes, etc, like you're in a sports car when hauling horses or cattle. You have to bear in mind they're standing up there behind you. If you're using an old small two horse, most all geldings won't even pee in them because they can't stretch out so you have to let them out to do so. Plus, broke or not, you have to be able to read the horse ahead of time to know if he's going to blow up because a semi came too close, etc, when he's outside at a rest stop, etc. A 1000 lb horse in a tugging match with a 170 lb man---the horse usually wins unless you know how to dazzle him with cleverness. Unless there's a snowstorm, I (and most people) leave mine tied up overnight outside the trailer at a truckstop or rest stop, but I pick my area and know my horse's mentality. As far as water, many of the more remote rest stops have their water turned off when the freezing weather comes so you have to pack your own plus hay. Plus you can't always count on a turnout place for overnight. I had once planned on leaving 3 of mine in a pen at the rodeo grounds late at night in a town on the Utah-Nevada border and it was in such a bad neighborhood I figured they'd be gone by morning so I didn't.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> coggins certificate and a 30 day health certificate is all your required to have.</div></div>
Many states also require brand inspection papers or your AQHA or whatever breed registration papers.

[Chyrel]

A good trick for teaching rookies how to trailer horses.
Fill a 5-gallon bucket with water 1 to 2-inches from the top, place the bucket in the center of the trailer. Drive like you think you should; check to see how much water has spilled out! Adjust your driving habits as needed.

[Riggodeaux]

You have gotten some good advice, and also a key issue amongst horse people - stop or not, and how often? Unless you have lots of reasons to make the trip other than moving the horse, I would leave it to a pro - much cheaper and better for the horse, especially if you are not experienced hauling and caring for horses; and your friendship won't survive if something unpleasant happens to the horse. I can't remember the link [probably from equine.com or western horseman magazine's website], but there is a site where the owner can post the transport need and (s)he'll get maybe a dozen offers from folks moving horses cross country who do it regularly and know what they are doing. That's how we get our most recent horse moved from OK to GA; cost was less than half what it would have cost me to drive out to OK with our trailer and bring him back, and the hauler did a great job, keeping us informed en route.

If you still want to make the trip, chart it out using horsetrip.com to locate waypoints where you can board the horse overnight. One great recommendation - check out the horse property on horsetrip.com in Marion, IL off I-57 - great folks, small barn with turnouts - and best of all, world-class bbq, banana pudding,and rice pudding at 19th Street? BBQ, right next to the interstate (for you, not the horses ....). We've made two cross-country trips to WY and our preference is to drive maybe 10 hours a day, stopping every 4 hours or so to get the horses to stretch, water, eat a little hay, take a leak, etc. We look for a truck stop or isolated motel/rest. parking lot next to an unfenced vacant lot to let the horses stretch, though we have stopped at highway rest stops, etc. (when not chased off by the attendant) Some swear by long runs without getting the horses out, but not us or our smart, humane horse trainer.

[LMJD]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> folks moving horses cross country who do it regularly and know what they are doing.</div></div>
Right, I see them now and then heading down the road. The ones I'm thinking of have full size semi tractors but instead of a conventional cattle trailer it's a long specialized 53 ft. horse tlr with a big semi sized 5th wheel rather than a gooseneck. I talked to a buyer at a big horse sale years back and the price he was quoted by the pro hauler wasn't that bad.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> Fill a 5-gallon bucket with water 1 to 2-inches from the top, place the bucket in the center of the trailer. Drive like you think you should; check to see how much water has spilled out!</div></div>
I know a guy or two that should give that a try! Not that they'd care about the result, especially when they tipped the whole bucket over. [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smirk.gif[/img]

[88beast]

thanks guys im going with a pro if we do this for her too much for me to handle all that paper work letting them out and making sure they are alright back there

[Dualie]

bob hubbard horse transport is who I use if I just have one going cross country. best rates with great drivers and great care.

Just fyi.

[mrsmith]

Anyone who hauls a horse should go for a ride in the trailer themselves. I have been in a trailer several times with horses and it is a leaning experience.

FIRST - They do much better than I did. The first mile or so they moved a bit on the corners then they seem to find a nice balance point. I on the other hand never figured it out.

SECOND - Start slow turn slow stop slow

THIRD - If on a long smooth section of road the horses can actually sleep or rest. This can cause problems if you suddenly turn or slam the brakes while they are resting.

mrsmith

[reba]

One thing that has not been brought up is the condition of the horse trailer! Tires? Bearings? Springs? Floor? Door Latch? Hitch?

Good idea to leave it to a pro; unless it's your horses and your trailer.

Best wishes.