We have had some widespread and prolonged heat waves the past few weeks. With the extreme temps, came a lot of questions about how to ship your horse safely. The experts at Equo have prepared some suggestions for anyone shipping a horse in the summer heat.
Plan your route
Avoid routes that may incur heavy traffic and delays. Especially on holiday weekends, busy highways become impossibly jammed highways. Sometimes, planning an alternate road less travelled can actually save time – and save your horse a lot of exhaust fumes.
Have your horse prepared
Even if you are doing a short, local haul, a well-hydrated and healthy horse is always going to travel better. Regardless of the temperatures or time of year, good overall health is important to horses who travel.
Take water
In the event of delays on the road, take water and buckets with you. This will ensure you are prepared anytime with water your horses are familiar with. It’s a little extra work, but you’ll be grateful for the ability to water and sponge down your horses if your trip is delayed.
Have another person with you
In the event of traffic or delay, it is handy to have a second person with you to go back and check on the horses. And, if you do have a horse that becomes distressed, you have an extra set of hands.
Be prepared to scrap your plans
Don’t load a horse that is unwell, unless you’re headed to a vet clinic. Even the easiest ride is tough on a horse. The stress of travel and the physical exertion of staying balanced on a moving vehicle are tiring for the animals. If your horse isn’t in top condition, consider changing plans and leaving them at home.
If you do use a professional shipper, make sure to book someone experienced, well-qualified, insured, with well-maintained equipment. Every time you load your horse for travel, take every precaution possible for a safe and healthy trip.
Equo is an all-star team of veterinarians, competitive riders, transportation experts and horse owners. A flawless collective of know-how, expertise and state of the art technology to create the most advanced horse transportation platform in the world. Moving forward, Equo hopes to accomplish two main goals: to help horse drivers across America achieve financial independence and make sure horse owners forget about the complicated, pricey, and low-grade equine transport services, and embrace a new technology that brings forth top safety and quality travel. Equo is available to download on the App Store and on the Google Play Store.
For additional information about Equo please visit www.ridewithequo.com or call (844) 378-6552.
