Horse Motels

[rodriguezpoultry]

So, we'll be going back to get Max after the wedding! Can't WAIT to bring him back! Anyway, we're wanting to stop every four hours to let him stretch, as he is definitely not accustomed to riding in a trailer.

We're wanting to stop at horse motels to overnight him as well as enjoy some trail rides with a guide and a horse we can "rent" for those rides. Brandon's gotta ride something!

Can anyone think of a place off the top of their heads in MO, OH, IL, IN?

Also...since this will be a LONG trip...any ideas of how to make this a bit less stressful on him? He'll have access to hay constantly and access to water anytime we stop. He's not the "best" loader, so we're working through that and have finally found a way to make him get on the trailer. Once he's in it..he's fine. Also, which areas should we stop at? The regular rest areas for people? Such as those rest stops where you can also let your pets out? (For some reason...I don't "think" they meant a horse...)

 

[welsummerchicks]

I know it sounds crazy, but if I wanted to make it as unstressful as possible, and expose him to as few diseases as possible, I'd go at it a lot different; in other words, I'd stick to what gave me the shortest overall trip, exposed the horse to the fewest other horses, and kept the heat stress to the absolute least possible.

IF you want to make a vaction of it, I'd stop in St. Louie and consider stopping at a place that has a vacation setup, but I'd recognize the risks - in doing so I'm exposing my horse to more bugs and germs and increasing his risk of getting sick.

The biggest risks in trailering are the horse getting sick (due to having its head up tied up short for long periods not being able to clear its respiratory passages, due to being exposed to other horses, due to the stress of riding in the trailer, due to changes in feed or water).

I'd start by getting all his vaccines up to date. Then I'd be seeing if I could safely ship him in the trailer without him being tied up, so he could put his head down and sneeze and cough freely, to clear his respiratory passages - that reduces their stress very much. I wouldn't stop every 4 hrs to let him stretch outside the trailer. Too much risk in finding safe places to do this and adds too many additional hours to the road time. Also, horses act very different away from home. He might get real lit up in a strange place and refuse to get back on the trailer, or run backwards getting off and hurt himself.

I'd be sure the trailer i was using had a safe way for me to leave the horse with hay to eat on the trip. If I had to put the hay in a hay net, I'd practice tying it 'up through' so it didn't hang lower and lower as the horse took more hay out of it. I'd plan on bringing at least a couple bales of the hay he's eating now.

I'd make sure the trailer had a way for me to both water and hay the horse without taking him out of the trailer, or without risking him getting out, such as having to put the ramp down.

I'd work the horse good for several days before the trip, so he wasn't restless on the trailer, but I wouldn't wear him out as being trailered is hard work too. I'd decide about wrapping his legs or putting on shipping boots or leaving his legs undone - my preference is to have the legs done up - done up properly, so the bandages don't slip or come loose. Myself, I use thick 'pillow' pads and standing bandages over bell boots on all 4 legs.

I'd take the whole rig to a trailer place, and get the trailer and the truck thoroughly checked over and maintained before the trip. I'd make sure the trailer battery was charged up and I'd allow a couple days of driving the truck AND trailer round town AFTER they go to the shop to be sure all was well.

For the trip itself, I'd bring water that he's used to, and I'd get him used to a flavoring in the water well before the trip, so if I had to store the water in plastic containers, or at worst pick up some water on the way, I could put the flavoring in and cover up any unfamiliar smell of the water so he would be comfortable drinking it.

I woudl give him a bran mash and oil 8 hrs before I left, and put him on the trailer, and drive, and leave him with a hay net, and offer him water every 4-6 hrs.

I'd lay up for a day outside of St. Louis at any of their really nice boarding barns or at a quarantine barn, and put him back in the trailer and drive to PA.

Ok City to State College PA is 20 hrs. I'd divide it into 2 10 hr days, and I'd stop and water 2-3 times each day and keep hay in front of him the whole way. I'd stay on the biggest highways - they are the smoothest surface and have the fewest stops and starts, which stress a horse more.

I would be most concerned about being able to open all the vents in the trailer up so there was a good breeze blowing on the horse all the time, and I'd check ahead of time for construction or detours on my route so I could minimize as much as possible, any stops on the road.

I'd also plan on driving at night. It's much cooler and there's far less traffic and far fewer delays. Though it's hot in Oklahome and hot in PA, the heat in PA is very different - usually rather more humid and still an adjustment.

