IT is important to ensure every trip in the trailer is a positive one for your horse and avoid loading issues or injury.

The way you drive your box will have a huge effect on your horse’s experience. It is extremely important to look well ahead when driving to avoid having to break hard.

Smooth gear changes and gradual speed changes are key for ensuring your horse has a good travelling experience. Your horse needs to have enough room so they can spread their legs and balance themselves.

When tying your horse up, it is imperative that their head is not being pulled up when standing at rest. It is a good idea to put some bedding from your horses stable in the box as the familiar smell will help comfort them. Never travel your horse without bedding as they may be reluctant to pass urine without straw or shavings underneath them.

Tie your horse with a lead rope attached to some bailing twine to that the twine can break should your horse get into trouble.

A hay net can be tied up in front of the horse to keep them occupied.

Long distances

When travelling long distances make sure to stop every so often to check on your horse and offer them some water.

You may want to consider giving your horse electrolytes for long journeys to ensure your horse is not dehydrated when they arrive at their destination. This is especially important should you want your horse to perform soon after travelling.

When considering an electrolyte, go for quality and ensure regular access to water. Electrolytes that are presented in oral syringe form are handy as your horse may not be given hard feed during travel or may ‘go off’ their feed.

Superlyte Paste is a handy electrolyte option that comes in syringe form.

Some horses may prefer to travel with a companion: it can take trial and error to find out what works for your horse.

If a horse becomes stressed from traveling it is often said that “he ran his race before getting out of the box”. To help horses cope with the stresses of traveling, consider a calming supplement that will help them cope but will not effect performance and importantly is safe for use in competition.

The key ingredients for an effective calmer are a high level of magnesium; B vitamins which have important nutritional functions in the synthesis of neurotransmitters in the central nervous system; and L-Tryptophan, a precursor amino acid in the formation of serotonin. Again an oral paste application is handy for traveling such as Good as Gold Paste.