Posted 2011-07-15 11:43 PM (#135697 - in reply to #135692) Subject: RE: Hauling 700 Miles ADVICE?
Expert
Posts: 2453 Location: Northern Utah
On several summer trips, When opportunity allowed. We off loaded and hosed down the horses. Help to keep them cool on 100* days. County fairgrounds have wash racks and it safe to unload and let the horses stretch for minute.
I've also given feeds that have lots of moisture,. Water melon, carots, apples. feed that the horses love and eat willingly even though in the trailer. Beet Pulp mash also works well for me.
We got pretty comfortable about drives less than 10 hours. With a stop or two for potty breaks, fuel and food. Horses did great in the trailer
Posted 2011-07-16 8:46 AM (#135706 - in reply to #135692) Subject: RE: Hauling 700 Miles ADVICE?
Veteran
Posts: 214 Location: lyle,mn
Some people might think this is crazy but at blowing 2 tires on our 3 horse LQ in 30 mile in coming home vacation on a hot weekend. I would have a list and phone number of tire services and towing companies along the way. We got very lucky and got tires changed and had 2 new tires bought out to us and mounted. It was a long down time in hot weather with little breeze for the horses in the trailer. We didn't have AAA but did call them and they were worthless. We were in a town that has a AAA rated shop and they never told us. LUckily the lady at the gas station knew the guy and called him at home to come help us. IT is not easy to find after hours numbers and put a weekend on top of that.
Posted 2011-07-16 12:19 PM (#135713 - in reply to #135692) Subject: RE: Hauling 700 Miles ADVICE?
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 385 Location: high desert, CA.
U.S.Rider.org!!They will tow horse trailers, and are great for long tows you need to make. AAA is worthless for your horses or your trailer. They WON'T tow or change your tires on a horse trailer, even WITH the optional RV package.
Posted 2011-07-16 2:34 PM (#135722 - in reply to #135692) Subject: RE: Hauling 700 Miles ADVICE?
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 373 Location: Texas
If you are hauling with the current weather, you may treat the trip different than when it is cooler. Hauling either from pre-dawn until noon, or hauling at night may be something to consider. I always calculate a trip to take about 2 hours for every 100 miles. With stops, fuel etc. and basic shortish stops, that just seems how it works out. So, you have about 14 hours of travel time.
If you haul straight through and then are going to be trail riding or such, allow a day for the horse to relax, rehydrate etc. If you break it into two days, the horse should be able to do its thing a bit easier the following day. Of course, not all travel the same. Just something to consider.
There is a small fairgrounds/rodeo grounds in Childress TX that you can unload. They have a faucet, and usually some grass to let them graze a bit. With the drought, who knows.
Turn North on 7th off 287 and its down on right. Follow the paw prints.
A wonderful RV park with corrals in Tucumcari NM that we have stayed at a few times.
So, I have done a lot of long hauls, and knowing that 287 is gonna be hot, what *I* would do is leave about 9PM and just make it an all night trip straight through. Give them a break when I get there, where hopefully it will be cooler.
I have USRider, a Garmin NUVI, and my Iphone. Between all those, if I need to find anything along the way, I can search the NUVI or use the Iphone and Bing and find businesses. USrider "if" I had a break down. I change my own trailer tires if I have a blow out, and carry TWo spares for the trailer on long trips.
Posted 2011-07-16 4:48 PM (#135725 - in reply to #135692) Subject: RE: Hauling 700 Miles ADVICE?
Veteran
Posts: 114 Location: Home of the WNFR at Christmas
You are only going 700 miles leave early, 3 or 4 am and run straight through water the horses when you fuel if they will drink. You may want water from home as it is familiar to them.
People run into more trouble extending the length of time the horses are ithe trailer, stopping and getting horses out in strange places and trying to make the trip easier on the horses.
Running @ 65 to 70 your in and out in under 12 hours. Enjoy the trip.
Posted 2011-07-16 8:24 PM (#135731 - in reply to #135692) Subject: RE: Hauling 700 Miles ADVICE?
