Top tips for travelling your horse | Supplement Solutions

Hose down the horsebox, dig out the spare tack and brush off those first aid kits – we’re on the move!

With local competitions, events and coaching all starting to make a phased return, who is looking forward to getting out and about again? We spoke to some of our favourite brands to get their tips for getting back on the road with our horses.

Preparation is key

Horses in stables — **It's always a good idea to make sure your horse has all his creature comforts, especially if he is a nervous traveller**

“My top tip for travelling would be the preparation beforehand,” says Sofie Harman, marketing and events manager for Equine America UK. “I always feed Equine America Pro-Gut Balancer 10 days before a stay away show. This promotes a healthy gut. “

The team at Global Herbs had some practical advice for prepping a comfortable environment for your horse. “Always ensure plenty of hay or forage for the journey, take plenty of water to offer before and after travelling & whilst competing. And remember - always travel your horse on some kind of bedding in case they need to urinate.”

Rehydrate

Faith Morris, marketing executive at NutriScience, echoed the need for plenty of water. “Be mindful of dehydration. The weather and journey distance can have an impact on your horse and can contribute to dehydration. When embarking on a long journey, our top tip would be to have access to water and to use an electrolyte, such as NutriScience NutriLyte. It is essential to keep the horse hydrated and replace any salts lost through sweat while travelling. It’s a top tip to help your horse stay healthy and perform to the best of his ability!“

Think safety

Riders leading horse with haynet and feed bucket, with horsebox in the background

Equilibrium Products Stellar Head Collar, launched earlier this year, was developed with safety in mind and is perfect for travelling, senior brand manager Candice Pottage tells us. “Travelling horses is risky at the best of times, and every time our horses walk into a horsebox or trailer, we can’t deny that they are placing an enormous amount of trust in us. While they might not know that roads can be dangerous, they are walking into a moving, confined space with no idea where they will end up on the other side. It’s our responsibility to keep our precious cargo as safe as possible.”

“Using a head collar with a scientifically tested release system, such as the Stellar, could help reduce the risk of injury should they fall or lose their footing, pull back or panic.” In fact, research by Equilibrium Products found that 75% of head collar related injuries occur when tied up – this includes in the horsebox.

Candice added “They can range in severity too, from minor abrasions to fractures, so it's definitely a case of prevention is better than cure!”

What's on your list of travelling must-haves? Do you have a special trick for coaxing your horse into the horsebox? We'd love to hear your views over on our Facebook page!

You can find out more about the Stellar Head Collar by watching our video.