If you are planning an upcoming relocation with your horse, being prepared for the move will help lower the anxiety for you and your four-legged equestrian friend. Moving can be an unpleasant experience which can become trickier if you factor in a horse. Planning months ahead will save you from a great deal of stress and make relocation easier.
Here are some steps to to take before the move:-
Visit A Veterinarian
Bring your horse to the vet for some tests to make sure that it is healthy and fit well in advance of the move. Request for copies of a certificate of veterinary inspection to confirm that your horse is healthy enough to travel. Do make sure your horse is up to date on the major vaccines.
Diet For Your Horse
Feed your horse a diet of forage a few days before the move. Eating forage is better for its digestive system and encourages it to drink more water. It is important to keep your horse hydrated because dehydration is a common risk during extended periods of travel.
Transportation Methods
There are several ways that you can transport your horse. These methods vary and may suit a variety of different needs that you may have.
Horse trailer
The most common and popular horse transport method is by using a trailer. This method is very quick and easy. If you have a tow car, you can simply load your horse into the trailer and move it.
Horseboxes
Similar to horse trailers, horseboxes are operated and driven by the horse owner but they are more like trucks. These types of horse transport methods are better for moving several horses and their equipment. These methods are easier to drive and to park. As there is more room, your horse will be less stressful.
Professional haulers
If you do not own any trucks that are suitable for moving horses and are only making occasional long-distance journeys, you may get the help of professional horse transport service. This could also be an economical way of moving a horse.
Searching for a reliable professional hauler is often time-consuming and overwhelming. However, online shipping platforms such as Shiply can help to connect horse owners like you with horse transport companies. You can receive multiple personalized quotes from haulers right after you have filled in a form on the platform. Just click to compare rates in one place. This saves you lots of time and headache.
How To Prepare For Your Horse To Be Transported
Once you have decided on a horse shipping company to transport your horse, you would need to prepare it to be picked up. Below are some of the things you
If you are selling your horse or if your horse is traveling abroad then you may require some documentation. It is always a good idea to sort any documents as soon as possible as insufficient documents can delay or even halt your horse transportation.
Wash your horse before transporting it so that your horse can be comfortable during the journey.
Train your horse how to load and unload. Set the horse transport ramp up and practice with your equine.