Posted 2007-04-05 2:53 PM (#58583) Subject: long distance trailering Qs
Member
Posts: 16
Location: NC
Thx in advance for any help.
Q#1. How many hours can the horses safely ride w/ below rig without stopping for a long duration?
Q#2. How often (# of hours) do I need to stop to water the horses?
Q#3. Considering this setup, how lng would you rest a horse and / or take each out for a walk at stops?
Q#4. If I were to stop overnight (wife + kids in a motel and I slept in the nose of the trailer) could the horses sleep iin the trailer safely?
The rig: Sportchassis pulling an 34' Platinum (air ride) 6 horse slant stock combo 8' wide x 7.5' tall w/ 100 gallon water tank in haypod. No LQ - 4 ft are front tack & 30ft are for horses + gear. stant stalls are padded and a true 48" wide when dividers are closed. No mangers so the horses can put their heads down comfortably. We have Belgains & Haflingers so a wide stall was needed, however, they still have plently of room. The horses load in the front 4 stalls and a Polaris Ranger + other gear loads in the rear 2 stalls. We have a side + a rear ramp so the horses can load w/o having to offload the Polaris. I've plumbed water lines w/ ball valves to the head of each stall so I can fill 5 gal water buckets in each of the horses stalls. Also have a camera in the trailer to monitor the horses.
Posted 2007-04-05 3:07 PM (#58587 - in reply to #58583) Subject: RE: long distance trailering Qs
Expert
Posts: 2828 Location: Southern New Mexico
Offer water at every fuel stop. A fuel stop is long enough to rest, especially if you are traveling with kids. They take forever to go to the bathroom, well, mine do. Do not unload the horses unless at a barn/fenced off place.
If you have to make an overnight stop, call the town you are planning on stoping in and get the information for the fairgrounds. Most fairgrounds will let you unload and stall/pen your horses overnight. I would not recomend leaving your horses in the trailer overnight. If the ride is that long, they will need to stretch/lay down to rest.
Posted 2007-04-05 3:21 PM (#58588 - in reply to #58587) Subject: RE: long distance trailering Qs
Member
Posts: 16
Location: NC
Terri,
Thanks for input. I can roll for 1100 miles w/o filling up & we have a portapotti in the trailer so my wife & kids don't have to deal w/ the public mess... Typically, we pull off for only a few minutes, but that'd be a great time to water the horses. We plan at staying at horse motels etc (wife hates camping) but sometimes the stables are off the beaten path... But, if that is what the horses need, I'll do it.
Any feedback on how many hours I can pull in one day? Would 14 hours be too long if the horses were put up in stables at the end of the day?
Posted 2007-04-05 3:22 PM (#58589 - in reply to #58583) Subject: RE: long distance trailering Qs
Location: Texas
#1 they can ride farther in a stretch without stopping than you can #2 offer water whenever you stop, they probably won't drink, don't worry about it unless they go 8-10 hrs. without drinking #3 they can rest fine while the trailer is stopped without getting out #4 let them out at night with room to move around. They can sleep in the trailer, but give them time out of the trailer to move around first. We regularly run 10-12 hr. stretches with no adverse effects, but the horses are used to it.
Posted 2007-04-05 3:29 PM (#58590 - in reply to #58583) Subject: RE: long distance trailering Qs
Elite Veteran
Posts: 792 Location: East Tennessee, USA, Planet Earth
How many hours can the horses safely ride w/ below rig without stopping for a long duration?
I once read that for every hour a horse spends traveling in a trailer equals about one hour of trail riding. So you can always use that as a guide. I give my ponies a break about every 3-4 hours. This is about how long I can last without a potty break and about that time...I also need to refuel. Myself...my limit for day driving is about 9 hours, after that...I'm pushing it. I'm just too tired to drive longer than that.>>were to stop overnight (wife + kids in a motel and I slept in the nose of the trailer) could the horses sleep iin the trailer safely?There are many places you can stop and get an over nite stall for your horses. I would not leave a horse over nite in a trailer. They also will be road tired.Fair grounds are good for over nite stops. There are also horse motels.Have a safe trip!
Posted 2007-04-05 3:39 PM (#58593 - in reply to #58583) Subject: RE: long distance trailering Qs
Veteran
Posts: 238 Location: West Coast
When we put in a 9 to 15 hour driving day with the horses, we stop every three to four hours for 20 minutes to let the horses rest. We also offer them water at each stop.
On those long days, we make at least one stop where we can unload the horses and walk them. We usually stop at fairgrounds where, if they got loose, they aren't going to end up on the road. Often times there are arena's where we can turn them out.
If you are traveling on I-40, this is a great place to stay in Albuquerque. http://broken-m-ranch.com/_wsn/page2.html. The guest house is great and the stalls are bedded with shavings (they have a few extra big box stalls) and have big buckets with fresh water. Also... the Big Texan steak house in Amarillo, has good sized turnout pens they will let you use for free while you eat lunch.
Edited to Add: I would not let my horses stand in the trailer all night, I would find a horse hotel, so they can lie down and move around.
