30+ hours on a transport to Florida. Is my horse prepared?

When I drive down to Florida for the winter season of training and competition it is easy for me to prepare for the trip. I pack my clothes, get the car serviced and hit the road. I have been going to Florida for eight winters and I  know that La Quinta Inns has nice rooms and take pets so that’s a good place to stay on the two overnights of the drive down. Waffle House has good food, great characters serving and cooking and it’s fast so that’s a good place to eat en route. It’s all simple. But what about my horse?

I don’t trailer my horse, Biasini, myself. I ship him commercially so he can have a box stall, hay, water and an air ride. I start to prepare for the trip several days before.  As the stress of a long transport can contribute to ulcers I always give omeprazole for several days before shipping. I also like to have his hay wet for two days before shipping. The day before he is to leave I give him a tube of electrolytes. I like Omega Alpha’s Equisel BCAA. It is not full of sugar and succeeds in getting him to drink. I know that some people like to tube oil but I have never done that as I feel it would be a drastic change to what he is used to getting in his diet.

I have also never given IV fluids before transport to Florida. However I know from my friend Sue McTavish, who has frequently accompanied horses on long journeys by air, that IV fluids may be recommended by the vet in a holding station at the airport if the horse has already been travelling by trailer for some considerable time before getting to the airport holding station. 

Biasini will be picked up early in the morning on the travel day. For some horses I have had in the past, who were fed grain, I would reduce the amount or cut it out altogether on the travel day. But Biasini does not get a grain feed. He has alfalfa cubes, beet pulp and rice bran soaked in water so for him he gets a normal breakfast on travel day.  Biasini has a full clip for Florida so depending on the weather he will have a light stable blanket or a stable sheet and then a stable blanket on top of that. This year, as it has been quite mild, he travelled in just a light stable blanket. As the transport gets further south they will remove the blanket.

I only put bell boots on his front feet. I use Pro Choice bell boots for travel as they are softer on his ankles. I do not wrap, boot or bandage him. For the past eight years I have only ever used bell boots as I do not want a horse wrapped for 30+ hours and I am always concerned about a boot or standing wrap coming loose and then the horse injuring himself kicking or panicking with a loose boot or bandage. I would not expect the shippers to be re doing a wrap mid journey nor would I want them to.  I know many people do wrap and boot their horses but I do not. Sue McTavish does not boot or bandage for air travel either and for the same reasons that I do not.  The space available in a pallet on the plane is even more cramped than on a horse transport van making it almost impossible to do something if a boot or wrap came undone or loose. Biasini only has front shoes so I do not put bell boots on his hind feet.

In the past I have been at the barn in the early morning to see my horse onto the van. But with Biasini I feel it is more important for me to be in Florida for his arrival. I have complete confidence in Belinda Trussell’s Oakcrest Farm and the staff there and know he will be ready to go and fully prepared when the transport arrives. I also have confidence that Lou Denizard’s Delante Dressage in Florida would welcome him and take care of his arrival and adjustment but I know him and I feel that he will settle better if he is greeted by a familiar face.  Besides he knows I always have a treat or two in my pockets!

This year I left two days before Biasini so I could be in Florida for his arrival. This gives me a chance to get his tack trunk unloaded from my car, make sure his feed is ready and put a chocolate on his pillow. Just kidding! He does get treats but not chocolates! On the day of his arrival I anxiously await the call from the shipper to tell me the arrival time.  I know that there are hundreds of horses travelling down to Florida at this time of year and they all travel safely but I am always relieved to see the transport arrive and to see him come down the ramp safe and sound!

This year the trip took 34 hours as there were delays in getting some of the horses loaded, delays at the Canada US border and then a delay when the I75 was closed due to an accident.  He came off the transport alert and looking around. He stopped at the gate of the farm to snort at the Delante Dressage sign as if to say he now knew where he was.  I put him into his stall and let him have some time to settle. I always like to stay close by to see that he takes a drink .   After a half hour or so I took him for a walk in the arena and then a hand graze in the Florida grass.  

This year in Florida the weather is very warm. Daytime it is in the mid 80’s Fahrenheit or 30 Celsius. Due to this heat I will put some electrolytes into his evening feed for a couple of days. For this I use Omega Alpha’s Equisel-Lyte.  Although it is still warm in the nighttime I will put a fly sheet on him overnight. I discovered last year that all the bugs in the neighbourhood came out to greet Biasini and give him a welcoming bite!  He was soon covered in bumps. So this year I am going to put the fly sheet on right at the start.

Tomorrow Biasini will enjoy the run out behind his stall and when I go over to the barn in the morning I will probably find him sunbathing.  Well it is Florida after all!