On The Road

Story and Photos By Neva Scheve

Most people don’t want to think about it, but things happen when you are hauling horses. If you are new to trailering, you may be nervous about transporting your horse and feel unprepared for an accident or a sick horse while you are on the road. The more knowledge and experience you acquire, the more you will be prepared to handle those emergencies. Or you may be that person who says, “I’ve been hauling for years, and never had a problem.” If so, you may be overdue.

The potential for en route emergencies, even on short trips, is real, and if one adds the stress of human injury to the situation, common sense suggests that forethought may be critical.

Each time a horse is put into a trailer, he is at risk. He may receive minor bumps and bruises just from being loaded in the trailer, He may injure himself during the trip because he becomes frightened or loses balance. Illness or a trailer accident can create a life-threatening situation.

Smart pre-trip preparation can reduce the chance of serious consequences.

A well-trained horse is less likely to injure himself or suffer from stress. A safe trailer can make a minor incident out of a serious situation. The safer trailers will have interior dividers, butt and breast bars that can be removed quickly, and an exit door to get the horse out quickly. Quick-release trailer ties will make it easy to remove a horse from the trailer. You don’t want the horse to be able to break a halter or lead and get free from the trailer and run out on the road. If you absolutely must use a breakaway halter, put a second halter on the horse with a short lead so once you release the horse, you will still have something to hold on to him. Never get inside the trailer with a panicked horse. Use a proper hitch and tow vehicle.

Wrap all four legs with good shipping boots or bandages. A head bumper is never a bad idea.

Ventilation is crucial. To avoid shipping fever the horse should have enough headroom to be able to lower his head to cough out contaminants in the air from hay and shavings.

Carry an emergency first aid kit. One for the horses and one for humans. And learn how to use them. The kit should include a splint.

Learn how to monitor vital signs in the horse. Ask your vet to teach you to check for dehydration and overheating, stop bleeding, and use that splint if you ever need to do it. Know normal heart rate and GI motility sounds. Only carry tranquilizers if you know how and when to use them.

PINCH SKIN ON NECK

NEAR POINT OF SHOULDER

RETURNS TO NORMAL HYDRATION LEVELS

O -2 SECONDS HYDRATED

2-4 SECONDS MODERATE DEHYDRATION

4+ SECONDS SEVERELY DEHYDRATED

Normal Vital Signs

Temperature: 99.5-101.5

Respiration: 8-16 breaths per minute

Heart Rate : 20-40 for adult horses

80-120 for new-born foals

60-80 for yearling

Skin Pinch Hydration: should return to normal position within 1-2 seconds

Capillary Refill Time: 1-2 seconds – pale, dark red, muddy, or slow refill time – needs immediate veterinary assistance

Assume that in an emergency EMTs and police will most likely not know how to help with the horses. Carry a durable visible medical ID that lists your doctor and contact person. If you are incapacitated in an accident, the EMTs/police will need to contact someone who knows you and your horses. On your phone, you can add the letter “ICE” (In Case of Emergency) to those contact people who should be called by emergency personnel.

Not all emergencies are caused by accidents. Horses can become ill on the trip, especially long ones. Dehydration is the main cause of colic and overheating. If your horse won’t drink on a long trip, you may have to schedule stops along the way where you can unload your horse in a safe place where he can drink. You may not realize your horse is sweating because the sweat can evaporate in the trailer and he won’t seem wet. Carry extra water for cooling off a horse in hot weather and for cleaning off wounds if necessary. Older horses, younger, or nervous horses may need extra care because of increased stress. Know how to look for symptoms of stress and check for vital signs along the way.

It sounds scary, but the better prepared you are, the more confident you will be to handle any situation. Plan for the worst, and hope for the best. You can do it!

Emergency First Aid Kit

COTTON 2 ROLLS

GAUZE 4 ROLL

CLEAN STANDING BANDAGES 2

-quilt or fleece with outer raps

ADHESIVE TAPE

24” SECTION OF 6” PVC PIPE

-length split in half for splinting

-diameter to fit horses leg

COHESIVE FLEXIBLE BANDAGE 2

STICKY ROLL BANDAGE

THERMOMETER

STETHOSCOPE

MOSQUITO FORCEPS

SCISSORS

TWITCH

ANTISEPTIC SOAP

HYDROGEN PEROXIDE

ANTI BACTERIAL OINTMENT

ANTIBACTERIAL SPRAY POWDER

OPHTHALMIC OINTMENT

SALINE EYE WASH

BUTAZOLIDIN PASTE

BANAMINE GRANULES OR PASTE

BUCKET WATER

-10 gallons or more drinking and emergencies

CAPILLARY REFILL TIME (CRT)

Press upper gum.

Pressure point will be a lighter color.

COLOR

Hydrated