Member
Posts: 32 Location: Paige, Tx
700 miles really isn't that far, easily done. I would do it in one day BUT if it would make you feel better, stop for the night. It will break up the trip in 2 short days rather than one long one. I assume you mean stop at Big Tex in Amarillo, great horse facilities. Do your horses travel well, eat and drink? Also don't unload them along the way. Horses are moving the whole time they are in a trailer so they much more appreciate you stopping along the way and having a little quiet time. GOOD LUCK and have a GREAT vacation!!! Breaking it up also means less time to ride???
Posted 2011-07-16 8:27 PM (#135732 - in reply to #135706) Subject: RE: Hauling 700 Miles ADVICE?
Member
Posts: 32 Location: Paige, Tx
The other poster is RIGHT, USRider.org buy yesterday!!! They are wonderful at getting you help. You have to pay for the tires of course BUT they pay the service call and related expenses. I know, I lost 2 tires in the heat Fathers Day Sun, they had me back on the road with 2 new tires in about an hr.
Posted 2011-07-17 7:26 AM (#135742 - in reply to #135732) Subject: RE: Hauling 700 Miles ADVICE?
Member
Posts: 6
Location: Morriston Fl
On long trips I off-load every 6 hrs, give them some exercise and water and grass if available----check the grass for chemical sprays before you let the horse graze.
Posted 2011-07-17 7:33 AM (#135744 - in reply to #135742) Subject: RE: Hauling 700 Miles ADVICE?
Expert
Posts: 3802 Location: Rocky Mount N.C.
Originally written by Rob77 on 2011-07-17 7:26 AM
On long trips I off-load every 6 hrs, give them some exercise and water and grass if available----check the grass for chemical sprays before you let the horse graze.
Quote... check the grass for chemical sprays before you let the horse graze.
How do you go about checking the grass for chemicals...??
We hydrate our horses with ALOE juice for a couple days before the haul. We wet the hay before hanging the bags. Keep hay in front of the horses the whole trip. Offer water at fuel stops and for no reason do we unload any horse before we get to the destination. Longest haul for me was 19 hours...
Posted 2011-07-17 1:13 PM (#135760 - in reply to #135692) Subject: RE: Hauling 700 Miles ADVICE?
Member
Posts: 6
Location: Morriston Fl
Get down and smell the grass, you will smell the chemicals immediately. I unload even 6 hrs because it prevents stocking-up. For every horse-hauler there is different way to do things. I am merely passing on what I have done for the last 45 years.
Posted 2011-07-17 2:45 PM (#135764 - in reply to #135692) Subject: RE: Hauling 700 Miles ADVICE?
Veteran
Posts: 108 Location: Dallas, TX
Thanks for all of the great tips!
We are members of US Rider.
I'm picking everyone's brain and my trainer had recommended having TWO complete spare tires (with rims) so I'm going to get another one before we leave. I'm also going to take trailer in for a safety check (bearings, brakes, tires, lights, etc.). The trailer is used, but we just purchased it so I don't know what previous owner did/didn't do. It appears in very good condition but I can't see the wheel bearings/brakes, etc.
We think we'll leave about 4am and drive straight through, hopefully by the time it gets hot we'll be out of TX!! Our trailer is a 2 horse, straight load, no mangers, it's very open and airy w/ stock sides.
I'd read on the internet about soaking the hay, I think that's a great idea. I've also bought some paste 'Show/Trailer Aid' type stuff that is supposed to have good things for the horses tummies as well as electrolytes. I thought I'd give this to them the night before we leave and again upon arrival. Trainer had good suggestion, she said to give the horses a watery feed for their first grain in the new place. Mix grain w/ water to make soup.
Hubby and I discussed driving at night, I just can't do that, I'd fall right to sleep so I think it's safer if we get up early and go.
Posted 2011-07-19 6:02 PM (#135839 - in reply to #135692) Subject: RE: Hauling 700 Miles ADVICE?
