Your suggestions for preparing a weanling for a long trailer ride

[eagles ring farm]

Looking for suggestions to prepare a weanling ahead of time for a long trailer ride

I would think being able to lead and tie are real important but what else do you do

to prepare these little babies to be best equipped mentally and physically

for a long trip?

 

[Riverrose28]

We've hauled weanlings to Nationals before, and it's a two day trip. Only thing I did before leaving was getting them used to the trailer, I led them into it gave them a nibble of grain, and then took them off. Then on the weekend I actually drove them down to the intersection and turned around and came home. When we hauled them we put two in a stall in the trailer bedded down with straw that had shavings underneath. When ever we stopped we hung water buckets in the stall and removed while we were rolling. They had plenty of hay to eat in the stall and even laid down some, as when we would stop one would be laying down. I did not tie them in the trailer.

 

[targetsmom]

Personally, I would not want to tie a weanling on a long trailer ride but would want them loose. My main concern would be treating for ulcers BEFORE and during the trip. I would also wait at least a couple of weeks after weaning so they wouldn't still be dealing with that stress.

We have only dealt with bringing weanlings HOME, both times in the back of our pick-up with a cap, one weanling at a time. We lined the bed with mats and hay bales, but they still wanted to jump out. We were able to feed and handle them through the window in our Ford F 250, which helped a lot. One came all the way from NC to CT this way and by the time we got to NJ, she had already bonded with us and could recognize each of us walking across a parking lot back to the truck.

 

[eagles ring farm]

We've never tied a weanling in a trailer either, and usually take them on short trips with mom before weaning

but have occasionally had someone picking one up tie them without a problem

but these were shorter trips like a couple hours tops

 

[MountainWoman]

The most important thing to me is the shipper and their knowledge of handling weanlings and the care they will give them and the schedule they will keep. I've learned the hard way not all shippers are trustworthy but there are some fantastic ones. Is there any way the buyer would purchase two of your babies so they wouldn't have to travel alone? I don't know which of the babies you sold but someone is getting a fantastic mini. Your babies this year were gorgeous!!! Congratulations!

 

[disneyhorse]

Having a buddy (or other quiet horses) would help A LOT.

 

[eagles ring farm]

Thanks everyone the last time we sent a weanling to OK from NJ he did have a buddy weanling with him and not tied

please keep educating me with all I have to think of

 

[AnnaC]

Plenty of space to move round/lay down in (not tied, obviously!), plenty of bedding. Frequent stops for watering/rest periods. Hay to nibble at. Stalls to be fully boarded to floor level - no 'spaces' for heads or little legs to get trapped in. As Mary says, ulcer treatment before and during transportation especially on a long trip. If using a shipper make sure that any large horse travelling next door cant reach over the partition to bite/attack/stress the youngster.

Hope all goes well!