 

[WIChookchick]

http://www.travelinghorse.com/
http://www.horsemotel.com/
I really Really would like to discourage you from riding him while traveling, that in itself will be hard on him, he is not going to want to drink water unless you bring alot of water from where
he is at now. Or use one of several tricks that folks use to try to get a horse to drink, such as 7- up in the water, apple flavored electrolytes and specialty flavors to help
mask the ways that water at different places taste.
Don't use shavings as he can inhale it and have upper respiratory issues, I have heard feeding grain with corn can cause a horse to sweat MORE, perhaps feeding a cool bran mash and straight oats is a better option IF you need to feed a supplement. Electrolytes are highly recommended. AND I have heard that using a very good filter or covering on a window If you have one of those big goose neck trailers with the drop down windows. A horse can get their head caught if they stick it out the window, they can inhale stuff that can cause problems later on.
Unless the horse tends to hurt himself in the trailer they also often say to not put shipping boots on as he will get hot, the same with a sheet.
When people do ride, they often will let the horse settle in for a day then will ride, even camping folks tend to do that for at least several hours.
ALSO... most places that have horses for folks to rent by the hour, won't let you bring your own horse on the ride, on their trails due to liability and insurance issues.

ALSO.. go to folks' state threads on the "where are you, where am I?" section and try to find folks along your route incase you have an emergency so you can go there, if they are willing. OR friends or relatives along the route.
AND finally, look into trailer insurance that will cover towing of your trailer, or of your truck and trailer, and changing tires if need be. Its worth the expense.

 

[welsummerchicks]

We use wood product bedding in the trailer, but we use 'Mc Crumb', which is a gradular product. It eases the legs and absorbs wet from urine or manure and so prevents slipping and falling in the trailer. Since slipping on urine or manure is an extremely dangerous situation, we use bedding in the trailer.

We also remove all the bedding after we use the trailer, lift out the mats, hose out any bits of bedding or manure and urine, to prevent any corrosion in the trailer. EIther manure/urine or wet bedding or both can corrode a trailer.

However, since it's like grains of sand, it doesn't blow around, it isn't inhaled, dust if basically none.

But with the trailer vents opened properly any dust goes out the back of the trailer anyway.

 

[Peaches Lee]

Quote:
Where is the horse coming from and going to? I know there is a large horse facility near Lake St. Louis that I would imagine you could overnight at, they have camper hookups and there is a feed store right next to the grounds--a golf cart ride away. I might have a directory somewhere that I could locate and try to give you more ideas

.

The only time I would take this horse out of the trailer is when he is going into a stall for the night. Do not take him out every 4 hrs---with his trailer loading issues, this could go very badly. Simply stopping to get gas and having the trailer not moving is good enough.

Be sure to pack an equine first aid kit, and get your trailer inspected and make sure everything is in working order--especially the tires (be sure to have a spare). There is nothing worse than having a flat tire in the middle of nowhere with a horse trailer!

Good luck and safe traveling!!

 

[showme31]

The National Equestrian Center in Lake St Louis is a very nice set up. We show there during the winter months. I'm not sure what they have to offer as far as horse motel, but during our shows the stall fee is $25/night plus shavings. Here is a link to their web page.

http://www.thenationalequestriancenter.com/

There are hotels for people and plenty of places to eat if you are also in need of that. The feed store is pretty much on the grounds so to speak, we've walked over there during shows to get supplies and kill time between classes.

If you decide to use this facility and are need of anything/info feel free to PM me. I lived just down the road from there for about 10 years before selling out and still don't live all that far from there. I still regularly use the feed store.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

I'm not sure I'll be able to fit a water bucket in there. The trailer is only a two-horse straight load. With the increase in the disease that's going around, I don't think I'll have much choice when it comes to overnighting him. I won't make him stay in the trailer overnight, probably because I wouldn't have a trailer the next day.

I'll have to get new tires, that's a given. The tires are a bit worn and they'll only get more worn down, at the very least I need to get a spare.

Peaches, I can't give the exact location, but he will be going from the South to the North. Actually, the humidity up here in PA is not nearly as bad as where he's coming from. 95 here, feels like 85 in the south. VERY nice!

 

[Katy]

There's one right north of McPherson Kansas.....not on your way tho unless you make a detour.

 

[Peaches Lee]

Quote:
showme31--that's the place I'm talking about---really nice, and the people are a blast!! A really fun venue.

rodriguezpoultry--What I meant was which states are you going through? My experience has been from TX to PA or TX to NV so I was trying to see if you were going through any familiar states, south could mean FL or GA--of which I have no clue!

I don't know if it was mentioned, but be sure to have an Interstate Health certificate on the horse too. Anyway, good luck to you.

 

[showme31]

It really is a great place. Lots of knowledges people and very well maintained. We are usually only there during Fun and Frolic shows in the fall/winter, but I'm sure things are no different during the rest of the year.