Expert
Posts: 1723 Location: michigan
Some horses don't eat much while hauling. I know this is the case with my horses. While they have access to hay I don't worry if they don't eat it. Once I hauled 11 hours in one day and had a pail of water and a hay bag hung up so my horse could get at it and he never seemed to want it. But he was all right and settled in when we got to the show grounds. I am not crazy about unloading horses. Just stopping gives them some rest. IMO- they are safer in the trailer. I even changed a tire with the horse in the trailer. My last long haul was 9 hours..I drove straight thru and stopped only for me to get out of the truck but overall I just wanted to get home and the horse off.The longer one makes a stop the longer they are on the trailer. I agree with not hauling at night. Getting the trailer checked out is smart. have a safe haul!
Posted 2011-07-21 11:42 AM (#135918 - in reply to #135692) Subject: RE: Hauling 700 Miles ADVICE?
Veteran
Posts: 229
Dmarr, I'm with some of the others. I soak the hay and provide a goodly amount of hay. Going cross country they eat their breakfast in the trailer. I average 2 hours per 100 miles, usually with 500 miles per day on extended mileage trips of 4-5 days. For late breakfast, early lunch, I stop for a good hour so that the horses can sleep. They sleep, I eat. When I finish eating, I offer water, they drink and we hit the road for the balance of the day's trip. I try to keep the horses on their regular eating, resting and drinking schedules. One additional item, bed deep, like 8 inches, with shavings. This was on the advice of my vet to provide additional cushion for the legs.
Posted 2011-07-23 8:36 PM (#136005 - in reply to #135692) Subject: RE: Hauling 700 Miles ADVICE?
Member
Posts: 48
I know this is off subject a little, but here's my US Rider experience. Just thought I'd throw it out there--
Hauling from Phoenix to Sierra Vista (not far, maybe 4 1/2 hours) in the LQ. Blew an inside rear dual on the truck. Called US Rider and they said they would call a tow that could change the dual with the horses loaded in the trailer.
Not exceptionally hot that day, but not 65. Probably around 80ish, which is warm enough I don't want the horses standing all day in the trailer (we made it to a parking lot with no where to unload).
I waited for the phone call to say the tow truck was on the way, my husband figured out how to lift the rear of the truck using the trailer hitch. An HOUR later, US Rider called back. To say THEY HADN'T FOUND ANYONE TO HELP. Husband had it changed by the time they called again and said they still didn't have anyone in the area. I canceled immediately. Probably an oddity rather than the norm with them, but they aren't the end all to be all.
Posted 2011-07-24 10:28 AM (#136021 - in reply to #135692) Subject: RE: Hauling 700 Miles ADVICE?
Regular
Posts: 96 Location: Grapeland, Texas
I had that happen to me one time with USRider, but I didn't blame them. The truck broke down. They tried for several hours to find someone. It was a Sunday afternoon out in the middle of nowhere. Monday probably wouldn't have been a problem. Luckily I knew someone who lived in the area and they came to the rescue and we got the truck fixed the next day. There is no way I would cancel them, they have helped to many times in the past.
Posted 2011-07-24 8:48 PM (#136042 - in reply to #135692) Subject: UPDATE: Hauling 700 Miles WE MADE IT
Veteran
Posts: 108 Location: Dallas, TX
Thought I'd let everyone know that we made it! We're in New Mexico, near Santa Fe. We drove it in exactly 11 hours and 50 min. Horses did GREAT. No issues other then we decided that we want/need a new rig w/ more storage space and a better tow vehicle.
I bedded the trailer nice and deep w/ shavings and they all blew out and did NO good! Our trailer has stock sides and as I was shoveling the shavings in, my hubby asked me, "Aren't those shavings going to blow around"? And I said, no, they'll be fine and the horses need the extra cushioning they provide. Well, the horses ended up making the trip w/ no shavings, standing on the rubber mats with shavings all over them and all over our gear that was packed in front of the horses.
We're enjoying our freedom, now that we've made a long trip and had a great experience, we'll do it more often.
Hauling 700 Miles ADVICE?
