How would you transport a foal?

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Jess P

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This has been bugging me for a few weeks. We are picking our new boy up at the end of the month or sometime next month, and I was wondering how we are going to bring him home. We have a trailer, its got two stalls in it that we got made for the minis. However, I think the stalls are too big and he could fall and get hurt (he is a weanling).

We have an SUV, so I was wondering if we could put him in the back? Is this safe?
 
We have a truck with a top over the back. That's what we use!! It works great..we can always see what's happening. Use the SUV, it's perfectly safe if not safer then using a trailer. You'll be able to keep an eye on him 24/7. I've been using the truck FOREVER and have never had any problems.
 
I would Take out the divider and Haul the little one Loose.. I have picked up many a baby even at 5 months old And hauling them loose so they don't get hung up in the rope and or halter is the way I do it. And in 35 years of hauling like this I have yet have one not get to a place in good shape.. i hauled loose in a mini trailer with no divider in it and a back door that is bared all the way up so no chance of jumping up and out.. And as far as hauling in the car.. NO,, you do not know this animal and you could have REAL problems with hauling in a SUV..Even though I have hauled many a animal in the back seat I ALSO know that animal and the way it acts and don't haul in the car until I feel it is safe and the horse is willing and able to ride in the back seat....JMO.... But getting one you do not know I would say Nope not the way to go. In a trailer is better..
 
My first mini colt came home in the back of my Explorer...I had one of those plastic liner trays down and it worked perfectly. The kids thought I was a genius...my husband thought I was weird, lol.

Good luck with your new baby.

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Lori
 
I have a one (regualar size) horse trailer, and when I go to pick up my colt, I am just going to put shavings down or I am going to put straw or hay down and just let him go loose, Its will only be about a 45 min drive, and my colt might get tired and want to lay down, and if he were halterd up, he could get all tangled up!

-Gage-
 
Will there be two people going on the trip? Do you have cargo space in the SUV? Can you remove the dividers in your trailer?

Either the SUV (depending on the design of the car) or the trailer (if you can remove the dividers) would work. The SUV would require a second person to ride along. The trailer should be open, bedded down and the foal untied.

Take a tube of electrolyte paste, a bucket for water, a big water jug..... Ask the sellers if you can take some hay from them and also ask if you can fill your water jug with their water. Give him some electrolytes before he starts his trip and off her him water several times on the road.

MA
 
Miniv said:
Will there be two people going on the trip? Do you have cargo space in the SUV? Can you remove the dividers in your trailer? 

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There will either be two people or three. Depends on if my stepdad is coming. Yes, we have cargo space and will probably be putting the back two seats down for even more space. We cannot remove the dividers in the trailer unless we want to spend a good 2 hours taking it down, then putting it back up.

The ride is about 45 minutes to an hour as well...
 
If you do the SUV, be sure your baby has a lead on him and someone riding close by him holding the lead. Also, be prepared to tarp and bed the cargo area to handle his nervous POOP.
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Enjoy!

MA
 
I know there are some people who say hauling them in a mini van or somthing similiar isn't safe, but we have hauled all of ours home that way. I leave the middles seat in but pulled all the way forward, then we put a big heavy box that I got from work in the back. We put a tarp under the box and have one side cut off the box, we open the back and help them in, the box is high enough that if they were to kick they couldn't hit the windows, once loaded we put the other piece of cardboard back in and have it hooked so it won't fall down, the box fits nicely from the back of the van to the back seat and it doesn't slide around at all. I also put a piece of old carpet in the box so that they don't slip around, if they make a mess on the carpet I just throw it away when we get home. I have hauled them for up to 6 hour that way with no problem. You can keep an eye on them and know if there is any kind of a problem.
 
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thanks for your suggestions, I was thinking of sitting in the back with him with a tarp and shavings, to hold his halter and make sure he is okay. DO you think this would be okay?
 
I think you'll do just fine.....what with you being with him and it's not a super long ride.

Let us know how it goes...

MA
 

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