Posted 2007-04-05 3:56 PM (#58595 - in reply to #58588) Subject: RE: long distance trailering Qs
Location: Texas
tacklam- one thing to consider is the condition of the roads you will be traveling. If it is all good Interstate highway, 14 hrs. with your rig is not going to be a problem, but if you are traveling state roads that are rough, it wears the horses out faster than you think, just constantly adjusting to bumps, bounces and swerves, even with the airride. We have made several 16-18 hr. trips on the Interstates with only 1 or 2 short stops for beer with no problem.
Posted 2007-04-05 3:57 PM (#58596 - in reply to #58590) Subject: RE: long distance trailering Qs
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 524 Location: Lone Oak, Tx
I usually won't go over 9 to 10 hours on a long trip but that's just me, stopping every 3 or 4 hours for about 20 minutes. If I can find a good place I'll let them out for a period since they tend to drink better out of a trailer than in. Another good thought, along with all the other good advice, make sure they have hay in front of them at all times and soak the hay with water. Eating will keep their gut's moving and at least they get some moisture with wet hay. Another thing I do is electrolyte them the night before we leave and every morning and evening during the trip.
Posted 2007-04-05 5:19 PM (#58607 - in reply to #58583) Subject: RE: long distance trailering Qs
Member
Posts: 21
Location: Smyrna, DE
Another word of advice - make sure you follow the applicable hours of duty as mandated by the FCMSA. Sounds like with your set up, your Gross Combined Weight Rating will be over 26,000 pounds thus putting you in CDL territory. God help you if you get pulled over by the wrong DOT officer without a CDL.
Basically, you can drive 11 hours AFTER 10 hours off duty. Fueling the truck, watering the horses etc. qualifies as on duty. In addition, you can not drive after the 14th hour after coming on duty, following 10 hours off duty. For example, lets say you leave the house at 8am. Your trip can look like this:
8am-12pm: 4hrs Driving
12pm -1pm: 1 hour on duty to water horses, lunch, etc
1pm-4pm:3 hrs driving
4pm-5pm: 1 hour on duty to water horses, lunch, etc
5pm-8pm: 4 hours driving, total driving time for day is 11 hours
8pm-10pm: water and exercise horses, 2 hours on duty. Total time on duty for day: 4 hours
Posted 2007-04-05 5:27 PM (#58608 - in reply to #58583) Subject: RE: long distance trailering Qs
Expert
Posts: 2689
A number of us have written this up several times, PLEASE see older posts.
Summary; Stop every 3 hours ANYWAY.
B'leeve it or not you DO fatigue while driving. Don't expect horses to take water from a hand-held bucket on the first stop, they MIGHT take it on the second, most big rig haulers seem to agree that they don't get the idea until 5 or 6 hours. I offer water as soon as I stop, check tire temps, truck oil, etc., re-stuff hay nets, grab a bite and drink, do my own bathroom needs, offer water to the horses again - about 20 minutes and we're rolling again. I try to not drive on Caffeine, proper sleep matters.
If you do uneven days try to make the first one the longest and the last one the shortest. Horses CAN count and after a few days they KNOW which stop they're due to get off at, so don't make it a 9, 9, 12, 15 hour day sequence. I try to keep to 500 miles a day, I do use overnight stables so they can get off for 12 or 14 hours, turn-out with run-in sheds wherever possible, B&B on site whenever I can.
Sorry if this is a bit cryptic, the older posts DO have more detail and SOME rationale. Send me a private message if you have specific questions, I'll TRY to answer them.
Posted 2007-04-05 5:51 PM (#58610 - in reply to #58583) Subject: RE: long distance trailering Qs
Member
Posts: 44 Location: Montana
I have driven up to 14hrs and had no problems with my horses. I stop every 2-3 hrs and let them rest for 30 min. to drink, relax, and to cheek them over. I put my hay in a hay bag for each horse that has been soaking in water for 12hrs. They will be very heavy but they help keep moisture in the horses. I will also keep a large bucket with carrots in water. The carets absorb the water and the horses love them. I got a 3yr old filly to a show after a 12hr. Drive without being dehydrated. She wouldn’t drink but loved her carrots. Do not over night the horses in the trailer. They can hurt themselves and they will have tired muscles from the drive. If you think carefuly and take care of your horses you will have a very enjoyable drive. I love traveling with my horses.
Posted 2007-04-05 6:17 PM (#58614 - in reply to #58583) Subject: RE: long distance trailering Qs
Expert
Posts: 2689
I admit to having done the long (in some cases >24 hour) hauls without sleep, but to do 12 or 15 hour days day after day after day is dangerous.
9 hours of driving with two 20 or 30 minute breaks has got me coast to coast (VT to CA) and back with 30 year old horses - FIT and strong horses, but still quite old. It is a daily driving routine that I can live with, not just hold up under for a few days and then have to crash.
...and keep your mirrors and windshield clean - BOTH SIDES !
Eye glasses too if you wear them, looking through dirty glass is tiring.
Posted 2007-04-05 7:00 PM (#58616 - in reply to #58607) Subject: RE: long distance trailering Qs
Member
Posts: 16
Location: NC
foxpointfarm - thx for the feedback...
