Is it ok to transport minis' in regular trailer?

[nicmac74]

I am off to Bali for a couple of weeks and still have not found a trailer. I am going to send Lola & Scampy back to the trainer while I am gone. Scampy will stay on for training and I will pick Lola up when I get back. Anyhoo, my question is: my friend has a regular stock trailer- could they ride in that?I am not sure..would they not just fly around in all the space?Also, Lola is a bit wobbly in her hind end still so there is that to consider too. Just curious to get ideas as I have not hauled mini's before.

 

[crponies]

There are plenty of people that haul minis and ponies in a regular trailer. Some of them customize it to be a better fit. When I moved to CA I took the dividers out of my 3-horse slant load and had my 6 ponies in there loose. They had plenty of room and did fine on the long trip.

 

[Miniv]

With plenty of bedding on the floor, they should do fine. You'll discover that when they are allowed to, horses will turn either backwards or sideways to give them the best balance when the trailer is moving.

 

[Marty]

No problem. Mine ride in a 16 foot stock just fine.

Close half of it up for riding two.

 

[nicmac74]

Wonderful!Thank you all for putting my mind at ease. I will put down lots of bedding. It is only an hour but quite a winding, hilly road for a fair part of it. Do you think they should be loose or tied? I am really going to start looking HARD for a trailer of my own!

 

[SammyL]

I usually let mine be loose.

I always worry that if I tie them that they will fall and not be able to get up, or get caught in the line..etc.

I use regular trailers when I have to haul mine, which is not often. They do fine with it.

 

[Leeana]

We have a small two horse straight load trailer with a divider down the middle. Normally if im just hauling one mini, or in todays case i brought home a wealing mini filly, i just slid the divider over and turn them loose in there. If its a larger pony or shetland, i tie them.

I think you will be fine. The only thing about "big horse" trailers is if you have a straight load trailer and are hauling a mini, most SL trailers have a area for the big horses head / manger ..the minis tend to like to try to jump up in that with their front legs.

 

[Keri]

If the trailer is more open (slants on top), put down straw and not sawdust. If you put down sawdust, make sure you put fly masks on them. Learned it the hard way when my minis ended up with sawdust in their eyes. OH!

 

[Miniv]

Wonderful!Thank you all for putting my mind at ease. I will put down lots of bedding. It is only an hour but quite a winding, hilly road for a fair part of it. Do you think they should be loose or tied? I am really going to start looking HARD for a trailer of my own!

Better loose, so they can turn themselves around. Bedding should be either straw (as suggested by someone already) or chips.......not sawdust, which can fly around. You'll do fine. An hour's drive should be a cinch.

 

[Songcatcher]

One point I would like to emphasize, if the trailer has a center divider gate, ALWAYS close it. If you are traveling down the highway at 65-70 mph and have to suddenly slam on your breaks, if the horse is in the rear of the trailer, it can be flung to the front. If the center gate is closed, it is much safer.

I agree with not tying.

 

[yellerroseintx]

I also haul in a regular two horse trailor...I also agree with the no tying..BUT....did have one colt that tried to jump out the back......

 

[HGFarm]

The only time I do not tie a horse in a trailer is if I am hauling a VERY young foal with it's dam. I have known of several accidents over the years, at least one being a very ugly fatality, due to horses not being tied in a trailer.

I have a regular two horse trailer at this time, but in the future will find something bigger. I have sort of outgrown this one, LOL, with more horses, cart, etc.. to haul - and good point about the straw vs. shavings on a trailer that is more open.

They should be just fine. Just no sudden stops, starts, turns. Pretend you have a full glass of water back there and you are trying not to spill it.

 

[Jill]

The only time I do not tie a horse is if it's a very young foal. I feel it's safest in most cases to tie the horses for hauling.

 

[nicmac74]

Gosh..there seems to be a divide! I should have called the Topic, "To Tie Or Not To Tie"!!!I have always tied in the past but have never hauled minis' before so was not sure whther they get tied or not. Noting too that they will be travelling in a regular stock trailer. I will keep reading with interest to see what others say too!

 

[crponies]

You really do have to weight the pros and cons when deciding whether to tie or not. I have hauled ponies both ways. One thing to consider is the type of trailer being used. My previous trailer was an older 2-horse that was open above the back doors. I have heard of minis jumping out over the doors in such a trailer so I always tied in that trailer. My current trailer does not that opening there so I left mine loose so I didn't have to worry about anyone getting tangled in their ropes, etc. Those are just a couple of the issues involved in this decision.