Travelling

[JumperGirl]

HI ppl!

this question isnt really for me, but I just felt like asking it, since some people might use it!

okay- question==
Does anyone have helpful hints for people when travelling? like, how to load a difficult horse, any homemade or cheap things you could put in your trailer if you have a horse that gets bored, or something, or any like umm "luxury" items you could add just to spoil them, that you could make, or buy cheap.
Well, its sounds stupid, but i couldnt find the right wording! lol, well, try your best to understand what i mean!!

bye
JG, a slightly confusing one!

[Kerry's Partner!!]

I'm no expert and haven't done this for a while. But with my mare, if you tried to load her without knowing her you'd think she was frightened or not used to loading. In fact she's really quite astute. She sees no reason at all to do what mere humans bid unless someone walks in front and shows her where they've put the carrot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Then she'll go straight away - with an attitude which shouts: "Why didn't you do that in the first place??" In other words it's what she expects. She's 11 and this must have been a compromise reached somewhere in her past (I've had her for 18 months).

[Wally]

There are no short cuts to loading a difficult horse, you have to get a trailer and do lots of work on the ground with plenty of positive rewards for good behaviour,
be patient and try to let the silly behaviour go unpunished otherwise the horse will associate the trailer with bad vibes.

We travel horses by sea a great deal, so our trailers have water bucket brackets in them as it's a 14 hour trip. I don't recommend water while travelling by road as it will slop and make everything wet, but it's usefull when you stop to have a bracket you can put a water bucket on so while you nip off to the loo on the motorway services so the horse has a good, long opportunity to drink.

Horses don't need much in the way of spoiling, just a hay net and some sort of leg protection if they will accept it.

[Alison+Rio]

A good tip if you have an older horse or a horse that has breathing difficulties is to put about 5 drops of eucalyptose ( sorry bout the spelling) oil on to the floor of the trailer/box. This keeps the air fresh when they pee. Also provide plenty of hay and keep a window open if possible. It is also a good idea to stop off every hour on longer journeys to allow the horses a chance to drink. Do not leave water buckets or anything that can move on the ground beside the horses while moving thouhg. As this can hit them and give them a fright! Hope this info is useful.

Alison + Rio + Cassey