FYI - The std sportchassis is designed specifically so you don't need a CDL and I'm well under 26K (no LQ in a 100% alum trailer). I'm in the freight brokerage, freight consoliation and trucking business and am clearly aware of the regulations.
Posted 2007-04-05 7:54 PM (#58623 - in reply to #58583) Subject: RE: long distance trailering Qs
Expert
Posts: 1719 Location: PA
I do lots of 2 day hauls. Your horses should be very comfortable in your trailer and can overnight in it without any problem. They will probably get more sleep than you do in the GN! I usually stop every 4 hours but my horses tend not to want to drink until they have been on the trailer for about 12 hours so don't panic if they don't want to drink much. You can wet down the hay a bit for them. Don't grain them or just give them a small portion to make them feel like they ate. Watch the temperature so that they don't sweat.
Posted 2007-04-05 8:14 PM (#58625 - in reply to #58583) Subject: RE: long distance trailering Qs
Member
Posts: 21
Location: Smyrna, DE
We do a lot of hauls from Philly area to the VA / NC border quite a bit. What has worked well for us especially in the summer is to travel at night for several reasons.
1. Much smaller chance of hitting traffic - it's no fun for the horses to be stuck on a trailer at 4pm on the DC beltway in the middle of July.
2. We have two small kids - they are asleep so we avoid the inevitable "I gotta go potty" 10 minutes after we stop for fuel / food.
Posted 2007-04-05 8:21 PM (#58627 - in reply to #58625) Subject: RE: long distance trailering Qs
Location: Texas
I sure agree that traveling at night is the way to go if you have a choice. Less traffic and you can hook up with some truckers. They will keep you entertained and out of trouble. They are really a safe and courteous bunch and they will help you out if you need it, plus they always know the best places to stop and where to get the cheapest fuel.
Posted 2007-04-06 6:17 AM (#58636 - in reply to #58618) Subject: RE: long distance trailering Qs
Member
Posts: 11
Location: Virginia
Originally written by tacklam on 2007-04-05 8:08 PM
Everyone who replied - a big Thank You for all of your input. The great suggestions and sound advice are much appreciated.
Prior to the post, I reviewed some of the past strings on the subject, but wanted to get input for my specific rig.
We'll me getting out of humid NC in the summers - heading to the mtns of CO, WY & MT where it is much cooler.
Best Regards,
Tom
We trailer 4 horses from VA to NorthWestern Colorado every fall for elk hunting. We make it a 2 day tirip. We stop at the Cabelas in Kansas City, KS. They have a round pen for the horses to be turned out in. We offer water and soaked hay everytime we stop, the horses usually refuse the first water bucket but after that they are fine. Good luck it is not too bad of a trip out there
Posted 2007-04-06 6:24 AM (#58638 - in reply to #58636) Subject: RE: long distance trailering Qs
Member
Posts: 16
Location: NC
We trailer 4 horses from VA to NorthWestern Colorado every fall for elk hunting. We make it a 2 day tirip. We stop at the Cabelas in Kansas City, KS. They have a round pen for the horses to be turned out in.
Posted 2007-04-06 6:48 AM (#58640 - in reply to #58583) Subject: RE: long distance trailering Qs
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 346
i drove straight thru to decatur tx(1025 miles) in one day. Left at 5 and ended up there at 10:30pm. I had the horse off twice and once i ate at a resturant while he rested. he drank very little water to speak of while in the trailer. the roads are ruff from my place to there so i bute the night before and the day of. then just rest them a day before work starts. i have done this a number of times without trouble.
Posted 2007-04-06 10:06 AM (#58648 - in reply to #58640) Subject: RE: long distance trailering Qs
Expert
Posts: 1871 Location: NY
when I took horse from ny to florida everytime i stop for fule or get something to eat( eat in the truck) I would check the hay net and offer the horses water also i would bran mash the horse the day before am and pm with mineral oil in it good ride
Posted 2007-04-06 7:22 PM (#58681 - in reply to #58583) Subject: RE: long distance trailering Qs
Expert
Posts: 1723 Location: michigan
Last fall I went to Louisvlle Ky for a show and it was my first long distance trip ( and I went solo) I took one horse and thought about how to manage it. Simple is better. He had a hay bag and I tied a small water bucket in the trailer. My guess is it spilled more than he drank but it was there if he wanted it. I refilled it when stopped for fuel/food or bathroom breaks which I figured I could take as many as I needed- I didn't have a huge time limit but I didn't want him to have to be in there longer than need be- It was about 10 1/2 hour trip.All the windows/vents were open. I used plenty of bedding. I never got him off the trailer ( spells trouble) he hauled fine- old pro at 17. I think just use your head and take it easy.
long distance trailering Qs
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and about that time...I also need to refuel. Myself...my limit for day driving is about 9 hours, after that...I'm pushing it. I'm just too tired to drive longer than that.>>were to stop overnight (wife + kids in a motel and I slept in the nose of the trailer) could the horses sleep iin the trailer safely?There are many places you can stop and get an over nite stall for your horses. I would not leave a horse over nite in a trailer. They also will be road tired.Fair grounds are good for over nite stops. There are also horse motels.Have a safe trip!
