7 minute read
Safe Travels
Enhance Trailer Traction
Whenever you haul your horse, he’s at risk for losing his footing. Loading and unloading can be particularly hazardous, especially if your horse balks at the loading process or rushes out.
PHOTO BY CLIXPHOTO.COM
It can happen in the blink of an eye: Your horse rushes down the trailer ramp, slips, and falls. Or, it can happen during a two-hour trailer ride: You arrive at your destination to find your horse agitated, sheet askew, with a cut on his pastern.
Whenever you haul your horse, he’s at risk for losing his footing, which can lead to anything from a muscle or tendon strain as he struggles to regain his balance to a severe injury and even death. Fall brings leaves, rain, mud, frost, and other footing hazards.
Loading and unloading can be particularly hazardous, especially if your horse panics at the unloading process and rushes
>>
PHOTO BY SANDRA OLIYNYK For your horse to feel comfortable, your trailer needs to be well-ventilated, light, and safe. If he feels good, he’s less likely to become stressed and cause a slip.
out. During the trip, unsure footing can cause him to become stressed and agitated, which can lead to a disastrous fall. Enhance your trailer floor’s traction to reduce the risk of a slip, and to help your horse feel safe and sure of his footing. Sometimes just a small change can make a big difference.
Here are 15 ways to help your horse stay on his feet as you load, unload, and go down the road. 1. Consider your horse. Let’s start with your
horse. Unless you’re headed directly to your veterinarian’s clinic, your horse needs to be healthy, sound, and fit for travel. For your horse to feel comfortable, your trailer needs to be well-ventilated, light, and safe. Knowing your horse’s trailering history is helpful. If he’s ever been in a trailer accident or slipped on a trailer ramp, the memory may be tough to erase. 2. Make small changes. To help your nervous traveler relax, experiment with small changes. Try hauling him both tied and untied. Adjust the divider and wall pads, especially if he’s traveling alone. Haul him in different types of trailers over short distances, and note whether his behavior changes with trailer type. 3. Practice driving your tow vehicle. If you
only occasionally drive your tow vehicle, practice driving without your trailer. Learn your tow vehicle’s idiosyncrasies, and make any necessary accommodations. Drive smoothly and slowly, especially if your horse worries about every stop and go. 4. Go high-tech. An onboard camera will help you monitor your horse as you go down the road. Caveat: A trailer monitor doesn’t replace hands-on checks during trip breaks. 5. Work on trailer-loading. Work on your
horse’s trailer-loading training. Try loading your horse so he faces backward, if the trailer design allows for it. He might find this position more comfortable for his spine or posture, or just for his mental state. If he tends to rush out, opt for a trailer with a front or side exit, so he doesn’t have to back out. 6. Follow your vet’s recommendations.
If you’re hauling a sick or injured horse, get explicit transport directions from your veterinarian. For instance, deep shavings might sound like a good idea for transporting a sick foal, but the youngster might inhale too much dust, since he’s closer to the shavings than a horse would be. 7. Maintain the trailer floor. Trailer-floor
maintenance is critical. If the floor gives way on the road, your horse is at risk for suffering catastrophic lower-leg injuries. Regularly inspect your trailer floor for any signs of wear and weakness.
Trailer floors come in different materials; each has its advantages. Learn to love the floor you have, and keep it in good shape. Follow the specifications for the exact construction. Some trailers drain better than others; others are designed not to drain. 8. Use trailer mats. Note that trailer mats are designed to enhance traction; they weren’t invented to cushion a horse’s ride. A softer ride is the job of the trailer’s suspension; a mat can’t substitute for it. Mats may have some anti-fatigue effect, and dampen the vibration of a bare wood or metal floor, but you need to maintain your trailer’s shocks and undercarriage to give your horse a comfortable ride. 9. Maintain the mats. Pull out the trailer mats at least once per season to examine them and the trailer floor beneath. Wash them down with a power washer, and let them dry completely before replacing them. (As you replace the mats, note that some mats can be flipped over, while others have a top and bottom.) Replace your old mats with new ones as needed. Clean and inspect the mats after every trip. 10. Protect the mats. If you’re an eventer or show jumper, remove the jumping studs before loading your horse. Driving horses and horses ridden on pavement or in winter conditions that require drivein studs, frost nails, or borium will wear mats more quickly. You can cover studs and frost nails with duct >>
tape to save the mats, but you’ll compromise your horse’s traction. 11. Add shavings. Experts
agree that you should put a layer of low-dust shavings on top of trailer mats. (Some people prefer green sawdust instead of shavings. Don’t use straw; if it gets wet, it’ll be slippery.) Shavings absorb urine, especially helpful if you have aluminum floors. Note the places where urine tends to puddle. Sprinkling bedding on trailer mats has its drawbacks, as bedding introduces the danger of circulating dust that can enter your horse’s respiratory passages. To reduce dust, opt for fluffy, large-flake shavings from the
PHOTO BY HEIDI MELOCCO Experts agree that you should put a layer of shavings on top of the trailer mats, but place them carefully. Trailering expert Rebecca Gimenez Husted, PhD, recommends using shavings to save the wood flooring and help prevent slipping, rather than create a home-away-from-home environment. Soft-Ride Comfort Boots are designed to absorb the shock and vibrations of long trailer trips.
12. Place shavings carefully.
Shavings placement depends on the air circulation in your particular trailer. If the doors are open at the top, place shavings where you would for transport, then take your empty trailer out for a ride. When you get back, note how well the shavings stayed where you put them and how much dust was kicked up. This helps you predict the pattern of air circulation in your trailer on the highway. Remove soggy shavings as soon as possible for the sake of the mats and the floor.
Keep dust away from your horse’s head. Trailering expert Rebecca Gimenez Husted, PhD, president of Technical Large Animal Rescue, recommends placing shavings only where your horse will urinate or where manure will fall. She sees the downside of trailers when it comes to highway accidents involving horses.
“Filling a trailer with shavings as if it’s a box stall is ridiculous—and it contributes to respiratory issues,” Dr. Gimenez Husted points out. She recommends using shavings to save the wood in the floor and prevent slipping, rather than to create a home-away-from-home environment. Dr. Gimenez Husted also recommends using a remote camera to see what’s flying around in your trailer as you go down the road. 13. Boot with care. An un-
shod horse may haul better without hoof boots, unless he has foot soreness that would benefit from a boot’s cushioning. If you keep the boots on, make sure that the tread hasn’t worn smooth or he could slip. If your horse isn’t footsore, remove the hoof boots after a trail ride or arena session. Clean the boots and your horse’s hooves before the ride home to help keep the mats in good shape. Consider Soft-Ride Comfort Boots, designed to absorb the shock and vibrations of long trailer trips.
PHOTO BY HEIDI MELOCCO
14. Apply leg protection.
Apply shipping boots or leg wraps every trailer ride. If you opt for leg wraps, ask your veterinarian to demonstrate a proper wrap so you don’t put too much pressure on your horse’s tendons. Make sure there’s nothing under the wraps. Give him time to get used to the shipping boots or wraps. 15. Apply a fly mask. A fly
mask will protect your horse’s eyes from shavings dust, as well as debris, pollen, and insects that can find their way into your trailer. Reducing such irritants can cut head tossing, which can affect his balance and traction. USR
For more on hoof care and lameness from expert Fran Jurga, find her on Facebook, and read The Hoof Blog, www.hoofcare.blogspot.com.
